Parts are getting harder to find

[pucho812]

Is it just me or are Through-hole parts like resistors getting harder to find. Was on mouser last night ordering common stuff and a particular value 100ohm/2w was almost not there where as a year ago, I would have had a full page of options.

 

[tony hunt]

I had that last night looking for 3W 100R on Mouser.
Much time consumed juggling alternatives all the while munching too many pistachios.

We live in a paradise of online consumption. I could have paralled two old 200R Beyschlags that are gathering dust in my drawer.

 

[pucho812]

I had that last night looking for 3W 100R on Mouser.
Much time consumed juggling alternatives all the while munching too many pistachios.

We live in a paradise of online consumption. I could have paralled two old 200R Beyschlags that are gathering dust in my drawer.

Yes I ended up ordering a 3watt as that was easier.
I think through-hole may be going the way of the dodo

 

[Winetree]

Yes I ended up ordering a 3watt as that was easier.
I think through-hole may be going the way of the dodo

Along with gasoline and guns.

 

[Ricardus]

There have definitely been disruptions. Semis are becoming scarce with incredibly long lead times. Lots of stuff from On Semiconductor. Stuff from THAT semi is hard to find. 1646s weren't in stock for a couple months at Mouser. Even some Nichicon caps are getting hard to find.

 

[Scodiddly]

Apart from the pandemic there's still the steady phasing out of through-hole parts.  RoHS, end of life, whatever.  I've been gradually moving into the SMD world because of that. 

But I doubt you're going to find many 3 watt resistors in SMD packages.

 

[dbelousov]

I switched to SMD op-amps and transistors. DIP and leads are becoming obsolete, all the newer (and usually better) parts are SMD now, and even if a part has both versions, its SMD version is (almost?) always cheaper. I believe at some point I will have to switch to SMD resistors as well. I use them only if I have tight space restrictions (e.g. SDC mics) now.

 

[gyraf]

..there are some noise considerations when it comes to smd resistors, iirc..

 

[JohnRoberts]

Auto plants have been shut down due to IC shortages, passive components may be suffering a similar fate.

COVID has disrupted supply chains, and through hole parts have been fading away for years, due to size and expense vs SMD. .

JR

 

[Rochey]

Gents,

I'm not as regular a poster as I used to be. But I have 20 years in the semiconudctor business, and I've never seen things as tight as they are now.

We're seeing some folks like ST saying 18 month lead times for some of their processors.
The Fire at AKM's fab in Japan hasn't helped things for Audio codecs either.

My opinion (and not of my employers) is that much of this is down to the pandemic. Chromebooks and Ipads flying off shelves for education, people stuck at home (if they _are_ employed) with disposable income that they were spending on out-of-home activities. People are buying more electronics  than ever before as a source of comfort and convenience in their own four walls.

I've been an advocate for years on moving to SMD, but this community has been rather stubborn. For resistors and caps, I understand sticking with TH (Through Hole) for noise reasons, but for IC's, the message has become clear. Move to SMD. The value proposition for IC manufacturers and IC packaging houses to keep the TH lines in production, when you have demand for 20Million SMD devices that could take the same floorspace is non existant. Bye bye TH.

Now is the time to upgrade your soldering iron, learn to use flux and solder braid. Go out and get a hot air wand too. It's not hard, and you'll save yourself a world of pain later.

I've had one of these (a clone that takes hakko tips) for years. Never let me down. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FJ6PNHF/

If you're nervous - get a practice kit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y20JYTM/

I admit, I can't do 0402 resistors. they are too small for me. (I'm 41, and I have to take my glasses OFF to do it). But 0603's are easy by now.

Best of luck.

 

[Matador]

I've been an advocate for years on moving to SMD, but this community has been rather stubborn.

Agreed!  The first time I managed to use a $10 stencil and solder paste, and stuff, mount, and reflow 10 SMD boards in an oven in a matter of a few hours was like a revelation.  Being able to use a hot-air wand, lift, remove, and replace SMD resistors without needing wicks, cutting legs, cleaning holes, etc, was similar.  You just save SO much time with SMD it's a no-brainer.

The biggest downside is being mindful of voltage ratings:  there are a ton of 0805 thick film resistors that are only rated at 50V, so you have to be mindful when working with tube circuits, etc.  250V+ rated caps can also be challenging to source.

 

[pucho812]

Gents,

I'm not as regular a poster as I used to be. But I have 20 years in the semiconudctor business, and I've never seen things as tight as they are now.

We're seeing some folks like ST saying 18 month lead times for some of their processors.
The Fire at AKM's fab in Japan hasn't helped things for Audio codecs either.

My opinion (and not of my employers) is that much of this is down to the pandemic. Chromebooks and Ipads flying off shelves for education, people stuck at home (if they _are_ employed) with disposable income that they were spending on out-of-home activities. People are buying more electronics  than ever before as a source of comfort and convenience in their own four walls.

I've been an advocate for years on moving to SMD, but this community has been rather stubborn. For resistors and caps, I understand sticking with TH (Through Hole) for noise reasons, but for IC's, the message has become clear. Move to SMD. The value proposition for IC manufacturers and IC packaging houses to keep the TH lines in production, when you have demand for 20Million SMD devices that could take the same floorspace is non existant. Bye bye TH.

Now is the time to upgrade your soldering iron, learn to use flux and solder braid. Go out and get a hot air wand too. It's not hard, and you'll save yourself a world of pain later.

I've had one of these (a clone that takes hakko tips) for years. Never let me down. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FJ6PNHF/

If you're nervous - get a practice kit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y20JYTM/

I admit, I can't do 0402 resistors. they are too small for me. (I'm 41, and I have to take my glasses OFF to do it). But 0603's are easy by now.

Best of luck.

Is there an adaptor kit to change through hole resistors to SMD like they do with pdip to soic IC's?

 

[john12ax7]

I find SMD resistors to be fine.  No performance issues as long as you stick to thin film and large packages.  Working with them is rather easy with 2 soldering irons.

 

[dbelousov]

..there are some noise considerations when it comes to smd resistors, iirc..

I use 1206 thin films. They are pricy a bit, but easy to use and not noisy.

Agreed!  The first time I managed to use a $10 stencil and solder paste, and stuff, mount, and reflow 10 SMD boards in an oven in a matter of a few hours was like a revelation.  Being able to use a hot-air wand, lift, remove, and replace SMD resistors without needing wicks, cutting legs, cleaning holes, etc, was similar.  You just save SO much time with SMD it's a no-brainer.

I've replaced 24 SOIC opamps in my ADC in an hour or so, and I don't do such things every day. I bet guys, who repair cell phones, computers, etc. for a living could do it faster. No way I could have done it that fast with DIPs.

Yes, SMD is scary at the beginning, but after acquiring some basic skills it's a piece of cake.