>a) ONLY use 700F tips.
>
>b) replace about every 18 months. Else the magnet inside is weaker, and
>will not propery
>regulate.
Where I used to work we left the WTCP's on about 20 hours a day. The tips
lasted 6-8 months so we never had a chance for the magnets to wear out!
Which brings up the question, does the magnet weaken from the heat? And if
so, what if you only use it a couple hours a week?
I just replaced the tip in my personal station after 17 years (hasn't been
turned on much). You can easily tell when they're going bad because the
plating eats all the way through somewhere and then the whole tip goes in a
couple of hours (if you're lucky).
--
Terry Bowman, KA4HJH
"The Mac Doctor"