How to calculate current to melt wire?

Hi there - I found an interesting failure on a PCB today. A large part
of one of the leads of a TO-220 was simply gone. That pin was carrying
a fairly high voltage and got shorted to ground.

Does anybody know how much current it would take to blow a TO-220 pin
like this? Additionally, is there a rough calculation for how to find
out how much current would actually melt a wire in open air?

Thanks!

-Michael
.

Relevant Pages

  • 8 Bit DAC
    ... parallel data and convert) and can output a 0 to 12V level. ... voltage amplifier but that requires some more components (which leads to ... more failure possibilities) and I need to keep the area on the PCB to a ...
    (sci.electronics.design)
  • Re: build circuit
    ... 1Meg Ohm resistor ... Solder the 0.33uF capacitor between these leads. ... If it does not heat up, measure the voltage between the left and center pin ... Take the electret microphone, and look at it. ...
    (sci.electronics.basics)
  • Re: PCB of garage door opener failed: Which PIC is this?
    ... caused the voltage to rise, ... right pin and the centre pin. ... today I again tracked down in the garage the path where the bulb ... When you look at the backside of the PCB, ...
    (sci.electronics.repair)
  • Re: PCB of garage door opener failed: Which PIC is this?
    ... caused the voltage to rise, ... right pin and the centre pin. ... today I again tracked down in the garage the path where the bulb ... When you look at the backside of the PCB, ...
    (sci.electronics.repair)
  • Re: info needed for 6L6GC tube voltage or shematic for old TUSC guitar head
    ... PCB and sistering the new caps to those leads. ... going to socket 1 of the 6L6GC section of the board. ... pin 3: 436 DC Volts ...
    (alt.guitar.amps)
Quantcast