Warning about older 6v soldering irons!

[OleST]

it might sound stupid but i was trying to use and old 6V adamin soldering iron with my 0-6V adjustible power and quickly learned that i need to limit the output, at 6v the iron drew 2 amps, went red hot and then stopped working 


learn from my mistakes!

but atleast i have an ekscuse to buy a shiny new ts100!

[oldway]

Are you sure you could use 6V dc ?

 If you soldering iron has any temperature regulation, than you can perhaps only use AC, not DC....

[OleST]

the box said "for automotive use" so i assumed it was meant for 6v dc becuse some older cars use 6v electrical systems?

but anyways, the iron is toast.

[james_s]

How old was it? Cars haven't used 6V electrical systems since the 1940s and most of those have been retrofitted to 12V by now.

[janoc]

How old was it? Cars haven't used 6V electrical systems since the 1940s and most of those have been retrofitted to 12V by now.

Trabants used a 6V system too and that is decidedly postwar car.

Also many contraptions derived from motocycles use 6V electrics. It isn't very common but still exists.

[sokoloff]

VW Beetles were 6 Volt through 1966, IIRC.

[james_s]

Well whatever the case it's not common. This would have to be a very old soldering iron to be intended for 6V. Perhaps it's part of a system and was supposed to connect to an external controller?

[ebastler]

i was trying to use and old 6V adamin soldering iron

Adamin, hmm... Did it look like this? 



http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/97993614/Vintage_Adamin_Made_In_England_Soldering_Iron_Working_Perfectly_Refer_To_Pictures_For_Condition.html

[tronde]

This would have to be a very old soldering iron to be intended for 6V.

Ersa minor is 6V.

http://www.tme.eu/en/details/ersa-minor/soldering-irons-and-guns/ersa/

[OleST]

This would have to be a very old soldering iron to be intended for 6V.

Ersa minor is 6V.

http://www.tme.eu/en/details/ersa-minor/soldering-irons-and-guns/ersa/

it looked really scimilar except it didnt have the solder sucker. (i still have the box for it so i could possibly get you a pic of that, i might even have another one that is new in box?)

[NottheDan]

Trabants used a 6V system too and that is decidedly postwar car.

Only until 1983 IIRC. The ones built afterwards were 12V.

[Rick Law]

VW Beetles were 6 Volt through 1966, IIRC.

I can attest to that.  I had a VW bug made in the 1960's that was 6V.