.:madworm:.'s photos with the keyword: TO-220

Not ideal (free-standing TO-220), but tolerable for a bug-fix. The diode's characteristics are quite good. Datasheet

Not ideal (free-standing TO-220), but tolerable for a bug-fix. The diode's characteristics are quite good.

Desoldering a TO-220. I removed most of the solder with braid and wiggled the thing out. BUT I managed to pull out the through hole plating on one hole. Fortuitously the pad didn't lift. That would have "made my day". I got the forceps at a local pharmacy. It was about 4€ - and I didn't have to pay anything for shipping. It works quite well as a heatsink, but it is a bit too large for small diameter stranded wire. According to wikipedia, this type of forceps causes only 'minimal' trauma to tissue - at least compared to other clamping devices used by surgeons. HOWEVER, when testing this thing on a piece of skin that is readily available (between thumb and index finger)... OUCH!

No metal parts except the legs. I've already managed to kill 2 of these MOSFETs (IRLIZ34N). One of them died due to overheating. Now I'll switch to one that comes in the standard TO-220 package, which has better heat transfer (IRL3803).