Finding local electronics supply stores.

[Pyrrho]

I was wondering if there was a good online source of information for finding local electronic supply stores. I have a need for a part that I can buy online for $0.39, which is about what it is worth, but is going to cost about $8 in shipping fees, which is what is prompting this post. (If I lived in the Dayton area, I know of a couple of places, MCM Electronics and Parts Express, both of which are fine for online ordering, and both are the kind of store I am asking about.)

Is there a good online directory for this?

Thanks in advance to all who offer helpful information.

 

[markw]

Not trying to be funny, but have you googled "electronic parts supply"+ your area in google?

...or perhaps the yellow pages?

 

[Pyrrho]

Not trying to be funny, but have you googled "electronic parts supply"+ your area in google?

...or perhaps the yellow pages?

Yes. They put all sorts of other types of stores in that category, such as telephone sales and other things that are completely irrelevant. And when I google as you suggest, I get the same sort of results. Try it for your area and see what you get.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Sometimes It's near impossible task even in big city. I can count electronic components stores near me on fingers of one hand (if that) and most of them are Radiosh!te.....
RS components selection used to be much bigger but not they are selling cellphones and TVs...
Honestly first good store near me is over hour drive - I'd rather get stuff online (hopefully in small batch) than driving for over two hours ....

 

[highfigh]

I was wondering if there was a good online source of information for finding local electronic supply stores. I have a need for a part that I can buy online for $0.39, which is about what it is worth, but is going to cost about $8 in shipping fees, which is what is prompting this post. (If I lived in the Dayton area, I know of a couple of places, MCM Electronics and Parts Express, both of which are fine for online ordering, and both are the kind of store I am asking about.)

Is there a good online directory for this?

Thanks in advance to all who offer helpful information.

google the part number and brand. You'll probably get too many links, but you will definitely see who has them.

What is the part?

 

[Pyrrho]

google the part number and brand. You'll probably get too many links, but you will definitely see who has them.

What is the part?

It is a 12 volt axial lamp. There is no brand listed on the site, and the only numbers they have are their own stock numbers, so searching for those numbers only takes me back to that site.

Here is a link to the part:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/25-455

The current rating could be lower, and the voltage rating could be slightly higher, and it would work. This would also work:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=070-280

(I am wanting it for lighting the meters of an old Carver power amp. So I will probably buy two, and replace both lamps even though only one seems to be burned out [they wire in series, so there is no light with only one good lamp], so the lighting will be the same for both meters.)

I am getting the impression I am going to just have to pay much more for shipping than for the part. The only local electronics supply store (other than Radio Shack, which also does not have it) I know of has none listed in their catalog, which does not surprise me, as it is not much better than Radio Shack used to be, which, as has already been noted by someone else, is not what it used to be at all for this sort of thing.

The shipping charges for this part are excessive, but if I cannot find anything local, I will either have unlighted equipment or pay too much for it. But I would like to know of a good local electronics supply store for the future as well, as this sort of thing comes up from time to time, so it isn't just this one purchase that matters. It would not be worth my time or yours if this was going to be the only time ever that I would want to know where such a store was located. And, if there were a good online listing for this sort of thing, it would help other people who are in a like situation, which makes it all even more worth everyone's time, if such a thing exists.

 

[highfigh]

It is a 12 volt axial lamp. There is no brand listed on the site, and the only numbers they have are their own stock numbers, so searching for those numbers only takes me back to that site.

Here is a link to the part:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/25-455

The current rating could be lower, and the voltage rating could be slightly higher, and it would work. This would also work:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=070-280

(I am wanting it for lighting the meters of an old Carver power amp. So I will probably buy two, and replace both lamps even though only one seems to be burned out [they wire in series, so there is no light with only one good lamp], so the lighting will be the same for both meters.)

I am getting the impression I am going to just have to pay much more for shipping than for the part. The only local electronics supply store (other than Radio Shack, which also does not have it) I know of has none listed in their catalog, which does not surprise me, as it is not much better than Radio Shack used to be, which, as has already been noted by someone else, is not what it used to be at all for this sort of thing.

The shipping charges for this part are excessive, but if I cannot find anything local, I will either have unlighted equipment or pay too much for it. But I would like to know of a good local electronics supply store for the future as well, as this sort of thing comes up from time to time, so it isn't just this one purchase that matters. It would not be worth my time or yours if this was going to be the only time ever that I would want to know where such a store was located. And, if there were a good online listing for this sort of thing, it would help other people who are in a like situation, which makes it all even more worth everyone's time, if such a thing exists.

Where are you?

 

[mtrycrafts]

A possibility?

Call a few stores that come up on Google search for 'electronics parts' and ask them if they know of a parts store that sells resistors, caps, etc. Or, even a TV and radio repair store might know of such a store in your area?

Here is a link to TV repairs by zip code
http://www.tvrepairman.com/ml2/?v=784990106&u=08E0DBA29698D6A30210818080F80718FE19

 

[Rickster71]

Mtrycrafts' post got me thinking; I'll bet you'd have luck going to repair shops and showing them the part, and asking if they'd sell you two. Even if they don't have an exact match, they would know of something close enough.

Don't think of it as shipping costs too high for a $0.39 part; it's really the cost of getting the amp back to the way you want it.

 

[highfigh]

It is a 12 volt axial lamp. There is no brand listed on the site, and the only numbers they have are their own stock numbers, so searching for those numbers only takes me back to that site.

