I recently bought a Weller SP-25L soldering iron. At first solder did not want to stick to the iron's tip. Later everything was fine until at one point, the iron's tip started to melt when I was soldering.
It is supposed to look like this:
http://www.thanettoolsupplies.co.uk/shopimages/products/normal/WELSP25L.jpg
But it is like this:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i167/jazko/DSC01557-1.jpg
Difference ?
Any clues how to fix this problem. Is the iron's temperature too high?
It is supposed to look like this:
http://www.thanettoolsupplies.co.uk/shopimages/products/normal/WELSP25L.jpg
But it is like this:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i167/jazko/DSC01557-1.jpg
Difference ?
Any clues how to fix this problem. Is the iron's temperature too high?
Buy a new tip.
You are supposed to "tin" the tip before the first use and every time there after.
Also make sure you never ever clean the tip with anything abrasive, do not even use a file. New tips are plated (electroplated) and if you break through the plating you ruin the tip.
You are supposed to "tin" the tip before the first use and every time there after.
Also make sure you never ever clean the tip with anything abrasive, do not even use a file. New tips are plated (electroplated) and if you break through the plating you ruin the tip.
I recently bought a Weller SP-25L soldering iron. At first solder did not want to stick to the iron's tip. Later everything was fine until at one point, the iron's tip started to melt when I was soldering.
It is supposed to look like this:
http://www.thanettoolsupplies.co.uk/shopimages/products/normal/WELSP25L.jpg
But it is like this:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i167/jazko/DSC01557-1.jpg
Difference ?
Any clues how to fix this problem. Is the iron's temperature too high?
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Once again, tin your tip before each and every use.
Once again, tin your tip before each and every use.
Once again, tin your tip before each and every use.
If you couldn't get it to tin, you waited too long or didn't have enough flux inside your solder. If you use the correct method and appropriate solder, the tip WILL tin.
Regardless of whatever, when you go and get a new tip make sure you tin it first. Plug in the iron and try to tin it before the tip is even hot and keep trying to tin it as the soldering iron begins to reach temperature. At some point the solder will begin to melt, that is when you try and go at it with a much haste as possible. You need to drown the tip in flux and melting solder.
A wet sponge works for cleaning the tip, but sometimes that will cool the tip maybe even too much. I actually prefer to wipe my tips on a dry paper towel.
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Of course I tin the tip before every use. I think the problem was waiting too long the first time.
Thank you.
Hello,
I bought a used Weller at a yard sale and used it extensively then the tip rapidly began to crumble. It looked like something was eating it, not just the very tip. The chisel tip remained in good shape it was the sides that were eroding. The thin electroplating wearing through sounds plausible.
I installed a new tip. The new tip did not seem to like the tin/lead flux core solder I use at first, it did not wet well even though is looked bright and clean. Perhaps the new tip was tinned with another dissimilar material. This was my fix. Dip the hot tip into an old school tin of flux a few times and then in a rub it around in puddle of flux on a piece of wood add some solder in the process.
Same story with a new Hako 936 a couple of weeks ago.
DT
All just for fun!
I bought a used Weller at a yard sale and used it extensively then the tip rapidly began to crumble. It looked like something was eating it, not just the very tip. The chisel tip remained in good shape it was the sides that were eroding. The thin electroplating wearing through sounds plausible.
I installed a new tip. The new tip did not seem to like the tin/lead flux core solder I use at first, it did not wet well even though is looked bright and clean. Perhaps the new tip was tinned with another dissimilar material. This was my fix. Dip the hot tip into an old school tin of flux a few times and then in a rub it around in puddle of flux on a piece of wood add some solder in the process.
Same story with a new Hako 936 a couple of weeks ago.
DT
All just for fun!
happened to me too
thought I could use a second iron and bought a cheap one
it made only a couple of solderings, and was history
junk stuff, worthless
Weller ?
though mine was not, it looked exactly like yours
complete iron cost about 3 euro
make your own tip
copper, brass, whatever
much better
doesnt last long either
but at least you can reshape the tip
for quality work
buy quality iron with quality long life tip
and use only quality solder
thought I could use a second iron and bought a cheap one
it made only a couple of solderings, and was history
junk stuff, worthless
Weller ?
though mine was not, it looked exactly like yours
complete iron cost about 3 euro
make your own tip
copper, brass, whatever
much better
doesnt last long either
but at least you can reshape the tip
for quality work
buy quality iron with quality long life tip
and use only quality solder
I have one of those irons. I bought it when all my tools were stolen and I needed an iron that day. Now I keep it as a 4th string option, though I haven't used it in 5 years.
