Sourcing electronic components

[MikeDunn]

Nothing at all to do with N Gauge, this (but is for another scale) - but I'm hoping that those guys who play with circuit projects can chip in ...

I'm looking for a low-cost supplier for some items (in this specific case : an HC-05 6pin Bluetooth module, but it could be anything), and the ones I've been looking at range from the top of where I want to pay for a one-off to a daft price; however, if I'm successful with my project, I'm hoping to get some orders and thus will want to get the cost as low as possible.  At the moment, this module is the most expensive part, and I need 2 per project

One suggested place to try has been AliExpress ... but I've never used them, and some of the reviews are less than comforting ... Unfortunately, they're several quid per unit cheaper than elsewhere ...  No big deal on a one-off, but a substantial amount if I buy a quantity !

So - has anyone here used them ?  Were you happy ?  Will you use again ?  Or can you suggest alternate places to check out ?  Google has not been my friend 

Mike

[AndyGif]

i tend to use  either the big 2 RS or Farnell for larger order, or a couple of the smaller guys   ProtoPic and BitsBox.  Of course the other place check is Ebay where most of the components come from the far east in about a week or so.

http://uk.farnell.com/
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/

http://proto-pic.co.uk/
http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/

[MikeDunn]

Hi Andy,

Unfortunately, for what I'm looking for they either don't do them or are expensive (I already have accounts with both RS & Farnell - got some bits due in today, allegedly !).

Hence my query re AliExpress ...  The price seems too good to be true (just under £4 per unit instead of around £6) - and generally there's a good reason for that    But it's a new company to me, I don't have any knowledge on them; they could very well be a legit new starter !

Mike

PS - at least you didn't suggest Mouser - seen their postage costs ? !!! 

[Newportnobby]

Mike - although I haven't the foggiest what you're referring to, but I tend to use Rapid Electronics for stuff I need, just in case it helps.

http://www.rapidonline.com/

[martink]

I tend to get a lot of my higher-quantity stuff from Futurlec:   

http://www.futurlec.com/

[MikeDunn]

Cheers guys - neither handle the HC-05

Mike - was it the unit or AliExpress that you're not knowing ?  The first is a Bluetooth board I want to use in my project (I need to send control signals wirelessly between two units), the second can be thought of being like eBay but for Chinese sellers (AliBaba is very similar (but with an extremely poor reputation) as they own AliExpress, but AB are effectively wholesale & AE are effectively retail).

Mike

[AndyGif]

did a quick google for reviews of AliExpress,  average rating was 2 stars out of 5.
it appears to be like ebay without any customer support, i think i would avoid using them after reading some of the horror stories, fake items, stuff not turning up, refusing refunds etc.

if you want to buy it cheap, buy it on ebay would seem to be the order of the day.

[AndyGif]

seems very cheap, compared to most of the other UK  based offerings.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Interface-Base-Board-Serial-Transceiver-Bluetooth-Module-HC-05-06-For-Arduino-UK-/281270898594?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item417d0d4fa2

I wonder if this Edinburgh is in the UK or ShenZen??

[scotsoft]

I would avoid Ali Express as well, I have used them in the past and had problems.

I do use these people very regularly though and they have very keen prices with free shipping to the UK.
They are also used extensively by the r/c flying community.

http://dx.com/p/zs-040-bluetooth-serial-baseplate-w-delete-button-for-arduino-intelligent-car-265790#.Uwd1hdnivIU

£2.13 for the piece you are after 

cheers John.

[MikeDunn]

Cheers guys ... but ... 

That's the baseplate the Bluetooth module needs to be soldered onto 

[AndyGif]

Thought it looked a bit sparse Mike, the unit itself would be about another £8 it seems.

Cheapest uk, complete unit on ebay is
Http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wireless-Serial-6Pin-Bluetooth-RF-Transceiver-Module-RS232-With-Cable-Backplane-/371005776015?pt=UK_Computing_USB_Bluetooth_Adapters_Dongles&hash=item5661aae08f

£20+ seems a lot for soldering the two bits together!

[Ray Haddad]

Here you go. Order a dozen.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bluetooth-Serial-Transceiver-Module-Base-Board-For-HC-06-HC-07-HC-05-BT-board-/231087390251?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35cde1be2b

[MikeDunn]

As above, Ray