What the 1500 W peak pulse rating means for your BOM
The 1.5KE8.2HE3/73: That 1500 W rating means the device can absorb a single 120 A surge (the Ipp at 12.5 V clamping) without failing — useful for clamping transients on automotive 12 V rails where load-dump or alternator field decay can punch through a standard rectifier. The reverse standoff voltage is 6.63 V, so it sits across a 5 V or 6 V rail and stays out of the circuit until a transient pushes the line above 7.38 V (the minimum breakdown voltage). At that point it clamps at 12.5 V maximum, protecting downstream silicon rated for 12 V or higher.
The DO-201AA (DO-27) axial-lead package is through-hole, so it suits point-to-point wiring or PCB layouts where a larger lead diameter handles the surge current without trace lift-off. The 1.5KE package suffix indicates the standard 1.5 kW footprint.
Obsolete — sourcing through independent channels
Vishay has marked the 1.5KE8.2HE3/73 as obsolete. No official successor order code is listed, so any replacement will require a functional equivalent — likely a different series or manufacturer — and a board spin if the package changes. For existing designs, the 1.5KE8.2 (base number) family still has active variants from Vishay and other suppliers, but the AEC-Q101 qualification and the specific breakdown voltage window should be verified against the new part's datasheet before substituting.