SMD marking

1Fin SOT-23

Marking codes are not standardised, and the same code is reused by unrelated makers for unrelated parts. Below is every part in our tables printed with it, and any printed with a code that is easy to misread as it, from the manufacturers' own marking tables.

5 parts are printed 1F

Not sure which one you have?

Answer up to 4 quick questions and these 5 parts are ranked, with a meter test that settles it. It works on a dead part too.

all SOT-23, 3 pins. What differs:

BC847BSOT-23NPN transistor, DiotecNPN transistorDiotec
What it is
NPN transistor
Maker
Diotec
Package
SOT-23
Pins
3
Details
45 V NPN small-signal transistor, gain group B
Source
From the manufacturer's datasheet
Is it dead?
Diode range, part lifted or its base leg off the pad.
Working, it reads
Red probe on the base reads about 0.6 to 0.75 V to the emitter and to the collector, and open the other way round. Collector to emitter reads open both ways.
Dead, it reads
Collector to emitter the same both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted. The commonest failure.
The base the same both ways to another pin, near 0 V or a middling value: a shorted junction.
Only one junction reads, or none: a junction has failed open. It then looks like a diode.
A reading the wrong way round, where it should be open: leaky.
On the board:
On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
Compare:
If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
Watch for:
A pair of diodes with a common pin reads just like a transistor, and some transistors carry a built-in diode or resistor. The datasheet says which.
A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.
Datasheetfor BC847B, opens in a new tab
BC847BHSOT-23NPN transistor, Taiwan SemiconductorNPN transistorTaiwan Semiconductor
What it is
NPN transistor
Maker
Taiwan Semiconductor
Package
SOT-23
Pins
3
Source
From the manufacturer's datasheet
Is it dead?
Diode range, part lifted or its base leg off the pad.
Working, it reads
Red probe on the base reads about 0.6 to 0.75 V to the emitter and to the collector, and open the other way round. Collector to emitter reads open both ways.
Dead, it reads
Collector to emitter the same both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted. The commonest failure.
The base the same both ways to another pin, near 0 V or a middling value: a shorted junction.
Only one junction reads, or none: a junction has failed open. It then looks like a diode.
A reading the wrong way round, where it should be open: leaky.
On the board:
On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
Compare:
If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
Watch for:
A pair of diodes with a common pin reads just like a transistor, and some transistors carry a built-in diode or resistor. The datasheet says which.
A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.
Datasheetfor BC847BH, opens in a new tab
BC848BSOT-23NPN transistor, DiotecNPN transistorDiotec
What it is
NPN transistor
Maker
Diotec
Package
SOT-23
Pins
3
Details
30 V NPN small-signal transistor, gain group B
Source
From the manufacturer's datasheet
Is it dead?
Diode range, part lifted or its base leg off the pad.
Working, it reads
Red probe on the base reads about 0.6 to 0.75 V to the emitter and to the collector, and open the other way round. Collector to emitter reads open both ways.
Dead, it reads
Collector to emitter the same both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted. The commonest failure.
The base the same both ways to another pin, near 0 V or a middling value: a shorted junction.
Only one junction reads, or none: a junction has failed open. It then looks like a diode.
A reading the wrong way round, where it should be open: leaky.
On the board:
On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
Compare:
If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
Watch for:
A pair of diodes with a common pin reads just like a transistor, and some transistors carry a built-in diode or resistor. The datasheet says which.
A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.
Datasheetfor BC848B, opens in a new tab
BC849BSOT-23Transistor, DiotecTransistorDiotec
What it is
Transistor
Maker
Diotec
Package
SOT-23
Pins
3
Details
SMD General Purpose NPN Transistors
Source
From the manufacturer's datasheet
Is it dead?
Diode range, part lifted or its base leg off the pad.
Working, it reads
From the base, one probe colour reads about 0.6 to 0.75 V to the emitter and to the collector, and open the other way round. Collector to emitter reads open both ways.
Dead, it reads
Collector to emitter the same both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted. The commonest failure.
The base the same both ways to another pin, near 0 V or a middling value: a shorted junction.
Only one junction reads, or none: a junction has failed open. It then looks like a diode.
A reading the wrong way round, where it should be open: leaky.
On the board:
On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
Compare:
If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
Watch for:
A pair of diodes with a common pin reads just like a transistor, and some transistors carry a built-in diode or resistor. The datasheet says which.
A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.
Datasheetfor BC849B, opens in a new tab
BC850BSOT-23Transistor, DiotecTransistorDiotec
What it is
Transistor
Maker
Diotec
Package
SOT-23
Pins
3
Details
SMD General Purpose NPN Transistors
Source
From the manufacturer's datasheet
Is it dead?
Diode range, part lifted or its base leg off the pad.
Working, it reads
From the base, one probe colour reads about 0.6 to 0.75 V to the emitter and to the collector, and open the other way round. Collector to emitter reads open both ways.
Dead, it reads
Collector to emitter the same both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted. The commonest failure.
The base the same both ways to another pin, near 0 V or a middling value: a shorted junction.
Only one junction reads, or none: a junction has failed open. It then looks like a diode.
A reading the wrong way round, where it should be open: leaky.
On the board:
On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
Compare:
If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
Watch for:
A pair of diodes with a common pin reads just like a transistor, and some transistors carry a built-in diode or resistor. The datasheet says which.
A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.
Datasheetfor BC850B, opens in a new tab