Here is a link to the part:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/25-455

The current rating could be lower, and the voltage rating could be slightly higher, and it would work. This would also work:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=070-280

(I am wanting it for lighting the meters of an old Carver power amp. So I will probably buy two, and replace both lamps even though only one seems to be burned out [they wire in series, so there is no light with only one good lamp], so the lighting will be the same for both meters.)

I am getting the impression I am going to just have to pay much more for shipping than for the part. The only local electronics supply store (other than Radio Shack, which also does not have it) I know of has none listed in their catalog, which does not surprise me, as it is not much better than Radio Shack used to be, which, as has already been noted by someone else, is not what it used to be at all for this sort of thing.

The shipping charges for this part are excessive, but if I cannot find anything local, I will either have unlighted equipment or pay too much for it. But I would like to know of a good local electronics supply store for the future as well, as this sort of thing comes up from time to time, so it isn't just this one purchase that matters. It would not be worth my time or yours if this was going to be the only time ever that I would want to know where such a store was located. And, if there were a good online listing for this sort of thing, it would help other people who are in a like situation, which makes it all even more worth everyone's time, if such a thing exists.

If you can read the writing on the bulb, make sure to pay attention to the wattage. If this is wrong, it can damage the circuit ahead of it. You'll know if it's wrong because the light will be either extremely bright or dimmer than normal and in both cases, turn it off immediately. If it's extremely bright, you'll need to place a flame-proof or ceramic resistor ahead of the bulb but the value will be determined by what it actually needs, especially if you can't read anything on the bulb.

If you found a direct replacement, maybe you can find something else on the site that you can use, to keep the shipping from seeming so excessive. You want/need the bulb- if it's important enough, buy it- You're already saving on the repair labor by doing it yourself. People and companies can't work for no money, especially with the economy in its present condition.

 

[Pyrrho]

Where are you?

Maryland, just north of Washington, D.C.

 

[allargon]

Maryland, just north of Washington, D.C.

Shoot--closest Fry's to you I believe is in Atlanta (or Chicago).

Do any of the universities (e.g. UMD, Johns Hopkins-Bmore so not that close, etc.) have a scientific or engineering supply store? Sometimes they might have what you need. Another place to check is a hobby store.

 

[Seth=L]

Don't think of it as shipping costs too high for a $0.39 part; it's really the cost of getting the amp back to the way you want it.

The most likely reason the part is so cheap and the shipping is high is for tax reasons. This means if you find the part locally it won't necessarily be cheaper, it could in fact be more expensive because they have to keep it in inventory or order it. If you order the part online it will more than likely come from a distribution center which costs everyone involved less money and it's a guaranteed sale versus if you ask your dealer to order the parts and you later decide you don't want them. At this point the dealer is stuck with a part they may never sell.

 

[JohnA]

Maryland, just north of Washington, D.C.

Google is your friend:

http://www.mauriceelectric.com

http://www.dominionelectric.com

 

[Pyrrho]

Google is your friend:

http://www.mauriceelectric.com

http://www.dominionelectric.com

You have just illustrated my point very well. Neither of those stores sells this sort of thing. If I were looking for installing lighting in my home, then one of them might be useful, but neither of those is an electronics supply store for the sorts of things discussed at this site. That is, they do not sell parts for audio and video equipment. Google is not the friend you have imagined.

 

[Pyrrho]

Call a few stores that come up on Google search for 'electronics parts' and ask them if they know of a parts store that sells resistors, caps, etc. Or, even a TV and radio repair store might know of such a store in your area?

Here is a link to TV repairs by zip code
http://www.tvrepairman.com/ml2/?v=784990106&u=08E0DBA29698D6A30210818080F80718FE19

This has worked, sort of. I have been surprised by the number of TV repair shops that have closed since the recession hit (which I have found out by trying to contact them per your recommendation), and the one good place I have found via your method (the nearby repair shop would not sell me parts) is far enough away that it will cost me about $5 in gas to get there and back (with a car that gets good gas mileage), plus, of course, take up time.

I think I am going to end up just buying online, but I really would prefer a good electronics supply store nearby. There is nothing quite like being able to take a part into a shop and have someone good help find what one needs (which I like about old-fashioned hardware stores, too). Perhaps I will keep looking...

 

[markw]

This might sound pretty stupid, but...

... does Radio Shack sell any small parts anymore? If so, what you need sounds like it might fairly common.

 

[Pyrrho]

... does Radio Shack sell any small parts anymore? If so, what you need sounds like it might fairly common.

I searched their web site, and although they do sell some lamps, they do not seem to sell any with axial leads.

I have run into this problem the last few times I have tried Radio Shack (in person and online). They sell some parts, but they never seem to have what I am needing, unlike many years ago.

Now, if I wanted to modify things, and buy a mount and another type of bulb, I might be able to get away with what they do sell, if I could fit it in the small space available for it in the amplifier. But I would rather not try that, particularly as I doubt I have enough space for it.

 

[mtrycrafts]

This has worked, sort of. I have been surprised by the number of TV repair shops that have closed since the recession hit (which I have found out by trying to contact them per your recommendation), and the one good place I have found via your method (the nearby repair shop would not sell me parts) is far enough away that it will cost me about $5 in gas to get there and back (with a car that gets good gas mileage), plus, of course, take up time.

I think I am going to end up just buying online, but I really would prefer a good electronics supply store nearby. There is nothing quite like being able to take a part into a shop and have someone good help find what one needs (which I like about old-fashioned hardware stores, too). Perhaps I will keep looking...

Well, before you buy on line, give me a chance to check with my local electronics parts store. I printed the pictures in your two links. I need to go that way tomorrow anyhow. I will PM you later.