Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: alxnik
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 11:13:42 am
content: Here follows a list of the most commonly used parts in a hacking/tinkering environment. If you don't know what you need, you can most probably start with something from the list.I _will_ make mistakes so please correct me. Since this list is intended for beginners, I will prefer through hole/DIP than SMD. Specs come from the datasheets, I will try to have as much info on each part as possible while still keeping it compactDiodesSilicon1N4001 - 1N4007 (1A, 1V drop)1N4148 (200mA, 0.7V drop)Schottky1N5817 - 1N5819 (1A, 0.4V-0.9V drop)1N5820 - 1N5822 (3A, 0.4V-0.9V drop)MBR735, MBR745 (7.5A, 0.48-0.68V drop)ZenerBZX79 (0.5W power dissipation, 37 types with voltages from 2.4V-75V)TVS1.5KETransistorsBJTBC548 (NPN, 100mA, 30V)BC558 (PNP, 100mA, 30V)2N3904 (NPN, 200mA, 40V, Ft=300 MHz)2N3906 (PNP, 200mA, 40V, Ft=250 MHz)2N2222 (NPN, 800mA, 40V, Ft=300 MHz)2N2907 (PNP, 600mA, 60V, Ft=200 Mhz)TIP120 - TIP122 (NPN Darlington, 5A, 60-100V)TIP125 - TIP127 (PNP Darlington, 5A, 60-100V)TIP33x (power NPN, 10A, 40-100V)TIP34x (power PNP, 10A, 40-100V)FETMosfet2N7000 (N-Channel, 60V, 200 mA, 1.2Ohm)BS170 (N-Channel, 60V, 500 mA, 1.2Ohm)IRF510 (Power N-Channel, 100V, 5.6A, 0.54Ohm)opamps(specs vary with temp/supply etc. These are ballpark figures)LM358/LM2904 (single supply, 0.7Mhz, 20mA out, out range Gnd + 5mV-> +Vcc - 2)TL071-TL074 (single/dual supply, 3Mhz, out range -Vcc + 1.5V -> +Vcc - 1.5V)LM324 (single supply, temp compensated, 1Mhz, 20-40mA out, out range Gnd + 5mV -> +Vcc - 1.5V)CA3140 (single/dual supply, 4.5Mhz, out range -Vcc + 1.4V -> +Vcc - 2V)TS922 (high out current, single/dual supply, rail to rail, 4MHz, 80mA out, out range -Vcc + 0.1V -> +Vcc -0.1V)comparatorsLM393 (2x, single/dual supply, 1.5Mhz)LM339 (4x, single/dual supply, 1.5Mhz)LM319 (2x, single/dual supply, 6Mhz)To be continued with as many common parts as I can.Some suggestions on models of optocouplers, mosfet drivers, P-mosfets and logic level N-Mosfets are welcomeOriginal:Hello Everyone,I'm in the process of buying parts to fill my workbench drawers with components in order to have them available for the next prototype idea that I want to build in 5-10 minutes. Problem is, when I search for parts there are so many choices that I am not really sure which one would fit the bill. I need some suggestions on the most common building parts that someone should have on the workbench at all times - meaning, specific part numbers. Although I already found bjt (bc548)/mosfet (2n7000)/diodes (1n4148) and some others, I would really like to hear what everyone has to say.Ideally I would like to have suggestions for opamps (standard/rail2rail), different types of diodes, comparators, signal/power transistors (fet & bjt), voltage references, voltage regulators etc, as well as more specialty items like the 555 which although has a more specific use, it is "mandatory" on a workbench.If we come up with enough info, I will edit this post to add a nice list so everyone can have it as a reference

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 11:32:35 am
content: Good place to start is older posts on this subject.google: "site:eevblog.com jellybeans" for example.

