EEVblog #472 - JBC CD-2BB Soldering Iron Teardown

[ddavidebor]

Yes... This pic is a damn complex thing... Was not better in term of reliability something old?

[neslekkim]

since you people now are playing with the firmware, anyone found an way of uploading it on BB, without the jbc specific cable?

[abyrvalg]

since you people now are playing with the firmware, anyone found an way of uploading it on BB, without the jbc specific cable?

Done, found the pinout and updated my CD-2BB some minutes ago. Serial port is white 7-pin connector. Position the board so you can read dsPIC33FJ256 marking normally, pinout starting from top pin:

• nMCLR (don't use)
• +3.3V
• GND
• AN26/RE2 (don't use)
• AN27/RE3 (don't use)
• RxD (station's receive, connect to PC's TxD)
• TxD (station's transmit, connect to PC's RxD)

!!! WARNING 1 !!! These pins have 3.3V levels, don't connect them to RS-232 port directly (evil +-12V dwells there) !!!
!!! WARNING 2 !!! Better disconnect the iron from the station before connecting the station to PC !!!
I've left my one connected and experienced an unpleasant moment - the station started blinking between "NO TOOL" and (quickly rising) temperature display, tool's tip reached slight red glow before I cut the power. I suspect an overvoltage from my USB-Serial converter (it has 3.6V levels) or ground current caused some measurement failure. After disconnecting from PC the station is ok now. If you plan to use some "run time" features like "Lab register" datalogger - keep that in mind (use optocouplers ?).

There are no quirks in the update process itself - connected the station throught FTDI-based USB-Serial cable (so no need to use CP210x as in original cable), started the updater, switched the station on when it asked "reset the station", it said "found CD/CF station with version XXX, will update to version YYY", pressed "Update" and waited several minutes (a bit slow process !) until sw said "Done". Logging entire USB communication just for curiosity

[neslekkim]

cool!
I have this one that I was hoping to use http://www.adafruit.com/products/70
I also have this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/320794559603

How do you know its cp210x in the orginial cable?, does it exist schematics somewhere?

[abyrvalg]

cool!
I have this one that I was hoping to use http://www.adafruit.com/products/70
I also have this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/320794559603

How do you know its cp210x in the orginial cable?, does it exist schematics somewhere?

Both should work just fine, 3.3V fits exactly. Just get some compatible 2mm pitch 7-pin connector (I've used a piece of this http://www.sos.sk/?str=371&artnum=128531&name=bl1x09g-st4-3-rm2-zl265-09sg), solder gnd/rxd/txd to it and you are ready to go.

CP210x drivers are installed by updater sw, that's how I do know about it, no schematics. But there are no checks, any usb-serial should work.

[moemoe]

As you asked for some pictures of the newer model with integrated USB, here they are. Looks like some minor changes in the main PCB, and an additional opto coupler and an additional cp2102. And they also changed the transformer brand.

Btw, their update-tool sucks, because it
a) forces you to install the complete driver packages, even if the driver was already set up correctly before.
b) contains all firmware images for all stations, so you always need to download a new >300Mb package for updating your single station. No possibility to just download the one needed file from within the application.

[LPaul]

Hello,

In this video Dave says he plan to do a review of this unit. Is it still planned or did he make a forum review?

[moemoe]

At least with the latest firmware (didn't check for a year or so) they implemented the feature to preset 3 different fixed temperatures you can switch between with the arrow keys.

IMHO very usefull (310-330-350 are used 99% of the time), but sadly this forces you to go into the menu, enter the PIN and disable the feature if you need any different temperature. It would be so handy if you could just press up/down longer and get into free temp mode.

[picazzo]

The worst thing manufacturers are doing in soldering stations right now are buttons instead of a rotary encoder. In this station, the encoder is a quick temperature change and, in addition, the encoder has a button that would act as confirmation in the menu. You do not even need settings with temperature memory.

[hasan]

since you people now are playing with the firmware, anyone found an way of uploading it on BB, without the jbc specific cable?

Done, found the pinout and updated my CD-2BB some minutes ago. Serial port is white 7-pin connector. Position the board so you can read dsPIC33FJ256 marking normally, pinout starting from top pin:

• nMCLR (don't use)
• +3.3V
• GND
• AN26/RE2 (don't use)
• AN27/RE3 (don't use)
• RxD (station's receive, connect to PC's TxD)
• TxD (station's transmit, connect to PC's RxD)

!!! WARNING 1 !!! These pins have 3.3V levels, don't connect them to RS-232 port directly (evil +-12V dwells there) !!!
!!! WARNING 2 !!! Better disconnect the iron from the station before connecting the station to PC !!!
I've left my one connected and experienced an unpleasant moment - the station started blinking between "NO TOOL" and (quickly rising) temperature display, tool's tip reached slight red glow before I cut the power. I suspect an overvoltage from my USB-Serial converter (it has 3.6V levels) or ground current caused some measurement failure. After disconnecting from PC the station is ok now. If you plan to use some "run time" features like "Lab register" datalogger - keep that in mind (use optocouplers ?).

There are no quirks in the update process itself - connected the station throught FTDI-based USB-Serial cable (so no need to use CP210x as in original cable), started the updater, switched the station on when it asked "reset the station", it said "found CD/CF station with version XXX, will update to version YYY", pressed "Update" and waited several minutes (a bit slow process !) until sw said "Done". Logging entire USB communication just for curiosity

hello, I have this station, there is a station with a burned out processor. The 3.3v line is short-circuited. I bought a new processor but I can't install the software. The update program does not see the ports. What path should I follow? thank you.