Soldering iron questions

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moody07747

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OK so last year I burned up a good soldering gun by using it for too long....I ended up getting a cheap 40W radioshack soldering iron after that.

Here's my problem...from the start that I remember the tip would only heat up in 2 small spots and so I kept using those small/big spots this whole time.

My pic shows my tip as of now...the spots that get hot are at the middle (big) and at the tip (small) they are silverish...

Anyways...these spots....mainly the big spot are starting to get eaten away somehow...it seems to get worse every time I use the iron

Why is this happening?
and
Is there anything special your supposed to do to a soldering tip when its new?

the eaten spots are the only spots that will melt the solder...every other spot on the tip is "stone cold"
 
Last edited:
It is time to replace the tip.
The tips on my Weller temperature-controlled soldering iron last for many years when the soldering iron is on for 8 hours a day, every day. The solder doesn't get too hot so its flux does a good cleaning and wetting job without burning away.

I bet your tip gets way too hot for it to last and way too hot for proper soldering.
 
audioguru said:
It is time to replace the tip.
The tips on my Weller temperature-controlled soldering iron last for many years when the soldering iron is on for 8 hours a day, every day.
Click to expand...

In my previous job people used to switch on the Weller soldering iron 24 hr a day as they don't pay the electricity bill. It is nice to have a hot iron for soldering immediately.

I was amazed at the effect(i.e. no effect) on the soldering tip with heating going non-stop for months. Everytime I want to use it, I just wipe the tip clean and I'm in business. It is a temperature regulated(using internal thermal switch) type though where the tip size determines the final temperature(clever design by Weller).

I bought an exact one and it has been "in waiting" on my shelf for years till the present one breaks down, which don't ever seems to materialised.
 
Mine is about 40 years old. I found it in a garbage can and replaced its thermal switch.
 
Lucky you. I just note from the Net that the thermal switch alone cost some US$35.

Mine looks similar to that in the image but being an older model the sponge and holder are an integral part of the case instead of two separate pieces as shown. The case contains a 24V transformer.
 

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Personally I've never like Weller irons, I've always used Antex.

Unfortunately my Antex A545 (45W internal temperature controlled 24V supply) soldering iron at work has just died!. The elements OK, but the PCB isn't feeding power through to the element. I've got a spare element! (but don't need it), and unfortunately this model was discontinued over ten years ago (according to Antex technical).

I'm currently considering what to do! - the workshop is wired with sockets fed from a 24V transformer specifically for these irons. Looks like I might need to rewire with mains sockets for Antex soldering stations?.

BTW, at home I use an Antex TCS 50W, a similar internal temperature controlled iron, but 230V rather than 24V - just like the A545 it has a temerature adjustment preset in the handle.
 

Some electronic part(s) on the PCB died ???
 

I presume so, it's a small PCB, mostly surface mount, and no circuit of course. I'm considering drawing it out and investigating - but considering they no longer make any 24V temperature controlled irons, it's probably as well to change to soldering stations (which are 24V, but have the electronics in the station).
 
In the 60's, I paid about 5 bucks for the thermal switch for the Weller. It is amazing that they still sell the same iron today.
 
audioguru said:
In the 60's, I paid about 5 bucks for the thermal switch for the Weller. It is amazing that they still sell the same iron today.
Click to expand...

It was crude then, and it's crude now :lol:

Although there is a certain 'sneaky cleverness' in the use of the curie effect!.
 
I've been using my 60W temperature adjustable iron.It's still young,only 3 years old(I bought it when I was a freshman).It has a variable resistor in the handle for temperature regulation.The standard power supply is 220V/50Hz,which gives a temp range of about 150C to 400C.It's a domestic brand,and cost me 72RMB(less than 9 USD).So far it's still the best iron in the store where electronic tools are sold.

I love to use it because there's usually a lot of surface mount components on my PCBs.However I don't like the way the wire is fed into its tail.I've tried to reinforce the wire terminal inside the tail but it was so tight that nothing could be attached there firmly.It feels like the wire is ganna break sooner or later.[/url]
 

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I have one of of these:

**broken link removed**

Huge improvement over my £3.50 30W iron, DIL packages have gone from being unsolderable to being my favourite part to solder :lol:

I find it works well on any stripboard work and on smaller contacts like toggle switches. Sometimes have to use the 30W thing for larger connections though.

Out of interest, who solders indoors? I solder in the garage, which can be very cold, but couldn't soldering indoors cause problems (smells, staining wallpaper?)
 
ok so what iron should i get to replace this crappy old radio shack unit?

the current one is a 40W

i have a 100/150W gun and micro torch that i use all the time but want something for those small micro switches and some boards...i want something around the 40W old iron i guess and i really dont want to spend allot on this so ill need some prices

and whats the sponge im seeing on all the bases?

ive never had that on any iron of mine...i just cleaned the tip when warm with a stainless steel wire blush
 

If it's non-temperature controlled you need to be looking at 15W or 18W, possibly 25W - if it's temperature controlled, then 40W or 50W is normal. These are the sort of irons you use for all electronics, your gun and micro torch don't really sound very suitable?.

and whats the sponge im seeing on all the bases?
Click to expand...

It's for cleaning the bit, you keep the sponge damp.

ive never had that on any iron of mine...i just cleaned the tip when warm with a stainless steel wire blush
Click to expand...

That could explain what happened to it! - any modern (last 30 years or more) bit should be plated, 'cleaning' with a wirebrush will tend to destroy the plating, once the copper is exposed it doesn't last very long!.

Have a look at , the top one (TCS) is the one I have at home.
 
Yeah, you definetly need a sponge! wet it with water and use it to wipe off solder. I only wire brush my iron every once in a great while if it gets caked with crap, but that seems to happen less and less as i become more proficient at soldering.

I had a cheeapie radioshack iron and the tip would always get eaten away, and there would be tiny little spots to solder with. Now I have a nice temperature controlled iron by xytronic that a friend gave to me for free :lol:

A little tip that has helped me: ONLY wipe the tip right before you are about to solder. If you wipe it before putting it in it's holder, the tip will oxidize because there is no solder to protect it. ALWAYS have solder on the tip.
 
moody07747 said:
how about this unit at the top (WLC100)?

**broken link removed**
Click to expand...

Bear in mind it's NOT a temeperature controlled iron.

It seems rather expensive for what it is?, for non-temperature controlled irons try - the bottom two come complete with stands.
 
I don't think "power controlled" is temperature controlled. You will turn it down so it doesn't get too hot then when you solder things it will cool off.

With temperature control, it idles at a temp that doesn't burn it up, then when you solder things it heats just enough more to stay at the correct temp. If you go to solder something big, it goes to full power automatically.
 
audioguru said:
With temperature control, it idles at a temp that doesn't burn it up, then when you solder things it heats just enough more to stay at the correct temp. If you go to solder something big, it goes to full power automatically.
Click to expand...

Yes, once you've used one you NEVER want to go back to a non-controlled iron!.
 
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