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 11:42:01 am
content: Gates: 74hct14, 74hct595, 74hct244Opamps: lm358, lm2904, op07Bjt: bc547, bc557, 2n2222, tip122, tip33, bd249, 2n3055Diodes: 1n4148, bat54, bav99, 1n400u, sk36, 1n5817Others: lm317, 7805, lf33, 555 timer, mc34063,

author: alxnik
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 11:44:43 am
content: Already tried older posts and I think it is more miss than hit. I am hoping to make an easily accessible list with everything so we don't need to search on posts after posts for it.Thanks poorchava. Later in the day I will try to start building a list with short info on each part (from the datasheets) and edit it into the first post

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 11:51:01 am
content: Seehttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/what-parts-to-get-at-the-store/

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 12:39:48 pm
content: Quote from: alxnik on September 03, 2013, 11:44:43 amWhat makes you think that in a year "common-generic-cheap-easy-to-find-parts" will be any easier to find than say "what-parts-to-get-at-the-store".That thread + a few others with parts come up with that google search. But making a complete list sounds like a good plan.

author: alxnik
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 12:42:59 pm
content: Quote from: mrflibble on September 03, 2013, 12:39:48 pmI'll continue improving it (I hope) until it becomes a sticky

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 12:46:09 pm
content: I've typed the following in google to get that link:common parts generic site:eevblog.comthe last term restricts results to show only eevblog pages.

author: alxnik
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 12:58:26 pm
content: Come on people, I know that if I search enough I will find what is needed. But you all know that searching in forums is not exactly an efficient way to find something. If anything, at least I will build a list complete enough so anybody who searches will need to find only this post and not 10-20 posts with different parts.So bear with me...

author: baljemmett
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 01:36:42 pm
content: Quote from: alxnik on September 03, 2013, 12:58:26 pmPerhaps the collated list would make a useful addition tothe EEVblog wiki? Not sure how likely it is that any given reference thread gets made sticky.

author: MacAttak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 04:20:51 pm
content: This question posed also has a different answer depending upon what your area of interest is. Someone who loves microcontrollers might have a few AVR or PIC chips they always keep around. Someone into analog or power electronics will want different parts than someone doing all digital stuff. Hell, they won't even want the same kinds of test gear much less the same kinds of on-hand parts.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 04:37:00 pm
content: Some ideas for your list:1. Make a list of functions, then list a few alternatives for the function... e.g. 1A standard recovery rectifier, TO92 GP PNP, etc.2. Higher spec parts cover lower spec parts, unless there's a large price difference ... e.g. if 1N4007 is on the list, don't really need 1N40013. Be aware of geography... US people are going to prefer JEDEC 1N/2N part numbers to Pro Electron, and Europeans the opposite, even though you can get anything anywhere

author: alxnik
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 04:50:55 pm
content: Quote from: MacAttak on September 03, 2013, 04:20:51 pmAgreed.....kind of....If you play the blues, you want to buy a blues guitar, but in order to play the blues first of all you have to learn to play guitar.What I'm trying to say is that right now I'm in the process of re-learning all the things I forgot from college (I followed a more software route), so what I need is for example to build an oscillator. Doesn't matter the frequency or the accuracy, I just want to build and probably burn an oscillator circuit. Next day I might want to connect something to an AVR, just to see if it works. I don't have the intention of making something specific, just hack around until I have enough experience in blowing up stuff in order to move to specific projects.Sure, the 4000 and 7400 series are easy, but when you get to opamp or comparator territory for example, it gets really confusing really fast.Quote from: edavid on September 03, 2013, 04:37:00 pmAlthough I am willing to contribute my time on this, I don't really have the experience to be efficient or even correct on a list of functions (or geographic differences), so I'm hoping to get some feedback on this. I'll try to keep all the variants in a series (as the 1N400x you said) just for completeness sake, I agree with you that in practice you just buy the 1N4007I would apreciate some feedback such as common uses of each part, as in rectification, amplification, signal conditioning etc

author: MatCat
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 05:26:39 pm
content: When I first got into electronics I was all about the 'got to make an inventory list of things to get', then I quickly realized there are a LOT of things to get. It's like someone who takes up doing arts and crafts, there are literally millions of different choices of things you could use and stock up on. I quickly realized it's easier to just get things as you realize you need them, granted I did stock up at first on various resistors, caps, transistors, diodes etc, then as I went along I realized what would be most useful and would stock up.

