buying componets  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: R_G_B_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2014, 06:40:57 pm
content: Who buys electronic components from Ebay? there are a lot of Chinese's suppliers is it recommended. If not What other alternatives are out there other than this rs and farnell who dont require a minimum order price when buying from them?

author: CM800
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2014, 07:04:02 pm
content: I used to buy a fair bit from ebay, slowed down now and get most of my stuff from farnell.I like farnell because it is next day in most cases, unlike 3 weeks for Hong Kong Mail.Farnell is also cheaper on resistors and such...when buying connectors from farnell... hunt around, look at similar ones, somtimes multicomp have the same at more expencive, somtimes less expencive then other manufacturers.Somtimes i buy male and female mating connectors from different companys to know down the cost, pin/ socket connectors for them from another company.. depends how much time you wish to spend trying to save money

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 12:12:19 am
content: Beware of counterfeit parts! Most of the Chinese ebay sellers stock non genuine, poor quality parts which will fail very soon under heavy load. I only recommend this seller, Electronics Salon (Audiowind). He has been proven to be a reliable seller. I often buy from him high power transistors and MOSFETs for audio like Toshiba's 2SA1943/2SC5200 and my favorite ones, Sanken 2SA1295/2SC3264.http://stores.ebay.com/Electronics-Salon

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 03:09:00 am
content: Digi-Key.

author: CaptnYellowShirt
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 03:29:47 am
content: Quote from: echen1024 on February 13, 2014, 03:09:00 amditto.I often look at newark, mouser, etc. But I always end up buying from digi-key in the end.

author: orion242
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 04:03:07 am
content: Digikey and Jameco for most.But I have to admit for 10 turn pots....Ebay. Binding posts in bulk....ebay. 100w power resistors....ebay though I see MPJA.com as them about the same price. It may be knock off but it loads cheaper and so far they seem decent.All my stuff is usually personal. Anything I need for sale is Digikey or Jameco.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 04:03:41 am
content: Quote from: CaptnYellowShirt on February 13, 2014, 03:29:47 amFor us in the US, fast, reasonable shipping, good prices, incredible selection. What's not to like?

author: CaptnYellowShirt
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 06:17:40 am
content: " A staff of 2600 keeps Digi-Key’s facility in Thief River Falls, Minn., operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Within minutes of receiving an order, human “pickers” locate the desired parts and send them along via conveyor belt for packing. A recent expansion, including 38 new pick stations, 26 new pack stations, and 2600 additional meters of conveyer belt, means the facility can now process 24 000 orders a day, or one every 3.6 seconds."https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/a-day-in-the-life-of-digi-key-slideshow/msg381707/

author: tjaeger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 07:55:48 am
content: Quote from: echen1024 on February 13, 2014, 04:03:41 amPackaging. Once you cut open their plastic bags, you'll have to put your components in a different container (and label it properly), otherwise they'll end up falling out. Mouser gives you ziploc bags, which is so much more convenient.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 09:45:16 am
content: Buying components from Ebay can be tempting but the quality usually isn't that good. I recently bought a 'Bourns' 10 turn potmeter from Ebay. I think it is a factory reject because it wouldn't go down to 0 Ohm. All in all that wasn't such a good deal.The question is: how much is your time worth? I usually buy from Farnell and stay away from the Multicomp brand for anything serious.

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 11:19:57 am
content: Quote from: tjaeger on February 13, 2014, 07:55:48 amUhh... can't you just fold the antistatic bag's end over and staple it closed? Or use and impulse sealer?

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 01:48:15 pm
content: I buy components from ebay quiet often. Mostly because they can't be bought from decent distributor easily are are very expensive there. But this is a gamble, sometimes you get decent parts, sometimes utter crap. Parts shouldn't be bought on ebay unless you have a very good reason for it. And no way you should buy any parts where it is easy to fake and hard to distinguish real stuff from crap. Such as electrolytic capacitors. Transistors also should be avoided, especially expensive and rare ones.

author: CaptnYellowShirt
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 06:06:40 pm
content: I've had really good luck on ebay with the official RadioShack store. They sell NTE branded stuff. Shipping is free and typically runs one day in transit (NJ to VA - USA).

