[sdiy] Bad Weller soldering iron

[Barry Klein]

The actual temp control is in the tip itself - it's what you hear click...
You could just eliminate the connector and hardwire it in... but then blame
the tip.

Barry


-----Original Message-----
From: The Peasant [mailto:epeasant at telusplanet.net]
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2003 4:50 PM
To: Theo
Cc: l.a.j.p. vermeulen; synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Bad Weller soldering iron


I have seen a lot of Wellers fail at the plug that connects 
the iron to the base unit. This is not the most rugged 
connector that could be used by far.

Take care,
Doug
______________________
The Electronic Peasant

www.electronicpeasant.com


Quoting Theo <t.hogers at home.nl>:

> For the last 6 months or so my 4 year old Weller WTCP
> also has problems.
> Quite often the tip doesn't heat up after some time of
> use.
> I can't find what's wrong with it :(  ,doesn't seem to be
> the switch.
> 
> Lucky there is a "spare" station on the bench and I use
> that one more often
> now.
> Its a Voltcraft LS50, about one year old and working
> without problems.
> 
> Although the Weller WTCP feels better "in the hand",
> the Voltcraft isn't bad either.
> - 50W rating
> - 3 programmable temperature presets, programmed values
> stay visible in the
> display.
> - Clear readout of actual temp.
> - A power bar shows how hard the heating element is
> working, useful!
> - Temp display in F or C.
> - Electronic temp measurement at the tip, stable within 2
> degrees.
> - Some standby/off timer features, might be handy for
> some pp.
> 
> At roughly half the price of a WTCP the Voltcraft LS50 is
> a winner in my
> book.
> Definitely worth looking into.
> Though honestly, IF it works I enjoy working with the
> Weller more, but that
> is IF...
> 
> In Europe the Voltcraft is available from www.conrad.de 
> (or www.conrad.nl)
> 
> 
> Theo
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From: l.a.j.p. vermeulen <l.vermeulen at hccnet.nl>
> 
> 
> > I agree, Wellers are bad today, but not obly the irons
> but also the
> compagny
> > sucks.
> > I have one which is working for now 30 years and my new
> one is broken for
> > the third time in 3 years. Always the "FAMOUS" switch
> what is broken.
> > I send mails to the compagny, but no respond at all.
> >
> > Bert
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Batz Goodfortune" <batzman at all-electric.com>
> > To: "patchell" <patchell at silcom.com>;
> <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
> > Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2003 3:35 AM
> > Subject: Re: [sdiy] Perverse Nature of Equipment...
> >
> >
> > > Y-ellow Jim 'n' all.
> > >          My heart goes out to you...
> > >
> > > At 12:31 PM 4/5/03 -0800, patchell wrote:
> > >
> > > >     I can't believe it...the heating element in my
> WTCPT Weller Iron
> > > >just died...just when I needed it not to fail me. 
> Doing some last
> > > >minute work on stuff I am going to bring to the
> below meet.  Similar
> > > >thing happeded last June...while finishing up the
> Mikado, my crimping
> > > >tool broke.  A new iron should be here on
> Wed...(fortunatly a
> > > >replacement iron is not overly expensive...I could
> have replaced the
> > > >heater for $15, but after looking at this thing,
> over 20 years old, it
> > > >seemed best to replace it, the plastic is cracking,
> the cord is showing
> > > >signs of wear...).
> > >
> > > I'm glad you could get replacement bits so cheap.
> That's what I would
> have
> > > done a few years back when mine gave up the ghost but
> it wasn't to be
> so.
> > > It was a Friday morning when it died. I'd planned on
> doing a lot of
> > > soldering over the weekend. I managed to find the
> only one available in
> > the
> > > whole frigging town and get them to send it to me by
> currier.
> > >
> > > Right from the start I didn't like the design of the
> new irons. The
> pencil
> > > was the same but having the holder separate to the
> transformer was
> really
> > > annoying. Every time I'd go to pick the iron up I'd
> drag the base and
> all
> > > with me and the transformer box it self is shaped
> stupidly so you
> couldn't