author: PA4TIM
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 06:08:50 pm
content: I have a rather big stock because I hate to wait for parts and I design my projects around the parts I have. If you only copy schematics you will never have enough and then you better order the parts you need until you are at the level that you do not have to ask this question ;-) Just order what you need and within a year you know what to keep in stock. I bought stuff when I started that people told me I must have and I never have used. Some things I then never thought I would need are now my most used parts. I used to use a lot of transistors but opamp was a dirty word. Now I use opamps in almost every design and transistors only for repair or some RF stuff.mosfets, what the hell, why use them ? Now I have a big assortment and use them a lot. When you develop/specialize you needs change and your stock. Some things every body uses. But if you buy that and you need to order a few parts for a project your order will probably be to small so do not buy to much at start. Invest in a good flexible spacesaving system to store things. Write down on the box/drawer what is insite so you now what to buy if it is empty.What I use most: (most things I have in through hole and smd (cheap and takes no space)- some opamps, LM358, CA3140, LM318 and some precision opamps and a chopper like the LTC1052- a comparator. LM339- allround cheap Vref: TL431- Schottkey diodes Bat85 and some powerversions- assortiment ceramic caps from 0.5pF upto 820 pF and 1, 10 and 100nF- MKT/MKP 1nF, 10 nF, 100nF, 470 nF, 1uF, 2.2uF and low and high voltage versions- electrolytic caps. 1uF upto 2200 uF, not all values (1, 10, 47, 100, 220, 470, 1000, 2200) in low esr, 105 degrees and 25/63/100V, some 450V for SMPS repair.- trimmers 0.5-4pF, 4-20 pF 10-40pF or something like that.- potentiometers and trimpots in one turn and 10 turn (i use those 10 turns a lot)- MOSFETs in logic level and some HEXFET like power FETs. Some high current and some high voltage- mosfet drivers- inductor forms with srew in ferrite, toroids, RFC's, pignose, ferite beads.- variable capacitor 500pF to banks (one of the first parts I bought) if you do RF- resistor assortiment in metal film, carbofilm, power resistors and smd- voltage regulators 7805, 7812, 7815, 7824 and the 79XX equivalents, some LM317/337 and a few lowdrop 5 and 12V- buck/boost regulator IC's and some 100 uF smps inductors- 555- some X-tals if you do radio/RF, also some varactordiodes- some 74 logic (the standard gates/inverters) 4066, 4060, 4013- leds in several colors- switches- an optocoupler- some analog or digital panel meters- LDR- NTC and PTC- MOV- Varistor- zenerdiodes- banana jacks and busses- bnc and sma chassisparts, and male bnc (crimp or solder ) versions for coax.- pcb copperclad, double sided (you can buy that per kilo on HAM / radio fairs/markets.- a no-clean fluxpen, wick and good (multicore) solderI got a lot more normal but also exotic stuff, like (db)mixers, ovenised oscillators, filters, Vrefs, more type opamps (metal cans, ceramic, differential, chopper, high speed, current feedback versions) , about 50 different 74 logic ICs, around 1500 tubes, a drawer full of tube sockets, a lot of different connectors,fuses, mains chassis filters, transformers, heating and peltier elements, temp, hall and humidity sensor, UJT, jfets, double fets, double transistors, darlingtons, transistors from LF to RF, IGBT, gainblocks (very cheap thanks to the telecom market), a few ATMELs like in my Arduiino, etcMost things I collected at ham fest or barnsales etc. But when I need some refill I order from farnell,Main problem is that every one has other needs. I do RF, micromeasurement and test gear repair/design, most analog design. But I know people who only do digital and they use next to nothing from my list and I do not have what they keep on stock. And if you do robotics or home automation, automotive etc you need other things too. But maybee there are some things on my list usefull.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 06:29:28 pm
content: We have a room full of theese at the workplace. It is usually useless. The most part I use is the 10K resistor, if I ever need anything, it is just easier to order it, and get it next day. There is just so much component you can store, and you always need something else. 3.3V logic instead of 5, other speed, precision opamp instead the LM358. They are never good.Or just order +1 from everything for your projects and keep those, that also works.

author: alxnik
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2013, 06:55:43 pm
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on September 03, 2013, 06:29:28 pmWas thinking about it too. Unfortunately, given my location I can only easily buy from RS and their parametric search sucks. I end up buying a lot straight from the UK and it needs a week to arrive. Also, I don't really know what I need until I need it - I am designing/hacking in a trial and error fashion right now. I already have resistors/caps/trimmers and other "primitives" so I just want to stock up with opamps/comparators/misc ICs, mosfet drivers and things that although frequently used, it's something you might forget on the next order. And AAAALLLL the local dealers are always out of something and you will buy a replacement and it will not do the job as you want it to do and....You get the idea.And the worst thing about it is, you finalize the order all happy about it and after it arrives, you find out that the "oh it's a bit more expensive, it MUST be better" part you ordered, doesn't really do for the job. Hence, making a list with all the items someone has "just in case".

