IRF Mosfets - Cheap in Singapore

MBK · 30th July 2003, 04:43 PM

I just bought some modest retail quantities of IRF9610, IRF610 and IRFP140N here in Singapore, labeled International Rectifier.

Surprise - firstly that I found them quite easily, secondly that retail price was almost half that of Digikey (US) , and almost 2/3 off the prices of RS Singapore...

After scratching my head I realized International Rectifier have manufacturing here - I guess sometimes local price advantages still exist....

thylantyr · 30th July 2003, 04:49 PM

Digikey is the second highest expensive online place I've found for parts (on average)..

I think

newark is #1
digikey is #2

http://www.future-active.com has good pricing
on some transistors, in some cases 5x cheaper than
digikey.

another favorite which I do most of my ordering from
is www.mouser.com

I don't know why so many people flock to digikey?

MBK · 30th July 2003, 05:08 PM

well in this case RS was even more expensive than Digikey...

CH2 · 31st July 2003, 12:07 PM

Hi

I am also from Singapore. May I ask where did you get your fet from. I might be interested in getting some of those 140 too.

Cheers
Hock Hua

MBK · 31st July 2003, 07:19 PM

Hi Hock Hua,

the 140 was from B&D electronics enterprise at Sim Lim Tower #03-03.

SY · 31st July 2003, 07:35 PM

Do you Singapore guys have any problems with counterfeits?

MBK · 1st August 2003, 05:17 AM

SY,

definitely, not all that glitters is gold here, most notoriously with connectors (RCA, XLR), which can be original, generic (clones of brand but not name labelled), fake with misspelled brand names... and possibly really good fakes as well.

So you go by look and feel of the part, packaging, store/shop, and price. Often a shop will carry originals, high price, and near identical generic/fake, low price, side by side - then at least you have a choice ;-) In the mall I mentioned there are possibly hundreds of electronics stores. After a while you find and settle on the ones selling the good stuff.

For transistors I suspect the same. So I checked manufacturing and labelling of the parts and it looks legit. A lot of the original semiconductors are actually made in Singapore, Malaysia or the Philippines, and many stores here are wholesellers - they carry 1000's parts in OEM boxes and will take out some retail quantities from a OEM box. So, makes sense if they're cheap.

Now, even legit parts could be factory rejects... Very easy pathway and very hard to check for. In my case all I can say that they all came from the same OEM type rail, measured Vgs was well in the range and spread was very sensible as well, actually better than I expected.

CH2 · 1st August 2003, 08:36 AM

Thanks for the info

BTW, how much did you pay for it?

I got some IRFP240 from another shop on 2nd floor. Can't remember the shop name. But were told that these fet only available once in a while. Last time I was there, the 240 were gone.

Cheers
Hock Hua

jackinnj · 1st August 2003, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thylantyr
I don't know why so many people flock to digikey?

Digikey was sole-source for Linear Tech and Maxim -- but now you can buy directly from the companies through their websites -- although the turnaround is painfully slow. Digikey also carries the complete line from Nat Semi.

Digikey will make up cables for you and the turnaround is very fast, I like to use their flat cables with the 0.100" molex connections, particularly in microprocessor circuits.

they also have some of the exact ESR specification capacitors --

one last thing about DK is that they only operate out of Minnesota so they don't charge sales-tax on orders, and the people are actually nice to speak with. If you order from the big distributors like Allied you inevitably pay sales tax on your purchases.

Future Active is good if you are going to buy a few hundred pieces.

MBK · 1st August 2003, 06:13 PM

Hock Hua,

those were SGD 2 a piece. And yes, the stocking seems to be erratic: one shop had plenty IRF9610 but no IRF610 or IRF140. The other had plenty IRF140 and just seven pieces left of IRF610. The date code on my IRF140 indicates late 2001 production so they don't sell them much I guess - like they buy one box and use it up slowly and then they're gone...

31st July 2003, 07:35 PM	#6
SY diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Chicagoland Blog Entries: 1	Do you Singapore guys have any problems with counterfeits? __________________ If there's a sucker born every minute, where do the rest of them come from?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Greetings from Singapore	stussyking	Introductions	2	10th October 2006 06:36 AM
From Singapore	pengboon	Introductions	1	28th December 2005 07:00 PM
Cheap Source for 2SK1058 / 2SJ162 Hitachi L-Mosfets	Killjoy99	Parts	6	4th February 2005 10:50 AM
Greetings from Singapore	aliwakil	Introductions	1	8th April 2004 06:00 PM
Hi from Singapore Lah!	Nick Walker	Introductions	14	14th March 2004 06:45 AM

New To Site?	Need Help?
Register to Participate Search Privacy Statement Contact Us	Frequently Asked Questions Did you forget your password? Mark Forums Read


	Please consider donating to help us continue to serve you. Ads on/off / Custom Title / More PMs / More album space / Advanced printing & mass image saving

30th July 2003, 04:43 PM	#1
MBK diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Singapore	IRF Mosfets - Cheap in Singapore I just bought some modest retail quantities of IRF9610, IRF610 and IRFP140N here in Singapore, labeled International Rectifier. Surprise - firstly that I found them quite easily, secondly that retail price was almost half that of Digikey (US) , and almost 2/3 off the prices of RS Singapore... After scratching my head I realized International Rectifier have manufacturing here - I guess sometimes local price advantages still exist....

30th July 2003, 04:49 PM	#2
thylantyr diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mars	Digikey is the second highest expensive online place I've found for parts (on average).. I think newark is #1 digikey is #2 http://www.future-active.com has good pricing on some transistors, in some cases 5x cheaper than digikey. another favorite which I do most of my ordering from is www.mouser.com I don't know why so many people flock to digikey?

30th July 2003, 05:08 PM	#3
MBK diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Singapore	well in this case RS was even more expensive than Digikey...

31st July 2003, 12:07 PM	#4
CH2 diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Singapore	Hi I am also from Singapore. May I ask where did you get your fet from. I might be interested in getting some of those 140 too. Cheers Hock Hua

31st July 2003, 07:19 PM	#5
MBK diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Singapore	Hi Hock Hua, the 140 was from B&D electronics enterprise at Sim Lim Tower #03-03.

1st August 2003, 05:17 AM	#7
MBK diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Singapore	SY, definitely, not all that glitters is gold here, most notoriously with connectors (RCA, XLR), which can be original, generic (clones of brand but not name labelled), fake with misspelled brand names... and possibly really good fakes as well. So you go by look and feel of the part, packaging, store/shop, and price. Often a shop will carry originals, high price, and near identical generic/fake, low price, side by side - then at least you have a choice ;-) In the mall I mentioned there are possibly hundreds of electronics stores. After a while you find and settle on the ones selling the good stuff. For transistors I suspect the same. So I checked manufacturing and labelling of the parts and it looks legit. A lot of the original semiconductors are actually made in Singapore, Malaysia or the Philippines, and many stores here are wholesellers - they carry 1000's parts in OEM boxes and will take out some retail quantities from a OEM box. So, makes sense if they're cheap. Now, even legit parts could be factory rejects... Very easy pathway and very hard to check for. In my case all I can say that they all came from the same OEM type rail, measured Vgs was well in the range and spread was very sensible as well, actually better than I expected.

1st August 2003, 08:36 AM	#8
CH2 diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Singapore	Thanks for the info BTW, how much did you pay for it? I got some IRFP240 from another shop on 2nd floor. Can't remember the shop name. But were told that these fet only available once in a while. Last time I was there, the 240 were gone. Cheers Hock Hua

1st August 2003, 06:13 PM	#10
MBK diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Singapore	Hock Hua, those were SGD 2 a piece. And yes, the stocking seems to be erratic: one shop had plenty IRF9610 but no IRF610 or IRF140. The other had plenty IRF140 and just seven pieces left of IRF610. The date code on my IRF140 indicates late 2001 production so they don't sell them much I guess - like they buy one box and use it up slowly and then they're gone...