On Sun, 17 Mar 2019 13:25:08 -0500, you wrote:

Harvey,

? I think I have enough soldering tools for the moment but will watch
ebay and also for a nearby hamfest for some deals on stuff.

That works.

Ok on the FET. Wasn't sure if they were proprietary making them harder
or impossible to repair if needed. Did they require calibration? If so
was it user friendly?

Don't think that it is proprietary. The clone that someone made
didn't seem to have a proprietary FET. I've got three of the things
(not even sure where the third one came from, oh, wait.... got two of
the same sort and then decided to upgrade (at a hamfest)).....

They've never given me a problem.

The calibration is, afaik, in the tip. I suspect that the only
calibration might be to make sure that the SWR with a disconnected tip
trips the protection. Never worried much about that.

Getting lots of rest and plenty of fluids...still feel like crap. It is
amazing how much snot a human head can generate. :-( Coughing and
blowing my nose constantly. Taking Mucinex DM Maximum Strength.

Then watch for little 3D animated green guys (no, NOT YODA.. NOT
YODA!!!) and take appropriate action.

Harvey

Thanks,

Dave

On 3/14/2019 7:17 PM, Harvey White wrote:

On Thu, 14 Mar 2019 16:53:12 -0500, you wrote:

Harvey,

? All of the ones I fine do not have the solder pencil, or if they do
the prices are way high.

So I see. 50 to 100 may be average for a power unit, 35 or so for the
wand, and tips? who knows.

Hamfests are about the best deal for now.

I will keep looking for a deal but for now I
think I can get some soldering done with my old Weller, my Hakko, or my
new rework station. But if the FET (field effect transistor) fails is it
a common off the shelf part or a proprietary one?

I think it was fairly common.

Also, I have come down with the flu that my wife brought home from here
beauty shop so I don't know what I have. I feel terrible and will be a
bit low key for awhile. So take a break everybody and enjoy the peace
and quiet. :)

Ouch, get lots of rest and get better soon.

Harvey

Thanks,

Dave

I have 2 metcals: one for home and one I took to work( Microchip).? I recently got one of these TS-100 units and
I'm pleasantly surprised at how well it works.




open source and it?will run with the wall power unit 12vdc, or any battery pack of rated amps 9ish to 12vdc. ( 3x 18650 cels )
-Lee studley

_._,_._,_

---

On Thu, 14 Mar 2019 16:53:12 -0500, you wrote:

Harvey,

? All of the ones I fine do not have the solder pencil, or if they do
the prices are way high.

So I see. 50 to 100 may be average for a power unit, 35 or so for the
wand, and tips? who knows.

Hamfests are about the best deal for now.

I will keep looking for a deal but for now I
think I can get some soldering done with my old Weller, my Hakko, or my
new rework station. But if the FET (field effect transistor) fails is it
a common off the shelf part or a proprietary one?

I think it was fairly common.

Also, I have come down with the flu that my wife brought home from here
beauty shop so I don't know what I have. I feel terrible and will be a
bit low key for awhile. So take a break everybody and enjoy the peace
and quiet. :)

Ouch, get lots of rest and get better soon.

Harvey

Thanks,

Dave

Thanks,

Dave

On 3/13/2019 3:13 PM, Harvey White wrote:

On Wed, 13 Mar 2019 08:45:00 -0500, you wrote:

Thanks for the serial number and description to look for. I would think
maybe a low serial number would have more miles on it. I don't know what
the failure rate is on these Metcals. But with the 2 led light info I
may be able to detect a model upgrade change.

I think so. Schematics are not quite easy to find, someone has made a
"clone" of one. But there's not a whole lot in there from what I saw.

The major thing that (guessing here) may fail is the power FET. I
think that the later models may have better protection circuitry, or
that's the hope.

Harvey

On 3/12/2019 7:20 PM, Harvey White wrote:

On Tue, 12 Mar 2019 16:27:44 -0500, you wrote:

PS2E-01 serial numbers>

Harvey,

?Thanks for all the info. What is the serial number on your PS2E-01? I
see numbers in the 2000x up to 40,000x and don't know if a lower number
would be better or worse than a newer number. I will be watching for a
deal but they are definitely available as the power supply only. I have
to do a bunch more research before I commit.

Firstly, I have no idea of the serial number procession.

However
I have SN: 4012842

Seems to be the oldest.

SN 6E04691 which has a different arrangement of power and output
connectors on the back, and in addition, red and green LEDs on the
front to tell you if the load (heating element) has somehow been
disconnected.

Guessing, I'd say that 6E, or at least, one that has the two LEDs on
the front might be the best of that series.

Further series added switches to go between desolder and solder, and
later series added LCD displays (and, I think, lots of dollars to the
price).

Harvey

Dave

The TS-100 will take up to 24V. The original idea, I think, was all of those 19V 3A laptop powerbricks out there.


--
Steven Greenfield AE7HD

Hello Dave.

Since this was going to the list I thought the group might be interested in the discussion.? The one station that I was aware of was this one:


or:

and select Soldering Stations and Irons.

