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| Thread ID: 51053 | 2004-11-10 08:23:00 | Off Topic: Battery Powered Soldering Iron | somebody (208) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 290133 | 2004-11-10 08:23:00 | Hi fellow PressF1ers, While randomly surfing the net I found this gadget: http://www.coldheat.com What do you guys think? |
somebody (208) | ||
| 290134 | 2004-11-10 08:49:00 | Think I'll stick to my Butane one. No way will that live up to it's claims. Bye |
Peter H (220) | ||
| 290135 | 2004-11-10 09:25:00 | Prior to the advent of butane ones, I used battery ones for many, many years. Used them from about 1980 onwards. Wahl made a good one, in the same design as the mini hair clippers case using rechargeable cells. A set of 2 sub-C cells on charge 24*7*365 with intermittent daily use lasted 10 years. So I disagree with Peter H's dismissive comments based on my own experience of both types. Each has their place. The butane ones are much higher powered (too high for micro-soldering usually) but the battery ones are quite good for this very fine intermittent work. |
godfather (25) | ||
| 290136 | 2004-11-10 09:46:00 | From the FAQ 6. How hot does the tool get? It depends on the size of the joint. For a small joint, the tip may reach 800ºF in less than one second and may exceed 1,000ºF. For large joints, the temperature will be lower, but in all cases the temperature necessary to solder will be reached within a few seconds. We do not recommend applying the tip to a small joint for longer than a few seconds, as the temperature may keep rising. 7. What is the power rating of this tool? The power rating depends on size and thermal mass of soldering joint to be performed; A/C equivalent power rating is estimated at 25W to 50W. These figures are only provided as guidelines and may be different for your application. 8. What is the spark I see sometimes during soldering? [b]The spark (arc) is caused electrical current passes from one half of the tip to the other. Although the tool's spark should not damage any electrical or electronic components, we recommend caution when soldering sensitive components. Also, ensure that the tool is not used in flammable or explosive environments, such such as near gas or gasoline fumes. I'm keeping an open mind GF, but the temperatures claimed seem very high for a tool powered by four 1.5 volt AA alkalines. The equivalent 25-50 watt rating is equivalent to 4 - 8 amps of current too, and the arc at the tip has me worried. The real credibility test is this testimonial: "This is the coolest tool (no pun intended) - I used it to melt a bunch of weight into my son's pinewood derby car, and then fix a toy. OK, I'm not soldering circuit boards, but this is basically just useful around the house. Impressive, I was actually expecting less for the price. We are talking lead weight in the multiple-kg region for that application, and you would normally need a large butane torch for that. I am not convinced at all. Cheers Billy 8-{) :| |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 290137 | 2004-11-10 10:00:00 | I have used AA Alkaline irons but not as much as the NiCd based. Certainly would not use them for "melting lead", and in my view thats not what they are designed for. Perhaps the "derby car" was a model..... Bear in mind that an AA rechargeable tops out at ~2300 mAh, and Alkaline at ~2850 so the energy density of Alkaline certainly compares with rechargeables. 8 amps is a bit much for long (if at all) though from Alkaline. Sounds like a direct current-through-tip resistive heating, whereas my ones used a normal quick heat tip element. Heat-up was 3 to 5 seconds. The older 230v "soldering guns" that used AC with low voltage direct resitive tip heating could destroy some very sensitive electronic devices with the incredibly high magnetic field at the tip. 50 amps or more at point blank range. |
godfather (25) | ||
| 290138 | 2004-11-10 11:12:00 | It is the arcing at the tip that worries me GF, that is not resistive heating! To get good heating out of the old 6 volt carbon-button irons (were they Scope?) you needed a 6 volt wet cell battery . Used them on marine RT installations, the tip would glow red hot if you kept the amps flowing too long . I just cant see AA alkaline cells packing the energy levels needed to match the claims . I'll bet that was no model derby car either, the yanks take their soapbox derby racing very seriously and lead-loading is de rigeur . Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 290139 | 2004-11-10 19:55:00 | I have read somewhere that they are not too good for "heavier" connections - including XLR audio plugs, as the mass density of the tip is not great enough to transfer the amount of heat required to melt the solder onto the metal connector. Godfather: Where abouts in NZ could I buy a battery powered soldering iron? DSE used to sell one, but that either sold out or was phased out pretty quickly. What sort of pricerange are they in? |
somebody (208) | ||
| 290140 | 2004-11-10 20:24:00 | Not sure that there are any on the market now, as butane have displaced them. | godfather (25) | ||
| 290141 | 2004-11-10 22:27:00 | > Where abouts in NZ could I buy a battery powered > soldering iron? DSE used to sell one, but that either > sold out or was phased out pretty quickly. What sort > of pricerange are they in? DSE still sell 12 volt soldering irons and have stocks in most shops. Search their site for Cat T2100. They cost around $30-$35 from memory. Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 290142 | 2004-11-10 22:34:00 | Cheers Billy. However, I'm looking for the type similar to the Coldheat one - ie. soldering iron with a battery built in. I have seen a Wahl Isotip (or something like that) battery powered soldering iron available overseas, and i'm curious to see if a similar type would be avail. here in NZ. Any ideas? |
somebody (208) | ||
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