Who remembers RS Components ?

[rustic]

Formally Radio Spares, wow that's a long time ago.
I know Briggie will know them lol, well they used to supply the trade only, you hade to have an account, well yesterday I wanted to buy a mains filter, (IEC)
£10-£15 delivered from elsewhere, this was uner £5 from RS including free next day delivery, I bought it as a guest visitor.


Why did I have to buy this filter?
It's a replacement, it's fitted in line with an automatic outside light, to stop it operating every time a switch is operated in the house, or a spike on the mains.
The original was over 20 years old, plus a few more years in my tool box lol.
Well Monday night whilst relaxing, all sockets went off. I went into the garage, and there was this awfull acrid smell. The filter had failed, smell everywhere, it blew it's own 3A fuse, tripped a 16 A Mcb and tripped the main earth leakage breaker.
I had to find the fault, and cause before going to bed. After locating the fault, the smell lingered on me, in my hair, on my hands for two days.
I seached the internet, these mains filters, particularly those made by schaffner were prone to time failure, as two capacitors absorb moisture and short out big time. So that rules out buying a replacement off ebay, as people state new on many items, when they really mean... never been used, but could already be 10 years old.(tyres are often quoted as new, even though they have been a spare for 10 years or more) Infact RS were cheaper than any "New" ones on ebay, where you know they have a good turnover and kept in sealed bags.

So guys, for electronic components, tools, google RS components and have a look.
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/?cm_mmc=UK-PPC-_-google-_-0_UK_EN_Brand_RS_Components%7CPure_Exact-_-RS_Components&mkwid=sYMR2BOHv_dt%7Cpcrid%7C88667855966%7Cpkw%7Cr %20s%20components%7Cpmt%7Ce%7Cprd%7C&gclid=CNG7wYHQg84CFYTnGwoduiIImQ
Rustic

[zippy656]

Yep, I remember them


Got a catalogue from them. 1980 vintage some place

[Blocky10]

Here's a piece of RS equipment! Walked into my office this morning and found it just sitting there. Someone's having a sort out I reckon :nenau
7967

[Blocky10]

Along with this?
7968

[Banshee]

Yeah I have lots of RS Components stuff too, not long back we binned an RS Components briefcase from work that was full of old soldering stuff etc

[rustic]

Yep, I remember them


Got a catalogue from them. 1980 vintage some place

I remember the earlier catalogues, they had one with two staples through the spine. Over the years it got thicker, over an inch, then it went to two, then three.
Then it went to cd, but I still preferred the paper version, as you could flick the pages, not sure if they do catalogues or even cds now.

[rustic]

Here's a piece of RS equipment! Walked into my office this morning and found it just sitting there. Someone's having a sort out I reckon :nenau
7967

Oooooohhh a variac or variable ac transformer. Used for swinging the input voltage to equipment, over the voltage range +10 - 15%
You could also do brown out tests, where you drop the voltage low enough to cause the equipment to malfunction.
A simple piece of kit but very useful. :thumb2
Rustic

[Banshee]

Oooooohhh a variac or variable ac transformer. Used for swinging the input voltage to equipment, over the voltage range +10 - 15%
You could also do brown out tests, where you drop the voltage low enough to cause the equipment to malfunction.
A simple piece of kit but very useful. :thumb2
Rustic

Didn't realise that was called a brown out test, is that an official term? Or just what you refer to it as?

[rustic]

Didn't realise that was called a brown out test, is that an official term? Or just what you refer to it as?

Yes that is right, the voltage drops, you may have noticed the odd Brown out fault at home, lights dim, but items with switch mode electronic power supplies can work below 100 volts will still appear to work.

It's motor driven equipment, like washing machines that don't like prolonged brownouts, as they can stall, and burn out.

A total cut in supply is called a black out. That's easy to remember.
:thumb2
Rustic

[jims-terrano]

Oh yes I remember RS and also Farnells too, think they're still around but owned by CPC.
My feelings too about most cheap Chinese gadgets from eBay. Thank goodness your house is well protected Rustic. Heard of a few fires lately with household appliances but despite my warnings the family would still happily go out and leave the washer or dishwasher on let alone all the wall warts.

Oh the acrid smell of hot plastic, once walked into my brothers house when I was a teenager and could smell it, he thought it was outside until we went down into his cellar and found the consumer unit rather warm. Forget what it turned out to be but as the house was rented a sparky was called out and fixed in good time.

All that test kit in the photos looks ace, would have cost a fortune in its day.

