Radio Shack?

[Rockledge]

I've been wondering about something for a while, so I figured I'd post about it.

I've seen a lot of posts on this site and others from people who recommend Radio Shack as a good source of electronics, particularly bulbs.

However, in my experience, Radio Shack has pretty much been WORTHLESS with regard to helping me out with anything. Put simply, I have never gone to Radio Shack and come away with what I was looking for. Several times over the years I have gone in and wasted time looking around for something that other people have said they were able to find, but I could not. The two most recent examples that pop into my mind are "heat sink" grease (for the DIS module) and dash bulbs (the headlight switch bulb in my case). Not only did my local Radio Shack not have these items, but when I requested assistance from the store clerks, they looked and sounded like they had absolutely no clue whatsoever as to what I was talking about. I actually had to explain to them what heat sink grease is used for, and as for the bulbs, they pointed me to a wall containing several drawers full of electronic components and bulbs, but nothing that even came close to the bulb I needed (I ended up getting the bulb at AZ).

So what gives? Does anyone else share my general disgust for Radio Shack, or am I the only one? Is it a local thing?

All comments and opinions welcome.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

The past 3 or 4 years they've really gotten away from component electronics. Actually, it started about 10-15 years ago, but the past few have seen dramatic changes in the size of their stores and the products they carry.

Not sure where you are in New England, but You-Do-It Electronics in Needham, MA is what Radio Schmuck and Lafayette (yes, I'm THAT old) used to be.

 

[40BelowSummer]

Im an assistant manager at a Radioshack and I can say most franchise Radioshacks will have people have alot of inexperienced people working there and lots of dealer RadioShacks dont have to carry most parts like that. The easiest thing to do is to check the website for a product number (catalog number) of what your looking for and call your local RadioShack to see if they have that number (or SKU) in stock.

 

[TRSCobra]

I just used di-electric (sp) grease on the back of my DIS module.

 

[Rockledge]

I just used di-electric (sp) grease on the back of my DIS module.

Since the intake is used as a ground conduit for the DIS module, I would think that you'd want to make sure that there is as much conductivity between the DIS module and the intake as possible. By definition, dielectric grease does not conduct electricity, so I personally don't see it as a good option in this case.

In any event, the main reason for using any grease at all is to help draw heat away from the DIS module. Heat sink grease is especially made for that purpose.

 

[Off Road SHO]

Since the intake is used as a ground conduit for the DIS module, I would think that you'd want to make sure that there is as much conductivity between the DIS module and the intake as possible. By definition, dielectric grease does not conduct electricity, so I personally don't see it as a good option in this case.

In any event, the main reason for using any grease at all is to help draw heat away from the DIS module. Heat sink grease is especially made for that purpose.

Di-electric grease is fine. The DIS is grounded through the two mounting holes that have the metal ring. Top left and bottom left I believe. The grease is used a water repellant and heat transfer medium only. Without the grease, the two bare surfaces would still conduct heat but corrosion would occur. Then you would have big problems.

The grease is not for electrical conductivity reasons. Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[Rockledge]

To each his own on the grease. I suppose both sides of the argument are out there now for people, who can decide for themselves what's best.

Anyone have any opinions on Radio Shack?

 

[Shoaz]

Opinions on Radio Shack? Well, having spent twenty years as an EE and an electronic hobbyist, yeah, I have an opinion about them, and it ain't pretty.

I think what's been mentioned so far is accurate: They barely sell components any more, and in my experience it has never been the case that the people who work there are good for anything but ringing up your purchase or telling you which shelf/rack/hook has the component that you're looking for. Unless you know exactly what you want when you go in you're not gonna know any more when you walk out. If they have it, fine, if they don't, you're on your own.

Another issue is that you buy at your own risk there. The carded components, etc., often don't have the full specs listed on the cards, so you're often guessing as to whether the component will actually do what you need it to. And they're always more expensive than other sources like Fry's, DigiKey, Mouser, whoever.

I'll go to Radio Shack only if I'm in a rush situation and I know exactly what I need, or if I'm just short something simple like solder, flux, resistors, caps, and don't want to wait to get them somewhere else.

About a year ago I had rushed home to try to intercept a critical email I'd been waiting for, and, wouldn't you know it, since it was urgent as soon as I turned my monitor on the diode bridge in the monitor's power supply exploded. I mean detonated. Blew pieces of plastic and solder around and vaporized about two inches of a 1/8" board trace that fed the bridge. WTF!?! Of course this only happens when it's critical...ran down to the local RS, they actually had a diode bridge on the shelf that was close enough, grabbed it and some bus wire and ran home and had the thing working again in about a half hour from the time of the failure. So RS is great for stuff like that, but otherwise I avoid darkening their doorway as much as I can.

 

[roswell998]

I just used di-electric (sp) grease on the back of my DIS module.

Dielectric grease is an electrical insulator to use on things like spark plug boots to keep moisture out of them.

Heatsink grease is an electrical insulator BUT is a thermal conductor designed to conduct the heat from the device to the heatsink but to provide electrical insulation.

Bottom line............use the thermal conductive heatsink grease. The dielectric grease actually decreases thermal conductivity.