1500W peak pulse in an axial DO-201AA body
The 1.5KE20HE3/54: The 18 V minimum breakdown voltage means it starts conducting just above the 16.2 V standoff, clamping transients before they reach downstream circuitry — a common choice for 12 V and 15 V automotive rails where load-dump and inductive spikes need a hard limit.
AEC-Q101 qualification and the TransZorb® family
This part carries AEC-Q101 automotive qualification and the TransZorb® designation, which indicates a glass-passivated junction rated for repetitive surge duty — not just a one-shot clamp. The DO-201AA (DO-27) axial package is a through-hole form factor — it hand-solders easily and the lead bend absorbs board flex, but the tape-and-reel packaging (: Tape & Reel (TR)) means it ships on a reel for automated insertion, not loose in a bag.
Obsolete — sourcing through independent channels
Vishay lists the 1.5KE20HE3/54 as Obsolete. For a BOM that already passed qualification with this exact Vishay part number, the alternative is to source remaining inventory or requalify a functionally equivalent TVS from the same 1.5KE family — the 1.5KE20A (unidirectional) or 1.5KE20CA (bidirectional) share the same DO-201AA package and similar clamping specs, but lack the AEC-Q101 automotive grade. A board spin is not required for the package swap.