3 more parts are printed with a code easy to misread as 1F

Printed with a code easy to misread

One character differs, and it is one that is easy to confuse under a lamp. The odd one out is marked on each.

PESD36VS2UTprinted LFSOT-23ESD protection diode, 3 pins, NexperiaESD protection diode3 pinsNexperia
Printed LF on the part. Easy to misread as 1F. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.
What it is
ESD protection diode
Maker
Nexperia
Package
SOT-23
Pins
3
Details
Low capacitance unidirectional double ESD protection diode
Source
From the manufacturer's datasheet
Is it dead?
Diode range, from the protected line to ground, part lifted if you can.
Working, it reads
A one-way part reads about 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse. A two-way part reads open both ways. Arrays with several lines read as the datasheet's diagram draws them.
Dead, it reads
From the line to ground, the same reading both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted.
A reading both ways on a one-way part: leaky.
A one-way part open both ways: failed open.
On the board:
On the board, a line reading shorted to ground can be this part or anything else on that line. Lift it: if the short goes with it, it has failed.
Compare:
The same part on the next line or connector pin is the healthy reading to compare with.
Watch for:
A two-way part reads open both ways when it is good, exactly like one that has failed open. The meter cannot tell them apart; an identical part on the next line can.
A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.
Datasheetfor PESD36VS2UT, opens in a new tab
2 more parts have no package on record. Nothing rules them out, so they stay.
- BAL99TBprinted LFSwitching diode, PanjitSwitching diodeNot recordedPanjit
  Printed LF on the part. Easy to misread as 1F. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.
  What it is
  Switching diode
  Maker
  Panjit
  Package
  Not recorded
  Pins
  Not recorded
  Source
  From the manufacturer's datasheet
  Is it dead?
  Diode range, part lifted or one leg off the pad. Red probe on the anode.
  Working, it reads
  About 0.5 to 0.8 V anode to cathode, and open the other way. Small switching diodes read about 0.6 to 0.7 V; large rectifiers can read a little lower.
  Dead, it reads
  The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
  Open both ways: failed open.
  A reading the wrong way round as well: leaky.
  On the board:
  On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
  Compare:
  If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
  Watch for:
  A three-pin body can hold two diodes. With a common pin they read two junctions from that pin, just like a transistor; in series they read two drops end to end. Test each pair the datasheet names.
  A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.
  Datasheetfor BAL99TB, opens in a new tab
- TPS7A0233DQNprinted IFLDO regulator, 4 pins, Texas InstrumentsLDO regulator4 pinsTexas Instruments
  Printed IF on the part. Easy to misread as 1F. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.
  What it is
  LDO regulator
  Maker
  Texas Instruments
  Package
  Not recorded
  Pins
  4
  Details
  Nanopower IQ, 25-nA, 200-mA, Low-Dropout Voltage Regulator With Fast Transient Response
  Source
  From the manufacturer's datasheet
  Is it dead?
  Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground. Then ohms with the power off.
  Working, it reads
  Input pin at the supply, output pin at its rated voltage, and the enable pin high if it has one.
  Dead, it reads
  Output equal to the input: the pass element has shorted. Everything after it may have taken the full input.
  Input present, enable high, no output: failed open, or holding itself off into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
  Power off, input to output near 0 Ω: shorted.
  On the board:
  An output at 0 V is often a shorted load with the regulator in current limit. Lift the output pin: if the short stays on the board, the regulator may be fine.
  Compare:
  The same regulator on another rail or another board shows the right voltages and the right resistances.
  Watch for:
  Makers put input, output and ground on different pins in the same package, so take them from this part's datasheet. Diode or ohms readings between its pins say little; check it powered.
  A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.
  Datasheetfor TPS7A0233DQN, opens in a new tab

Open this in the search to correct a character or try another package.

5 parts are printed 1F

Is it dead?

Is it dead?

Is it dead?

Is it dead?

Is it dead?

Printed with a code easy to misread

Is it dead?

Is it dead?

Is it dead?