78L05 78L10 78L12

Hi WCDOVE

Yes, I did check the leads from every combination and it was exactly the same. It was as though they only had (non-linear) resistance between the pins. At 12V there was little heat, no voltage regulation, didn't really have any thinkable use.

I thought of putting them in a mould with plaster of Paris and making something decorative, but plaster is not my thing. Leaves white stuff that has to be cleaned up every week. Clear plastic may have been better, for paper-weights, with the components arranged seemingly random, but when viewed from a specific angle, to read SM0VPO.

I could have made some "standard" weights for the kitchen scale (0 - 1kg) so that it could be calibrated with a 1kg offset, increasing the range to 2kg, but there were only a little over 900g of the blighters.

But I got a little exercise from them when I gave them a flying lesson from the car to the electronic scrap bin at the city dump.

but thank you for the suggestions. I thought I had tried everything to get something useful out of them.

BR Harry - SM0VPO

You've probably already checked, but could you have received mis-marked reverse leaded regulators? I got a batch of good but mismarked 78L09 and 12 from a major supplier in early 2017.
Just a thought. (Fortunately, I was taught to test even new components before use rather than trust the vendor's storage protocols. Surplus, overruns, and new old stock I learned to trust even less. Sadly.)
Love your site, by the way: tech project porn at its best!

No problems Densil.
BR Harry

hi harry, thanks but i will pass over the offer. i take your word that they are all defective.
/D

> Are the legs made of copper or iron?
Iron, just like all cheap consumer electronic components.

I suppose you are right about using them for anything. Could be a good source of amusements for kids, does not matter if anything gets burned.

But I have loads of other things to do, so how about I send you a few and you show us what you can do? Just let me have your post address. Never know, you might be able to figure out what the devices really are? (if they are anything at all).

Best regards Harry

Harry, why cant you use them for lots of things
usbpowered coffee cup warmer
just solder them and make art
cheap crystal oven
fishing weights

Are the legs made of copper or iron?
/D

Hi Glenn,

Thank you very much for the info. I didn't expect to get an original of anything, and I would have been quite happy with 2000 copies that work. What a pity they don't even work. My Rolox and Brighthing watches work perfectly. I paid a bit extra to get DHL delivery, but even so, they were cheap.

In Sweden there is a saying "Snålhet bedrar vishet" ("Avarice [stinginess] deceives wisdom"). I also bought a heap of CMOS and ECL chips. I can't even test them without a 5V supply .  Ok, so it is back to using LEDs as voltage stabiliser diodes. Normally you can use a blue (3.2V) and a green (1.8V) to get 5V, but I don't have any blue. Perhaps I could buy some from China    (they would probably all be pink!!).

I appreciate your posting the information and it was very interesting reading. I will read more a little later.

Thank you once more for sharing the information with me. 

Very best regards from Harry - SM0VPO
(EA/SM0VPO on 19th April to 19th May, QRP from Nerja, Hope to be QRV on 3.5, 14, 18 and 28MHz bands)

Admin wrote:
... and they are a load of c{#p. I have 2000 chinese voltage regulators that do not regulate.

BR Harry

You too:

25 May 2012, Counterfeit Chips on the Rise
:
http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/hardware/counterfeit-chips-on-the-rise
Quote: "...
In 2011, over 1300 counterfeit incidents were reported from around the world to Electronic Resellers Association International (ERAI), a private company that tracks counterfeit electronics for the industry.
...
Both the Japanese Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Navy bought electromagnetic interference filters from Raytheon electronics, later found to contain counterfeit versions of Fairchild semiconductors. The United Kingdom subsidiary of military contractor General Dynamics also bought counterfeit semiconductors, though it discovered the fraud before including the components in its products, according to the 2010–2011 annual report by the U.K.’s IP Crime Group [PDF, 3/12 MB]. 

..."

Jun. 16, 2012, Counterfeit Chinese Microchips Are Getting So Good They Can't Be Identified:
http://www.businessinsider.com/counterfeit-parts-from-china-raise-grave-concerns-for-both-us-companies-and-national-security-2012-6?r=US&IR=T&IR=T
Quote: "...
A recent Senate report, titled Inquiry Into Counterfeit Electronic Parts In The Department Of Defense Supply Chain, "uncovered overwhelming evidence of large numbers of counterfeit parts making their way into critical defense systems."
..."

11.08.11, Counterfeit Chips Plague U.S. Missile Defense:
https://www.wired.com/2011/11/counterfeit-missile-defense/

3/17/2015, Counterfeit SD Card Problem is Widespread:
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1326059
Quote: "...
The Counterfeit Report recently published its findings about the extent of counterfeit SD cards available for purchase, particularly online from dishonest sellers using eBay, Amazon, and Alibaba offering high capacity cards at deep discounts. Publisher Craig Crosby said the cards and packaging, using common serial numbers, are nearly identical to the authentic product of all major SD card brands.
..."

https://thecounterfeitreport.com/

-

How to check:

http://www.smtcorp.com/counterfeit-detection

... and they are a load of c{#p. I have 2000 chinese voltage regulators that do not regulate.

The European chips I bought have all been used, so now I have no regulators after the new projects to the homepages.

Never mind, I can use LEDs as Zeners, they work fine:
Red = 1.8V
Blue = 3.2V

Hmmm, I smell another article :-)
Zeners as varicaps, LEDs as Zeners (Chinese regulators as smoke generators ;-)

You have to laugh - BR Harry

I am working on a few projects and needed some voltage regulators, so I bought 1000s of them from China.

Will be publishing article with then in a few days.

BR Harry