WAYNE CHIRNSIDE wrote in a message to ROY J. TELLASON:

-=> ROY J. TELLASON wrote to WAYNE CHIRNSIDE <=-

 WC>  I haven't been there in years either but checked the web site to
 WC> find the info.

 RJT> Oh.  Checking their web site never occurred to me.  

 WC>  I'd expect you could buy a bunch cheaper mail order at someplace
 WC> like DigiKey or Matt Electronics.

 RJT> Yeah.

 WC>  I've both PDF catalogs here and DigiKey's is a bear to read but
 WC> Matt Electronics is easy.

 RJT> I was thinking about calling Digikey and asking them to send me out one
 RJT> on paper,  like they used to.  Dunno Matt Electronics.

 WC> Last I knew you could request one from their web page
 WC> which is precisely what you'd expect it to be named.
 WC> www.digikey.com

I have a bunch of links for suppliers of parts,  somewhere.  It's not a
matter of real importance to me at this point because I really do have more
parts than I'll ever use.  Unless it's some specialized chip or similar
that I need for repair,  I doubt that I'll be doing much in terms of
ordering parts in the near future.

Speaking of which,  I didn't think that I'd be doing much in the way of
repairs any more either.  But my other half brought home a little fender
champ practice amp for me to look at.  When I opened it up,  the whole
thing is one audio power amp chip and a couple of op amps.  Based on what
it's doing one of the op amps is bad,  probably the typical
output-shorted-to-negative-supply-rail kind of deal.  And while I was going
through some parts here sorting things out,  I happened across the
identical part -- not just the same number,  but the same brand,  too.  :-)

I suppose I oughta confirm that diagnosis and then heat up the soldering
iron at some point shortly.

 RJT> I'm not real hot on suppliers at this point anyhow,  being more 
 RJT> bugged by the fact that I've accumulated all these parts for 
 RJT> years now and haven't done all that much with them.

 WC>  Tossed all mine last move except for two transformers.

You need anything drop me an email,  ok?

 RJT> My last Radio Shack purchase was a few boards to build stuff on,  and
 RJT> some terminals,  which I envision a use for on one project.

 WC>  I'll have to get some perf board to mount the white LEDs on.

Yeah,  that's handy stuff all right.  :-)



 WC> Radio Shack lists theirs at 3.6 volts and I suspect they're
 WC> identical, same package style anyway, 20 MA. Max.

 RJT> A bit more than what you could get out of one 3V coin cell,  then.

 WC> That and they do not include a current limiting resistor!

Oh really?  Wow.

 WC> Either they're counting on the cells internal resistence to limit 
 WC> current or treating the item as a throw away.

Or both.  A diode _will_ limit the voltage drop to a specific level,  and
try to draw current until the source goes down to that point,  so yeah, 
that's probably what's happening there.

 WC> Case is cute design and the LED isn't actually hooked up to
 WC> anything. One lead simply sits on one side of the dual batteries
 WC> and the ither is held apart by a plastic slide with metal tab that
 WC> makes the connection when slid forward.

As cheap as they can make it,  eh?  That seems to be the story with an
awful lot of stuff these days,  which is not good for salvage prospects.

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