Re: [EE] Buying semiconductors on eBay

Hi David,
99.9 percent of anything in a TO-3 package is going to be fake unless you get it from an authorised distributor. Otherwise it's likely to be an AMS1117-adj in a TO-3 case. They put them in TO-220 packages marked LM317 as well.

It's a jungle out there!
Friendly regards, Bob


________________________________________
From: Piclist <[email protected]> on behalf of David C Brown 
Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2026 8:12 AM
To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
Subject: [EE] Buying semiconductors on eBay

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?