The AM Forum
March 29, 2024, 08:22:35 AM *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
 
   Home   Help Calendar Links Staff List Gallery Login Register  
Pages: [1]   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: A Tip for your Tip's...  (Read 6079 times)
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
N8ETQ
Member

Offline Offline

Posts: 795


Mort


« 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


* Tips 001.jpg (438.62 KB, 1824x1368 - viewed 1196 times.)
Logged
W1RKW
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 4410



« Reply #1 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.
Logged

Bob
W1RKW
Home of GORT. A buddy of mine named the 813 rig GORT.
His fear was when I turned it on for the first time life on earth would come to a stand still.
W7TFO
WTF-OVER in 7 land Dennis
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 2521


IN A TRIODE NO ONE CAN HEAR YOUR SCREEN


WWW
« Reply #2 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
Logged

Just pacing the Farady cage...
Opcom
Patrick J. / KD5OEI
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 8308



WWW
« Reply #3 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.
Logged

Radio Candelstein - Flagship Station of the NRK Radio Network.
MikeKE0ZUinkcmo
Member

Offline Offline

Posts: 444



« Reply #4 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.



Logged

Mike KE0ZU

Bold Text and PICS are usually links

https://mikeharrison.smugmug.com/
Pages: [1]   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

AMfone - Dedicated to Amplitude Modulation on the Amateur Radio Bands
 AMfone © 2001-2015
Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines
Page created in 0.07 seconds with 19 queries.