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THE AM BULLETIN BOARD => Technical Forum => Topic started by: N8ETQ on October 22, 2013, 02:05:46 PM



Title: A Tip for your Tip's...
Post by: N8ETQ on October 22, 2013, 02:05:46 PM

   Had to put a small tip in my Weller
pencil today to do some GaAs fet stuff. It's
been a while and I hoped I still had some as
I remember burning a bunch up because I kept
forgetting to unplug the Iron.

   Well I was happy to see a few still on
and I have to attribute that to a "Trick"
I implemented a few years ago when it
became apparent that I would never remember
unplug the Iron.

   I feed my pencil type irons via a small
power strip so the plug would be easy to
get at, and as a visual reminder. That helped
a bit, but the best solution was to pick up
a small night light. I plug that into the
strip adjacent to the socket for the Iron
and turn it on as I plug it in, Turn it off
when I unplug.

   I did try a timer, but I always seemed to
get distracted, and upon return to the bench the
iron was cold.

Hope this helps other suffers of CRS...

73

/Dan


Title: Re: A Tip for your Tip's...
Post by: W1RKW on October 22, 2013, 04:16:13 PM
I do something similar with a master switch on the bench strips. I use an " auto night light" on one strip.  When the shack light goes off the night light goes on reminding me that the bench is still powered on. Don't want to waste power, burning out the iron or risk fire when not attended.


Title: Re: A Tip for your Tip's...
Post by: W7TFO on October 22, 2013, 07:40:29 PM
I modded my vintage Esico iron holder with a metal saddle that pushes a microswitch when the iron is in place. 

That switch puts a like-Watted lamp in series with the iron, dropping the heat enough to keep it from 'going dirty'.

When I pick up the iron, the lamp is shorted out and it comes to temp very quickly.

Once in a while it runs all night like that, never had any damage to the tip.

73DG


Title: Re: A Tip for your Tip's...
Post by: Opcom on October 22, 2013, 11:59:30 PM
they make purpose built timers for soldering stations. They plug in to the wall and have a socket on them. They use them at work. The tech pushes a button and the iron is on for 20 minutes.


Title: Re: A Tip for your Tip's...
Post by: MikeKE0ZUinkcmo on October 23, 2013, 09:33:40 AM
I have a similar approach, and, I'm a believer in the KISS methodology and installed a "Master" on each bench.   Its time to go, hit the switch and walk away.   When Its time to re-start, just flip the master and all is where I last left off.

(http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv62/mikeinkcmo/testgear/Bench/BenchSwitch1_zpsca69c34d.jpg)

(http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv62/mikeinkcmo/testgear/Bench/BenchSwitch2_zpsf7f538df.jpg)
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