Hakko FX-888 110V -> 230V mod

[Uncle Vernon]

I'm not worrying of using a new 26VA transformer only.

How did you ascertain your replacement transformer was rated at 26VA?

[Miles Teg]

It was written on it.

http://www.electronique-diffusion.fr/product_info.php?products_id=981

But on constructor catalog, by checking size, seems to be a 30VA.

http://www.crovisa.com/base/conven.pdf

[T4P]

Then you can watch your FX-888 burn down 
If it was truly 30VA then things is going to get disastrous

[Miles Teg]

Sorry I don't understand.

Are you sure the original transfo is more than 30VA?
I should think 30VA is enough as power consumption is burst only.
and the 70W of rating label is the peak consumption.

[T4P]

Sorry I don't understand.

Are you sure the original transfo is more than 30VA?
I should think 30VA is enough as power consumption is burst only.
and the 70W of rating label is the peak consumption.

NO JUST NO. It's much larger then a 50VA tranny ( I have two of them to prove my point ) so it's about 80VA

80VA is not just burst, if it's burst then big problems the transformer would have been cooked eventually ( Do you even know the 888 just like the 936 doesn't cycle the heater on and off on start? As with any soldering station? )
If you measure the heater resistance it will give about 2.9ohms +/- and mind you they do really want to draw 70W full power from the transformer

[Miles Teg]

So I need a new transfo. But I don't know how to find better power output in same size. 

[Architect_1077]

Someone else mentioned this transformer:

http://uk.farnell.com/pro-power/ctfcs100-12/transformer-100va-2-x-12v/dp/1780896

I don't know (yet) whether or not this one could in fact replace the original Hakko tx. That's something you'll have to figure out.

[Stephen Hill]

Another completely different option might be to buy a Variac. Not only could you run your Iron from it, it might be handy for other applications.

[eternal_noob]

NO JUST NO. It's much larger then a 50VA tranny ( I have two of them to prove my point ) so it's about 80VA

80VA is not just burst, if it's burst then big problems the transformer would have been cooked eventually ( Do you even know the 888 just like the 936 doesn't cycle the heater on and off on start? As with any soldering station? )
If you measure the heater resistance it will give about 2.9ohms +/- and mind you they do really want to draw 70W full power from the transformer

You simply can't ''pack'' 80VA into a transformer of the size that's in the FX888! The 30Va transformer that Miles Teg put in his station will work just fine as long it has a good load regulation, and it does. I have modded a 936 clone with a 50VA transformer and it runs cool like it has no load at all. 80VA? NO!!
Miles... Your transformer is good to go, but I would have made a bracket to support the other side of the transformer so it doesn't break off from the cast iron (or whatever it is) base and cause short.

[T4P]

Well then how does hakko get the 70W operation power on the iron? Fake? Somebody measured peak easily at 60W ( which means beyond 70W easily ) on his/her FX-888
The 936 uses a 60VA tranny inside (You probably bought a Atten 936b which uses a 35W element)

[IanB]

Well then how does hakko get the 70W operation power on the iron? Fake? Somebody measured peak easily at 60W ( which means beyond 70W easily ) on his/her FX-888
The 936 uses a 60VA tranny inside (You probably bought a Atten 936b which uses a 35W element)

It's perfectly easy to get an instantaneous 70 W out of a transformer rated at 30-50 VA. You just draw as much current as the load needs and let the transformer do its thing.

Now what will happen if you do this continuously without a rest is the transformer will get warm and eventually perhaps too warm.

However, the VA rating on a transformer is for continuous output, not peak output. If you draw 70 W intermittently with gaps in between, the average load will be much lower. As long as the average load is consistent with the continuous output rating you will be fine. The way a soldering station works it does not keep the transformer on full output for more than 2-3 minutes at a time. If it kept the transformer on full output for 15 minutes you would be in trouble, but that doesn't happen.

So if the replacement transformer in an FX-888 is the same physical size, then it's basically going to have the same VA rating as the original and should be perfectly fine.

[T4P]

But what's the actual VA rating of the original FX-888 ?

[IanB]

But what's the actual VA rating of the original FX-888 ?

