Author Topic: Assorted Resistor Kit  (Read 5166 times)

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Offline Planobilly

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Re: Assorted Resistor Kit
« Reply #25 on: May 27, 2021, 11:34:43 am »
I think after a while you just wind up with many different types  and values of resistors depending on what you are using them for. I am 73 and don't see as well as I use too. So color codes on smaller resistors become a problem in general even under a digital microscope. Just less problem to test them.

I would get one of those large assortments from Amazon if I was not too concerned about tolerance.  You would be surprised how little difference 5% makes in many circuits. If  quality is important buy from Mouser or DigiKey.

I repair vintage guitar amps using NOS components when  I can get it. Not because it is better but because that is what clients want. I have aquired pounds of old carbon resistors that I have had to sort out. I got most of that stuff in the past from radio and TV shops going out of business.

You will very quickly find that you will have to buy or build cabinets to hold well labeled resistors or you will go crazy looking for the value you need. Better to do that from the beginning even if you make the cabinets out of cardboard. I have a whole wall of plastic cabinets with resistors.

Assortment of transistors from Amazon/ebay is a real hit and miss sort of thing. You never know what you will get. I got JFETs  from Amazon that were marked correctly but turned out to be NPN transistors.

Buy yourself one of the little transistor testors and save yourself a lot of grief.

When I build a new tube amp I test every component I put in the amp. More work but much less trouble shooting when things don't work.

IF WHAT YOU ARE MAKING HAS ANY IMPORTANCE TO YOU GET YOUR COMPONENTS FROM MOUSER OR DIGIKEY OR  OTHER PROFESSIONAL SUPPLIER.

Cheers,

Billy
 
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Offline wizard69

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Re: Assorted Resistor Kit
« Reply #26 on: May 28, 2021, 06:01:11 am »
One thing to look out for when it comes to resistor kits is what the kits contain.    Often you will run into kits that have resistors that you might not have a reasonable need for.   At least not starting out. 

So my first suggestion is to avoid kits that don't itemize what they contain.   

My second suggestion is to make sure you know where you interest lie.   For example if you are about to implement a bunch of different LED projects some of which might be using biasing resistors make sure you are covered in the lower ohm regions.   

As for kits is see two ways in which they might be useful.    One is to buy a kit covering a standard EIA range {E3, E6, E12, E24, E48 & E96} with the idea to cover yourself for every possible need.   Often these kits come in their own storage container too.   However that can be a bit expensive up front especially if you go for 1% values.  Here is one place to study up on EIA ranges: https://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/electronic_components/resistors/standard-resistor-values-e-series-e3-e6-e12-e24-e48-e96.php

The other approach is to DIY your own kit.   Depending upon how cheap you want to be you can buy them in tape reels, a pain if you ask me, or in boxes or bags of 100.   Build up your inventory by buying these bulk packages for each project you take on and a couple of more sizes around the projects specified values.   With a little effort you can create a decent stock in short order spreading out your costs.   Resistors are so cheap that this is one of the few places where bulk purchases make sense.   You will need to come up with a storage solution and frankly I'd suggest the little plastic sets of drawers, with a drawer per value.   An example here would be an "Akro-Mils" 64 Drawer unit, model 10164.

Note that I said nothing here about the type, tolerance  nor power rating of the resistors.   The reality is you will end up needing an assortment of types and power ratings.   Resistors have to be correctly sized for the operating conditions.    Starting out you probably can do fine with 1/4 watt or 1/2 watt axial lead, metal film, resistors.   These are what is sensible to buy in bulk.    You may find yourself needing other resistors with different parameters farther down the road, those likely would not be bulk buys.   

Apparently you are just getting into this.   If that is the case I'd suggest taking some of that money and buying a good electronics text to help with the studying process.   I'm way to old to suggest a title so look towards Daves video here or maybe somebody can make a suggestion.   You could also download NEETS.   The idea is to have a popular text that one can reference when asking questions (it gets everybody on the same page).   Well at least the people that have the same copy as you do.   

One of the first things you will want to do with those resistors is study DC series and parallel circuits.   A good book and a multimeter will do wonders for understanding what a resistor does in circuit.    It is a long road but in the end it can lead to lots of fun, maybe even a good job.   In any event you need to get the basics down first.   That will go a long ways to helping you understand why there are so many power rating levels and why even if you buy a kit it is just a beginning.

As for tolerances for any kit you buy or DIY, I always made use of 5% resistors but many here have suggested 1%.   I'm not going to argue the point here but one truth here is that you need to learn how parts vary from unit to unit and run to run.   It is you lucky day if you get a part that is exactly what is implied by the marking thus the tolerance strip.   The sooner you understand that circuits have to work with non perfect components the better off you will be.    I'd go so far as to suggest using 20% tolerance or even out of tolerance resistors to build some of the text book study circuits.   There is the ideal world and the reality of the world we live in.


Thanks for all of the input.

