Element 14 Australia Fire Sale

[EEVblog]

Up to 99% off AU warehouse sale, the spreadsheet is vast:
https://au.element14.com/fire-sale?ICID=I-HP-LB-FIRE-SALE-MAR24-WF3616377

[J-R]

AU/NZ only.
There are some deals at Newark.com, but they were a bit hard to find.  Some demo units and a lot of Multicomp Pro house branded enclosures and DMMs.

[Kirkhaan]

I know it’s AU/NZ only, but still: How did you manage to find these discounts?
They don’t have a function on their website to search for all SALE articles, do they?

AU/NZ only.
There are some deals at Newark.com, but they were a bit hard to find.  Some demo units and a lot of Multicomp Pro house branded enclosures and DMMs.

[Muttley Snickers]

I know it’s AU/NZ only, but still: How did you manage to find these discounts?
They don’t have a function on their website to search for all SALE articles, do they?

I had a look earlier today but the link Dave posted above wouldn't work for me so I just went to the edited link below and there was an XML spreadsheet available for download. I can't post the file from this device so if you don't have any luck finding it just let us know and I will post a copy from the computer.

Up to 99% off AU warehouse sale, the spreadsheet is vast:
https://au.element14.com/

[beanflying]

I will be good - probably  Quick check and as described not all items are available on the website so you will need to email to buy I guess.

[EEVblog]

I know it’s AU/NZ only, but still: How did you manage to find these discounts?
They don’t have a function on their website to search for all SALE articles, do they?

Just search the part number, if it doesn't show up on the website then you need to email them.
If it does show up then the discounted price is already there and you can just order it like normal.

[Kim Christensen]

I know it’s AU/NZ only, but still: How did you manage to find these discounts?
They don’t have a function on their website to search for all SALE articles, do they?

No, but if you go to the NZ or Aussie version of Newark, you'll see a huge sale banner on the page...
I guess if such a sale comes to the EU/Germany you would see something similar:

[aeberbach]

$25 gift cards are selling for 50% discount at $12.50! I wonder if they will honor that?

And a Weller "Zero Smog EL Kit 1" fume extractor is going for about the same price as the ZOOBLAST or RAFGOO models on Amazon. Thanks for posting, Dave!

[EEVblog]

Weller iron $108
https://au.element14.com/weller/t0053298390/soldering-kit-450deg-c-85w-230v/dp/291552002?ost=291552002

[EEVblog]

And a Weller "Zero Smog EL Kit 1" fume extractor is going for about the same price as the ZOOBLAST or RAFGOO models on Amazon. Thanks for posting, Dave!

Yep, tempting, 15 in stock, $392:
https://au.element14.com/weller/ft91012699n/fume-extractor-120va-240v/dp/267862402?ost=267862402

Link now not working, so I presume all sold.

[aeberbach]

14 now 

[EEVblog]

14 now 

11 now, couldn't resist.

[Brumby]

Need: Low
Justifiability: Lower
Budget: Positively Arctic (ie below zero)
SWMBO reaction: Potential range from "The Look" to Nuclear.

This equates to: It became prudent to resist, which I have.

[tjw]

Weller iron $108
https://au.element14.com/weller/t0053298390/soldering-kit-450deg-c-85w-230v/dp/291552002?ost=291552002

Hi,
Thanks for the link - looks like it can be ordered at the sale price of $108 with an expected delivery in 3 months. I had a Weller Magnastat and it worked flawlessly for years so wondering if Weller is still good quality.

Is this 'too good to pass up' when compared to a Hakko FX888D ? I know Hakko tips are cheap and easy to get, wondering about Weller tip availability and price ?

All opinions welcome.

[aeberbach]

wondering about Weller tip availability and price

Exactly - maybe I am wrong but there seem to be gaps in the range if "ET" tips are the only ones it can use: https://www.weller-tools.com/us/en/industrial-soldering/products/soldering-tips?family[]=ET+Soldering+Tips

Also this kind of iron makes changing tips hard by having to remove the barrel sleeve. I went from this kind of Weller to an older Hakko (T12 tips) and would find it very hard to go back.