author: MacAttak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 04, 2013, 01:47:38 am
content: Quote from: alxnik on September 03, 2013, 06:55:43 pmWhere are you that online sales cannot be received in under a week (you didn't select a country flag in your profile, so we don't even know that)?DigiKey gets damn near anything to me in two or three days, with the cheapest delivery option... which isn't much more than the cost of gas to drive across town to onlypossiblyfind one in stock somewhere.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2013, 02:21:52 am
content: PIC16F88 and PIC16F887. They can be thought of as updated versions of the 16F84 and 16F877 respectively.Also, a small 6 pin microcontroller of your favourite brand can the extremely useful to replace a bunch of logic gates if you don't mind a 10us propagation delay (the time the MCU processes the inputs). You may even get away using the integrated configurable logic blocks these tiny MCUs are including nowadays.

author: alxnik
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2013, 10:53:31 am
content: Quote from: MacAttak on September 04, 2013, 01:47:38 amYeah, sorry about that. I live in Greece. RS can ship through a local representative in under 4 days (they don't stock locally) but with a shipping cost of ~6euro you don't just buy 2 opamps. I'd love to be able to ship from digikey, I like their stock and website but as I understand they ship straight from the US.All in all, I don't see the point in stocking precision opamps or 0.1% resistors etc but I think a stock of ~50euro worth of low price stuff is more or less essential.

author: m12lrpv
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2013, 11:52:24 am
content: I think you have a good list compiled there but you are missing some things that PA4TIM has identified and I agree with.Voltage references like the TL431 and some voltage regulators like the LM317 and LDO's like the LE50 or LP2950MKT caps in 0.1uF and electrolytics in 10uF are things I can's live without.Also I stocked up on trimmer potientiometers 1 and 10 turn, Banana sockets, panel switches, DC jacks, 0.1 male and female headers, prototyping boards and 8 and 14 pin ic sockets from dx.com and ebay out of hong kong (cheep cheep)

author: Aeon
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2013, 12:26:42 pm
content: As far as I know Digikey has also an European Warehouse. I live in Germany and the digikey orders take about 3 days.Quote from: alxnik on September 04, 2013, 10:53:31 am

author: komet
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 04, 2013, 12:45:34 pm
content: Quote from: alxnik on September 03, 2013, 11:13:42 amAre you suggesting stocking 1N4001, 1N4002, 1N4003, 1N4004 etc. in a hobbyist environment? Because that is madness. Just get 1N4007 and be done with it. The price difference should be approximately zero. These days I think they might be the same parts anyway.Quote from: alxnik on September 03, 2013, 11:13:42 amAgain, if you have a bunch of 2N3904 why would you need BC548? I can't think of a situation where they couldn't be substituted.I suggest you go to the Asian sites such as futurlec.com and Tayda and stock up there. They take a month to deliver but the price is right, especially given that you will almost certainly die having never used most of the components.

author: komet
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 04, 2013, 12:56:47 pm
content: Quote from: Aeon on September 04, 2013, 12:26:42 pmDigikey don't have a European warehouse, but they ship from the USA with customs and duty paid, so there is no customs hassle and it is ridiculously quick. Where I am they also offer free shipping on orders over a very reasonable 65 Euros. I see there is a digikey.gr site, so why not look into that?The great thing is that you can order in the European evening, when it's still the afternoon in the US, and get it the next morning.I'm surprised that you say RS is slow. For me RS are pretty much the only people who sometimes (but usually don't) beat Digikey.

