Solid State Inc. 2N2222
Full Technical Specifications
12 Parameters| Parameter / Attribute | Specification / Value |
|---|---|
| Mounting | Through Hole |
| FET type | NPN |
| Voltage - collector emitter breakdown | 30 V |
| Current - collector (Ic) | 800 mA |
| Current - collector cutoff | 10nA (ICBO) |
| DC current gain (hFE) (Min) @ ic, vce | 100 @ 150mA, 10V |
| Power - max | 500 mW |
| Frequency - transition | 250MHz |
| Operating temperature | -65°C ~ 200°C (TJ) |
| Package | Bulk |
| Case | TO-206AA, TO-18-3 Metal Can |
| Vce saturation (Max) @ ib, ic | 1.6V @ 50mA, 500mA |
Need Stock or a Drop-in Second-Source for 2N2222?
Package: TO-92 / TO-18 (original) · Pin-compatible replacements with immediate Shenzhen spot stock
The 2N2222A is the American bench transistor - 40V, 800mA, gain peaking where relay coils and small lamps live, and a part number so old that the market has three bodies for it: the original TO-18 metal can, the ordinary plastic TO-92 sold as PN2222A, and onsemis P2N2222A - which is also a TO-92 and has a DIFFERENT pinout from the PN version. That last sentence is the reason this page exists: two three-pin plastic parts, one part family, opposite lead orders, and a repair shelf where a blind substitution destroys the transistor on first power-up. The datasheet habit of verifying the exact suffix is not pedantry here - it is the whole job.
Verified Pin-Compatible Replacements (3 verified alternatives)
The Plastic Original - E-B-C
Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)
The mainstream plastic 2N2222A: 40V VCEO, 800mA class, fT 300MHz, gain optimized around 150mA - with the E-B-C lead order of the 2N3904 lineage.
VCEO 40V (the non-A 2N2222 is 30V); VCBO 75V; the A is the improved-die grade.
The Same Plastic, The Opposite Pinout
Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)
onsemis TO-92 version designed as a drop-in for TO-18-footprint conversions: same electricals as the PN2222A, C-B-E lead order instead.
Same 40V / 800mA class.
The PNP Half of the Pair
Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)
The complementary PNP: -40V / -600-800mA class with matching characteristics - the pair rule of the US lineup (2N2222A with 2N2907A; 2N3904 with 2N3906).
Mirror ratings of the NPN.
Buyer & Quality Checklist for Sourcing Alternatives
- The lead order is the suffix, not the family: PN2222A is E-B-C, P2N2222A is C-B-E, and the original TO-18 can has its own arrangement. Verify the exact orderable number against its drawing before inserting anything.
- Parts labeled 2N2222A in a plastic body are technically outside the JEDEC registration (TO-18), which the market ignores: treat the body and the number as independent evidence and trust the specific maker drawing.
- Ratings arithmetic: 2N2222A is 40V VCEO / 800mA with gain peaking near 150mA; the plain 2N2222 is 30V; the 2N3904 is 200mA optimized at 10mA. Match the working current to the part, not the shelf.
- The complements are pairs, not interchangeable: 2N2907A pairs with 2N2222A, 2N3906 pairs with 2N3904. Mixing the generations still works electrically and fails the gain matching the circuit may assume.
- The TO-18 metal can ties its case to the collector: vintage fixtures grounded to the can need the insulator thinking of the era, not the plastic habit.
- For repair stock, keep PN and P2N variants in separately labeled compartments - the transistor is cheap and the power-up destruction is not.
Frequently Asked Technical Questions
Q: What is the difference between PN2222A and P2N2222A?
A: Same electricals, opposite pinouts in the same TO-92 body: PN2222A is E-B-C, P2N2222A is C-B-E (the original TO-18 arrangement). Insert the wrong one and the transistor is destroyed at power-up in most circuits.
Q: Can I substitute 2N3904 for 2N2222A?
A: Only within the lower current budget: the 3904 is a 200mA part where the 2222 handles 800mA, both in E-B-C order (in their TO-92 forms). The direction up (2222 for 3904) is electrically kind; the direction down needs the load current checked.
Q: Is the metal-can 2N2222A still made?
A: The TO-18 can still exists in legacy and specialist supply; the working market is the plastic PN/P2N variants. For vintage fixtures, the can also brings its case-is-collector mounting convention - check the insulator scheme.