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 06:20:35 pm
content: Well, Farnell, Mouser and Newark are great but they have unreasonable high shipping rates!Digi-key has more common sense and offers at least USPS and it usually takes 2 weeks or less, from USA to Croatia (Europe) to arrive which is, my opinion, quite fine. Shipping a 2kg package is around $45 bucks. Also, there is TME in Poland, quality company who offers even more reasonable shipping rates, especially if you're inside EU. Altium has recently added TME as a part distributor in their latest Altium Designer 14.http://www.tme.eu/en/

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 06:36:38 pm
content: Quote from: M4trix on February 13, 2014, 06:20:35 pmFarnell is actually cheaper (Europe), 5 EUR UPS next day . TME 7 EUR UPS/GLS ground, 7.90 EUR UPS/DHL air.

author: sync
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2014, 07:53:17 pm
content: Farnell doesn't sell to individuals in Germany. There is a shop (http://hbe-shop.de/) which sell the Farnell product line to individuals. Shipping cost 5.65€ UPS 3 days. TME 5.90€ DHL which is delivered next day. And DHL is much better here. Also the prices at TME are usually lower.

author: potatogun96
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2014, 08:33:47 pm
content: I have had good luck in the past with Mouser. I sent my order in at 7:52 PM, it shipped before 8:00 PM, and I got it 3 days later, ahead of schedule. Parts were good quality, and they have a wide range of parts, especially some more obscure ones I couldn't find anywhere else.I also use Jameco for a lot of stuff, and have had a great experience overall when ordering from them. Their customer service has been great the 2 times that I have needed to use it.

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 16, 2014, 09:16:16 pm
content: In Europe, tryDistrelec. Not sure about every country, but in the Netherlands they also supply to consumers.They don't have a massive amount of components, like Mouser or Digikey, but most common components are available. Their site can be a bit dodgy at times, but the customer service is helpful.I rarely buy components on eBay, there are just to many fake parts on the market. I have experience with LM7812 regulators that were excellent radio transmitters...

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2014, 10:29:41 pm
content: Distrelec is actually OK. They have lots of common stuff and brands which Farnell and RS don't have.

author: Pasky
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2014, 06:27:43 am
content: Depends on what I'm buying. I won't buy aluminum caps on Ebay, I just don't trust the cheap Chinese no brand stuff or counterfeit aluminums enough. But things like wires, and prototype boards, RCA jacks, they're so cheap on ebay compared to digikey. Digikey wants $1 a RCA jack, I get them on ebay for $20 for $200 and a RCA jack is a RCA jack, can't really skimp on them.

author: brainwash
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2014, 01:24:22 pm
content: Beware, there are different types (and qualities) of jacks. The bad ones have cheap plastic which cracks, bad contact resistance, they deform upon repeated insertions and worsen the already bad contact area. Just my experience.If you are building a PSU I think it's well worth it to use the 1$ jacks if they are the proper quality. Actually the quality ones start from 4$ AFAIK.Edit: I mixed banana jacks and RCAs, but I have used both of them with different qualities. The comment still stands.

author: electronics man
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2014, 02:08:28 pm
content: There are lots of good sellers on amazon.

author: rastro
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2014, 09:30:30 pm
content: I've had pretty good luck withhttp://www.taydaelectronics.com.- They have an ebay listings but I use the regular web store- For U.S. customers very reasonable shipping charges and my order usually arrives within 5 work days.- If you check their Facebook site they usually publish 15% discount codes every few months.rastro

author: uwezi
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 06:53:00 pm
content: In Sweden, Farnell and RS do not ship to individuals, either.Digikey made an entrance in the Swedish market a couple of years ago, but was actually shipping from the US with the consequence that you had to pay toll fees additional to taxes already included in the price...I buy a lot of electronic components on eBay - both privately and for student labs at Uppsala University. I keep my own little list over reliable eBay-sellers on my own blog-site:http://www.sciencetronics.com/greenphotons/?page_id=855In general my rule is to not buy from any seller with less than 99% positive feedback. Quickest delivery to Europe (Sweden) has always been from sellers in Thailand, next comes HongKong and last mainland China.I also got counterfit parts, e.g. completely unresponsive DS1307 RTC chips...