[Banshee]

Oh yes I remember RS and also Farnells too, think they're still around but owned by CPC.
My feelings too about most cheap Chinese gadgets from eBay. Thank goodness your house is well protected Rustic. Heard of a few fires lately with household appliances but despite my warnings the family would still happily go out and leave the washer or dishwasher on let alone all the wall warts.

Oh the acrid smell of hot plastic, once walked into my brothers house when I was a teenager and could smell it, he thought it was outside until we went down into his cellar and found the consumer unit rather warm. Forget what it turned out to be but as the house was rented a sparky was called out and fixed in good time.

All that test kit in the photos looks ace, would have cost a fortune in its day.

Yep, they just go by CPC now but did adopt the name CPC Farnell for a while too, I have an account with them we get stuff from them for work, mainly networking stuff, I've use them a few times for capacitors for TV's

Yes that is right, the voltage drops, you may have noticed the odd Brown out fault at home, lights dim, but items with switch mode electronic power supplies can work below 100 volts will still appear to work.

It's motor driven equipment, like washing machines that don't like prolonged brownouts, as they can stall, and burn out.

A total cut in supply is called a black out. That's easy to remember.
:thumb2
Rustic

Every day is a school day :thumb2

[jims-terrano]

Every day is a school day :thumb2


:lol it is for you n me for sure, well ok monday to friday :thumbs

[terranosaurusdoug]

There is an RS components on geldard road opposite porsche garage Jim!

[jims-terrano]

Aye passed it Saturday on way to MachineMart :thumbs

Known about the place for years but never been in tho, try and avoid Leeds if I can as I hate driving around Leeds.

[terranosaurusdoug]

Aye passed it Saturday on way to MachineMart :thumbs

Known about the place for years but never been in tho, try and avoid Leeds if I can as I hate driving around Leeds.

yeh me too, i was only passing cos i was dropping the aston off for a service :lol

[jims-terrano]

yeh me too, i was only passing cos i was dropping the aston off for a service :lol

:lol:lol:lol:lol:lol

MachineMart have some great toys too:thumbs

[terranosaurusdoug]

:lol:lol:lol:lol:lol

MachineMart have some great toys too:thumbs

I haven't been in that one since they re-furbed it, I went to doncaster branch when they were doing it, I leave my cards at home and just take the cash that I need :lol

[The Patrolman]

yeh me too, i was only passing cos i was dropping the aston off for a service :lol

We had an Austin Rover Maestro called Aston too. What a surprise .:augie

[terranosaurusdoug]

We had an Austin Rover Maestro called Aston too. What a surprise .:augie

I've been rumbled :lol

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

had an RS book, was like Maplin catalogue on steriods. Serious bed time reading.

Always thought were bit pricey but then again believe claimed all stock was err in stock.

[rustic]

The IEC mains filter arrived next day, fitted it this morning, but the label is wrong, Live and Neutral swapped over.
I sorted my application by marking it up correctly.

So what, I hear a few of you say, but these IEC filters can be fitted in equipment, where the mains fuse and or switch is on the live side..

Not a good thing at all, and is unsafe, I emailed RS, this evening, I suggested they investigate it, I suggested that a total recall might be required, I bet that goes down well...:eek:
Something to hit the fan on a Monday Morning lol...
I bet they wish I never ordered one now lol...
Possibly banned after my first order lol.:augie
Rustic

[terranosaurusdoug]

The IEC mains filter arrived next day, fitted it this morning, but the label is wrong, Live and Neutral swapped over.
I sorted my application by marking it up correctly.

So what, I hear a few of you say, but these IEC filters can be fitted in equipment, where the mains fuse and or switch is on the live side..

Not a good thing at all, and is unsafe, I emailed RS, this evening, I suggested they investigate it, I suggested that a total recall might be required, I bet that goes down well...:eek:
Something to hit the fan on a Monday Morning lol...
I bet they wish I never ordered one now lol...
Possibly banned after my first order lol.:augie
Rustic

You may well prevent something undesirable happening, I think it's great you tookmthe time :thumb2

[rustic]

You may well prevent something undesirable happening, I think it's great you tookmthe time :thumb2

I seem to get premonitions about some things, well more like an act of common sense really.:thumb2

Saw some sharp metal spikes sticking out of a wall display in a shop once, nothing on them, but a child could walk straight into them, face and eyes first. :eek::eek:

I said to the shop assistant, get this sorted NOW, I'm not moving until this is resolved. 2 minutes later... sorted.
Usual other things, wet floors etc.

Also the reason why I challenged Alex when he was working under the Terrano with no other support than a jack.
Uncle Rustic :thumb2

[jims-terrano]

Sometimes we all need a reminder about safety as by our human nature we take chances. I know only too well with a near miss a couple of weeks ago.