Filling the jellybean jar - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Back2Volts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 22, 2016, 05:44:14 am
content: After more than 30 years away, I am getting back into electronics. I am looking to purchase some common components and have found that Newark has Multicom brand parts very cheap. I am talking about general purpose transistors, diodes, resistors...I had never heard of Multicomp before, but I have not hear of many others like Vishay. Are Multicomp and Vishay acceptable brands or should I stay away from them ?I will appreciate any commentsBack2Volts (Tony)

author: bitshift
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2016, 06:24:55 am
content: For the jellybean jar I would get whatever is cheapest. A component *should* meet the spec in the datasheet regardless. Unless you're building a DIY pacemaker, I wouldn't worry about it.Not sure about Multicomp but Vishay is definitely a good reputable brand.

author: rich
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2016, 06:40:59 am
content: Welcome backI understand that Multicomp is Newark/Farnell group rebadging various other manufacturer's parts so limited traceability and a no definitive alternative source. Often a good price though and not usually a problem for personal projects.

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2016, 07:07:50 am
content: http://www.beesnotincluded.com/2012/06/who-are-multicomp.htmlVishay is generally considered a top-tier brand for most kinds of passives that they sell. They sell some of the highest precision and lowest TC resistors available.

author: kerrsmith
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2016, 09:25:35 am
content: If you are looking for general purpose components for experimenting with (breadboarding, prototyping, Arduino etc) then these three sites are where I get practically all my components:http://www.taydaelectronics.comhttp://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-Arduino-and-SCM-Components-c-2364.html?p=2D100314686672015046http://www.bitsbox.co.ukTayda is great for individual components and provides the relevant data sheets for each product, the prices are really good too.Banggood has really good component kits, the link above takes you to an example category that has lots of these available, the prices are always very good.Bits Box is a UK site that has quite a good range of components that for me are usually delivered next working day if I need something quickly.The shipping from Tayda is usually about a week to the UK and from Banggood varies from one to three weeks.I have ordered many times from all three of these sites and everything has always arrived and worked perfectly well for the kinds of things I do (radio projects, Arduino, amplifiers etc).

author: MarkS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 22, 2016, 03:56:30 pm
content: I'm sorry... Jellybean?

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2016, 04:51:50 pm
content: Cheap, common, almost generic parts. 2N3904 and 2N3906, 1N4148, LM358, 2N7000, that sort of thing. There's a thread or two about them already, somewhere around here.

author: hamster_nz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2016, 12:18:33 am
content: I just half-filled my jellybean jar - a bag turned up today from dx.com a week after ordering. Today it was caps, resistors, transistors, breadboarding bits, VRMs. The parts cost less than the containers I'm keeping them in.Another bag or two are their way - diodes and so on.

author: fivefish
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2016, 03:49:52 am
content: Read this threadhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/from-no-parts-to-decent-stockpile-best-approach/

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 23, 2016, 03:57:16 am
content: Quote from: hamster_nz on February 23, 2016, 12:18:33 amMy, how times have changed.

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2016, 01:20:54 pm
content: I never really saw the benefit of buying fistfuls of jellybean parts. I usually just order stuff when I need it and increase the quantity significantly, if the price is low enough. That way you don't end up with parts that you never use.Additionally, if I already created the component footprint/schematic symbol in my Altium library, I'm probably going to reuse those parts in the future.

author: kerrsmith
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2016, 09:40:49 am
content: Quote from: Dave on February 23, 2016, 01:20:54 pmI quite like having a full range of resistors, capacitors and inductors as well as a selection of transistors - my reason is that when I am breadboarding a new circuit and I am trying to tweak it I can just grab the next value resistor or capacitor test it and then try again if it does not get me the result I am looking for.Also, the price for getting a full range of common component values is so low it does not really matter if there are a few you never use and these might just the ones you need at some point, I do not think there is a single value (in my selection) I have not used at some time even if it was just for a brief test to see if it works better than its neighbour.As an example the following pre-packaged kits are really great value and give you an instant full range of common values:For resistors:http://www.banggood.com/search/resistor-kit.html?p=2D100314686672015046Capacitors:http://www.banggood.com/search/capacitor-kits.html?p=2D100314686672015046Inductors:http://www.banggood.com/search/inductor-kits.html?p=2D100314686672015046Transistors:http://www.banggood.com/search/transistor-kits.html?p=2D100314686672015046You can also get great kits from Bitsbox in the UK if you need them quicker:http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=272&zenid=44dir4vjtroo44jkqbsu7qtbp6Of course once you get the components you do need to find a way to store them and as mentioned above this does usually cost more than the components themselves. I was quite lucky in that I popped in to Aldi one day and they had 4 x 8 (plus one large draw) storage units for under £10 each, they fit perfectly at the back of my bench and keep things very tidy.

author: Back2Volts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 24, 2016, 03:35:21 pm
content: Thank you guys for all the answers and I apologize for not posting this earlier (sidetracked by other stuff). I am overwhelmed by the volume of answers. This is a great site.For now I am going to order some selected parts on sale from Newark at the same time that I am ordering some missing parts for the eDX micro processor course which I have just enrolled in.

author: Shadetreeprops
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2016, 11:35:53 pm
content: Quote from: Back2Volts on February 22, 2016, 05:44:14 ami also find buying in a sort of bulk is much cheaper, but o got some 1200 resistors for 10 dollars, but its a mix bag, of varity......same went for my caps. but they look like the caps i see in every other mass produced electronics i tear apart.the only one i would say watch the brand on really is pots, and caps, rheostats, maybe relays.. but not sure on trasistors either never had to use one as of yet.. casue all my stuff is novelty at best..blinky lights and simple functions.