metcal sp 200 soldering station

[kd677777]

Hello all. I am new at this but have some soldering experience. I want to recap a few pieces on my Soyo Dragon and am considering buying a used Metcal SP 200 station. Anyone heard of them and I think it has an internal ground fault or something. Is this OK for working on boards or does there actually need to be a physical ground connection to the board for safety and to be sure not to fry the board? Anyone with experience please chime in or suggestions for a different station would be appreciated. Thanks.

[willawake]

Re: metcal sp 200 soldering station

why dont you fix the internal ground fault? its recommended to have that

i think it would be a nice station although the metcal tips are expensive.

can get a hakko 936 for about 75 bucks

[willawake]

Re: metcal sp 200 soldering station

“Most soldering irons should be hard grounded (i.e. <5 ohms) and ESDS should be grounded before coming into contact with the tips. This hard ground is needed because the vast majority of soldering irons have some form of temperature control, either by switching the iron on or off at limits, or by using high frequency effect. These control mechanisms can produce electric fields and thus require a low impedance path to ground to prevent high potentials from being accumulated which can damage ESDS (ESD sensitive items).” (EN 61340-5-2 Section 5.2.10)

[starfury1]

Re: metcal sp 200 soldering station

Welcome kd677777

if you can get it for the right price and fix it and its working ok apart from that
why not they are apparently very good gear to have.

If you want to save some bucks wiilawake's suggestion is a good one

How suitable that model is for recapping I don't know


I think what you are getting at is what is known as ESD or Anti Static Precautions
(Electro Static Discharge)
There is info on the net with regards to this

Should you use Anti Static Precautions? Ideally yes
(some don't and the pcbs survive ok)

just google either term for more info on what you need to do,

HTH
Cheers

[dungbeetle]

Re: metcal sp 200 soldering station

Hi everybody,
I am new here. I am looking to get a new soldering station and the hakko 936 you mentioned sounds good to me. What is the best tip size/shape to use for cap replacement? I had a nice Weller Solder Station with temp control and the thing quit working right about out of warranty and was seldom even used. The part (at least the part I think went bad) cost about $100 + bucks so it is sitting in the closet...
Thanks,
db

[shadow]

Re: metcal sp 200 soldering station

A chisel tip of around 2mm is best used for motherboard recaps. I have an extremely similar soldering station to the Hakko 936 (It is actually exactly the same but with a different brand slapped on it) and I use a 1.6mm chisel tip with it. Works so much better than the pencil tip that came with mine.

Perhaps some of the other forum members can help resurrect your Weller unit. Sounds like a fairly large expense and nothing major is wrong with it. It may well be easily fixed yourself.

[dungbeetle]

Re: metcal sp 200 soldering station

Thanks for the info. Do you prefer a small, medium, or large iron? I figure I will ask all the basic questions before I purchase one so I don't have to do it twice. My Weller was diagnosed by me and also researched quite a bit on google and many others havd the same problem and same complaints with that model. If I can find a temp control on e-bay I would buy it if the price was right but would rather get a reliable simple station so if it quits it is cheaply repaired or replaced.
Thanks,
db

[dungbeetle]

Re: metcal sp 200 soldering station

I just ordered a Hakko 936 and a few Hakko flush cutters ( CHP-170 ). I think I will sell my Weller on e-bay