Electrical Components

I need to buy two transistors for something I over loaded. Does anyone know where I can but just electrical components like transistors, resistors and capacitors. I only need one or two not a whole bag.

Try Golden Arcade in Sham Shui Po. I'm pretty sure there are a couple of electrical component shops there.


Definitely bring the original ones with you. They're not big on letting you browse in HK I have noticed. ;)

I haven't done it since I was 15 years old for my school technology projects, which is a good many years ago but there are electrical component stores in Aberdeen, the housing and shopping complex over the road from the South Horizons Linking Bridge. There is a shopping centre and on the ground floor there are quite a few electronic components stores in there where you can buy transistors resistors capacitors PCB's soldering irons etc. Just go in and ask around and I am sure someone will be able to guide you.

DB's suggestions sound much better than mine.

The guy is looking for a couple of transistors, these aren't the most technologically advanced components, its not like he is buying semiconductors, I think he just needs a shop which just sells these components and is the most convenient for him to get to. There is very little to differentiate between individual component shops, though I imagine there are probably a lot more of them in Ap Liu Street then are in Aberdeen. I have to say though if the poster is fixing his own electrical equipment by going out and buying transistors and doing the soldering etc, that is quite impressive. Even more impressive is being able to isolate exactly where the problem is. I would have probably banged whatever it was around first and after that didn't work, thrown the damn thing out and bought a new one.

"whereas Golden Shopping Centre is the Mecca for those seeking computers & their components."


Well, sorta. It's as good as it gets in HK. A computer with Internet access + a US credit card + a US shipping address will get you both much much more choice and better prices. ;)

Thanks for all your advice. I will try Ap Liu Street. I used to buy my stuff from some stores in Temple Street about 20 years ago but they have all changed to selling touristy stuff. I live in the NT so Aberdeen is a bit far for two transistors that would probably be only a few dollars each.


The systems I am fixing is a light sensitive switchs for my solar lighting in the house. The switch turns the lights off during day light so the solar panels charge the batteries without any discharge and turns them on again at night. They run on 12V DC and power the night lights som the corridors, staircases and toilets are illuminated enough to see where I am going. I got the switches in a kit form from the States so it would be easier to replace the transistors then get new ones from the states. Having said that I have had the LED lights on 24/7 for 2 months now and the batteries are still fully charged. I want to get some deep cycle batteries and a couple of 20A panels. That should be enough to keep the beer fridge and the food fridge going. I will later try for the main lighting as well. So if any one knows where to buy panels and deep cycle batteries as well as protector/regulators I would be grateful for the info.


Isolating component failure for transistors, resistors and capacitors is easy with a good multi-tester. For transistors you need to know if it is a PNP or an NPN. Capacitors you need to know the discharge which is usually indicated on the capacitor, but usually that is too small to see even with a magnifying glass. You just go through all the components one by one to find the faulty component. If all the minor ones are OK then you are probably looking at an IC failure. One IC is easy but if tehre are more then one you might find it difficult. If that is the case then you can probably break the circuit down into different functions (by removing a transistor) thus isolating the IC and then you can hopefully identify the IC and then replace that.


DB what school did you go to and what year did you leave? I went to KGV and did my A levels in 1979.

9-11 thanks for that will go to Ap Liu Street on by next trek into the city when ever that will be. Using bins is a good one will try it

I used to be into electronics, when I was a kid, but that is because my father refused to upgrade my PC monitor, from EGA to VGA, and I lost all interest in computers and turned to electronics, to be honest I was never any good at either computers or electronics. I am an SIS boy technically which is why I bought components from Aberdeen actually did my last year at IS, though well after your time, if you did A-levels in 79, I did mine in 92. That is probably a double generation gap, and I thought I had been in Hong Kong a long time.

we used to make our own mini radios and walkie talkies so we could communicate with each other when out playing in the countryside or fishing. this is well before mobile phones