[EEVblog]

Weller iron $108
https://au.element14.com/weller/t0053298390/soldering-kit-450deg-c-85w-230v/dp/291552002?ost=291552002

Hi,
Thanks for the link - looks like it can be ordered at the sale price of $108 with an expected delivery in 3 months. I had a Weller Magnastat and it worked flawlessly for years so wondering if Weller is still good quality.

Is this 'too good to pass up' when compared to a Hakko FX888D ? I know Hakko tips are cheap and easy to get, wondering about Weller tip availability and price ?

All opinions welcome.

Same kit at Mouser is AU$330
https://au.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Weller/WE1010EDU
Cheapest in Australia seems to be AU$225 for just the basic WE1010 iron:
https://www.oritech.com.au/WE1010/Weller-WE1010-Digital-Soldering-Station/pd.php

So the Farnell one is more than half price.

It's a decent entry level iron, or a 2nd iron. I wouldn't buy it as a serious use main iron though these days.
Totally forgot I reviewer and compared with FX-888



Someone who is keen enough could buy a hundred of them and flip for twice the price on ebay.
I did this once when Farnell made an error with pricing on a Fluke meter, so I bought every one they had in stock and then slowly resold them for like 3-4 times the price on ebay.

Be aware that it's a UK plug though, but it's IEC input, it's marked 240V. Don't make the same mistake I did:

[Chris Jones]

Keysight N5767A was $872+GST. Also ordered about my own weight in small metric machine screws. The prices seem to be rather better than what is listed in the spreadsheet.

[EEVblog]

Keysight N5767A was $872+GST. Also ordered about my own weight in small metric machine screws. The prices seem to be rather better than what is listed in the spreadsheet.

Yes, prices seem betetr than the spreadsheet, not sure what changed there, as the first time I tried it I thought they were similar.

[EEVblog]

Totally forgot that Weller never fixed the lack of primary side fuse problem 

[dietert1]

As you later found a primary short: Did you really prevent fire by turning off/unplugging the soldering station? Or did the mains fuse of your lab socket break the circuit? Or did the primary short happen later?

We still have a WTCP-S and an EC-2002 antistatic. Both with a primary side fuse at the front near the mains switch. The stations were kept alive by fixing them multiple times over the years. The WCTP-S is about 40 years old and got a mosfet reenforcement for the temperature switch inside its soldering iron, as that switch would burn under load and cause trouble. The EC-2002 was recapped in 2019.

Regards, Dieter

[EEVblog]

As you later found a primary short: Did you really prevent fire by turning off/unplugging the soldering station? Or did the mains fuse of your lab socket break the circuit? Or did the primary short happen later?

IIRC it eventually tripped the circuit breaker in the power distribution box. But I of course panic pulled the plug, so that must have been after that tripped.
A few ohms less and it wouldn't have tripped and would have just continued to pump a few kW into the transformer until the lab was a on fire, so it's basically pot luck. This is why you properly design in maisn side fuses (electrical or thermal) to prevent this. Weller just didn't seem to care.

[Brumby]

I'd have been tempted to add my own fuse using the biggest, ugliest fuse holder I could find, drilling a hole in the case in the most "in your face" location possible ... and offer this as a product improvement suggestion.


Then chuck it in the bin.

[tjw]

Hi,
Thanks Dave and others regarding the Weller Iron - I will stay with Hakko FX series. My interest in Weller was mainly sentimental since my old Magnastat was such a good Iron in it's day and was made in Australia.

Is it a crime to still have an old orange Scope Iron that sits on the transformer ? The copper tip can glow bright red when you have a really pesky joint to loosen !

Regards.

[beanflying]

Hi,
Thanks Dave and others regarding the Weller Iron - I will stay with Hakko FX series. My interest in Weller was mainly sentimental since my old Magnastat was such a good Iron in it's day and was made in Australia.

Is it a crime to still have an old orange Scope Iron that sits on the transformer ? The copper tip can glow bright red when you have a really pesky joint to loosen !

Regards.

If you need new bits for it I think I still have some. I started out with the big bad Burner Superscope 45 or so years ago that was Dad's Electrical contracting weapon, able to melt the copper off PCB's with 1/10 of a seconds to much push of the ring 

[Brumby]

Yeah.  I had the Miniscope.

That took 2/10 of a second to do the copper trick.