Build your own temperature controlled soldering station

The PIC microcontroller is probably the most useful, versatile, and venerable electrical component I have ever used. Her e is another cheap, but completely worthwhile, PIC based project; A Temperature Controlled Soldering Station. The goal is to control the inexpensive soldering irons everyone buys from being so hot that it ruins solder quality. Most irons will get to between 300^oC and 500^oC, and solder melts at a lower temp than that. Ever just vaporize some solder? I have, and I am tired of dumping more into the point. Not to mention that letting soldering irons run as hot as they can get significantly lowers its life expectance. This mod lets you control the iron's temperature with a potentiometer, displays the current temp on a small LCD, and is based on a PIC 16F88, a 40 cent chip.

Take a look here.

What I would add to this project is the ability to disconnect soldering irons I made from the power supply. That way I can easily swap in a new tool. Enjoy...

UPDATE: link changed.

Cabe

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phoenixcomm over 12 years ago

Cabe, in the last 40+ years I have gone through many "soldering station" We used to use a Weller but it has temp fixed tips which idle via a temp controlled "snap switch" they produce a lot of impulse noise and aren't good.
after many false starts I ended up with a Metcal which is a pro system and can be picked up on ebay...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Metcal-STSS-002-Soldering-System-Power-Supply-RFG-30-Solder-Station-/350684716791?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51a6701ef7
Also I have an aerospace background in soldering.... I a word what I saw of your lack of technique. You don't ever need to add paste to your work on feed through parts. and never touch the solder to the iron instead hold the iron to the work and then touch the solder to other side of the work and let the solder flow to it.
please look at this link on my old web site for soldering techniques. you want this NASA-STD-8739.3 document on the bottom of the page. also please download the color photos which are not part of the document.

http://www.phoenixcomm.net/~phnx2000/sim/library.shtml
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phoenixcomm over 12 years ago

Cabe, in the last 40+ years I have gone through many "soldering station" We used to use a Weller but it has temp fixed tips which idle via a temp controlled "snap switch" they produce a lot of impulse noise and aren't good.
after many false starts I ended up with a Metcal which is a pro system and can be picked up on ebay...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Metcal-STSS-002-Soldering-System-Power-Supply-RFG-30-Solder-Station-/350684716791?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51a6701ef7
Also I have an aerospace background in soldering.... I a word what I saw of your lack of technique. You don't ever need to add paste to your work on feed through parts. and never touch the solder to the iron instead hold the iron to the work and then touch the solder to other side of the work and let the solder flow to it.
please look at this link on my old web site for soldering techniques. you want this NASA-STD-8739.3 document on the bottom of the page. also please download the color photos which are not part of the document.

http://www.phoenixcomm.net/~phnx2000/sim/library.shtml
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