Resistors - brand and quality...

Started by Projectile, April 29, 2009, 08:09:24 PM

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sfx

Quote from: aziltz on April 29, 2009, 11:29:41 PM
its a shame we have to deal with fake parts...

LOL, don't try buying BBDs from China on the bay in that case.

liquids

I've posted about this before, because it really irritates me too!

I can't go along with the idea 'supporting smallbear' when their metal-filmresistors are so much more expensive.  I order plenty of stuff from them, of course, but not resistors. There may be reasons why, but I just won't order those.  Ordering in 100s clogs my bench, and I like the (idea) of having every value I can concieve of using available...which adds up to a lot of (unused) resistors.  RG recommends it and I understand his perspective, but while I do plan on doing electronics for a long time to come, 'clutter' has a cost--I'm on a monetary budget, and a space budget, so I need something that works with both.   :) 

Digikey had some for cheap (.03 cents per) if you ordered ten or more.  That's long gone.  The cheapest onces I could find that I just ordered from mouser turned out to be super small carbon films, with really off colors, so I have to meter most of them.  My fault for not inspecting the datasheet--I'm abandoning those!

In the end, I really dislike futurlec, but for resistors, they're great.  That's predominantly where I got mine from the start, but have since wanted more values and or 10 or so more here and there.  They work out to 1 cent a piece for carbon film and 2 cents each for metal film, and you only need to get 10 for that price.   Effects connection is a good compromise on metal films at 25 for a dollar, but with limited values (sigh).  Even PPP at .08 each is cheaper, in most cases, than the majority of stuff available through the big guys and smallbear, sadly. I've got enough resistors to get me through for a while, so I can deal with their 2-3 week shipping wait times and frustrations for resistors and stay pro-active about what values I'll need months in advance....I may not bother to order anything else from futurlec, but for resistors, I guess I'm resigning to that compromise rather than paying around a dollars for five resistors or having thousands and tens of thousands of resistors taking up more space somewhere in my tiny apartment when a dozen of most values is plenty, for a while. 

Breadboard it!

tackleberry

Just got to shop around. I buy some things from small bear. Sometimes he is cheaper sometimes he isnt. But yea .20c for a resistor is a bit much. I tend to avoid fleabay on many things. I hear about to many things like fake transistors now its resistors.

Projectile

Quote from: liquids on April 30, 2009, 03:42:24 PM
I've posted about this before, because it really irritates me too!

I can't go along with the idea 'supporting smallbear' when their metal-filmresistors are so much more expensive.  I order plenty of stuff from them, of course, but not resistors. There may be reasons why, but I just won't order those.  Ordering in 100s clogs my bench, and I like the (idea) of having every value I can concieve of using available...which adds up to a lot of (unused) resistors.  RG recommends it and I understand his perspective, but while I do plan on doing electronics for a long time to come, 'clutter' has a cost--I'm on a monetary budget, and a space budget, so I need something that works with both.   :) 

Digikey had some for cheap (.03 cents per) if you ordered ten or more.  That's long gone.  The cheapest onces I could find that I just ordered from mouser turned out to be super small carbon films, with really off colors, so I have to meter most of them.  My fault for not inspecting the datasheet--I'm abandoning those!

In the end, I really dislike futurlec, but for resistors, they're great.  That's predominantly where I got mine from the start, but have since wanted more values and or 10 or so more here and there.  They work out to 1 cent a piece for carbon film and 2 cents each for metal film, and you only need to get 10 for that price.   Effects connection is a good compromise on metal films at 25 for a dollar, but with limited values (sigh).  Even PPP at .08 each is cheaper, in most cases, than the majority of stuff available through the big guys and smallbear, sadly. I've got enough resistors to get me through for a while, so I can deal with their 2-3 week shipping wait times and frustrations for resistors and stay pro-active about what values I'll need months in advance....I may not bother to order anything else from futurlec, but for resistors, I guess I'm resigning to that compromise rather than paying around a dollars for five resistors or having thousands and tens of thousands of resistors taking up more space somewhere in my tiny apartment when a dozen of most values is plenty, for a while. 