What you are experiencing is exactly what I found. It's a cheap iron with a cheap tip. Probably about all you'll get from an iron available at the Home Depot.
What you are experiencing is exactly what I found. It's a cheap iron with a cheap tip. Probably about all you'll get from an iron available at the Home Depot.
Unfortunately it was a really short period, not more than 10 hours of use
I have ordered a new tip, if it happens to be the same story, I'll get another soldering iron.
Now I'm not sure whether this is a genuine Weller or not ?
I'm afraid I don't have any good theories about why this happened to the tip on your iron. However, I can recommend this product
for restoring neglected tips. Farnell stock it; their item number 1115477.
metal
I have seen a documentary showing how they make(cast) bathroom faucets in India
they cost next to nothing
not even the fancy looking designs
its all cheap stuff, and basicly made in small backyard workshops
they remelt all sorts of wasted products containing brass or copper
but copper and brass have become expencive
and they run out of it all the time
instead they throw in all sorts of other waste metal
like battery lead waste, etc
they also do that to save energy
and it gets in the water you drink
this tip is probably made from the worst
I have seen a documentary showing how they make(cast) bathroom faucets in India
they cost next to nothing
not even the fancy looking designs
its all cheap stuff, and basicly made in small backyard workshops
they remelt all sorts of wasted products containing brass or copper
but copper and brass have become expencive
and they run out of it all the time
instead they throw in all sorts of other waste metal
like battery lead waste, etc
they also do that to save energy
and it gets in the water you drink
this tip is probably made from the worst
I got tired of buying replacement tips for my cheap 25W iron and now just buy 12" brass rods from my local hobby shop for $1.50 each. I cut them up into sections and put them in my drill; using a file to form a sharp point. I can usually get through a soldering session before I have to repeat the process.
I think that tip corrosion like you experienced is the norm.
If you want to solder electronics for extended periods of time, you really should look at geting a temperature controlled iron. With a TC iron tips will last for many weeks of continuous use. This is probably also due to the tips being of better quality.
I keep my 25W basic iron for use when I need to remove a component from a large ground plane. Get it really hot & Zap!
Cheap irons are also far more handy to keep in your toolbox than a iron with a separate PSU!
If you want to solder electronics for extended periods of time, you really should look at geting a temperature controlled iron. With a TC iron tips will last for many weeks of continuous use. This is probably also due to the tips being of better quality.
I keep my 25W basic iron for use when I need to remove a component from a large ground plane. Get it really hot & Zap!
Cheap irons are also far more handy to keep in your toolbox than a iron with a separate PSU!
I have one of Weller's older and somewhat more expensive temperature controlled irons which I bought new - a type WTCPT, and in the 12yrs I have had it I have replaced the tip exactly twice. And I use it a lot, at least a few hours a week on average, and sometimes a lot more. (I have a bag full of different new tips for it, but haven't even looked at it in years.)
I always tin the tip before use and clean it periodically with a wet sponge while in use. I do use fairly standard lead/tin solder and use a 700 degree tip. They seem to last forever, however in my experience (at work) the 800 degree tips last a few hundred hours at best.
This iron wasn't cheap when new, but 12 yrs out it is far cheaper than a bunch of junk irons periodically replaced, and better for my blood pressure too.. It is a lot easier to use as it just works, no fiddling with tips every time I want to use it.
I've been given several of these irons which I have passed along to friends too cheap to buy a good one of their own.. You can often find working ones cheap here in the US at hamfests and sometimes radio shows.
I always tin the tip before use and clean it periodically with a wet sponge while in use. I do use fairly standard lead/tin solder and use a 700 degree tip. They seem to last forever, however in my experience (at work) the 800 degree tips last a few hundred hours at best.
This iron wasn't cheap when new, but 12 yrs out it is far cheaper than a bunch of junk irons periodically replaced, and better for my blood pressure too..
It is a lot easier to use as it just works, no fiddling with tips every time I want to use it.I've been given several of these irons which I have passed along to friends too cheap to buy a good one of their own..
You can often find working ones cheap here in the US at hamfests and sometimes radio shows.
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someone suggested to give the tip some fresh solder while cooling down after ended work
appears to be a good "tip"
hey, just came to mind, it also protects the tip against shock bumps
shock bumps could jumpstart the tip detoriate
have you ever experienced the tip sticking to the subject
well, I suppose most have
tip isnt hot enough because you have been impatient
that could jump start tip detoriating too
appears to be a good "tip"
hey, just came to mind, it also protects the tip against shock bumps
shock bumps could jumpstart the tip detoriate
have you ever experienced the tip sticking to the subject
well, I suppose most have
tip isnt hot enough because you have been impatient
that could jump start tip detoriating too
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