SparkFun Forums

[Tenacious_Techhunter]

I've got a Typical Application Circuit that calls for a BAS20 diode (no additional specifics given).
In spite of my attempts to find this in some form of throughhole, I can't seem to find the damn thing. Is there a throughhole version of this part somewhere?
Is there a throughhole equivalent or superior version suitable as a drop-in replacement?
What is the story behind BAS20 diodes? Engineers I know with considerable experience don't know this part, for some reason...

[dlotton]

Might look at the 1N4148. Not an exact match for the BAS20, but a similar switching diode, and it is available in axial lead.

[Tenacious_Techhunter]

How is that even REMOTELY equivalent, when the required voltage is HALF of the part I asked about?

[waltr]

Take it easy!!!
You did not give us the app Circuit you are using so we do not know what specs are important.
For 99% of circuits the 1N4148 would work just fine and the reason I keep a hand full in my parts bin.

So what circuit is this for??????????????????
Link to circuit or complete specs the circuit requires.

[rmteo1]

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/e ... ND/2762611

[dlotton]

How is that even REMOTELY equivalent, when the required voltage is HALF of the part I asked about?

Well, sir, you gave us no operating parameters at all. The 1N4148 is a general purpose switching diode, as is the BAS20... as I remember it, the 'specifics' you provided were...

I've got a Typical Application Circuit... blah, blah, blah...

WTH is a 'Typical Application Circuit'?

...and BTW, what is 'required voltage'? Haven't seen that in a diode spec sheet.

You're welcome for my attempt to help you.

[dlotton]

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/e ... ND/2762611

rmteo1, how is that even REMOTELY similar? It's orange instead of black.

[Mee_n_Mac]

How is that even REMOTELY equivalent, when the required voltage is HALF of the part I asked about?

What required voltage is half ?

If I look at the specs they're pretty similar ...BAS20 vs 1N4148
Reverse breakdown voltage ... 150V vs 100V
Ave fwd current ... 250mA (?) vs 200 mA (and perhaps up to 450 ma)
reverse recovery time ... 50 nS vs 4 ns
Vf @ 100 mA ... 1.0V vs 1.0V

Now perhaps something in the 1N400x family might be a better match ... but it all depends on the application.
http://www.diodes.com/datasheets/ds28002.pdf

[Tenacious_Techhunter]

WTH is a 'Typical Application Circuit'?

When a manufacturer releases a part, they often include a "Typical Application Circuit" in the documentation, illustrating a typical use case for the part. This is especially common with very unusual parts with odd operating requirements or conditions, making integration less than obvious.

You're welcome for my attempt to help you.

When choosing equivalent replacement parts, you have to match as many parameters as possible, except where exceeding a requirement is sufficient. It is NEVER a good idea, and is potentially damaging to the circuit, to substitute an inferior part, except in very unusual cases where a part with a superior basic requirement is chosen only because it has a desirable secondary characteristic that was not found elsewhere at the time. I'm not about to thank someone for offering me advice that is potentially hazardous to my circuit.

[Tenacious_Techhunter]

What required voltage is half ? If I look at the specs they're pretty similar ...BAS20 vs 1N4148

Only the Continuous Reverse Voltage is 150, and is only listed on the NXP sheet for the BAS20. That same sheet specifies 200V for repetitive peak voltages, which is the same spec listed, with the Continuous Reverse Voltage absent, on sheets from other manufacturers. Now, I suppose the 1N4148 could operate at 150V in peak conditions, and I'm still wrong about the Voltage being half, but that is still an irrelevant part, because it still can't ALWAYS do the same job, so I'm not about to waste time checking.

Now perhaps something in the 1N400x family might be a better match ... but it all depends on the application.
http://www.diodes.com/datasheets/ds28002.pdf

Something from this family may be helpful.

[Tenacious_Techhunter]

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/e ... ND/2762611

rmteo1 wins my thanks, for being the first to correctly answer my question, by pointing out that the BAS20 has an equivalent (if not exactly the same) part in axial called "BAV20". Thank you VERY much for your clearly correct answer which is not likely at all to harm my circuit.

[dlotton]

When choosing equivalent replacement parts.. blah, blah, blah... blah, blah, blah

:clap:

When choosing alternate parts you often only need to choose parts that cover the required circuit operating parameters, of which you provided none. If a circuit will never see more than 12V, you don't necessarily need to replace a 200V diode with another 200V diode. 150V might be perfectly acceptable. You never refered to a specific circuit in a specific data sheet, you said 'a typical circuit' (no other reference) and gave absolutely no operating parameters, which could mean anything under the sun.

I offered help based on the information provided (none), and you come back with an ungrateful tantrum of a reply instead of more clearly stating the operating conditions and requirements. :naughty:

Since you seem to be quite the authority on qualifying alternate parts (given your speach above), I fail to understand why you're here asking for advice. :snooty:

Just because I'm a nice guy, I'll pitch you a tip... Digikey lists a huge number of parts from many vendors. They have a pretty good search capability where you can filter and sort on various parameters and attributes such as 'through hole', 'reverse voltage', and 'average current' ...most of those relevant parameters that you omitted from the OP, which, apparently were deathly vital to the circuit operation, we were left to conjure from thin air.


..and I hope you enjoyed the smileys.

[Tenacious_Techhunter]

I said “Typical Application Circuit”, which is how a manufacturer specifies how one of their parts is typically implemented in a circuit. It does not mean ANYTHING LIKE “any typical circuit”; it has a very specific meaning to which you are apparently still ignorant. When the manufacturer tells you you need a part as specific as a BAS20, you had better meet or exceed ALL the criteria. Your answer is STILL WRONG, no matter how much you would like to justify your well-intentioned but misleading efforts.

By the way, I can definitely confirm at this time that 150V would not have been acceptable. So you’re doubly wrong.

And if Digikey is as viable solution to this problem as you think it is, why didn’t you find the answer there? Because you have no familiarity with the part, which is what was required to answer the question correctly. Evidently, I was not wrong to come here for answers, but I was certainly wrong to have ever considered anything you had to say.

Once again, rmteo1 was the ONLY person to correctly answer this question, and his answer has not let me down, like dlotton’s answer definitely would have. I thank him again for his well-informed advice.

[rrpilot]

rmteo1 wins my thanks, for being the first to correctly answer my question, by pointing out that the BAS20 has an equivalent (if not exactly the same) part in axial called "BAV20". Thank you VERY much for your clearly correct answer which is not likely at all to harm my circuit.

Believe me, no one is trying to win your thanks. Come here with such a vague question and demand such specific answers is ridiculous.

[Mee_n_Mac]

I'm almost lost for words at the ~4 month lag in the last "nyah nyah told ya so" response. Someones got anger management issues.