Parts list for starting an electronic lab? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: raspberrypi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 01:01:48 am
content: Since I can't seem to find parts sold in a bunch I'm going to have to source them individually. Maybe at some point after I find which are the most common I can sell them as an ebay listing so other people don't have to try and figure this out. Or maybe I'll order extra and we can group buy to the new eevblog members. But in your experience which parts should I order?I came up with this, but I dont know what are standard values:Resistors:multiples of 47 seem common474704700110100100010k_________Diodes:silicon (those black ones with the silver band used in rectifiers)ZenerShotkeyOthers in common use?___________________CapsElectrolyticOnce again multiples of 4747 uf470 ufCeramic disknf size?Variable: what size?______________________Transistors1n5555? PNPNPN?Mosfets?______________________LEDsSelf expanitoryRedGreenBlueWhite______________________SwitchesTogglelow and high ampsSPSThigh amps______________________Relays12 volt______________________IC's (through hole)555 timerop amps?Logic IC's?______________________InductorsWhat sizes are useful?______________________TransformersSomething to hook up to a small speaker?What am I missing? Like part numbers would be useful I think...

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 01:23:04 am
content: There's a rather lengthy thread on this subject in the 'stickies':https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/from-no-parts-to-decent-stockpile-best-approach/I bought the resistor and ceramic capacitor assortments from Jameco Electronics many years ago, primarily for the cabinets. I just add parts which I buy in excessive of requirements for a project. It's handy to have an assortment.http://www.jameco.com/z/00081832-540-Piece-1-4-Watt-5-Carbon-Film-Resistor-Component-Kit_81832.htmlhttp://www.jameco.com/z/81859-520-PIECE-CERAMIC-DISC-CAPACITOR-COMPONENT-KIT_81859.htmlI have a bunch of LEDs, again over-ordered for a project along with some switches, knobs and dials.In the sticky, you will see that most people just over-order. If they need a few transistors, they order 20, or sometimes 100 for common parts like 2N3904,5,6 or 2N2222A.If you search for "Learning The Art Of Electonics" (the lab manual) you will find a shopping list (BOM) for a couple of hundred dollars worth of parts. This is not the way I want to spend my money. It turns out that Digikey packages this assortment.http://www.digikey.com/en/resources/edu/harvard-lab-kiteBay has assortments, just search for 'electronic components kit'.Like this:http://www.ebay.com/itm/30-kinds-Resistor-Capacitor-Transistor-variety-Electronic-Components-package-Kit-/181514207079

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 01:23:32 am
content: QuoteHave you tried Amazon, ebay, aliexpress ?For example searching Amazon for "resistors" brings up50,260 results for "resistors" including many many kits

author: raspberrypi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 01:34:03 am
content: Quote from: ez24 on January 18, 2017, 01:23:32 amI ordered one of those (sold as everything needed to run an arduino) and got a bunch of shit parts; resistors with REALLY thin leads all way below tolerance, switches that blew up when I put a few milliamps through them,a few useful LEDs, a bunch of buttons with nothing to stick them to, and 2 useful variable resistors. So Its been bad luck. I ordered a lot of capacitors and paid 8 bucks for $0.25 worth of old radio shack products. Oh and it took a month to get here. Thats why I'm skeptical.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 02:17:35 am
content: Quote from: raspberrypi on January 18, 2017, 01:34:03 amI use resistor and capacitor kits from eBay all the time, because I refuse to pay DigiKey 10 times more for the same thing. So far I had no problems with either SMD or through hole components. They are not "Arduino" kits with a little bit of everything, they are just 75 vlaues of resistor, 10 pcs of each value.Never had any problems with other stuff from eBay - connectors, switches, jumpers, buttons, etc. All that stuff is way cheaper than on DigiKey for the same (and sometimes better) quality.For the rest of the stuff (ICs and stuff that is faked a lot) - order from DigiKey as needed, no need to build stock. It will build itself from leftovers.

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 05:08:19 am
content: I buy from ebay for the sake of paypal and I don't have a credit card.Search assorted resistors, or resistor assortment. And u can get all types of common values over a wide range. Same for the 2 main capacitor types, ceramic and electrolytic. Also u can buy assorted diodes and get some common ones, good for starting out with general purpose in mind. Assorted inductorsAnd assorted transistors, stuff like 2n2222, BC547, BC557, S9014, S9018, 2n3906, 2n7000, C945Assorted voltage regulatorsFor $5-10 for each assorted lot, I got like 500 resistors, 500caps, 500 inductors, 100 transistors, 20 voltage regulators, bunch of diodes, etcA common opamp is LM741, and a bunch more herehttps://www.elprocus.com/op-amp-ics-pin-configuration-features-working/a bunch of common IC'shttps://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/Popular-ICs?responseToken=65a9b8c028a87165648281ee20ed91a7Get old TVs and DVD players, printers, radios, and scrap them for various stuff rather than buy them, like transformers, inductors, huge 5W resistors, wires, huge capacitors, transistors, speakers, audio op-amps, power MOSFETs, motors, gears, shafts, laser diodes, lots of stuff that u might want some day.Most I've never used yet, but so what, I have it here, so I can make lots of stuff the more serious I get about this hobby.I should stop buying stuff for now, I have a wide enough range of most common things. Time to just start building stuff and learning and remembering. I have plenty of stuff I can easily make and fool around with for the next year at least

author: raspberrypi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 05:31:05 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on January 18, 2017, 02:17:35 amI find it amusing when people refer to ebay as if its a brand.I guess I'm looking for the numbers of the parts like in that other post when he said 1N5555 transistor. Any other universal part numbers?

