davelectronic
- Dec 13, 2010
- 1,087
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2010
- Messages
- 1,087
Hi to you all.
Ok ive been meaning to try this for a while, but really was not sure on the results.Well some of you are going to say waste of time, go by a proper unit, well my answer is i might if this idea does not perform, oh dont panic people, no windings as such or major inductance in this one, feel free to rip in to me, i can take it.
Any way onwards and upwards, is this getting any where, promise not to drag it in to 4 pages of posts ha ha, ok here we go, you all buckled up for the ride.
I have wanted to build a very simple and basic temperature controlled soldering iron, so ive got two anttex irons an 18 and 25 watt, my idea or plan was to wire a line socket to the dimmer, box up the unit, and calibrate the electrical travel of the potentiometer, for a temp scale, i know some say there is no temp feed back or compensate, ok i know this.
So this afternoon i got some old components out and bit of old copper strip board and had a play, my initial response is good, ive calibrated the temp for my solder, high silver content, lead free, ok it expensive, and some say rubbish to use.
The problem i had was to high a temperature, about 420 C it was burning, or should i say vaporizing my flux before it had chance to tin and flow, making joint making hard work, but ive got good temp control, ive used a thermal couple to look closer in operation and the heat transfer affects, its good, today ive managed better practice joints with this method, and good contact bond of the joint, thick and thin, ive soldered heavy lead components and small diameter leads as well.
So i will eventually treat myself to a proper station, a good one, but for the minute it works well, ok feel free to give me a grilling, bare in mind iam not reinventing the wheel, and my sir names not Faraday or Henry, great blokes though.
The cost less than £ 5.00 uk sterling. Ok lecture time, only joking. Dave.
Ok ive been meaning to try this for a while, but really was not sure on the results.Well some of you are going to say waste of time, go by a proper unit, well my answer is i might if this idea does not perform, oh dont panic people, no windings as such or major inductance in this one, feel free to rip in to me, i can take it.
Any way onwards and upwards, is this getting any where, promise not to drag it in to 4 pages of posts ha ha, ok here we go, you all buckled up for the ride.
I have wanted to build a very simple and basic temperature controlled soldering iron, so ive got two anttex irons an 18 and 25 watt, my idea or plan was to wire a line socket to the dimmer, box up the unit, and calibrate the electrical travel of the potentiometer, for a temp scale, i know some say there is no temp feed back or compensate, ok i know this.
So this afternoon i got some old components out and bit of old copper strip board and had a play, my initial response is good, ive calibrated the temp for my solder, high silver content, lead free, ok it expensive, and some say rubbish to use.
The problem i had was to high a temperature, about 420 C it was burning, or should i say vaporizing my flux before it had chance to tin and flow, making joint making hard work, but ive got good temp control, ive used a thermal couple to look closer in operation and the heat transfer affects, its good, today ive managed better practice joints with this method, and good contact bond of the joint, thick and thin, ive soldered heavy lead components and small diameter leads as well.
So i will eventually treat myself to a proper station, a good one, but for the minute it works well, ok feel free to give me a grilling, bare in mind iam not reinventing the wheel, and my sir names not Faraday or Henry, great blokes though.
The cost less than £ 5.00 uk sterling. Ok lecture time, only joking. Dave.