Unless we have a transformer make or model number, or unless it is written on the transformer, there is no way to know.

Someone could probably estimate it given measurements of the core size and windings, but I am not in a position to do that.

[eternal_noob]

It's perfectly easy to get an instantaneous 70 W out of a transformer rated at 30-50 VA. You just draw as much current as the load needs and let the transformer do its thing.

And to expand on that a little bit.
To achieve that, they go down on the number of turns on the primary, which means higher current through it, and thereby forcing the secondary to deliver more (if the wire thickness allows it to), which again means that the transformer automatically gets better self-regulating properties also. But, the transformer core needs to be able to handle the increased current, so they use High Flux Density cores for this.
A ''stiff'' (good self regulation) transformer, typical 10 percent or better is easily recognized by a low DC resistance primary with solid enameled wire, compared to others of the same size. And, if someone noticed the voltage drop on Miles' new transformer, he has just got one of the stiff ones in his '888.

I'm actually tempted to write Miles a PM and ask if he can fix a transformer for me. 

[eternal_noob]

But what's the actual VA rating of the original FX-888 ?

Unless we have a transformer make or model number, or unless it is written on the transformer, there is no way to know.

Someone could probably estimate it given measurements of the core size and windings, but I am not in a position to do that.

Read Berts answer here:
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20111102061157AAjsq4T

[analogix]

Sorry to bump this thread seeing it's more than 5 years old, but I just came across someone selling a 110V version of the FX888D cheaply whereas household voltage is 230V here.

One option I didn't see mentioned is if Hakko themselves have been contacted to ask if they sell a genuine Hakko 220/240V transformer as a spare part, and how much that would cost?

[stevelup]

You could try Dancap:-

http://www.dancap.co.uk/soldering/soldering.htm

But how cheap is cheap? Is it really worth the hassle compared with buying a Euro model?

[mariush]

Batterfly sells the 230v version for 100 euro : https://www.batterfly.com/shop/hakko_fx-888d

If he can buy the US version for let's say 50$ plus 20$ or so shipping making it around 70-80 euro, it would be worth it.


I would probably say don't bother trying to get original transformer, generally the replacement parts are quite expensive.

You should be able to fit a 50VA toroidal transformer in the space and the voltage should also not be that critical - ideally you want 24v AC if I remember correctly, but it should be fine with 20v AC or 22v AC as well ( if you get a transformer with 2 x 10v AC secondary windings)

Lower AC voltage will just make the heating element heat slower (but 20v AC vs 24v AC it's not a huge difference), same with the lower VA rating but it's less important since you won't use the soldering iron at very high temperature settings most of the time and you're not gonna solder super thick stuff so your soldering iron won't need to pump loads of energy in the tip to recover (to counteract the metals acting as heatsink for the iron tip)
 
Here's an example :

24v (2 x 12) 50VA 33mm tall , 82mm diameter , 12.5 uk pounds : http://uk.farnell.com/vigortronix/vtx-146-050-212/50va-toroidal-transformer-2x12v/dp/2817651
24v (2 x 12) 60VA 34mm tall , 85mm diameter , 14 uk pounds : http://uk.farnell.com/vigortronix/vtx-146-060-212/60va-toroidal-transformer-2x12v/dp/2817658

24v 50VA 35x85 , 10.4 euro : https://www.tme.eu/en/details/tst50w_24v/toroidal-transformers/indel/tst50013/
24v 60VA 37x85 , 11.6 euro : https://www.tme.eu/en/details/tst60w_24v/toroidal-transformers/indel/tst60011/

24v 50VA 38x78 , 12.18 euro : https://www.tme.eu/en/details/tts50_z230_24v/toroidal-transformers/breve-tufvassons/
24v 60VA 40x80 , 13.39 euro : https://www.tme.eu/en/details/tts60_z230_24v/toroidal-transformers/breve-tufvassons/

The last two are probably the best since they're less tall by half a cm, maybe they'll fit better inside.
 

[stevelup]

It isn't worth it though is it?

You save €20, then have to mess around changing the transformer. Completely pointless in my opinion.