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Purchasing transistors and power caps on ebay, should I?

Purchasing power caps and transistors on ebay, should I?

  • Are you crazy, no!

    Votes: 18 43.9%

  • Maybe, if the seller has very high ratings

    Votes: 1 2.4%

  • Yes, Ebay is a great resource for hard to find parts

    Votes: 2 4.9%

  • Yes and no - really depends on what you are looking for

    Votes: 6 14.6%

  • No, but there might be some exceptions

    Votes: 16 39.0%
  • Total voters
    41
mrhandlin

mrhandlin

New Member
I'm sure that I will get some rather opinionated responses to this post.

What are the chances that large filter caps listed on Ebay are any good? Will they be the actual brand that are advertised? If a component tester specs them out okay, would they still be worthwhile to use?
There are many caps and transistors available on Ebay that are not easily available on digi, mouser.... Would it be better to sub an available one than take a chance on a part from an ebay seller?

My friend says "this guy on ebay has 700 positive ratings". "How could he have so many positive ratings and be selling fake junk......" Any opinions on this position?
 
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I have worked many years as an electronics engineer and companies had to actively make sure
that rejects did not find their way out to the "midnight supply" market. Personally my Ebay bargains
like Compact Flash memories, Xenon lightbulbs, LiIon-batteries for cameras ended up as disasters.
Some reputable dealers that used to also have an Ebay store now have set up internet shops not
to get stained by the bad reputation the scammers got. Electronics from Asia is a No-No. Tools
and raw materials from well-known regional sellers are still OK.
 
Unless it’s a reputable seller like Dalbani, who specializes in old parts and pulls, it’s more likely you’ll get a fake than not.
Hell, with a lot of the big filters, if you pull the data sheets for the type you will find that they never made that cap in the voltage or rating printed on the label.
 
I would only go with a reputable supplier who often end up being only slightly more expensive that the often counterfeit product that eBay allow their Chinese sellers to flood the markets with.

They may if you are lucky work, but they will not be a product of yhe company who's name is printed on the item and if they do work they are probably out of spec and probably will not last long.

The Chinese are good at faking almost anything but the problems start when they start counterfeiting their own counterfeits, that's when the quality realy drops, and its not just electronics either.

Pay a little more and get them from a local supplier, by local I mean your own country. :) it's worth it in the long run.

Paul
 
I liked the reply "I can't believe someone is still asking this question!" Thanks for the advice. I appreciate all the responses. :whip:
 
I would highly recommend Mouser. If theres any confusion, call(email) the manufacturer and ask directly. Generally in the past it has worked in my favor. I was convinced i couldnt afford any really good step up transformers, then i called Cinemag directly and about $#][+ myself, they were so much cheaper directly, plus you get to talk directly to David Geren...


In the motorcycle world, ive had simmilar experiences with R&D valve springs. They didnt list my bike on their website, so i called. I talked at the owner for a bit and had some springs and retainers in the mail in no time, at a spectacular bargain. If you arent calling and speaking with boutique manufacturers you are missing out on a lot of the fun of using their products.

One thing my mentor impressed upon me is that theres no shame in asking for "engineering samples" from the larger companies. Call and explain the situation and maybe they'll send you some caps or some sand to play with. Costs nearly nothing to ask. They stand to sell more product and theres already a line in the budget for it.

I will shop ebay for things like transformer cans/covers, or knobs. Motorcycle mirrors, and signals, Non mission critical components...
 
I have had good luck on ebay for STK modules that I could not find anywhere else as well as metal film 1/4 watt and 1/2 watt resistors.

I have also bought a LOT from quaco on ebay. Good luck there too...

A lot of stuff on ebay came from mouser originally I have found.
 
Hell no, although I've bought STK modules and rare ICs unavailable elsewhere to revive non-valuable gear.
 
But were the STK modules genuine or counterfeit, there are a lot of counterfeit STK modules on eBay as well.

The trouble with counterfeit electronics is that some are quite good and do work so it's not always obvious you have bought a counterfeit.
 
I wouldn't bother myself. Unless it's something REALLY weird like a Sony VFet or STK modules, you can usually find something somewhere from a reputable supplier that will work. You'll also find help and advice here on AudioKarma. When I restored a Toshiba mini power amp, it took me two tries to find some caps that were small enough, but I did.
 
I have bought STK amplifier modules from ebay. I repaired a low end onkyo with one, knowing it was fake. I listen to it in the kitchen and its worked for over a year that way. I have less than $30 in the unit, and i can play the radio while i fry my bacon.

If you buy fake silicon, at least buy name brand fuses...
 
trainbuftony said:
I have bought STK amplifier modules from ebay. I repaired a low end onkyo with one, knowing it was fake. I listen to it in the kitchen and its worked for over a year that way. I have less than $30 in the unit, and i can play the radio while i fry my bacon.

If you buy fake silicon, at least buy name brand fuses...
Click to expand...

Yep, I buy eBay STK modules for low end low value electronics which would go into the garbage otherwise. There's just no other convenient to buy option for a lot of this stuff. I'm not convinced they're all fakes either. I've never heard of a single good experience buying certain ICs from eBay though, for example the TDA1514A
 
Name brand fuses, would include Buss, and littelfuse. I know of no other brands trusted by industry. Im not trying to derail the thread, but when dealing with an unknown unknown, wear trusted protection.
 
trainbuftony said:
Name brand fuses, would include Buss, and littelfuse. I know of no other brands trusted by industry. Im not trying to derail the thread, but when dealing with an unknown unknown, wear trusted protection.
Click to expand...

We are finding plenty of those counterfeit in the Government stock system (my company has been doing a study with the Navy for a few years) so they can be anywhere. Your best bet is getting them from a large know vendor, many tend to do random testing.
 
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