5 Apr
2020
5 Apr
'20
1:32 p.m.
A few hours ago I started looking at three "smart" light switches that
need LEDs replaced, and switched on the soldering iron, and ... nope.
It's a Weller WP80 and it seems the sensor in the heating element has
died. I discovered that only after resetting and then dismantling the
control unit to check it out with a DVM, of course.
Clearly I need either a new WP80 element, or a new soldering iron. I
could get a WSP80 for far less than the cost of a new element for the
WP80, but I'd get the element faster. So which, if any, is the better
iron? What would you guys do?
I begrudge paying UKP 92 for a new element. That's the cheapest I could
find -- /half/ the most expensive price -- but just seems ludicrously
extortionate for what amounts to a piece of swaged stainless steel tube
with a short length of resistance wire and an even shorter length of
thermocouple wire inside it. I could buy a whole new solder station
with more bells and whistles, albeit of a "lesser brand", for less.
--
Pete
Pete Turnbull
5 Apr
5 Apr
4:22 p.m.
On 04/05/2020 03:32 PM, Pete Turnbull via cctalk wrote:
A few hours ago I started looking at three
"smart" light
switches that need LEDs replaced, and switched on the
soldering iron, and ... nope. It's a Weller WP80 and it
seems the sensor in the heating element has died. I
discovered that only after resetting and then dismantling
the control unit to check it out with a DVM, of course.
Clearly I need either a new WP80 element, or a new
soldering iron. I could get a WSP80 for far less than the
cost of a new element for the WP80, but I'd get the
element faster. So which, if any, is the better iron?
What would you guys do?
I begrudge paying UKP 92 for a new element. That's the
cheapest I could find -- /half/ the most expensive price
-- but just seems ludicrously extortionate for what
amounts to a piece of swaged stainless steel tube with a
short length of resistance wire and an even shorter length
of thermocouple wire inside it. I could buy a whole new
solder station with more bells and whistles, albeit of a
"lesser brand", for less.
Is the sensor a separate component? On the EC1302 and
several other models, the sensor is
a separate piece that fits up through the center of the
heater and poked into the back of the
replaceable tip. I got one for that iron years ago from, I
think, Newark. So, you might try
at Farnell and see if they have spares.
Jon
6:02 p.m.
On 06/04/2020 00:22, Jon Elson wrote:
On 04/05/2020 03:32 PM, Pete Turnbull via cctalk
wrote:
> A few hours ago I started looking at three "smart" light switches that
> need LEDs replaced, and switched on the soldering iron, and ... nope.
> It's a Weller WP80 and it seems the sensor in the heating element has
> died.
Is the sensor a separate component?
Sadly, no. That's the first thing I thought of. The heater and sensor
are integral with the stainless steel shaft and I can't see any way to
get them out without destroying the shaft.
--
Pete
Pete Turnbull
8:40 p.m.
for me, the item that usually fails in the WTCP series is the switch at the
end of the sensor.
I have replaced the sensors each time, because dammit - My 40 year old iron
sometimes just needs a new cord, or a new heater, or a new tip, or a new
sensor. Best iron I have ever had :-)
Kindest regards,
Doug Jackson
em: doug at doughq.com
ph: 0414 986878
Check out my awesome clocks at www.dougswordclocks.com
Follow my amateur radio adventures at vk1zdj.net
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On Mon, Apr 6, 2020 at 11:14 AM Pete Turnbull via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 06/04/2020 00:22, Jon Elson wrote:
On 04/05/2020 03:32 PM, Pete Turnbull via cctalk
wrote:
> A few hours ago I started looking at three "smart" light switches that
> need LEDs replaced, and switched on the soldering iron, and ... nope.
> It's a Weller WP80 and it seems the sensor in the heating element has
> died.
Is the sensor a separate component?
Sadly, no. That's the first thing I thought of. The heater and sensor
are integral with the stainless steel shaft and I can't see any way to
get them out without destroying the shaft.
--
Pete
Pete Turnbull
10:27 p.m.
On Mon, Apr 6, 2020 at 4:40 AM Doug Jackson via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
for me, the item that usually fails in the WTCP series is the switch at the
end of the sensor.
I have replaced the sensors each time, because dammit - My 40 year old iron
sometimes just needs a new cord, or a new heater, or a new tip, or a new
sensor. Best iron I have ever had :-)
The element in my Weller TCP failed a couple of years ago, after 25
years on my bench and having soldered probably hundreds of thousands
of joints. I bought a replacement (not _too_ expensive) and a spare to
go in the tool cupboard. I then realised that if the replacements last
as long as the original I will never have to buy another element, I'll
be gone first!
-tony
1502
days inactive
1503
days old
4 comments
4 participants
participants (4)
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ard.p850ug1＠gmail.com -
doug＠doughq.com -
elson＠pico-systems.com -
pete＠dunnington.plus.com