DEADLY WIRING FAULT ; Atten 858D+ Hot Air Rework Station

[romantronixlab]

Finally last night I got my WEP858  . Wait a minute WEP have an up arrow in the P 
But plug it use it and all OK but something back in my mind told to tear it to see the wiring.  As writen here by some members the main wiring is all misdirected  I could not believe this ( but I should have) I read it all here. Anyways I took pictures and I will fix this up ASAP so this will be my Sunday project in between all other Projects (repairs) I need to make.

One more is I don't like that I cannot take out the main wire and cannot unplug the blower/heater wand.  Some mods ahead. 

[SirNick]

For what it's worth... SparkFun has their own inexpensive (probably rebadged) hot air rework station:

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10706

At $99 US, it's not quite as cheap, but it's probably not lethal... so it has that going for it.     If the ~$30 difference isn't a deal-breaker it could be worth a look.

I realize all the mains wiring stuff can be fixed in the cheapo ones, but man... if these guys can't figure out how to ground a chassis, I'm not confident the rest of the box is any bargain either.  Even if it is otherwise sound, I can't quite reconcile the idea of condemning reckless workmanship on one hand, and rewarding them with sales on the other.  To each their own there of course, I guess I've just found my line in the sand. 

[electrolux]

I reckon you bought it from ali express

[Tasman]

I noticed that the original pictures I posted have been deleted  probably because of too large files.  I have now added them to the first post in the topic with some explanation.

[kloetpatra]

I've bought a copy product named "YOUYUE 858D+" Looks exactly like the Atten but with an even more dangerous male pin connector for the hand piece on station. That means there is live wire exposed when the hand piece is disconnected. Also the live wire from the back is touching the case at the position of mounting holes for the hand piece holder. In special cases this could lead to a short when screws are tighntened at this side.

By the way I want to inform that there is a guy who did some mods including custom firmware to:

• increase temperature stability/accuracy
• remove display flickering
• monitor fan current
• etc.

can be found here:
http://blog.spitzenpfeil.org/wordpress/projects/youyue-858d-hotair-station-modifications/

That could be applied to all *858D devices.
For me I will probably add thermocouple detection and a relay to disconnect live terminals when hand piece is not connected.

[madworm]

We know. And that guy has posted about it on here as well

Make sure to post about your additions as well. Worth a new thread.

[engywook]

Hello,

I received an ATTEN 858D+, bought on ebay from Germany.  I plugged it, it heated, but it was not blowing. I opened the gun and measured the voltage at the fan pads, it varies from 11V to 28V when turning the button (looks normal to me). I de-soldered the fan and powered it directly from a 3S lipo battery fully charged (14.4V), but it is not spinning. I tried to reverse the polarity, without success. I can spin the fan manually, it is not blocked at all. It must be the motor, but I can't reach it.

I have already contacted the reseller to mention the defect object, but if any of you has a link to buy a spare fan, I would have a backup plan.

Thanks

[PA4TIM]

I really can not understand so many people here are still buying this crappy lethal junk. 

[n45048]

I have a quick question that is slightly off-topic.

My parents home has an RCD built into one of the power points (it has the test/reset buttons directly on the wall socket). Considering that RCDs have been mandatory in Australia since the very early 1990's, what's the point of having one on a single power outlet? (It does share the same circuit as the kitchen outlets and on rare occasions, it has been known to trip when dodgy toasters are plugged in, but everything on the distribution board remains on).

[TorqueRanger]

So are these worth buying or is there a same price alternative???
Or am I better off finding a Yihua Setup and rebuilding and  modding it

[eneuro]

One good idea I have heard is to make a habit of first touching all unknown electrical equipment with the BACK of your hand, so you don't grab hold of it if it is live.

Rather bad habit
There is something like electric probe testers and no way using ones hand to probe HV circuits 

[Monkeh]

I really can not understand so many people here are still buying this crappy lethal junk. 

It's not lethal if you know what you're doing.

Please suggest an affordable, widely available alternative.

[zapta]

I really can not understand so many people here are still buying this crappy lethal junk. 

Because they work well, inexpensive and there is not documented case yet of an actual death.

(I returned mine and got a used Hakko from ebay. Excellent quality inside and out).

[Pack34]

I really can not understand so many people here are still buying this crappy lethal junk. 

It's not lethal if you know what you're doing.

Please suggest an affordable, widely available alternative.

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10706

[Monkeh]

I really can not understand so many people here are still buying this crappy lethal junk. 

It's not lethal if you know what you're doing.

Please suggest an affordable, widely available alternative.

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10706

Twice the price, 110V, US-based seller. Ticks no boxes.

[Halford]

well.... I got mine today, and found this while waiting the delivery.

I'm not expert and I'ld like to know if this is a good sign before opening the box.

I tested for continuity and found that only the ground plug pin has continuity when touching the gun tip or the metal plate under the gun holder.... does it count as a valid test for correct wiring?

thanks

Hal.

[Yago]

Not sure exactly what you mean.

I got one several months ago, but due to the year from hell only opened/inspect/test it last night.
In mine, the earth is not connected to the metal casing, there is an attempt to connect but paint and general shittyness reders it useless and in need of replacement. I will put in lead for the chassis and ring terminal to some freshly stripped paint.

The earth does connect to the metal barrel at the end of the handpiece, but this is of a very thin nature.
The earth in the handpiece is not so clear, it is connected but very thin. Once way would be to replace the entire cable from base to handpice with a multicore that is suitably constructed.

[Hardcorefs]

well.... I got mine today, and found this while waiting the delivery.

I'm not expert and I'ld like to know if this is a good sign before opening the box.

I tested for continuity and found that only the ground plug pin has continuity when touching the gun tip or the metal plate under the gun holder.... does it count as a valid test for correct wiring?

thanks

Hal.

Only if you can pass 12-25A through it….. ( assuming you are in the UK)
The British Standards have all sorts of tests built in to catch this type of thing, but again……… if you buy from China or those shitty drug induced trolls selling on EBAY ,then you get everything you deserve.
A 100% seller rating  could mean 100% of the customers are dead and did  not get to complain.

[Ether]

Just received mine.

After I powered it on, it tripped the circuit breaker in my house after a few seconds. The heating element was red hot. I unplugged it and found a dead short between live and neutral on the plug. 

Tore it down and realized that the barrel was also connected to the mains active. 

QC is atrocious on these things and I recommend that anybody who buys these things test them before powering them on.

[kff]

I just bought the cheapest Youyue 858D+ on ebay ($41 shipped) and sure enough both the fuse and switch were on the neutral wire. I was about to start rewiring the unit when I realized that the detachable AC cable itself (110V, US version) was miswired -- hot male pin was connected to the neutral female one on the other side of the cable and vice versa. With another AC cable that I had lying around, the wiring is now correct.

[electr_peter]

Is there any difference between Atten 858D+/Wep 858D/Youyue 858D/Pro'sKit SS969B? These models seem to be identical except for front panel sticker. Pro'sKit unit might be slightly better.

UPDATE: Pro'sKit SS969B unit is very nice inside - good quality PCB with SMD components, all wire connections have sockets and are glued down with red glue, mains wiring is done properly - no real issues quality wise. And it works.

[IanJ]

Mine was intermittetn when I got it........opened it up and the mains wiring was threadbare inside.

Cheap junk right enough........but does work pretty well.

Ian.

[toyman]

Bought a "WEP 858D" on ebay, although the unit that I got has no branding - just the 858d part.   Thanks to this thread I tool a look inside, and found that that fuse is on the neutral wire.  That seems to be the worst of it, so it looks like I got a "good" unit compared to what others have encountered.

[electrolux]

My brother bought one, it was fine. Some dodgy Chinese worker I expect.

[alexanderbrevig]

Mine came with one of the connectors in the breeze (with no connection). It had the wrong (way too large) spade connector so I changed that, and soldered it to place before pulling the shrink tube over it. THOU SHALL NOT COME OFF