killer89

iTrader: (41)

I have a few questions about soldering irons for you all. I own a weller soldering iron, model TC201 and I need a new tip for it because the old one is very old and worn out.

My first question is, what kind of tip style to I want? In other words, what shape tip do I want for general RC needs?

My second question is what temperature range do I want? From looking on ebay it looks like I can buy 600°, 700°, 800°, or I can special order 900°. Which temperature range is best suited for general RC purposes? By the way, when I say General RC purposes I mean stuff like soldering battery bars, hard wiring packs, and other stuff like that.

My final question is what kind of maintenance do I need to do on my soldering iron? Stuff like cleaning the tip or any other things like that.


Thanks,
Erik

Keith Billanti

iTrader: (15)

With irons.. i always felt the hotter the better, especially when building packs.

I use a Hakko 936 with a 908 wand. Very good iron.


As far as a tip goes.. a chisel type will probably do ya the best. (looks like flat heead screw driver) They seem to hold the heat longer than others. I think mine is 5.5mm wide.

Kb

killer89

iTrader: (41)

thanks a lot for the help . It looks like it should order up probably an 800° tip, that way I won't have to special order the 900°

thanks a lot,
Erik

burbs

iTrader: (1)

One of the best irons ive ever used is an orange weller 40 watt.. the stock tip is perfect.. it does need replacing when it stocps soldering good.. never sand a tip.. it will keep pitting after that.. a good fresh tip always works best..

I use an ungar 300 station.. My tip still looked new but it stopped heating as well as it use to.. i got a new tip two weeks ago and its like new again..

for the wellerr tips they can be found at hardware stores.. there only a few bucks to replace..

koabich

As far as tip maintenance, DO NOT SAND OR FILE the tip like many do. That is the fastest way to ruin the tip. If you have to file or sand the tip to help make it hotter, you are not maintaining the tip properly in the first place.

Always tin the tip, especially when brand new. Tinning is coating the tip with solder. As you are soldering always keep a damp spnonge or cloth near by. As you are soldering, periodically clean the tip on the wet sponge. Also when soldering tin the tip.

Personally, when soldering, I always tin the tip for each solder joint and clean the tip on a wet sponge after the joint has been soldred.

I have had the same Unger for over 4 years now and it works the same as the day I bought it. Even the tip is 4 years old.

Hyper1

get the largest screwdriver style tip you can and the most heat you can,The wellers have a great assortment of tips,there is a weller wc200 I think that works great on batteries,it has a huge tip and plenty of power, 90 watts I think,it is great but really only good for batteries,as the barrell is to big for tight spots and you end up melting everything in it's path.

Keith Billanti

iTrader: (15)

im no soldering expert.. but im pretty sure that the temp for the tip is a rating.. Changing a tip is not going to make your iron hotter. It will make it "like new".. but hotter iron... = more watts... perhaps im incorrect.

Keith

killer89

iTrader: (41)

i think you're probably right... all i know is what these auctions say...

btw: which of these looks to be the best for RC?

killer89

iTrader: (41)

oh and heres one of the auctions...

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-WELLER-solde...QQcmdZViewItem

burbs

iTrader: (1)

You sort of correct.. the tip does not make a iron hotter.. But it does make it melt solder better..

when a tip gets pitted or dirty, the solder actually does not touch the tip.. it is blocked by the dirt.. so the solder can not melt.. replacing with a new tip allows for a clean surface for the solder to melt on to.. it also disipates its heat to both items being soldered better..

burbs

iTrader: (1)

hako irons have ceramic tips.. they do not pit like steel or copper tips..

Hyper1

btw: which of these looks to be the best for RC?


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BSchorr

iTrader: (101)

I have a Weller SP40L pencil style with the orange light up ring on it, i bought it at menards, but i cant find any new tips for it? where can i get them!

Hyper1

Google Weller it will give you all sorts of choices for Stations,Irons and tips.

killer89

iTrader: (41)

Acctually, not necessarily... At least for my iron, weller tc201, you can choose different tips that give different heat ranges...

here: pg 53 for tc201 tips...

http://www.buycdi.com/download/e_cat_weller.pdf