Electronics Components Salvage

If electronic parts are not in your local electronics shop, you would probably salvage parts from old electronic appliances. I salvaged components mostly from old and damaged appliances because I don't bother to tamper the WARRANTY VOID stickers and I don't want to destroy the working appliances.

Warning: No power should be applied while dismantling the appliance and watch out for big capacitors.

Tip: Put one hand on your pocket if you are working with electronics that store high voltages.

Here is a list of things where you can find electronic components:

- Computer power supplies

- Motherboards

- TVs or CRT monitors

- Amplifiers or sound systems

- Radios and Car Stereos

- Electric fans

- Automotive

- Microwave Ovens

- Bulbs (like CFL and LED)

- Christmas lights

- Flashlights

- Cellphone chargers

- Digital / Analog Clocks

- Toy Robots

- Telephones and Networking equipment (like Routers)

- AVR(Automatic Voltage Regulators) and UPS(Uninterruptable Power Supply)

Step 1: Tips on Salvaging Electronic Components

- You should have a bag or a case where you put all your tools in there.

- These are the basic useful tools when you are salvaging:

-Screwdrivers

-Pliers

-Wire cutters

-Multi-meter

-Soldering iron

-Desoldering pump or solder wick

Step 2: Computer Power Supplies

You could salvage its transformers, regulators, ICs, Inductors, capacitors, heatsinks or anything that you need.

Step 3: Motherboards

You could salvage all those conectors, sockets, heatsinks, capacitors, and inductors. I won't salvage the ICs because I have no need for it.

Step 4: TVs or CRT Monitors

I'm planning to salvage some of the connectors and other components inside like the capacitors, speakers, wires and any other components that you are needing. But be careful, older tv's and crt monitors have high voltage picture tubes inside.

Step 5: Amplifiers or Sound Systems

The inside of these sound systems has many components like: capacitors, switches, knobs, potentiometers, jacks, LEDs, chips(if you need them), big heatsinks, cooling fan, and anything that you would need. Here's a use for the cooling fan you have salvaged: https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Car-Cooling-Fa...

Step 6: Radios

Salvage all those things that you want like the knobs, pots, transistors, jacks, speakers, and even the casing.

Step 7: Electric Fans

Salvage the knobs(if there is), selector switches, wires, and even the motor(if it will still work)

Step 8: Automotive

You can salvage all those fuses, relays, halogen bulbs, horn, and all other things that you can salvage from an old car.

Step 9: Microwave Ovens

There are parts in the microwave oven like capacitors, transformers, power resistors, relays, and even the digital timer module (if it has one). You can reuse the digital timer module as an appliance timer. I made a digital timer only from the microwave oven's timer. Link: https://www.instructables.com/id/Digital-timer-from...

Step 10: Bulbs (like CFL and LED)

The parts to be salvaged in these bulbs are the transformers, inductors, capacitors, and transistors.

Step 11: Christmas Lights

You can salvage bulbs and a plug from a string of Christmas lights.

Step 12: Flashlights

Salvage all those LEDs, capacitors, switches. These parts are most likely to be found in a rechargeable flashlight.

Step 13: Cellphone Chargers

What you can salvage from a charger is a small transformer, capacitors, wires, and a usb port(if it has). There are diodes and resistors but I do not salvage them because they have short leads.

Step 14: Digital / Analog Clocks

If it is a digital clock that would be plugged into the mains, you would most likely salvage the red seven segment displays. It also has capacitors and resistors. If it is an analog clock, you could salvage its coil. The clock on the picture can have piezo elements if it has a mini alarm tone.

Step 15: Toy Robots

You could salvage the motors, speakers or an IC from a talking toy robot.

Step 16: Telephones and Networking Devices

Telephones that don't work anymore can have those piezo buzzers also and their handsets could have a electret microphone and a small speaker.

Routers and networking devices can have plenty of those leds and you can use their beefy wallwarts for powering your other projects.

Step 17: AVR and UPS

Automatic Voltage Regulators have relays, indicator LEDs, switches, a volt meter and those comparator ic's.

Uninterruptable Power Supplies can have plenty of relays and power transistors. Aside from that they also have quad-comparators like the LM339 ic. They can also have those big heatsinks.

Now you already know where to salvage all those parts and components that is not available on your local electronics store. Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment below if you have ideas and suggestions.