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Electronics => Beginners => Topic started by: dog80 on September 10, 2013, 06:40:30 pm

Title: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: dog80 on September 10, 2013, 06:40:30 pm
I was looking the JBC website and they have three different models for every soldering station for 220, 120 and 100 volts respectively.

Why make three separate models instead of one with a multi tap transformer and a voltage selector switch?
Title: Re: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: Zero999 on September 10, 2013, 06:45:23 pm
To save on cost, plus it probably helps them to charge different prices to different markets.
Title: Re: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: rexxar on September 11, 2013, 01:32:29 am
It probably also reduces the number of idiot consumers that set it on 120v in Europe and blow the thing up.
Title: Re: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: senso on September 11, 2013, 01:35:01 am
Just to charge 100% more in Europe and give the excuse that its the transformer, bla bla bla
Title: Re: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: nukie on September 14, 2013, 11:14:15 pm
Just upgrade to SMPS and make the whole thing smaller.
Title: Re: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: Zero999 on September 14, 2013, 11:19:47 pm
Just upgrade to SMPS and make the whole thing smaller.
That might not be practical if the soldering iron is run off AC and is switched using a TRIAC.
Title: Re: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: Dave on September 14, 2013, 11:21:50 pm
Just upgrade to SMPS and make the whole thing smaller.
From what I've seen, soldering stations often use AC for the heater and control that with a triac. An SMPS wouldn't help you there.

Plus I really don't think it would be worth voiding the warranty. Just buy the correct station for your mains and be done with it.

Edit: Daingert! Hero beat me to it.
Title: Re: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: nukie on September 18, 2013, 10:24:14 pm
Quite a few Chinese are now offering compact sized DC controllers PCB upgrade kit for the AC based Hakko 936 and Hakko FX series. SMPS makes it extremely portable. Very impressive stuff developing in the communist land.

There was one or two person here on this forum also built similar mosfet based controller for the JBC.

The JBC can be plugged directly into one of the Hakko controller I forgot which one, there was a YouTube video.

I dont see what's the problem with powering the heater with DC as long as the same power is applied.
Title: Re: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: free_electron on September 18, 2013, 10:49:55 pm
Just upgrade to SMPS and make the whole thing smaller.
That might not be practical if the soldering iron is run off AC and is switched using a TRIAC.
it's 2013. we got mosfets now... soldering stations are low voltage ...
Title: Re: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: peter.mitchell on September 19, 2013, 09:56:07 am
Just upgrade to SMPS and make the whole thing smaller.
That might not be practical if the soldering iron is run off AC and is switched using a TRIAC.
it's 2013. we got mosfets now... soldering stations are low voltage ...

Exactly, I'm thinking, since it is a pretty slow loop (compared to a lot of other things), even slow PWM could easily control an irons speeds sufficiently.
Title: Re: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: eevblogfan on September 19, 2013, 11:02:01 am
Hey

I saw it as if he wanted JBC to make that soldering station smaller and efficient by using SMPS , and the immediate thought of mine was pulse width modulation  in order to control that heater the best efficiency possible ( and then the MTBF come in play though ... and the complexity is way off simple linear style station ... ) 

anyway ... JBC are good :D
Title: Re: Why different devices for different voltages?
Post by: Zero999 on September 20, 2013, 10:06:44 am
it's 2013. we got mosfets now... soldering stations are low voltage ...
Yes I know but some soldering irons still run the element off 24VAC switched by a TRIAC and can't be operated off DC.