2N2218 transistor
2N2218 transistor electrical specification
- 2N2218 is an NPN HIGH speed switching planer epitaxial silicon transistor device
- Collector to emitter voltage is 60V
- Collector to base voltage is 30V
- Emitter to base voltage is 5V
- Collector current is 800mA
- Power dissipation is 8W
- DC current gain is 20 to 120hFE
- Junction temperature & operating temperature is between -55 to +200℃
- Thermal resistance between the junction to the case is 59℃/W
- Collector to emitter saturation voltage (VCE (SAT)) is4V to 1.6V
- Transition frequency (TF) is 250MHz
- Turn ON time (ton) is 40ns
- Turn OFF time (toff) is 250ns
- Output capacitance is 8pF
- Input capacitance is 25pF
- Wide range of collector current
- Low leakage current
- Low saturation voltage
2N2218 PINOUT
| Pin Number | Pin Name | Description |
| 1 | Emitter | Current flows through the emitter |
| 2 | Base | Base terminal is used to trigger the transistor device |
| 3 | Collector | Current flows through the collector and it is connected with the case of the package. |
2N2218 package
2N2218 HIGH-speed transistor device has TO-39 package, which is a metal-covered package which had higher dissipation ability.
TO-39 METAL CAN package acts as the heat sink for the electronic component, this is the reason why high power amplification applications.
2N2218 transistor specification description/application note
Here in this section, we explain the electrical specifications of the 2N2218 transistor device, this will help us to know more about the device for the replacement process.
Voltage specs
The terminal voltage specs of the 2N2218 transistor are a collector-to-emitter voltage is 30V, a collector-to-base voltage is 60V, and emitter to base voltage is 5V.
The collector-to-emitter saturation voltage value is 0.4V to 1.6V, it is the switching voltage of the device.
The voltage specifications of the 2N2218 transistor show that it is a low-voltage transistor having amplification circuits.
Current specs
The current specs of the 2N2218 transistor are 800Ma, the collector current value indicates the maximum load capacity of the device.
The current specifications or load capacity of the transistor indicate the switching and driver ability of the transistor.
Dissipation specs
Power dissipation ability of the 2N2218 transistor is 0.8W, this value mainly depends on the device package.
TO-39 METAL CAN package had higher dissipation ability, this is why these components are been used in amplification applications.
Current gain specs
The DC current gain value of the 2N2218 transistor is 20 to 120Hfe, this particular value is perfect for multiple amplifier applications.
Transition frequency
Transition frequency value of the 2N2218 transistor is 250MHz, this value is important at the circuit level.
Junction temperature
Maximum temperature value of the 2N2218 transistor is -55 to +200, this value depends on the device package.
Thermal resistance
The thermal resistance value of the 2N2218 transistor calculated between the junction to the case is 59℃/W.
Output capacitance
The output capacitance value of the 2N2218 transistor is 8pf
Input capacitance
Input capacitance value of the 2N2218 transistor is 25Pf
Turn-ON/OFF time
The turn ON time value is 40ns and the turn-OFF time value is 250ns, this value indicate the switching speed of the device
2N2218 DATASHEET
If you need the datasheet in pdf please click this link
2N2218 equivalent
2N2218 transistor has equivalent devices such as 2N2219, NTE123, 2N4030, 2N3252, 2N3108, 2N4030, 2N4237, 2N5334, and BC440, each of these transistors have the same set of electrical specifications, so we can use as the replacement of 2N2218.
The specifications such as voltage specs, current specs, DC current gain, and transition frequency, need to check and verify these specs before the replacement.
2N2218 complementary pair
2N2218 NPN transistors have complementary pairs of 2N2102 PNP transistors, each of these has the same and opposite electrical specification, so we can use them in push-pull applications.
2N2218 vs BC440 vs 2N4237
Here in the table below, we compare the electrical specifications of 2N2218, BC440, and 2N4237 transistors, this comparison table is very useful for better understanding.
| Characteristics | 2N2218 | BC440 | 2N4237 |
| Collector to base voltage (VCB) | 30V | 50V | 50V |
| Collector to emitter voltage (VCE) | 60V | 50V | 40V |
| Emitter to base voltage (VEB) | 5V | 5V | 6V |
| Collector to emitter saturation voltage (VCE (SAT)) | 0.4 to 1.6V | 1V | 0.3 to 0.6V |
| Collector current (IC) | 0.8A | 1A | 1A |
| Power dissipation | 0.8W | 10W | 1W |
| Junction temperature (TJ) | -55 to +200°C | -65 to +200°C | -65 to +200℃ |
| Thermal resistance | 59℃/W | 17.5℃/W | – |
| Output capacitance | 8pF | – | 100pF |
| Input capacitance | 25pf | – | – |
| Transition frequency | 250MHz | 50MHz | – |
| Gain (hFE) | 20 to 120hFE | 115 to 250hFE | 30hFE |
| Turn OFF time | 250ns | – | – |
| Turn ON time | 40ns | – | – |
| Package | TO-39 | TO-39 | TO-39 |
2N2218 applications
- High-speed switching circuit
- RF circuit applications
- Signal amplifier circuit
- Darlington pair circuit applications
- Audio amplifier circuit
