Some days I really miss Radio Shack.
I need to get somewhere between 2 and 10 5.1k resistors for a USB port experiment. Stick or surface mount are both fine. In fact, I want to experiment with both.
Without a local Radio Shack, what are the best places to look where I can get them reasonably quick and not pay through the nose?
Location - Atlanta GA USA.
From China, if you can wait for a few weeks. Or from old PCBs. Or pay the overpriced shipping.
Well, this is a happy surprise.
Amazon will get me 100 1/2w metal film resistors by tomorrow for $6.50. Only $5.69 if 1/4w will do and I can wait another day.
I have a Fry’s electronics about 2 miles from my home and they carry a good selection of parts but I always try to plan ahead and buy them on eBay. You have two in GA, one in Milton and the other in Duluth.
For the 1/4W version they are usually 50 for a dollar from Chinese eBay vendors. I just used a bunch to retrofit a Halloween stop sign and added LEDs like then new flashing signs we have in town.
Quantity of 10 in 1/2W metal film $1.78 You would have them by Saturday delivered to your mailbox.
You might try this US eBay seller who sells them in quantities of 10 for $1.78 postpaid. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2w-Watt-1-Tolerance-Metal-Film-Resistor-10-Pieces-USA-SELLER/123051802992?hash=item1ca6758170:m:mWteoVJtEWPHAGEtIwxO9Lw
Microstore? Looked it up, got one in Duluth and Marietta. No idea how far from you, though.
Ah, it “corrected” it for me. micro center georgia - Google Search
Rat Shack does ship. Free with a certain minimum order (50bux?).
Also, just goggle around for generic electronix stores. I got LNL not that far from me, that typically caters to alarm-installers, audio installers, deejays, etc. Get everything from (obscenely expensive) NTE parts’n’chips, to enclosures, plugs/jacks/clips/terminals/etc./etc./etc., wire/solder by the multi-lb spools, and you name it.
So… car-alarm/-audio installers? Toss ’em a coupla bux if they’d sneak you some under the table, etc.
You know - sometimes it takes a friend with a firm boot to the head to remind you to stop being stupid.
I didn’t check ebay because in general, I don’t like that place anymore. Even better, There are two Fry’s within a reasonable weekend drive of my house, and I DRIVE BY A MICROCENTER on my way home at least a few days a week.
Argh…. On the upside, according to their website, Microcenter doesn’t have 5.1k resistors. They have 4.7k and 5.6k, but I don’t feel like jury-rigging a series/parallel system to get what I want. Besides space issues, I don’t want another bodged variable in this experiment.
If you can make a order of $50 bucks then Arrow electronics does 1 day free shipping.
They have a decent selection of leds which help to make the $50 bucks for free shipping.
90 cri LH351D 5000k they have a good selection of cree’s also.
https://www.arrow.com/en/products/sphwhtl3da0gf4rts6/samsung-electronics
That’s tempting, as I have an SST 4000k MF01 Mini that has an absolutely horrid Kermit/Oscar tint to it.
But, first I have to get into emitter swaps and complex board reflows…
If you do occasional projects, I’d get a variety pack of resistors to keep on-hand. I’m sure Amazon has them, and if there is a Fry’s electronics near Atlanta, they probably will, too.
Why not simply use a thorough hole one, probably easier to solder than wire+smd
If you don’t mind waiting a few days or maybe for future projects, I have ordered a few things from here.
https://www.taydaelectronics.com/resistors/smd-chip-resistors/0805.html
They offer express shipping, $11 bucks I think. You can get several different values to try or possible other parts for future projects.
For some reason I have had orders that have shipped from the US that only took 3 days to get to me. I think they may have a small warehouse in the US but probably depends on what you order. If I remember correctly it shipped from New Jersey.
Digikey usually isn’t to bad with small orders shipping to me in a few days.
I would just try to find the resistors you need now local and put a order in for some of these in the size you prefer for future projects, maybe even two or three different sizes. Their cheap enough and next time you’ll have what you need on hand, at least that’s the idea.
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=AS_20191029165710&SearchText=smd+resistor+assorted
I went with the 170 values so hopefully I had about everthing I would ever need.
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale
Why’s it have to be 5.1k and not 4.7k or 5.6k?
±10% is common.
USB C standards or something like that, also then the 4.7k and 5.6k have a ±%10, so down to 4.3k and up to 6.1k depending on which you use
At the moment, this USB-C port modification experiment is all I’m really interested in. I’m not sure what else I’d do with a bulk set.
I have no doubt that standard through-hole will be the simplest answer. I’m both curious and stubborn though, and have several SP36 to try this mod on. More importantly, I am in line for several LT1 that I’ll want to mod.
Hmmm… Mouser - $1 in product, $7.99 shipping.
Digikey - $0.72 in product, can’t tell about shipping
Jameco - $0.60 in product, $5 annoyance fee, unknown shipping
Ebay is looking better and better.
I might have some through hole that I could probably send in just a letter envelope with a stamp or 2
I appreciate the thought, but there’s no way I could make it worth your effort for as little as I can get 20 or 100 from ebay.
ebay - 20 for $1.55 or 100 for $3.49, both shipped from the US.
If that’s what you want to do that’s ok the offer still stands though I currently have 10 that maybe I’ll give to others if they want to do a similar mod
I do appreciate the offer.
Thank.
Hey! Ebay just gave me a $10 off coupon, so I can get 100 for free, and still get $6 off something else. :+1:
Between the two of us, I think we’ll be able to supply a few folks with 5.1k resistors. 
Maybe you could keep some precision trim pots on hand? I am starting to do this, and it’s been more useful than my box of resistors.
on SMD resistors 1 and 5% are common
I usually get only 1%
10% resistors are just crap