Good JBC clone?

[kuemmel]

Hi,

is there any good jbc soldering station clone? Can someone send me a link? Unfortunately, I can not find anything.

Greets,
kuemmel

[SVFeingold]

What's your budget? If you're looking for something that's 100 bucks and accepts JBC tips with similar performance, I haven't seen anything.

Check out the universal soldering iron controller. It can run JBC tips. It'll cost you around $200-$300 for the PCBS + BOM, and you have to build it yourself. Then you need to buy a JBC handle and tips. But it works as well as the real JBC unit.

[2N3055]

What's your budget? If you're looking for something that's 100 bucks and accepts JBC tips with similar performance, I haven't seen anything.

Check out the universal soldering iron controller. It can run JBC tips. It'll cost you around $200-$300 for the PCBS + BOM, and you have to build it yourself. Then you need to buy a JBC handle and tips. But it works as well as the real JBC unit.

So 200-300 USD + soldering iron + holder + tips....

For 400€ (with VAT) you can get JBC CD-2BE Soldering Station with two tips...
Makes no sense to spend time to make something and pay more

Look here..

https://www.welectron.com/JBC-CD-2BE-Soldering-Station

No relations to seller, just happy customer..

But why JBC. They have nightmare prices for tips, and tips are not best so long life as some others..

It makes more sense to go with Hakko for DIY option.. Tips are cheaper.. There are even whole systems (including handle)for very little money that accept Hakko tips..

[SVFeingold]

True, it's not really a cheap alternative but it has some flexibility of being able to use many different handpieces, if that matters to you.

The compact JBC stations also can't supply the full power to the T245 handpiece AFAIK while the universal soldering iron can.

You can get the BOM cost down a bit if you pick cheaper parts, but it will still be expensive. Yes, to your point it's not really a cheap alternative. I don't know of any clones however.

[sn4k3]

Here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/KNOKOO-DI3000-75W-ESD-safe-digital-display-intelligent-temperature-control-smt-soldering-machine-with-JBC-C245/32571552124.html
(Don't forget import duties if any...)

Or better buy a ERSA i-con Nano

[amyk]

Here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/KNOKOO-DI3000-75W-ESD-safe-digital-display-intelligent-temperature-control-smt-soldering-machine-with-JBC-C245/32571552124.html
(Don't forget import duties if any...)

Or better buy a ERSA i-con Nano

KNOKOO -- because KNOCKOFF would be too obvious.

[nanofrog]

If you're dead set on JBC, they make an analog model specifically for Weidinger (JBC - BT-2BWA Kit Weidinger Edition). Least expensive way I know of to get a new one.

That said, you may actually be better off with an ERSA instead. Simple plated metal tips are far less expensive than JBC's, and they last a good long time. Plenty of information on their stuff here in the forum. 

[sn4k3]

Here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/KNOKOO-DI3000-75W-ESD-safe-digital-display-intelligent-temperature-control-smt-soldering-machine-with-JBC-C245/32571552124.html
(Don't forget import duties if any...)

Or better buy a ERSA i-con Nano

KNOKOO -- because KNOCKOFF would be too obvious.

They change brand name recently. Previous was JNB...

[flolic]

I have just ordered replacement C245-034 tip from them and will compare it to original JBC when it arrives.

[Swiety]

I have just ordered replacement C245-034 tip from them and will compare it to original JBC when it arrives.

Hey,
Did You test this tip? I consider getting them.

[flolic]

So, after month or so of regular use, I can confirm that clone tip perform exactly as original one. In fact, it perform even better regarding tip wetting.
I have not made any scientific measurements, this is based entirely on feel between the two.
All that is left is to wait and see how long it will last.

Few images comparing clone and original. Clone tip is on the top.

[Deridex]

For easy hobbiest stuff i would just recommend a Ersa I-Con-Nano or Pico or one of these new Weller ones (did forget the name, but i think the pricetag is similar to the I-Con-Nano).

[nanofrog]

For easy hobbiest stuff i would just recommend a Ersa I-Con-Nano or Pico or one of these new Weller ones (did forget the name, but i think the pricetag is similar to the I-Con-Nano).

