- The Utter Futility of Keeping a Large Spares Inventory - 10 Updates
- Old Laptop Power Connector - 4 Updates
- Component idenification - 2 Updates
| Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com>: Nov 13 06:11PM I thought I had everything covered when I acquired a huge spare parts inventory from some chap who was emigrating a while ago. However, despite now being the proud owner of tens of thousands of caps, resistors, transistors, diodes, ICs etc etc etc., I can never seem to find a suitable part to replace one that's blown in whatever item of equipment it happens to be I'm fixing. There invariably seems to be some critical aspect in spec that the replacement part can't match rendering it entirely unsuitable. Or I'm sure I have an exact replacement *somewhere* in the stock, but it would take forever to find it so it's easier just to order a new one. Time and time again this kind of thing happens. For these reasons and others of a similar nature, I think I wasted my time (and a huge amount of space) by acquiring all these components and would have been better off never have been offered them in the first place. Anyone else have any experiences like this? |
| legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca>: Nov 13 02:14PM -0500 On Sun, 13 Nov 2022 18:11:36 +0000, Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com> wrote: >acquiring all these components and would have been better off never >have been offered them in the first place. >Anyone else have any experiences like this? If you've already spent the money, then it's only the maintenance/storage/disposal cost/benefit that is of concern. It's also a decision only you can make. What you've wasted is no good fuming about. If you're not willing to manage the asset competently, the potential for waste is compounded. Just use your experience to guide current and future activity. RL |
| Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com>: Nov 14 12:33AM >willing to manage the asset competently, the potential for waste >is compounded. Just use your experience to guide current and >future activity. I'm not bothered about the money; it's the space! Takes up 2 rooms. There is just too much so I can never find what I want. You can't win whatever you do.... |
| Phil Hobbs <pcdhSpamMeSenseless@electrooptical.net>: Nov 13 07:37PM -0500 Cursitor Doom wrote: > acquiring all these components and would have been better off never > have been offered them in the first place. > Anyone else have any experiences like this? It all depends on organization. How many SKUs are we talking about? Cheers Phil Hobbs -- Dr Philip C D Hobbs Principal Consultant ElectroOptical Innovations LLC / Hobbs ElectroOptics Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics Briarcliff Manor NY 10510 http://electrooptical.net http://hobbs-eo.com |
| Clifford Heath <no_spam@please.net>: Nov 14 12:39PM +1100 On 14/11/22 11:33, Cursitor Doom wrote: >> future activity. > I'm not bothered about the money; it's the space! Takes up 2 rooms. > There is just too much so I can never find what I want. You can't find things because you've never made a proper inventory. You call it a "spares inventory" yet you have no inventory management. Spend the day or two to catalog everything by shelf & box number. If the parts aren't worth spending that much time on, ditch the lot, because you've already decided they're worthless. |
| liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid (Liz Tuddenham): Nov 14 09:21AM > resistors, transistors, diodes, ICs etc etc etc., I can never seem to > find a suitable part to replace one that's blown in whatever item of > equipment it happens to be I'm fixing. If you need the spares for repair only, a lot of modern equipment doesn't have room for improvisation with replacement parts (perhaps made up from several components). That means your collection is not particularly useful. If you are designing one-offs, a collection of parts like that can be a huge benefit as long as you are able to adapt your design to use parts which you already have. It saves tracking down an exact part, ordering it - waiting for it to be delivered (or finding it is out of stock and on back-order) - fitting it - finding it isn't quite what you needed - ordering another replacement - waiting for that to arrive - discovering that it changes the operating conditions so that another component needs changing - ordering that - waiting for that to arrive....... etc -- ~ Liz Tuddenham ~ (Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply) www.poppyrecords.co.uk |
| "Peter W." <peterwieck33@gmail.com>: Nov 14 05:17AM -0800 > Anyone else have any experiences like this? I have been playing around this hobby for over 50 years now. Yes, I keep a small assortment of common values and common parts - but I am always missing something when a new-to-me object comes along. What I do keep "many" of are tubes - an auction-box here, a flea-market box there, the occasional garage sale, and so forth. The TV-type tubes get culled out pretty fast, but I expect that I have at least one-of any general-purpose and small-signal tube that I will ever need. About 2/3 of a walk-in closet's worth. Sorted. Mouser is my go-to. $6 + the cost of the part pretty much gets me what I need, usually within 3/4 days. Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA |
| Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com>: Nov 14 01:58PM On Mon, 14 Nov 2022 09:21:39 +0000, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid (Liz Tuddenham) wrote: >ordering another replacement - waiting for that to arrive - discovering >that it changes the operating conditions so that another component needs >changing - ordering that - waiting for that to arrive....... etc Well, that is the one saving grace that's keeping me from throwing the lot out. Actually I'd just re-sell 'em. There are some rare and valuable spares strewn about amongst them. |
| Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com>: Nov 14 02:01PM On Sun, 13 Nov 2022 19:37:45 -0500, Phil Hobbs >> have been offered them in the first place. >> Anyone else have any experiences like this? >It all depends on organization. How many SKUs are we talking about? You're right about organization (or lack thereof, Phil!). Sorry, no idea what a SKU is though. But yes, really must sort 'em all out properly as they're no use all jumbled up. |
| steve1001908@outlook.com: Nov 14 02:31PM On Mon, 14 Nov 2022 14:01:08 +0000, Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com> wrote: >You're right about organization (or lack thereof, Phil!). Sorry, no >idea what a SKU is though. But yes, really must sort 'em all out >properly as they're no use all jumbled up. SKU is Stock Keeping Unit often covered by Mini-Max rules. That's what I used when I worked in a factory to avoid having to fill order forms in too often. Steve |
| Splork <splork@splork.net>: Nov 13 01:12PM -0500 >with a 1K resistor. >Adapter rating appears similar to generic laptop chargers. >RL Thanks for the comments. No adapter available, hence the issue. I surmise that 10V would be adequate but have no idea where to apply and what pins are gnd and sense. Assuming there was a standard for this type connector, I can get one of these and take it from there rather than opening it up and having another disassembled unit sitting around. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800567444101.html Have lots of 12V adapters around and appears that a 9-15V range is acceptable. Worth the few dollars and waiting until mid January for it. There are Adapters for dell units but put out 20v. Seems a smoke test is in my future. Thanks again! |
| legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca>: Nov 13 02:05PM -0500 >Worth the few dollars and waiting until mid January for it. There are Adapters >for dell units but put out 20v. Seems a smoke test is in my future. >Thanks again! You've probably already researched and sourced batteries for your laptop. You may also be able to get an operator's manual. If the original charger/adapter was labeled as 10V, you should probably not use anything >12. It suggests that only NiMH or NiCd batteries were anticipated. Magitronic may be a rebranded device from a more recognizable mfr - something that may vary from model to model. This won't make parts or info any easier to obtain, as such mfrs are not interested in 20+ year old product. The adapter looks like it may be aimed at different hardware, so check polarity. A diode test on the input pins would be informative, if you haven't cracked open the case to find out. When was the last time this thing was powered up? Any other reason than 'I would like to get going', to work on this thing? Even working units that gave faithful service at the time are of questionable value, now. I maintain a W98 Compaq/HP laptop for the benefit of older test equipment. All would be considered as landfill by serious pointy heads in the industry. RL |
| Splork <splork@splork.net>: Nov 13 08:53PM -0500 >be considered as landfill by serious pointy heads in the >industry. >RL Not looking for a useful device, just refurbished museum material rescued from landfill. Has some value as such. Looking to see if it has any sign of life before investing time into it. Not mine originally so history not known. Was a 286 Motherboard designer before leaving the field so faint memories help working with these. Thanks a lot for the adapter comment. Took a closer look and it is not an exact fit. May be my only choice to modify other than soldering to the pins directly. It has built in trackball, modem and Floppy, no CD. Looks to be 486 era Pre Pentium, DOS WFWG 3.1 likely OS. Found a duplicate under the Tandy Name. https://www.ebay.com/itm/294852607369 My guess at 12V seems good. Just pinout challenged. Will probe the input pins after my Internet search totally fails. Much appreciated !! S |
| legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca>: Nov 13 11:02PM -0500 >Will probe the input pins after my Internet search totally fails. >Much appreciated !! >S It may need a battery inserted, to start with a charger inserted. Though this need not be a fully functional pack, it should not be an open cct, or have shorted cells (the usual NiCd end of life). If you start soldering connector pins, there's not much likelihood it will ever achieve 'antique' status, in however many years that takes. RL |
| "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid>: Nov 13 11:17PM +0100 On 2022-11-11 16:31, Cursitor Doom wrote: > devices (don't ask me why as I haven't a clue what purpose they serve > but certainly not to press bear the transistors to the heatsink, that > much is certain). I would guess insulation - is that part connected to mains? -- Cheers, Carlos. |
| Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com>: Nov 13 10:50PM On Sun, 13 Nov 2022 23:17:29 +0100, "Carlos E.R." >> but certainly not to press bear the transistors to the heatsink, that >> much is certain). >I would guess insulation - is that part connected to mains? We eventually got to the bottom of it. The plastic covers are supposed to bear against the transistors underneath and hold them tight against the heatsink assembly. But it's a really unsatisfactory approach, because they're not secured at the bottom in any way, so the devices are not pressed evenly against their pads. I'm looking into whether it can be improved whilst waiting for the spares to arrive. Perhaps I can get some of those clips that Whit3rd posted a link to. |
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