I know they used to be a pretty good system and were considered professional quality but at $150 for the station it puts it higher than the cost of many of the Chinese clones.

By the way,? The SoldaPullt is now an Edsyn brand.? Like you,? I have a few Soldapullt's some of which I got over 30 years ago and they came from the Tektronix "country store" which was used and surplus parts and equipment at Tektronix in Beaverton, OR so they were used when I got them,? all except one.? Now I look for replacement tips for them.

Thank you.

Jim Pruitt

On 3/14/2019 2:43 PM, Dave wrote:

Jim,

? I have a SoldaPullt Pro solder sucker I bought probably 20 years ago.I also have a Hakko vacuum desolder pump:-) Never heard of the Edsyn brand though.

Thanks,

Dave

On 3/14/2019 1:54 PM, Jim Pruitt wrote:

I have not seen anyone mention Edsyn solder stations.? They used to be a pretty decent station.? Have they fallen out of favor?? I still have some of their SoldaPullt mechanical solder suckers.

Thank you.

Jim Pruitt

On 3/14/2019 6:21 AM, David Jones via Groups.Io wrote:

Yep, I've almost bought a Hakko several times.? Probably will get one of those eventually.? Right now I do have a cheap Chinese SMT/hot air station.? So it's better than nothing.? Still tend to use my old cheap RS station.? Most the SMD stuff I do isn't that fine.? Occasionally as small as 805 but usually larger.

David

Jim,

? I have a SoldaPullt Pro solder sucker I bought probably 20 years ago.I also have a Hakko vacuum desolder pump:-) Never heard of the Edsyn brand though.

Thanks,

Dave

On 3/14/2019 1:54 PM, Jim Pruitt wrote:

I have not seen anyone mention Edsyn solder stations.? They used to be a pretty decent station.? Have they fallen out of favor?? I still have some of their SoldaPullt mechanical solder suckers.

Thank you.

Jim Pruitt

On 3/14/2019 6:21 AM, David Jones via Groups.Io wrote:

Yep, I've almost bought a Hakko several times.? Probably will get one of those eventually.? Right now I do have a cheap Chinese SMT/hot air station.? So it's better than nothing.? Still tend to use my old cheap RS station.? Most the SMD stuff I do isn't that fine.? Occasionally as small as 805 but usually larger.

David

On Wed, 13 Mar 2019 08:45:00 -0500, you wrote:

Thanks for the serial number and description to look for. I would think
maybe a low serial number would have more miles on it. I don't know what
the failure rate is on these Metcals. But with the 2 led light info I
may be able to detect a model upgrade change.

I think so. Schematics are not quite easy to find, someone has made a
"clone" of one. But there's not a whole lot in there from what I saw.

The major thing that (guessing here) may fail is the power FET. I
think that the later models may have better protection circuitry, or
that's the hope.

Harvey

On 3/12/2019 7:20 PM, Harvey White wrote:

On Tue, 12 Mar 2019 16:27:44 -0500, you wrote:

PS2E-01 serial numbers>

Harvey,

?Thanks for all the info. What is the serial number on your PS2E-01? I
see numbers in the 2000x up to 40,000x and don't know if a lower number
would be better or worse than a newer number. I will be watching for a
deal but they are definitely available as the power supply only. I have
to do a bunch more research before I commit.

Firstly, I have no idea of the serial number procession.

However
I have SN: 4012842

Seems to be the oldest.

SN 6E04691 which has a different arrangement of power and output
connectors on the back, and in addition, red and green LEDs on the
front to tell you if the load (heating element) has somehow been
disconnected.

Guessing, I'd say that 6E, or at least, one that has the two LEDs on
the front might be the best of that series.

Further series added switches to go between desolder and solder, and
later series added LCD displays (and, I think, lots of dollars to the
price).

Harvey

Dave

Yep, I've almost bought a Hakko several times.? Probably will get one of those eventually.? Right now I do have a cheap Chinese SMT/hot air station.? So it's better than nothing.? Still tend to use my old cheap RS station.? Most the SMD stuff I do isn't that fine.? Occasionally as small as 805 but usually larger.

David

_._,_._,_

---

I have not seen anyone mention Edsyn solder stations.? They used to be a pretty decent station.? Have they fallen out of favor?? I still have some of their SoldaPullt mechanical solder suckers.

Thank you.

Jim Pruitt

On 3/14/2019 6:21 AM, David Jones via Groups.Io wrote:

Yep, I've almost bought a Hakko several times.? Probably will get one of those eventually.? Right now I do have a cheap Chinese SMT/hot air station.? So it's better than nothing.? Still tend to use my old cheap RS station.? Most the SMD stuff I do isn't that fine.? Occasionally as small as 805 but usually larger.

David

Yep, I've almost bought a Hakko several times.? Probably will get one of those eventually.? Right now I do have a cheap Chinese SMT/hot air station.? So it's better than nothing.? Still tend to use my old cheap RS station.? Most the SMD stuff I do isn't that fine.? Occasionally as small as 805 but usually larger.

David