Do note that the Pico isn't ESD compliant, while the Nano and Weller WE1010 are.

[janoc]

For easy hobbiest stuff i would just recommend a Ersa I-Con-Nano or Pico or one of these new Weller ones (did forget the name, but i think the pricetag is similar to the I-Con-Nano).

Do note that the Pico isn't ESD compliant, while the Nano and Weller WE1010 are.

Pico had also lower power rating and firmware differences (Nano has programmable presets etc.). Nano I can only recommend - I have it for a few years now and it is a very good iron. Heats up very fast, good thermal capacity (I was soldering shielding cans out of sheet metal with it with no issues), lightweight handpiece (more a pencil than a classic iron), good choice of reasonably priced tips and the station is tiny so takes up very little space on the bench.

The only quibbles are the quite stiff cable to the handpiece (Hey, ERSA even my ancient el-cheapo Solomon has a silicone insulated cable!) and that tip changing can be a bit of chore when hot - do make sure to buy some extra nuts for the tips because you will not be able to push a hot tip out of the nut to swap it for something else! It is plenty difficult to do even when cold. Also it is not possible to replace the handpiece with anything else (e.g. hot tweezers) - the cable is not on a regular connector and ERSA doesn't even sell other handpiece types for it. For that one needs to pay a bit more for one of the higher models.

Basically the Nano is for Europeans what the Hakko FX888 is for the Americans (Hakko has insane prices and availability issues in Europe).

[nrxnrx]

The only quibbles are the quite stiff cable to the handpiece (Hey, ERSA even my ancient el-cheapo Solomon has a silicone insulated cable!)

On my 2018 vintage Nano, the soldering pencil came with an amazingly thin and bendy cable. I assume it has silicone insulation.
It's so nice that I've caught myself leaning over just to fondle the cable.

[wraper]

Ersa has silicone insulated cable. It's not that soft because it has a lot of copper in it.

[janoc]

Ersa has silicone insulated cable. It's not that soft because it has a lot of copper in it.

Maybe, but it is certainly quite stiff - with the light handpiece it tends to pull it all over the place. It is also difficult to twist it - a hassle if you are using chisel tips, for example. My old Solomon iron has a cable that is 2x thicker and doesn't have that problem.

I am glad to hear that the 2018 one is better, mine is from 2013.

[wraper]

Maybe, but it is certainly quite stiff - with the light handpiece it tends to pull it all over the place. It is also difficult to twist it - a hassle if you are using chisel tips, for example. My old Solomon iron has a cable that is 2x thicker and doesn't have that problem.

Your solomon has at least 3 times lower peak power of heating element, therefore needs much less copper in the cable. My oldest i-con is made in 2009. Nano uses same heating element but lower voltage than full blown I-CON, so current is lower. They could use less copper but I guess cable used is the same.
Also apparent stiffness of the cable may be misleading.  Try bending thicker solomon cable to the same radius as ersa cable. Ersa cable is mostly copper and a thin layer of insulation. While solomon cable is a little copper with thick insulation.

[janoc]

Maybe, but it is certainly quite stiff - with the light handpiece it tends to pull it all over the place. It is also difficult to twist it - a hassle if you are using chisel tips, for example. My old Solomon iron has a cable that is 2x thicker and doesn't have that problem.

Your solomon has at least 3 times lower peak power of heating element, therefore needs much less copper in the cable. My oldest i-con is made in 2009. Nano uses same heating element but lower voltage than full blown I-CON, so current is lower. They could use less copper but I guess cable used is the same.

The Solomon has 48W/24V on the handle, so certainly not 3x less (the Nano is 80W-ish if I remember correctly). But that is not really relevant - the Nano's cable simply sucks (or sucked - it is possible that the newer version has a better one, based on one of the comments above). You can have a high powered iron and a nice flexible cable that doesn't constantly tug on the handpiece. The two are certainly not exclusive. It doesn't need to be super thin!

