IRLB4132, an N-channel MOSFET for UPS

I came across IRLB4132, an N-channel MOSFET in my UPS. That was a 600VA, 300W UPS which I had used for my desktop computer. I no longer have a desktop and this became a spare item. Thought of checking whether I can use any of the components for my hobby projects. Similar MOSFETs IRFP150 and IRFP250 are being used by VU2EVQ for his homebrew HF linear amplifiers for 40m. They are push pull amplifiers rated for 100W and 350W respectively. IR in these stands for the original manufacturer’s name International Rectifier, which later became part of Infineon Technologies.

There are four such IRLB4132s, each mounted on a heat sink like the one shown initially. Three of them are in a row and last one is mounted perpendicular to the orientation of the first three. IRLB4132 is designed for high-power switching applications. It is quite efficient and has a low on-resistance and is commonly used in DC to DC converters, UPS, inverters, LED drivers and other power management circuits. Maximum Drain-Source On-State Resistance is 0.0035 ohms. Rated maximum power dissipation is 140W with proper cooling. You can see the thick heat sinks on which the MOSFETS are mounted. Maximum Drain Current is 150 A, again depending on cooling conditions. It comes in a TO-220 (Transistor Outline, package style 220), through-hole package. It can be easily driven by low-voltage logic circuits like Arduino and other microcontrollers.

Here is the pinout diagram and circuit symbol of IRLB4132. Pin 1 is the gate, pin 2 the drain and pin 3 the source for IRLB4132.