# What is this component, should I keep them?



## Worms4u (Mar 21, 2017)

I apologize for not having a picture, but I'll describe it as best I can.

They are black and usually thick, Thicker than IC's. They are usually stuck on a PCB VERY well, like they can be difficult removing with an air hammer. They have thicker leads going into it from one side. When I split them open the base is copper with a roughly rectangular silvery material in the center of the copper pad. The silvery material reaches into the cap. The leads go into the cap, and I assume connect to whatever the silvery material is.

Are these some kind of capaciter, like tantalum? Are they worth keeping?

Thanks
Worms


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## patnor1011 (Mar 21, 2017)

You probably mean SMD transistors or IC TO220 packages and similar. 
Some of them do have 2-3 gold bonding wires inside. Low yield material due to gold/weight ratio.


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## kernels (Mar 21, 2017)

Worms, if you tell us some of the writing on the side or top of the component we would probably have a better idea.

Edit - Yes, Pat is correct, sounds like a surface mount transistor.


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## Rougemillenial (Dec 3, 2017)

Worms4u said:


> I apologize for not having a picture, but I'll describe it as best I can.
> 
> They are black and usually thick, Thicker than IC's. They are usually stuck on a PCB VERY well, like they can be difficult removing with an air hammer. They have thicker leads going into it from one side. When I split them open the base is copper with a roughly rectangular silvery material in the center of the copper pad. The silvery material reaches into the cap. The leads go into the cap, and I assume connect to whatever the silvery material is.
> 
> ...


 They're MOFSET type transistors. So I keep them as they're a good copper source for collector metal and they do sometimes have PGM traces and usually have bonding wires


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## anachronism (Dec 4, 2017)

I think you mean MOSFET, not MOFSET.


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