It is not the worst cable I have used (the rigid, plasticky thing on the Aoyue station that I had before was horrid), but I have also seen better ones.

[wraper]

Heating element is 150W peak. It is run on full power at 24V on full blown I-con and at 80W on nano at 16.5V.

The two are certainly not exclusive. It doesn't need to be super thin!

It is not the worst cable I have used (the rigid, plasticky thing on the Aoyue station that I had before was horrid), but I have also seen better ones.

Try imagining how would look I-tool with solomon cable  Cable thicker than the end of the tool. Again, try bending them to the same diameter, and only then decide which is stiffer.

[janoc]

Heating element is 150W peak. It is run on full power at 24V on full blown I-con and at 80W on nano at 16.5V.

The two are certainly not exclusive. It doesn't need to be super thin!

It is not the worst cable I have used (the rigid, plasticky thing on the Aoyue station that I had before was horrid), but I have also seen better ones.

Try imagining how would look I-tool with solomon cable  Cable thicker than the end of the tool. Again, try bending them to the same diameter, and only then decide which is stiffer.

Just measured - the Solomon cable is 5.4mm diameter, the Nano has 3.4mm (+- some error, it was a quick measurement). Only about 2mm difference in diameter. And yes, I have tried to bend the cables - the Solomon cable bends into equally small diameter as the Nano's easily. No problem there.

I am not sure you have seen/used the Solomon irons at all (they are cheap junk, but that's not the point here).

It is one of these irons:
https://www.circuitspecialists.com/sl24v.html

No idea whether the cable is the same, though - I have seen some of these replacement handpieces having a nasty stiff cable too.

[wraper]

Just measured - the Solomon cable is 5.4mm diameter, the Nano has 3.4mm (+- some error, it was a quick measurement). Only about 2mm difference in diameter. And yes, I have tried to bend the cables - the Solomon cable bends into equally small diameter as the Nano's easily. No problem there.

You said that nano cable is stiff. Now you say that solomon cable bends the the same diameter just as easily. Something does not add up. Or what you define as stiffness?

[janoc]

Just measured - the Solomon cable is 5.4mm diameter, the Nano has 3.4mm (+- some error, it was a quick measurement). Only about 2mm difference in diameter. And yes, I have tried to bend the cables - the Solomon cable bends into equally small diameter as the Nano's easily. No problem there.

You said that nano cable is mush stiffer. Now you say that solomon cable bends the the same diameter just as easily. Something does not add up. Or what define as stiffness?

What doesn't add up? It is stiffer to bend and to twist, I can bend the solomon cable more than I can bend the Nano's cable, no problem, even though it is thicker.

You can manhandle both but that's not the point - what matters more is how much force you have to exert to get it to bend and to have it stay put, so that it doesn't pull at the handpiece when you are working. I think the Nano isn't helped there by both the fact that the handpiece is so light and thin (so you have less torque when you need to twist it) and also the rather inflexible strain relief (not sure how that could be done better, though).

[Shock]

If you contemplating a station in the €200-€300 range hold out until the Pace ADS200 hits the market in Europe properly. It's a fully featured 90W?-120W station, 40 tips so far (very well priced) and after the product settles in, expect the tip range to expand (they had 140 on the last model), mini tweezers are in the works as well.

Regarding the clone JBC tip, a thermally stressed dirty genuine tip (which is what it looks like) is not a fair comparison to a new clone tip, got to test like for like or at least rejuvenate the tip.

[ChrisG]

I'm considering to buy the JBC-CD-2BE but am too a pure hobbyist. Having an old 18 yrs Philips branded soldering station which is actually a Sem Soudage (www.ftm-technologies.com    www.semsoudage.com) Dual DPA 100. It's regulated pretty okay but I'm getting annoyed by the clunky grip (it does have auto power down btw).
So here I am at cross roads... it'll be a bit a bit of an 'investment' for my personal pleasure.
However when re-reading this post there are some comments that this entry-level JBC is still too much of an expenditure for hobbyist. Anybody care to chime into the discussion again? Many thanks, regards, Chris