I purchased this 3 in 1 station off of and couldn't be happier with it. I realize your paying for a name brand with the Weller while I bought a generic import but so far I've been very impressed with it. The digital voltage regulator on the PS tests accurate at least without a load.
Thanks Goob for the suggestion. I have a similar weller that has been good for home use for 15 years but SMD/hot air gun abilities, multiple tips and a built in PS too for less? I ordered the 853d for $64 shipped.
The generic one seems like a GREAT value at $64, but I would be weary of early failures. The soldering iron itself looks like one I bought a few years back with a different base station, that quickly developed an (internally) frayed cord and only heats up if I hold it at a particular angle. :x
If I didn't have another station I would buy high quality wire and rewire it instead of buying a whole replacement with the same weak wiring. On the other hand I may still get around to it because it takes Hakko tips so I have a full set it can use.
Yeah I knew durability would be a risk, items such as this can be hit or miss. I've been using mine for about a month now and everything still works great. I use the hot air the most.
Dave have you looked for a cheap replacement iron off of until you get yours wired with quality wire.?
^ I want a longer cord anyway so I'll just wait until I find some decent cord with silicone insulation and high strand count. I'll probably end up paying 5X what a generic replacement iron costs but then have some wire left over for other projects.
Yeah, my biggest gripe with the station is that iron and air gun cord are too short. I may rewire as well. Do you know what gauge wire you will be using.
^ The hot air on yours is 800W, probably 110V so a little under 8A. The iron, 60W on a 24V system is 2.5A.
I'd get 12 awg for the two air gun heater element leads and 24 awg for the rest of its pins, and all those on the soldering iron, even though they could both use even higher gauge for all but their two heater element leads. In other words 24 awg for iron heating element pins, usually pins # 4 & 5 if it follows the typical Hakko 936 clone pinout.
Using something smaller like 32 awg instead for the non-heating-element leads would make it more user friendly from reduced weight and bulk, but if you make the wire too small it has fewer strands in it and won't hold up to as much use.
Now, that may not be what your station originally used, it may have higher gauge, accepted some loss to reduce the price a few cents and make the cords less noticeable in use. You too could probably get away with that when rewiring since the cords are in open air and if silicone insulated so insulation degradation from heat isn't a factor.
To clarify, I abandoned the idea of buying specialty wire with 5 leads already bundled into a single sleeve as being too expensive (usually only sold by the spool $$$ ) and will use individual silicone wires then throw some heat-shrink tubing over the bundle for the whole length, and dielectric grease on them inside the heatshrink so they slide and flex easier.
Thanks for the reply! I'll rewire as you suggested if the wires ever fail or if I become too annoyed by the short cords. I liked the dielectric grease idea, never herd of that one.
Comments & Reviews (8)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/853D-3in1-SMD-Soldering-Iron-Hot-Air-Gun-Rework-Station-DC-Power-Supply-Digital-/161690816788?hash=item25a5861114:g:nd0AAOSwymxVQs2E
If I didn't have another station I would buy high quality wire and rewire it instead of buying a whole replacement with the same weak wiring. On the other hand I may still get around to it because it takes Hakko tips so I have a full set it can use.
Dave have you looked for a cheap replacement iron off of until you get yours wired with quality wire.?
This soldering iron doubles as a MIG welder. lol
http://www.ebay.com/itm/50W-24V-Soldering-Handle-For-Solder-Iron-Station-5pin-Welding-852D-853D-878-/122423282042?hash=item1c80ff097a:g:knoAAOSwTM5Y3dUq
I'd get 12 awg for the two air gun heater element leads and 24 awg for the rest of its pins, and all those on the soldering iron, even though they could both use even higher gauge for all but their two heater element leads. In other words 24 awg for iron heating element pins, usually pins # 4 & 5 if it follows the typical Hakko 936 clone pinout.
Using something smaller like 32 awg instead for the non-heating-element leads would make it more user friendly from reduced weight and bulk, but if you make the wire too small it has fewer strands in it and won't hold up to as much use.
Now, that may not be what your station originally used, it may have higher gauge, accepted some loss to reduce the price a few cents and make the cords less noticeable in use. You too could probably get away with that when rewiring since the cords are in open air and if silicone insulated so insulation degradation from heat isn't a factor.
To clarify, I abandoned the idea of buying specialty wire with 5 leads already bundled into a single sleeve as being too expensive (usually only sold by the spool $$$ ) and will use individual silicone wires then throw some heat-shrink tubing over the bundle for the whole length, and dielectric grease on them inside the heatshrink so they slide and flex easier.
Thank you!