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 05:36:04 am
content: Quote from: raspberrypi on January 18, 2017, 05:31:05 amFor items like that there are very few actual sellers and they have dozens of accounts with slightly varying prices to hedge against bad ratings. And they all sell the same stuff. Just pick the lowest price and you will be good.Quote from: raspberrypi on January 18, 2017, 05:31:05 amBC547/BC557, LM324 are pretty basic and good to have in stock. But again, can be obtained cheaply and fast from eBay US sellers

author: Vtile
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 09:46:13 am
content: Resistor E-series kit.E12 10% toleranceE24 5% toleranceE48 2% toleranceE96 1% toleranceBigger the number after E the more values you have (but not necessary per value, so that might be a trap some "shady sellers" might use.), but usually the kit get more expensive. With combining several resistors of these values to series or parallel you can make "any" value between that is not readily available. So you want a kit with with minimum 5 pieces per value, ten pieces is usual. Go "cheaply" on this, after all these are for to get started so try to find economic solution (not the cheapest nor most expensive).Edit. --Removed some false information about size vs. wattage-- I newer have put too much thought on this physical size vs. wattage before and this started to haunt me after the post. So much I got to lift my stockpile to table to see. I have always thought it is someform of loose standard, but it seems I were wrong. It do depend the type and manufacturer it seems which dimensions the resistor do have not so much of the wattage (See picture). The smallest (as far as I know) 0.17W traditional through hole ones tends to be too thin legged, but they are nice for all sorts of squeesed inside a neclace type of prototypes/projects and easier to use on the fly than SMD parts.The two lowest ones are what I have written down as 0.17 wats and these two are the only ones that are a bit thin for breadboard (if the board is well used). The next four resistors do have wattage ratings from 0.25 up to 1W. Red LED is 3mm and Green is 5mm type. Lesson, do not assume.Don't go over with the transistor hording. NPN is more used in bibolars. Mosfets both N and P types as they are used mainly for switchs (another is normally open and another is normally closed switch). Get the a "handfull" of any cheap types also to just burn them up while toying around. Even germanium signal transistors from stoneage generally outperforms arduino style outputs in speed.Get few nanofarad = nF = 0.xxx uF size range ceramics or a like preferably something on 30V or so voltage limit so you can throw them in to more varied applications than just arduino output.Get a few electrolytics in 1 to 100 uF (microFarad) range, electrolytics are normally used as a ballpark figures so many times totally wrong sizes work especially if you go upwards. Get as small Panasonics or other better end low ESR type with values 1 to 4.7uF as they seem to be the common sizes for on chip charge-pumps (or tantalum / ceramic range of 1uF to 0.1uF). Get a one or two bigger 680 to 1000 uF (1000uF = 1mF) with 63V to 100V for test purposes. Like 2 680uF or 2 1000uF for powersuply filter / stabilisation caps use after bridge rectifier (reason for higher voltage rating = cost more).Only a FEW leds, I prefer the 3mm diameter types (the typical 6mm diameter have usually better markings for anode and cathode). These are mostly for "I'm on or off" type of purposes in your drawer, for anything else you include them to your BOM for a specific project. One might get also a few cheap 7-segment display modules (invidual components) and maybe a driver IC for them.Get a trim potentiometers a few sizes (blue burns are top notch and drop to breadboard nicely if you take ones with round legs). Get one 100 Ohm 500Ohm 1kiloohm 10k 20k 50k 100k ... maybe 500k or that range.. Get the ones that have the white trim area facing upwards while the pot is mounted on board you will regret if you don't even if you do find a cheap deal (don't ask how I know). Get one 2x6 rotational switch (some modest quality ie. cheap end ($2)Lorlin 2will do ) and make a box / stand for it.Electromechanical devices are typically way more expensive than silicon, so these are the ones that are hard to decide which you need and which you not need VS. your budget.Get some coil winding wire.. 30AWG or so max. (You only "need" it a few meters, so don't get that 100 meters spool) One source is old dumpster dived electronics, but these days it gets harder and harder to find, older laptop PSUs are transformer based (you know the type when you pick one up.)For ICs.Get a two 555 clock circuits just because.Get a few LM358 OpAmps (or equivalent), there is better ones out there, but these are drop in replament for the classic OPA741 and are single supply compared to double supply 741.Get 7805 Voltage regulators and one 7905 (maybe 7812) get the ones with a smaller package. If not sufficient (power rating) get bigger ones for the projects (if needed)Get LM317 just for those powersupply tinkering projects.Get get low-drop 3.3Volt regulator (unfortunately I do not have experience of these)Anything else... hmm.. Get MAX232 serial adaptor IC.Get one LM35 temperature sensorAlso locate the nearest physical shop (/shed) of electronics components, might or might not be handy.

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 09:53:20 pm
content: More info :https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/from-no-parts-to-decent-stockpile-best-approach/The OP should read all the messages there, lots of good help

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 10:23:16 pm
content: Quote from: raspberrypi on January 18, 2017, 05:31:05 amFWIW, transistors and FETs start with 2N.... Diodes start with 1N... And then the manufacturers run off the rails by creating another sequence of numbers.Signal diodes: 1N914A, 1N4148Power diodes: 1N4001,2,3,4,5,6,7Universal small signal transistors 2N3903,4 NPN, 2N3905,6 PNPOther than capacitors and resistors, I can't remember the last time I used discrete components. I have a bunch of transistors and MOSFETs but they don't show up in my area of interest. Maybe for my next project...

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2017, 11:20:47 pm
content: A few Schottky diodes are handy to have for when you cant tolerate the higher Vf voltage drop of a Silicon junction diode, or need something faster, but can tolerate the higher reverse leakage current. 1N5819 1A,40V, BAT43 200mA, 30V.