author: alxnik
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2013, 01:14:58 pm
content: Quote from: komet on September 04, 2013, 12:56:47 pmQuite interesting. I have checked the "Greek" site in the past (actually only the front page is in Greek), but I didn't see any mention about duties and I avoid customs as much as I can. If the duties are paid, I'm sure I can try using them.I cannot say RS is slow, I think 2-3 days is quite reasonable (economy mail is 1 week from the EU at least), what usually frustrates me is that the parametric search and even their sorting are stupid at best.Quote from: komet on September 04, 2013, 12:45:34 pmActually, I'm not trying to build a list of what someone should have. I want to build a list with the most common parts in the market now. In the diode series, I just added everything for completeness. It's more of a reference than a shopping list.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2013, 02:09:12 pm
content: "PIC16F88 and PIC16F887" would be great, if I was aiming for hobby use. At the workplace, I actually need to prove, that the circuit is working with that thing.Also it is amazing that Farnell doesn't have Greek website.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2013, 03:06:39 pm
content: Quote from: alxnik on September 03, 2013, 11:13:42 ami miss the entire range of resistors from 1 ohm to 0 megaohm in E24 valuessame for capacitors from 10pf to 1nf in ceramic and e12 range.1nf to 1uf in film and e12 range1uf to 4700uf in e6 range 25 volts and 40 volts.simple trimpots 1k 4k7 10k 47kleds 3mm and 5 mm in all colors of the rainbowpushbutton switchesalso transistors like bd139 and bd140 as useful to have laying aroundtip32 tip142 2n3055where's your logic chippies ?7400 7402 7404 7408 7314 7474 are classics and give yout he basic gates4011 4040 4017 4511 and an led display.7805 7812 7905 7912 lm317lm337 always come in handypinstrips and their female counterparts. ic sockets 8 14 16 pin....personally i wouldnt even bother with all those transistors.i only use bc847 bc857 bd239 bd240 tip142 and the 2n7002. 995 of the stuff is covered. anythin that can not be covered with those needs a carefully selected part anyway ...a good stock of resistors is valuable. e24 series 1% (costs the same a s 5%) buy lots of 100 ohm 220 470 ohm 1k 2k2 4k7 10k 22k. you are going to use those a lot. pull up pull down , base resistor to drive a transistor or led. the other values if you got 20 per value you will be set for a while ...capacitors : 2u2 4u7 10u 22u 47u 100u 220u 470 u are the important ones. buy at least 20 or more. you are going to 'eat' those. the other values .. 5x 1000uf 2x 2200uf 1x4700ufbut 100nf ceramics per 100 pieces...the other cermic and foils : 10 per value gets you startedbuy at least 40 of the 22pf ones. whenever you make something with a cpu and crystal : that's what you need...oh, and please forget those pic16 whatever half breandead pieces of shit. for the same price you can find a 18f. i can't get my mind around why people still dick around with the 16f family .. an18f has much more to offer and costs the same or less.i typically don't stock microcontrollers. i have a dev board with a killer micro on it used to do the groundwork (STM32F407) ten i pick a downscaled with exactly what i need and go off and make a custom board and do my dev work tehre.same if i use pic or avr. i got a devboard with the soued up version and i strip downwards from there. mikroe has really nice development boards. their STM32 board is killer. so is their AVR and pic boards. you're not even forced to use their compilers.

author: alxnik
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2013, 06:18:53 pm
content: I'm deliberately not adding things like resistors/caps/inductors or the 7400/4000 series, because they are what they are. I mean if you need them, you buy them. I personally bought assortment kits for the passives and some big ass electrolytics for power supply filtering.Personally, coming from the embedded linux (ARM) world (realtime? What's that?), I haven't got into microcontrollers yet, maybe an arduino here and there just to see what the fuss is all about. Having said that, I think I have to rely on the rest of you about what should be best for micros.The TVS is actually really useful for certain things. At some point I had built a monitoring solution which connected to a network of outdoor devices over RS422. After a thunderstorm I found out that all the chips on the board were fried. Don't really know what/how it happened (although I have my suspicions) but from now on I am adding TVS on these things.Quote from: free_electron on September 04, 2013, 03:06:39 pm

author: westfw
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2013, 01:02:32 am
content: While your low-power transistors have slightly different ratings, they're all "general purpose switching transistors" used in approximately the same sorts of applications. Pick one and live with it. (Other possibilities include 2n4401/3) Peharps figure out a general purpose Audio transistor and G.P. RF transistor if you're into such things. (also 2222 and 2907 are pretty obsolete and replaced by pn2222a/etc)Throw in an Arduino and some ATmega8 mcu chips...

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2013, 01:11:19 am
content: Quote from: alxnik on September 04, 2013, 06:18:53 pmSo you will stock up on transitors and ic's you may never use but you will buy resistors when you need them and then only the values you need ...upside down world...when building a circuit or tryng to construct a circuit it is the capacitor and resistors series you need the most.... you can get away with only 3 or 4 transistors.... not so with resistors caps

author: alxnik
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2013, 07:22:15 am
content: Not what I meant. If you want to stock resistors or caps, you just buy an assortment kit and be done with it (I have). But when there are thousands of different ic's and transistors, you want to know what to stock. It's a reference list not a shopping listQuote from: free_electron on September 05, 2013, 01:11:19 am