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Electronic components

Resistors, LEDs, diodes, transistors, logic ICs, breadboards and hook-up wire: the everyday components for prototyping and repairs.

127 results

About electronic components

The everyday components for prototyping and repairs. Assortment kits are the economical way to stock a bench: 1/4 W metal film resistors, ceramic and electrolytic capacitors, inductors, diodes, through-hole transistors and DIP ICs such as the NE555 and LM358, with 74HC and CD4000-series logic chips for digital circuits. LEDs come in 5 mm single colours, RGB and addressable pixel strings, and there are tactile, DIP, slide and latching push-button switches, trimmer potentiometers, fuses, crystals and relays.

For building circuits there are MB-102 solderless breadboards, Dupont jumper wires, solid and stranded UL1007 hook-up wire, silicone wire, pin headers, and JST, Micro-Fit and ferrule connector kits. Breadboards, jumper wires and LED and resistor kits are classroom staples, and a teacher can get a printable quote for a class set from the cart.

127 listings today, from $1.31; half cost $9.18 or less.

What to look for

Assortment kits are an economical way to stock a bench: you get the common values in one box and learn which ones you use most. For breadboard work, choose through-hole (DIP) parts. Surface-mount parts, such as 0805 resistors, need a circuit board and finer soldering.

Specs that matter

Resistors are rated by value, tolerance (1% for metal film, 5% for carbon film) and power, with 1/4 W typical for signal circuits. LEDs need a series resistor to limit current, and the right value depends on the LED's forward voltage, which changes with colour. To switch a load from a 5 V microcontroller, use a logic-level MOSFET such as the IRL540N.

Compatibility tips

74HC logic chips run from 2 to 6 V, so they work with both 3.3 V and 5 V boards, while older 74LS chips need 5 V. Solid-core 22 AWG hook-up wire fits breadboard holes; stranded wire is better for anything that moves.

Questions about electronic components

Which resistor kit should I buy?
For breadboard work, a kit of through-hole 1/4 W metal film resistors with 1% tolerance covers most signal circuits. SMD sample books, in sizes such as 0603 and 0805, are for soldering onto circuit boards.
What wire fits a breadboard?
Solid-core 22 AWG hook-up wire and ready-made Dupont jumpers fit breadboard holes. Use stranded or silicone wire for anything that moves or flexes, such as the wiring inside a robot.
Does an LED need a resistor?
Yes. An LED needs a series resistor to limit its current, and the right value depends on your supply voltage and the LED's forward voltage, which changes with colour. On a 5 V supply, 220 Ω to 1 kΩ is a common range.
Can a school or team order a class set?
Yes. Add the quantities you need to your cart and choose Get a printable quote. The quote lists shipping to your postal code and estimated tax, and a school can pay by P-card or email us a purchase order. Our school orders page has the details.
How long does delivery take, and what does shipping cost?
Most parts ship to Canadian addresses directly from our supplier partners, most of them outside Canada, and most orders arrive within 1 to 3 weeks; the product page shows its own estimate. Items marked eligible on their product page ship free once the eligible items in your cart total $20 or more (a cart of many low-priced parts needs more than $20 of them, and the cart shows how much). Until then, and for items that aren't eligible, each item pays its supplier's shipping quote for your address, and checkout shows every charge and the tax before you pay.

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