Is this soldering iron heating element too short?

[caphair]

Just replaced the heating element on my iron and noticed it’s a little shorter than original and doesn’t fill entire length of the tips. Will it affect the temperature reaching the tips or shouldn’t matter?

[redwire]

Re: Is this soldering iron heating element too short?

Are you sure the new heater is shorter?
I would check the tip's depth (inside) and see if there is now a big air gap. Kind of depends on where the sleeve bottoms out now.
For best heat transfer and temperature accuracy, you don't want air gaps.

P.S. what tip is that, it looks niiiice

[caphair]

Re: Is this soldering iron heating element too short?

Yeah there’s a gap. The depth inside the tip extends out the same distance as the red mark I made.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/24V-50W-4-p...b/141450226877

[stj]

Re: Is this soldering iron heating element too short?

it's no good - maybe a manufacturing defect.
you need it to fill the tip or the feedback wont work.

[caphair]

Re: Is this soldering iron heating element too short?

it's no good - maybe a manufacturing defect.
you need it to fill the tip or the feedback wont work.

It still melts solder fine. Hard to tell if it's off at all as I hardly looked at the digital temp reading would just turn it up or down as needed.

Will it cause any issues using it like that until I get another?

[stj]

Re: Is this soldering iron heating element too short?

depends, if you solder big joints(no jokes please) then it wont respond fast.