Chinese soldering iron?

[Yamashiro]

I bought a cheap Chinese soldering iron for a few bucks it still works but the tip got ruined and I find it difficult to find different tips that will fit it.
It was also weak and I had to wait too long for it to heat up.

Now I want to buy a better quality one that has many tips that are cheap and easy to find, I saw this one which use 900M tips.
What do you guys think about it?
Did anyone try a more expensive Chinese soldering iron before?

I don't want to spend more than that, I just need to do very little soldering with a small Arduino project and fixing caps on my monitor, so there's no point in buying a $100 soldering station.

[stj]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

leave it,

get one that uses T12 or T15 tips.

[Yamashiro]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

I don't think there's a soldering iron that use them that isn't a part of a station and that cost around $30, all I can find are Hakko soldering stations and they aren't cheap.

Those tips are kind of expensive too, one costs at least $5.

[stj]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

that's because the tip is combined with the element for high speed heating (seconds) and fast reaction times.

if you have a 24v transformer / psu you can get a cheap kit.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181846168899

cheap tips.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390685073859

[Yamashiro]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

Unfortunately, I don't have this kind of transformer.

Combining the tip and heating element is cool.

Why do you think the Chinese one I linked is bad?

[dj_ricoh]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

Unfortunately, I don't have this kind of transformer.

Combining the tip and heating element is cool.

Why do you think the Chinese one I linked is bad?

YES! But there is a catch!

You won`t really appreciate a soldering station until you get that chines crap and struggle with it.

Even that crap station from 1st pic is much better but for me that is way far behind me.

the second and third that makes me do stuff FAST!

the wd1 its a dream and the ec2100 shows that i know what i`m doing.

If you will work with this station you need to learn and earn that station because it will make you look good , you will make progress and on top of that you will be focus on your project not that silly iron how to maintain it.

You will make mistakes on clients products if you don`t invest in a good station.

I been in your path and believe me its no sunshine there.
this one i show you its at home that feeds my fraking hobby.

at work i got other 2 wd1`s( i love them ).

[dj_ricoh]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

when swap a KBC controller, i solder 4 pins then i fill all the pins with solder and swipe and it comes off.

it takes like 5-7 min to change it and i check it with the microscope but 99% its always good.

The tip!

[stj]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

the man does not have the money for a weller unit.

to answer the question, the 900 series tips dont transfer the heat from the element well.
they never did even when they were from hakko before the chinese cloned them.

the kit i linked could be driven from a 19v laptop charger.

[Yamashiro]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

@dj_ricoh I'm just a part time hobbyist, no clients or anything, I just need to solder a few wires and components and a little desoldering and that's it so there's no point in investing in it.

@stj, I'm a little afraid of wiring things with higher voltages than 5V, I'm not an electrician and those voltages can really hurt or cause fire.
I already take good precautions against fire, but I don't think I know enough to be certain I won't be electrocuted.

I assume it needs at least 3A?
One of those could work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-AC...item3f52ea8f55

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-3-42A-19...3D271974043477

[stj]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

those would work, anything over 3a is good.

as for shocks, you wont be harmed by 24v, it's the same voltage used in large vans and trucks,

[rievax_60]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

I have been using a Hakko 936a clone station for many years. The main advice I have is to get the 936a, the "a" usually means that it has the better Japan made heater element which is has higher wattage and is more reliable.
The plastic nut that attaches the barrel to the handle can be fragile on some. Be sure to get a K tip for the big jobs.

[Yamashiro]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

The shipping on those stations makes them very expensive

@stj, I understand that using a laptop PSU can work in theory but do you know of anyone that tried it before? Is there an online guide maybe?

[stj]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

ask the ebay seller for the instructions.

the psu supplies power to that controller board, the board then sends controlled pulses to the iron to vary the temperature.
all very simple really.

[ahendricks18]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

I'd like a nice soldering station, but I still have a cheap soldering iron from 3M. Bought it at walmart a few years ago when our local one still sold electrical stuff. It works great but it needs a new tip. I was wondering if this one would be decent for my purposes?http://www.radioshack.com/soldering-...n/6402184.html.

[stj]

Re: Chinese soldering iron?

I'd like a nice soldering station, but I still have a cheap soldering iron from 3M. Bought it at walmart a few years ago when our local one still sold electrical stuff. It works great but it needs a new tip. I was wondering if this one would be decent for my purposes?http://www.radioshack.com/soldering-...n/6402184.html.

oh hell no - fucking NO!

i had one of those scam-irons.
they are just a mains iron connected through a lamp dimmer!!


your in the u.s.
so maybe a T12 clone from here:
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/so...-bk3000lf.html

otherwise, a china clone.