Is it time to replace my iron tip when?

[mictas]

So, a few days ago I was trying to do some soldering and I found my iron tip just not cutting it. After taking off the tip its self, I have notice that an inner sheath hanging loose and easily removable. This is sitting between the heating element and the tip itself.

I did notice that the iron works fine with another tip. And I was always thinking it a tip had to be in real bad shape, before it needs replacement.

By the way, I have a Hakko FX888D soldering station.

[AndyC_772]

Any tool that is no longer doing the job it's required to do, should be repaired or replaced.

Tips are cheap and disposable. Change it.

[Rerouter]

That sheath you have noted is the ceramic casing for your irons heater. If it has cracked, you will have to replace the heating element. And this loose fitting cracked heater would be why it's not performing up to snuff.

For hakko stuff you may find buying an entire new pencil is fairly cheap.

[mictas]

That sheath you have noted is the ceramic casing for your irons heater. If it has cracked, you will have to replace the heating element. And this loose fitting cracked heater would be why it's not performing up to snuff.

For hakko stuff you may find buying an entire new pencil is fairly cheap.

There are no cracks in the ceramic, I make sure to check that, every time I have swapped the tip. It has some black lines on it, but it looks in-tacked.
Its more the inner sleeve on the iron tip, the metal sheath came off very easily and I am thinking... "Okay, that is not good"