How low can germanium voltage drop be acceptable?

[Crystaleyes]

Just a question regarding the technical characteristics of Germanium:

I have four vintage germanium AD 161 & 162 transistors which all read just under 100mV voltage drop yet come up as fine on the component tester, so I'm wondering how low can this go with germanium devices and still be ok?

Only asking as I've never seen such a low volt drop...

The ones which are sold in the shops here read around 400mV, so I am assuming these are silicon remakes?

[keeney123]

Re: How low can germanium voltage drop be acceptable?

Just a question regarding the technical characteristics of Germanium:

I have four vintage germanium AD 161 & 162 transistors which all read just under 100mV voltage drop yet come up as fine on the component tester, so I'm wondering how low can this go with germanium devices and still be ok?

Only asking as I've never seen such a low volt drop...

The ones which are sold in the shops here read around 400mV, so I am assuming these are silicon remakes?

Here is the 1970/71 datasheet from Siemens. You may have to look up a few German words. Most everything else is in graphs, currents, voltages emitter base collectors.

[redwire]

Re: How low can germanium voltage drop be acceptable?

The datasheet says VBE 120-150mV at 5mA and because your multimeter diode-test current is probably 1mA, you would get an even lower reading i.e. 100mV

[keeney123]

Re: How low can germanium voltage drop be acceptable?

The datasheet says VBE 120-150mV at 5mA and because your multimeter diode-test current is probably 1mA, you would get an even lower reading i.e. 100mV

Thanks, redwire.

[Crystaleyes]

Re: How low can germanium voltage drop be acceptable?

Thanks for the replies.

After checking with other meters it appears that the DMM I used does in fact read particularly on the low side.
The component tester seems to think they are ok so I'll just leave them alone and remember this for the future.

Case closed