> > > even glue or strap the base to it. This thing cost me
> just under 200
> clams
> > BTW.
> > >
> > > Maybe a year later I was working one day and it died
> again. Last time it
> > > was the element in the iron that died so naturally
> that's where I
> started.
> > > It took me some time to figure it out but eventually
> I figured I was
> > > chasing a red herring and opened up the transformer
> box.
> > >
> > > Inside I discovered a transformer which was only a
> bit over half the
> size
> > > of the original one. They'd scrimped on the
> transformer to the point
> where
> > > it was right on the edge of the current needed to run
> the iron. So to
> safe
> > > guard that, they placed this stupid "SOLDERED IN"
> in-line fuse between
> the
> > > transformer and the socket. For a start, the only way
> to get it out is
> > with
> > > a soldering iron. DER!!!! And of course it was the
> fuse that was blown.
> > >
> > > But it was not an ordinary 3AG or whatever. It was
> some damn cheap-assed
> > > proprietary thing and it had no rating stamped on it.
> The only other
> iron
> > I
> > > had to unsolder it was something a friend dumped on
> me at some point.
> > She'd
> > > bought it in Holland so it had the wrong plug. So
> first I had to modify
> > that.
> > >
> > > After looking at the fuse and all things considered,
> I just thought.
> > > "Bugger this!" And decided to crack out my old
> transformer. But there
> was
> > > one more snag waiting me. The cheap plastic
> proprietary plug on the
> thing
> > > had broken years ago. I replaced it with the only
> suitable (current
> wise)
> > > plug I had at the time. A 4 pin Jones plug. So in
> essence, what I had to
> > do
> > > was pull the connecting hardware out of the new one
> and put it into the
> > old
> > > one. Which meant even more modifications. Grinding,
> cutting and shaping.
> > >
> > > I have to say that the net result is brilliant. The
> transformer's in the
> > > base so the holder is stable. You don't have to fill
> the sponge with
> half
> > a
> > > liter of water just to keep it wet. And the
> transformer is pokey enough
> to
> > > handle the job.
> > >
> > > But here in lies my beef. Comparing the old one to
> the new one, they've
> > > scrimped so much over the years. The old one was/is
> ergonomically
> designed
> > > and had more than enough grunt so as it wouldn't
> fail. The new ones are
> > > right on the edge and really badly designed IMHO. The
> things are made so
> > > cheaply these days that I'm sure I'd never buy
> another one. Except, what
> > > else is there? Some cheap-assed Dick Smith or Tandy
> crap that's even
> > worse?
> > > And you can always get Weller tips. Chances are that
> 2 years down the
> line
> > > you won't be able to find anything that actually fits
> a Tandy or Duck
> > > Smuth's iron. (Which has been known.) And is there
> even anything better
> > out
> > > there?
> > >
> > > Considering the money I had to pay for the thing. And
> this was from the
> > > distributor here BTW. And their insistence that If I
> did want just the
> > > pencil it would only be 20 or 30 dollars less than
> the whole thing
> anyway.
> > > I feel considerably cheated.
> > >
> > > The old one has this nice big furgie flat pack in it.
> The new one has a
> > > transformer that even dick smith wouldn't put on the
> shelf. With just
> over
> > > half the VA. I feel that Wellers aren't what they use
> to be. And like so
> > > many other companies these days, are trading on the
> reputation they use
> to
> > > have. We buy Wellers thinking we're getting the best
> and most reliable
> but
> > > that just isn't the case anymore it would seem.
> > >
> > > Bad Weller. Naughty Weller. Grrrrr.
> > >
> > > Be absolutely Icebox.
> > >
> > >   _ __        _       ____Happiness is a warm
> penguin____
> > > | "_ \      | |
> > > | |_)/  __ _| |_ ____       ALL ELECTRIC KITCHEN
> > > |  _ \ / _` | __|___ |  Yeti music by Yetis for
> Yetis
> > > | |_) | (_| | |_  / /
> > > |_,__/ \__,_|\__|/ /    Disgusting->
> http://all-electric.com
> > >                  / ,__   Music ----->
> http://mp3.com/electrickitchen
> > > Goodfortune    |_____|  Cult  ----->
> http://www.subgenius.com
> > >
> >
> >
> 
>