[sdiy] Weller WTCPT Question

[KA4HJH]

>On 2/12/06, James Patchell <patchell at cox.net> wrote:
>> The newer weller irons are of somewhat lesser quality than the older
>> one...I have found that the number one failure in mine has been the heating
>> unit...I think you can get the heating unit from digikey...take the pencil
>> apart...the heating unit is fairly obvious...check to see if it is
>> open...you can also check the thermal switch as well at that time.  I have
>> also had the wires in the cable open up.
>
>This is somewhat sad to see. :(  I grew up, knowing and admiring
>Weller soldering equipment in the 70's.  Of course I stuck with it,
>and bought a WTCPS in 1992.

Bought mine in '84. Everyone at work thought I was daft to spend $80 on a
"soldering iron". Apparently after using a WTCPx all day at work they liked
to go home and use some POS from Radio Shack.

One of the most useful and reliable tools I've ever owned in my life.

>100's of modules later, all I've ever had to replace, is the tips.
>Until the WTCPT, I only ever knew Weller as top notch quality.  Now
>...... :(
>
>I was going to recommend trying a new tip, but Paul beat me to it. :)

It's strange that I've seen just about every part on one fail but I can't
recall a tip that was still usable failing to operate the thermostat. Maybe
it just never happened to me.

-- 

Terry Bowman, KA4HJH
"The Mac Doctor"