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I have to get started, here's with what

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Thanks DMW, you did not have to go through such trouble.

Now they want to import the magnet to my spec.

Hallo again. Do they think I'm Warren Buffet?

Jeepers, some people seem really thick. I'm going to them to save money, not to get utterly ripped off.

I'll shop elsewhere.
 
SPDCHK,

the first one was RS in Kyalami.
Now I know everyone knows they are a bit expensive from time to time.
But I really wanted to limit my travels.
The place I got it the second time round was Communica.
Another place where components are cheap, but you probably have to place bulkish orders is Arrow Altech.
They are in jetpark.

Arrie, sorry for the late reply. Try the following suppliers:
Avnet Kopp and
**broken link removed**

I found them to be very cheap, and you don't have to buy in bulk. There's an Electrocomp branch in Centurion, even closer than Communica.
 
Really?
I knew about electrocomp, I believe in Marlboro, but Centurion is a bargain.

Have been sending out CV's now like crazy, again.
It becomes quite cumbersome to the mind after a while.

I've bought things from Avnet before, but they are also in the ugly ends of Jhb. Not really a great travelling experience.

Thanks maty.
 
I have my stuff delivered at about R30.00. Beats having to go to Alex (Marlboro off-ramp = Alex :D). As for Pretoria, the amount of fuel I would drive out would be more than R30.00.
The only problem is that you usually have to wait approx. 3-5 day's from placing the order to delivery, but then, I'm not that much in a hurry for the stuff, so the 3-5 day wait is worth it.
 
Heck, I wonder if I can drive to Pretoria and back for 30 bucks.
Doubt it. Toll fees on the shortest route is 11 bucks alone.
 
Really?
I knew about electrocomp, I believe in Marlboro, but Centurion is a bargain.

Have been sending out CV's now like crazy, again.
It becomes quite cumbersome to the mind after a while.

I've bought things from Avnet before, but they are also in the ugly ends of Jhb. Not really a great travelling experience.

Thanks maty.

For the average run of the mill components I found GT in Boksburg and www.electronics123.co.za the cheapest. I only use RS for things like PIC's etc.
 
Thanks boomslang.
I'll look into electronics123.
Maybe they are even better than communica, there some stuff is really garbage, and you have to check certain products carefully, but components in general are cheap and same type as everywhere else.
They are now also doing a website upgrade, and hopefully it will be RS quality.
That could possibly also help.
 
The cheapest is Electrocomp,
followed by Avnet Kopp,
electronic123,
Communica,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
And if you really like spending money RS :D
 
I will put GT Electronics above Avnet on that list. IE: a month ago I got some 4mhz crystals 30% cheaper @ GT than Avnet... but Avnet does have a bigger range (of which many are always out of stock when I go there :( )

Never used electrocomp, do they have a counter where you can just pop in to buy stuff without an account/business?
 
Yes, the marlboro branch used to, but are they still there?
I would have moved altogether.

Don't forget arrow altech, their pricing are also very good, but normally bulk buys required. Last time I had to do with them, they had quite a range of components they imported, even computer components.

This was some years back when I was still involved with vehicle tracking.
Jetpark, that should be quite close to you spdchk.

RS are very well priced when it comes to PIC's, the other I would agree, expensive, but not as much as petrol.... sometimes.:D
 
long time, tho i thought i post this up if your still interested.


I bought off ebay an old dashboard off an Honda Civic [postage was 10 times the item cost :( ]. and have thus ripped it apart for the air coils, tho it has also lots of SM LED's, crystals, a twisly knob thingy [dunno the technical name, but looks like a POT], a buzzer, a massive Zener diode i assume it it from the silk-sheet marking "ZD1", few power resistors, and some other things which i have yet to identify as well as some IC's and capacitors.

Theres got to be some circuitry to regulate the 12V battery down to 5 or 3 volt for the IC's, i assume some mofets, and things labeled "D" - i assume diode but in the silk layer their two terminals are called "A" and "K", i first thought Anode and Cathode, until i realised a second later Cathode is with a "C" :S.

heres some pics of the air-coils which you maybe interested in:
the board
**broken link removed**


needle head construction, with counterweight:
**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**

2 of the Air-coils only have 3 pins, i haven't tested those [for fuel and oil temp], the RPM and speedometer have all 4 pins and tested it with a half-dead AA battery and it span round [fairly slowly]

Have a look on ebay for some old dashboards if your interested :).


if you want to make your own aircoils, for the magnets try this guy:
**broken link removed**


good luck.

[edit]

sorry for large images, and bad focus, couldent hold it still enoughf apparnetly.
 
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........ and things labeled "D" - i assume diode but in the silk layer their two terminals are called "A" and "K", i first thought Anode and Cathode, until i realised a second later Cathode is with a "C" :S.

They should be diodes, it is ussual to use a K to indicate the Cathode.
 
More south African supplies ... ( I want the post to skip page 5 because of the graphic)...
I have used www.cellularbitz.co.za for some Nokia LCDS ( 3510 & 3310 @ R22 ($2.85) or 1.6 pounds ) and 6100 colour LCD @ R65 special plus R45 speed services shipping.

Pretty great deal for me, because 2x16 LCDS cost $7 at futurlec, and $3 at sure-electonics ( plus shipping increases per item).
 
thanks DMW.

those air coils are beautiful.
Suppose that's how the pro's do them.:)

If you want something like that, the best place would be a scrapyard, but I doubt it would be that cheap.
Unfortunately I've been too busy running trucks and other things to continue with my project. Hope I'll get back to it soon, but now I have two broken V8's to repair.
A lot of work.
 
sorry for large images, and bad focus, couldent hold it still enoughf apparnetly.
The wait for the images was worth every minute. I think all of us especially appreciate that you included a scale for size reference.
 
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