Two of the options were already unavailable. I went with the LORESO option that Anthocyanina recommended.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NY3XR96

These were also more expensive, but a reviewer said he spot tested many of the resistors and they were well within tolerance.
 

Offline wizard69

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Re: Assorted Resistor Kit
« Reply #27 on: May 28, 2021, 06:12:16 am »

You will very quickly find that you will have to buy or build cabinets to hold well labeled resistors or you will go crazy looking for the value you need. Better to do that from the beginning even if you make the cabinets out of cardboard. I have a whole wall of plastic cabinets with resistors.



Billy

Hope you don't mind Billy but I just needed to highlight this.   A person is far better off getting their storage system right from the beginning instead of trying to fix it later down the road.   There is no one good way to do this, but from a hobby perspective it is probably best to keep the storage compact.   So for the newbies out there before you even buy the resistor kit figure out how you will store those resistors.
 

Offline Renate

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Re: Assorted Resistor Kit
« Reply #28 on: May 28, 2021, 11:45:16 am »
I used to have Akro-Mils cases with little drawers for all my parts.
It's a fine system if you have the space.

Now, with a lack of space (and not that much use for random through hole parts) I keep all my 1/4 W in a Flambeau single plastic box.
https://www.flambeaucases.com/t3011-one-compartment-box.aspx
I have a dozen of these cases for modules, IC's, semis, passives, 1/8 W and they all pack into:
https://akro-mils.com/Products/Types/Plastic-Storage-Containers/ALC/ALC-39175

Ok, it's not all that convenient but you can't beat the density.
 

Offline rdl

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Re: Assorted Resistor Kit
« Reply #29 on: May 28, 2021, 02:27:18 pm »
The only resistor storage I have.


(probably can click for bigger)
 
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Offline wizard69

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Re: Assorted Resistor Kit
« Reply #30 on: May 29, 2021, 01:01:24 am »
The only resistor storage I have.


(probably can click for bigger)

Where did you get those little plastic vials?    They would be ideal for SMD resistors that are not on tape.
 

Offline SpecialK

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Re: Assorted Resistor Kit
« Reply #31 on: May 29, 2021, 01:18:01 am »
I believe he said they are tubes for beads on eBay in another similar thread.  6ml looks about right.
 

Offline ledtester

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Re: Assorted Resistor Kit
« Reply #32 on: May 29, 2021, 04:31:59 am »
My resistor storage solution... main ideas are:

- add cardboard dividers to a low profile literature shipping box
- use 2" x 3" resealable polybags for the resistors
- I've inserted a piece cut out of a white index card into the polybags to provide rigidity and a surface for a label
- if you have a lot of one component just use multiple polybags
- if you have really a lot of one component I put them in a small cardboard box -- (you see examples of this in the 3rd and 4th lanes)

and most importantly...

- keep your resistor values in order!  :-DD
« Last Edit: May 29, 2021, 04:38:37 am by ledtester »
 
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Offline bobbydazzler

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Re: Assorted Resistor Kit
« Reply #33 on: May 29, 2021, 05:15:04 am »
like another poster said an assortment of potentiometer values is really handy too.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/353479313390?hash=item524d0247ee:g:hHkAAOSwFY9ge55~
 

Offline rdl

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Re: Assorted Resistor Kit
« Reply #34 on: May 29, 2021, 01:23:03 pm »
Yep, they're bead storage tubes from some random seller on ebay. I bought one of those resistor assortments from Jameco years ago - but they were just cut tape, no storage cabinet. I only used them for breadboarding and every time I disassembled a circuit I'd toss the resistors in a empty plastic butter tub. After about 10 years the tub was overflowing so I had to come up with a better idea.
 

Offline rfclown

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Re: Assorted Resistor Kit
« Reply #35 on: June 12, 2021, 01:08:22 am »

You will very quickly find that you will have to buy or build cabinets to hold well labeled resistors or you will go crazy looking for the value you need. Better to do that from the beginning even if you make the cabinets out of cardboard. I have a whole wall of plastic cabinets with resistors.



Billy

Hope you don't mind Billy but I just needed to highlight this.   A person is far better off getting their storage system right from the beginning instead of trying to fix it later down the road.   There is no one good way to do this, but from a hobby perspective it is probably best to keep the storage compact.   So for the newbies out there before you even buy the resistor kit figure out how you will store those resistors.

I've been using the little manilla envelopes for MANY years (I"m almost 60). I keep powers of 10 (1,10,100,...) in one group, and all others in another. I'll say again, I only like 5% (or whatever) that have the standard color codes that I can easily see with leads thick enough not to be a problem in solderless breadboards. When I'm doing solderless breadboard stuff (the main reason I use leaded), I end up with a pile on my bench. With standard easy-to-see colors, it's easy to put them back in the envelopes.

The cardboard box is from a Velveeta box that my Mom was throwing away when I was a kid. That's how long I've used this system. It's the perfect width for the little manilla envelopes. I don't buy Velveeta (Don't know if they still make it. It isn't food).
 


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