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  • Author Author: fluxcap
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Soldering Irons

fluxcap

I'm looking to step up my soldering game. I've seen the relatively new intergrated heating element into the soldering iron tip, like the JBC stations. Does anyone know a budget version that uses the same tech?

Parents

  • Hello,

     

    I had Solomon SL30. Chinese station, couldn't locally get the tips, so had just the default conical one. The temperature setting and reading was accurate of about +/- 100 centigrade. I think all similar stations would be better without showing the nonsense temperatures, but just levels 1-10 with no units.

     

    I was considering ERSA iCon 1 (which seemed to me as 1 level up, "good quality with the usual heating element"), I also got a recommendation from a friend. However after viewing a few comparison videos like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyt0X2CGDRM  , ended up with JBC CD-2BE (which is 2 levels up, "heating element embedded into the tip").

    It is a masterpiece. Ambient temperature to sleep temperature (180 C) takes about 3 seconds. Sleep temp. to soldering temp, also 2 seconds. The soldering iron definitely waits for the operator, not the other way image

     

    Tips are more expensive, but I personally think that if treated well, they will last similar time as the classic ones. They also don't handle that high temperature, thanks to a precision control.

     

    Last words: support a well known manufacturer. I have seen videos with rip-off soldering stations for a fraction price. They might work, but definitely do not contribute to better quality and long lasting products.

     

    David

Comment

  • Hello,

     

    I had Solomon SL30. Chinese station, couldn't locally get the tips, so had just the default conical one. The temperature setting and reading was accurate of about +/- 100 centigrade. I think all similar stations would be better without showing the nonsense temperatures, but just levels 1-10 with no units.

     

    I was considering ERSA iCon 1 (which seemed to me as 1 level up, "good quality with the usual heating element"), I also got a recommendation from a friend. However after viewing a few comparison videos like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyt0X2CGDRM  , ended up with JBC CD-2BE (which is 2 levels up, "heating element embedded into the tip").

    It is a masterpiece. Ambient temperature to sleep temperature (180 C) takes about 3 seconds. Sleep temp. to soldering temp, also 2 seconds. The soldering iron definitely waits for the operator, not the other way image

     

    Tips are more expensive, but I personally think that if treated well, they will last similar time as the classic ones. They also don't handle that high temperature, thanks to a precision control.

     

    Last words: support a well known manufacturer. I have seen videos with rip-off soldering stations for a fraction price. They might work, but definitely do not contribute to better quality and long lasting products.

     

    David

Children
  • in reply to koudelad

    The Ersa models are very impressive too. I guess the common thing with all these models is the large amount of power available, and the ability to rapidly deliver it with its closed loop feedback, regardless of the underlying implementation. I too have a JBC iron, but an older model base than yours (but same handle, T245, although I use the smaller T210 more often for general work).