Consolidating a list of transistors - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 10:58:17 am
content: I was going to stock up on some transistors at Tayda and just went down the line and picked a little of everything, but since I'm looking at some stuff I don't know about I wanted to paste the list and see if there was anything redundant that could be consolidated. The first number is the unit price, and the second number was my total based on how many I had selected.So I'm starting off with 50 each of 2N3904 and 2N3906. I'll probably never use them all, but at least I'll have plenty to pass on to the next generation.Everything else I selected 10 or 5 based on the price.I won't be doing anything radio related, probably nothing over an Amp, and probably nothing over 25V.Maybe consolidate 556/557? MPSA12/13 and MPSA63/64? Or if you see something odd that the average tinkerer would never use or could be just replaced by the 3904 and 3906, then I'd rather put that money into more caps, resistors and diodes which I'm also going to stock up on.Quote

author: dr_p
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 12:50:43 pm
content: If you're just stocking up for future experiments, why the diversity? Just pick some general purpose NPN and PNP (3904/3906, BC547/557 etc.) and maybe some darlingtons.If you're fixing something, chances are you don't have that exact part anyway, so either you stock up on every part out there (not feasible), or order what is needed for the task. That, of course, if you can't just put a general purpose part in there as a replacement.Having a ton of equivalent parts can be confusing - e.g. not knowing what the part is beforehand.Also, NPNs are much more used than PNPs, so you might want to buy 50 NPNs and 20 PNPs.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 12:55:29 pm
content: Damn! You can do almost anything with PN2222 and PN2907! (I'd recommend them over 3904/3906 because of the higher current capability). Perhaps grab BC550 (and BC560, if they have them) for low noise, if you're doing audio or low-signal stuff. Maybe an NPN RF transistor if they have any. MPSA42 if you want high voltage.Their prices are good. Mouser seems to be raising their prices higher and higher on through-hole parts - last time I bought transistors, I bought them for $0.06 in singles (I actually bought 100 of each type, don't remember what the price was in that quantity). Now they are almost $0.20!I'm running low on 2907s - I think I know where I'm buying them...

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 06:43:03 pm
content: Buy some MPSA42 as well, high voltage and low current NPN transistors are very useful. Some 2n7000 or VN10km as well are nice low power mosfets.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 07:02:31 pm
content: Tayda is good for some things, but not for semiconductors. You have no idea what quality of parts you are getting, and the prices are higher than a real distributor.For transistors, Arrow Electronics is usually cheapest. US shipping is $8, which is more than Tayda, but you can make that up pretty quickly. Examples:KSP2222ABU $0.0164PN2907BU $0.0124BC550CBU $0.0237MPSA13G $0.0404MPSA42G $0.0423MPSA65 $0.0096KSP92BU $0.0098

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 07:52:51 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on October 17, 2013, 12:55:29 pmI have some 2222 transistors already, I would have gotten more but Tayda only had them in metal cans and were a lot more expensive.They have more transistors than what I posted but in prices where I'd only get 1 or 2 for the price of what I'd get several of already. And I haven't really looked into FETs yet.So far my shipping is around $2.20 for these transistors and a few hundred ceramics and resistors and some other small parts.

author: chibiace
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2013, 07:36:07 am
content: tayda is pretty good, check their facebook page for discount codes.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2013, 08:53:33 am
content: Quote from: chibiace on October 18, 2013, 07:36:07 amYeah, missed the last one by 3 or 4 days.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2013, 08:43:03 am
content: Ok using the information from you guys, I've revised my list:10 MPSA64 Darlington Transistor PNP$0.08 $0.8010 MPSA13 Darlington Transistor NPN$0.10 $1.0020 PN2222A PN2222 Transistor NPN 40 Volts 600 mA$0.05 $1.0020 PN2907A PN2907 2907 PNP 60V 0.8A Transistor$0.05 $1.0010 BC550 NPN Low Noise Transistor$0.03 $0.3010 BC560 BC560B Low Noise Transistor PNP$0.08 $0.8010 MPSA42 NPN High Voltage Transistor 0.5A 300V$0.05 $0.5010 MPSA92 PNP High Voltage Transistor 0.5A 300V$0.04 $0.40It turned out they did have the 2222 but I guess I searched for 2n2222 instead of pn2222 so I was getting metal can transistors.

author: JoeO
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2013, 02:35:11 pm
content: Stonent: The prices you have listed, where are you getting them from?

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2013, 03:10:05 pm
content: Quote from: JoeO on October 21, 2013, 02:35:11 pmThey match what I'm seeing for the main prices?Quote from: Stonent on October 21, 2013, 08:43:03 amThere is a crapton of 2222 variants. 2N2222, 2N2222A, PN2222, PN2222A, MPS2222A, KSP2222A, and that's just the standard PTH stuff. Then you've got MMPQ2222A (quad array, SOIC), PZT2222A, CMPT2222A, MMBT2222A, FMB2222A (dual), KST2222A, PMST2222A in different SMD variations. And watch out for VN2222, which is a MOSFET, and 2SA2222, which is a frickin' PNP.....