Thanks liquids. That's pretty much the exact same issue I'm having. I live in an apartment with a roomate, so I don't have a workbench I can store this stuff at. When I finish working on a project everything goes into boxes in my closet. That, combined with the fact that I'm a broke musician, simply means I cannot afford to buy resistors 200 at a time. I've heard so much bad stuff about Futurlec on here that I kind of forgot they even existed. I'll have to check them out again. 20 cents for 10 resistors is a pretty nice deal!  Thanks for the tip!

I LOVE smallbear for most stuff. The time I save not having to sort through mouser's enormous catalog, and the comfort I get knowing that what I order is going to be the appropriate specs and form factor for stompboxes is worth the extra cost. Plus, it's great to support a small business and member of the community. Resistors are about the only thing I've realized it's not worth buying there. Most of their prices are very reasonable, but their metal film resistors are just ridiculously priced!

tehfunk

i just thought i'd give my thoughts about futurlec, even though i had to wait a long time for my third order from them, i still like them, and that was abnormal. shipping is four dollars for basically anything you're going to order (i assume you're not going to spend more than $99 for an order of the following kinds of parts). they're great for more than just resistors--capacitors (if you're not super mojo oriented), ICs, transistors, leds, and obscure things. I leave my potentiometers, switches, enclosures, and heavy stuff to smallbear and effects connection, with the occasional mouser order.
Carvin CT6M > diystompboxes.com > JCM800 4010

The tools of the artist give you a chance to twist and bend the laws of nature and to cut-up and reshape the fabric of reality - John Frusciante

liquids

Quote from: tehfunk on April 30, 2009, 06:45:24 PM
they're great for more than just resistors--capacitors (if you're not super mojo oriented), ICs, transistors, leds, and obscure things. I leave my potentiometers, switches, enclosures, and heavy stuff to smallbear and effects connection, with the occasional mouser order.

Yeah, in terms of quality, I agree.  Their mylar caps, however, are oversized.
Breadboard it!

John Lyons

Maybe you should just find a different hobby then Liquids.
Seems like this one is too stressful for you.

In Sureelectronics defense, I bought one of their resistor assortments on ebay
and they were great. The leads are a little thin but other than that they
measure in the range they should and they have worked greet for the couple years
I have been using them.

John
Basic Audio Pedals
www.basicaudio.net/

liquids

Quote from: John Lyons on May 01, 2009, 11:49:01 AM
Maybe you should just find a different hobby then Liquids.
Seems like this one is too stressful for you.
John

Thanks John!
Breadboard it!

kurtlives

My DIY site:
www.pdfelectronics.com

playon

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300311866701&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_RCRX_Pr2_PcY_BIN_IT&refitem=300307560505&itemcount=2&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&usedrule1=CrossSell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget&_trksid=p284.m183&_trkparms=algo%3DCRX%26its%3DS%252BI%26itu%3DUCI%252BSI%26otn%3D2

How about 2000 1% metal films for $19 shipped?  (50 of each value).  I just bought a bunch like this from this guy, and they got here in a week, and are the real thing, I randomly spot tested several of them with the DMM, heated them up with the gun & they are real.

Toney

Quote from: Projectile on April 29, 2009, 10:02:54 PM
Well, I got scammed! Scratched the epoxy coat off and they are CARBON FILM resitors underneath! M*ther F*cker! They are color banded as %1 tolerance. These are actual factory fakes! Total bullsh*t!

Stay away from "sureelectronics" on ebay!


You should scratch off the expoxy coating on one of your resistors aziltz just to make sure. I didn't even think anyone would go through the trouble of forgering metal film resistors, but apparently fakes do exist. Beware of ordering cheap components on ebay!

  :icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol:

Fake resistors now!!! Holy shoot. Now I have seen everything.
I can't believe the mongrels would even bother.

BTW sorry for you if you got scammed. I hope you have toasted their asses with a Paypal return and feedback.

John Lyons

Quote from: liquids on May 01, 2009, 12:51:38 PM
Quote from: John Lyons on May 01, 2009, 11:49:01 AM
Maybe you should just find a different hobby then Liquids.
Seems like this one is too stressful for you.
John

Thanks John!

