General "good-to-have" electronic components purchase

[eMTea]

Hi!

I'm browsing through ebay to put togehter a kit of general good to have electronic components.
Resistors, diodes, LED's, transistors, regulator (5v) etc, to build custom circuits.

Anyone care to recommend some for me?

[DaveEFI]

Very difficult without knowing what you intend building. When you do build a few things you'll have a better idea of what you'll need. The one more or less universal requirement is all the preferred values of resistors. I find 0.6w metal oxide the best compromise between types for general use. 10 of each value is a good start - and then buy the most common you use by the hundred. They are very much cheaper per unit in bulk.

[slow_hemi6]

Don't do it.... After a while you will have about 5 of those 30 drawer units full of bits and have spent a lot of money on one day I will build it items.
Once you are sure you will make something just do up a BOM and order/get the stuff.
But yeah having a reasonable selection of "passives" is pretty good.
And a few driver transistors, and....
hmmmm might go buy another 30 draw unit.

[arran]

555 timer
5V regulator
12V regulator
some 25V electrolytic capacitors
resistors

maybe bc448, bc549
a selection of small screws, nuts and bolts
some hookup wire, I use a bit of coloured ribbon cable and slice off the lengths in the width I need

[DaveEFI]

Don't do it.... After a while you will have about 5 of those 30 drawer units full of bits and have spent a lot of money on one day I will build it items.
Once you are sure you will make something just do up a BOM and order/get the stuff.
But yeah having a reasonable selection of "passives" is pretty good.
And a few driver transistors, and....
hmmmm might go buy another 30 draw unit.

So very true. It's impractical to keep everything you may need 'in stock' But can be fun trying if you're an idiot like me...

Keep an eye out for someone giving up their hobby or small business. Or perhaps deceased. You'll buy their stock for a tiny fraction of the new cost - and get even more bits you'll never use.

[eMTea]

Ok, I may be considering myself an idiot like you do, but with a couple of quadcopters, a few arduino's, beerbrewing hobby, and this car in the garage, I'd love to have some parts in stock, so when a project pops into my head, I can do something about it, instead of waiting 2 weeks...

[DaveEFI]

Ok, I may be considering myself an idiot like you do, but with a couple of quadcopters, a few arduino's, beerbrewing hobby, and this car in the garage, I'd love to have some parts in stock, so when a project pops into my head, I can do something about it, instead of waiting 2 weeks...

Not sure about the US, but in the UK most decent electronics suppliers post for next day delivery.P&P included in the cost.

If I've got a one off project, I'll usually double (at least) the wanted parts like ICs and semiconductors etc I have to order. And build up a stock that way. Most of the passives I'll already have.

But it's something you'll get a feel for as you go on.

[billr]

Small diodes, 1N4001
TO92 transistors, both NPN and PNP, 2N3904 and 2N3906
Ceramic caps, .001, .01, and .1 microF
TO220 Darlington transistors TIP125, TIP145 and their NPN complements
Pins/sockets for DB connectors
pin headers, housings, and contacts for the size and pitch of your preference (.025" pins on .100" centers are pretty common) get long headers and housings, cut-to-suit

[Paul_VR6]

Resistors, don't forget resistors! 330, 470, 1k, 2.2k, 4.7k, 10k, 100k 1/4watt will get you by for most things.

[slow_hemi6]

What ever you do, do not start a "sorting bucket".
When you breadboard prototype up some circuits and run out of time you might be tempted to return the semi's back to there drawers but pull the passives out and put them into this receptacle for later and easier "sorting" using a multimeter, and then returning back into the correctly labeled drawers of your 30 draw units.
Unless you have a serious OCD this sorting will not occur and said sorting bucket, will begin to fill with passives and also mysteriously fill with other "homeless" items.
Family members will also get in on the act and donate various items to this bucket.
Sorting bucket = Bad!

[Paul_VR6]

Or a sorting pile. Its just as bad and more in the way.

[billr]

You guys never have any young children around? Starting at about 18 months they "sort" everything in my shop. Tools, fasteners, electronic components, scrap metal... they all get co-mingled. It's the price I have to pay to let them learn about my world.

[slow_hemi6]

You guys never have any young children around? Starting at about 18 months they "sort" everything in my shop. Tools, fasteners, electronic components, scrap metal... they all get co-mingled. It's the price I have to pay to let them learn about my world.

Mine were young 20 years ago and one of them is still moving my tools, borrowing stuff without asking and filling my shed with his projects. So I managed to pass it on to one of them.

[Boshnakov]

Hi!

I'm browsing through ebay to put togehter a kit of general good to have electronic

Ebay is not the best place to buy components. Lots of various sellers with lots of unknown/fake garbage.

Anyway, I also have bought some pile of components to have in stock, but all I can say is that most of them are just sitting there for years doing nothing. You just need to buy what you intend to use. I believe projects build up in ones head long before the two week delivery.

Just think in advance.
Regards

[eMTea]

Hi!

Is a 10k potmeter an ok value to have in the box, for use as a variable 0-5v input?

[DaveEFI]

Think that's how a Stim does it. Note there are two types of pot. Linear and log. Log is generally for audio, so you want linear.

[kjones6039]

You guys never have any young children around? Starting at about 18 months they "sort" everything in my shop. Tools, fasteners, electronic components, scrap metal... they all get co-mingled. It's the price I have to pay to let them learn about my world.

Mine were young 20 years ago and one of them is still moving my tools, borrowing stuff without asking and filling my shed with his projects. So I managed to pass it on to one of them.

Believe me, they don't get any better when they turn 50!!!!!

Ken