In a recent YouTube video, Electronic Wizard comments on the often wide gulf between the optimistic claims of electronic component sellers and practical performance in the real world.
Taking one example, a Toshiba IGBT in a TO-220 package, he shows that while the datasheet apparently promises 200A peak switching, this is based on test conditions that are not reflective of real-world performance.
For a start, the pins on a TO-220 package would be unlikely to handle a continuous current of even 100A, let alone 200A.
Further, the datasheet assumes a junction temperature of 25C, which in a real-world application would likely be substantially higher, reducing the safe maximum current capacity.
EW remarks that while datasheets are a valuable resource, they should be treated not as infallible, particularly when seller’s use them to make exaggerated performance claims.