I confused a couple posts, no harm meant.
No need to get upset.

john
Basic Audio Pedals
www.basicaudio.net/

Projectile

Quote from: Toney on May 01, 2009, 04:51:49 PM
Quote from: Projectile on April 29, 2009, 10:02:54 PM
Well, I got scammed! Scratched the epoxy coat off and they are CARBON FILM resitors underneath! M*ther F*cker! They are color banded as %1 tolerance. These are actual factory fakes! Total bullsh*t!

Stay away from "sureelectronics" on ebay!


You should scratch off the expoxy coating on one of your resistors aziltz just to make sure. I didn't even think anyone would go through the trouble of forgering metal film resistors, but apparently fakes do exist. Beware of ordering cheap components on ebay!

  :icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol:

Fake resistors now!!! Holy shoot. Now I have seen everything.
I can't believe the mongrels would even bother.

BTW sorry for you if you got scammed. I hope you have toasted their asses with a Paypal return and feedback.


I emailed them about the "mistake" to see if they intend to do anything about it. If I haven't heard back in a few days I will report them, but I doubt I will get my money back. I had a friend that went through a dispute and as long as you received the item and it's not broken it seems it's hard to get your money back over something simply being falsely advertised.

Projectile

#33
Quote from: John Lyons on May 01, 2009, 11:49:01 AM
Maybe you should just find a different hobby then Liquids.
Seems like this one is too stressful for you.

In Sureelectronics defense, I bought one of their resistor assortments on ebay
and they were great. The leads are a little thin but other than that they
measure in the range they should and they have worked greet for the couple years
I have been using them.

John

Yes, but are they actually metal film?


Sure, I could probably use them in most projects fine. Nothing wrong with carbon film, but I don't like being scammed into buying something that isn't what it claims. That's not much of a defense. I fail to see how something could be "great" when it has deliberately been faked to look like a more valuable product than it actually is. I really don't understand why someone would defend a scam artist.

Projectile


Toney

Quote from: Projectile

/quote]

it's hard to get your money back over something simply being falsely advertised.


No no no.

That is a perfect reason for money back.
Mate, you are protected by common law, let alone all the retail specific stuff.

Get 'em!

John Lyons


[/quote]

Yes, but are they actually metal film?
Sure, I could probably use them in most projects fine. Nothing wrong with carbon film, but I don't like being scammed into buying something that isn't what it claims. That's not much of a defense. I fail to see how something could be "great" when it has deliberately been faked to look like a more valuable product than it actually is. I really don't understand why someone would defend a scam artist.
[/quote]

The ones I got from them ARE metal film. Just checked. I scraped of the blue coating (not easy to do)and there is metal underneith.
The blue coating is shiny and looks like all the other metal films I have (from other sources).
So I stick to defending them. I only know what I see in front of me.

john


Basic Audio Pedals
www.basicaudio.net/

Projectile

#37
Quote from: John Lyons on May 01, 2009, 05:35:53 PM

I only know what I see in front of me.


That is your problem.  ::)

Projectile

Update:

Well, it took a while, but sureelectronics responded to my dispute. They admitted that the resistors I received were carbon film, and they offered to refund part of my money. They also said that they changed all of the mislabeled products in their store so that future customers would not get the wrong product. I checked their ebay page and indeed the metal film pack I ordered no longer exists and it appears that they are now selling them as 5% carbon film. They do still sell packs of metal film resistors, but they are considerably more expensive, which is what I would expect. 

In the end it seems that sureelectronics is a least making an attempt to be honorable, so I have to give them some credit for that. What still concerns me is that whoever these suppliers are that they choose to do business with are sketchy as hell. These resistors are obviously painted and color branded as forgeries, so while sureelectronics is at least being honest about what they are selling now, these resistors still look like 1% metal film, which isn't cool in my book. Fake parts are fake parts.

Anyways, I accepted their offer and consider the issue resolved, but let this be a warning to anyone buying cheap components on ebay. There are definitely fake components out there! Be careful! If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. This is the last time I'll be buying cheap parts from Hong Kong or China on ebay for a while.

kristoffereide

you can however find valuepacks at some stores. For example from Banzai, you get 100 metal film 1% high quality resistors for 0,70 Euro...  I buy these, but I live in Norway so the shipping isn't a problem or timeconsuming...
Quote from: biggy boy on April 12, 2009, 06:22:33 PM
I find it funny how I can have close to 1000 components, yet I never seem to have enough parts to make a project. :icon_eek: