[EE] Buying semiconductors on eBay

David C Brown <[email protected]> Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:12:00 +0000

Newsgroups	gmane.comp.hardware.microcontrollers.pic
Message-ID	<CAFo_nNqo+mpxWU9n-Da=bfnTSwG3MBJL7C-EocP0nufqJ=C4mQ@mail.gmail.com>

I am rebuilding a power supply and I want a 3 to 5 amp regulator in TO-3
can.
The LM338K looks right.
The major distributors like Digikeyare asking three figure sums from them
which is beyond my wallet.
On eBay Uk sourced ones are asking  seven or eight pounds but Chinese
vendors are offering them at prices like five for a pound.

I assume that the  Digikey ones are genuine and that the Chinese ones are
fakes.  But what are the chances of a UK sourced one being fake?


__________________________________________
David C Brown
43 Bings Road
Whaley Bridge
High Peak                           Phone: 01663 780582
Derbyshire                eMail: [email protected]
*SK23 7ND          web: www.bings-knowle.co.uk/dcb
<http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/~dcb> *



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