"Baron" wrote in message
...
Arfa Daily wrote:

Just following on from the thread of a few weeks ago, where we were
discussing how Weller tips don't seem to last like they used, and then
the reference to lead-free solder 'leaching' iron from the tip
plating, that I found on the Cooper website.

A few weeks back - no more than 4 - I fitted a new 700 degree pointed
tip to my TCP series Magnastat bench workhorse iron. It's on for about
12 hours a day, and the Magnastat works correctly. About a week ago, I
noticed that the tip was already 'waisting' about 2mm up from the
point, and today, the pointy bit just fell off, leaving a ragged
eaten-away stump. During the three weeks that it seemed to survive
unscathed, the soldering done with it was predominantly normal 60/40
leaded, using the same solder that I always have for more years than I
care to remember. In amongst that work period, I guess I used it for
lead-free soldering perhaps four or five times - maybe 20 - 30 joints
total.

So what is going on here ? Have Weller changed the plating of their
tips in some way ? Are we actually seeing this iron plating 'leaching'
effect that they mention on the website, in play ? Or is it that the
fluxes in lead-fee solder are so aggressive to try to make the useless
stuff stick to other metals, that the iron plating doesn't stand a
chance ? If it is the leaching effect, or even flux attack, then it's
pretty drastic, if it can wreck a tip with that few joints ...

Whatever it is, three to four weeks for a tip, instead of the previous
three to four months, at least, seems pretty poor performance for what
has always been accepted as a good quality 'professional' general
bench iron.

Arfa

I have to agree with you ! I've taken to turning mine off when I don't
need it for a little while. Another thing I did with a corroded tip
was to drill a 1mm hole and insert a half inch (15mm) of copper wire.
It doesn't last much longer than the original did but you can just snip
off the end and carry on

--
Best Regards:
Baron.


I think I might try doing something with a diode, because it's a right pain
having to turn off and on all the time in a busy workshop. I want to just be
able to reach for the iron and it to be there, in my hand, ready and willing
to melt solder for me. A while back, I replaced my Weller DS900 desoldering
station with a functionally similar Pace model. I used to leave the Weller
on pretty much all the time, and tips lasted several months. They could be
bought one at a time for about seven quid. The Pace tips, even though they
call them long life "Endura", don't last a third as long, if left running,
and although only about the same price as the Wellers, can only be bought
five at a time, and I really baulk at shelling out 35 quid, just to have one
to put in, and four sitting in the drawer ... It also bothers me that
turning an iron on and off all the time, is going to be more stressful for
the element, and at 90 quid a pop, you don't wanna be changing the Pace one
too often :-\

Arfa