DigiKey cart

[pomeroyb]

Just to save anyone else who is reading this some time, here's a link to a Digikey cart that has components for 12 sensors, plus a few extra parts to account for screwups and price breaks. It comes out to about 5.06$ per sensor if you order the boards from OSH and use this cart.

http://www.digikey.com/short/3jw3h0

[pdaderko]

Cool, thanks for putting that together... I haven't checked over the entire cart, but did quickly notice two things.

First, it looks like your cart has the VBPW34FASR rather than VBPW34FAS photodiode. The R has the leads bent backwards, presumably for use with a PCB with a cutout. For this board, you want the plain VBPW34FAS (light sensitive on top).

Second, it looks like Digikey is sold out of the comparator (not expecting more until July 25th). It looks like Mouser has it though... and they probably have the rest of the parts, or equivalents.

[pomeroyb]

Hmm, based on the datasheet I would agree with you. It looks Digikey mixed up the product photo... Unless they photographed the sensor upside down? I guess we'll see what happens when the parts show up!

I'll update this when I can confirm whether the cart I posted is correct. Until then, use with caution!

[pdaderko]

Yeah, I'm fairly certain that they simply took a picture of the photodiode upside down. If you look at the pictures of the non-filtered ones (VBPW34S and VBPW34SR), you can see the bond-wire in the picture (photosensitive side), but the filtered ones show the metal layer, which is actually the bottom.

Also, I assembled a board with the VBPW34FAS, and it works, so I'm pretty sure it's correct. ;-)

It shouldn't be a big deal to reshape the leads with small pliers if you're hand assembling them though.

[elektronika-ba]

Does anyone have one comparator to send me? (I am in Europe) I am willing to pay, of course. I ordered the PCBs and I have everything else at home already :-)
Thanks guys!