I added an LED to mine as well, but I put it between ground and VEE, which is the -5V supply for the op-amps. The F1 location was unused, so I put the 330R ballast resistor there.
I added an LED to mine as well, but I put it between ground and VEE, which is the -5V supply for the op-amps. The F1 location was unused, so I put the 330R ballast resistor there.
Nice! I like how you put the F1 spot to use there.
Hehe, nice video Dave.
OT:
"Sadly" all the four irons I own at the moment don't suffer from this issue. So no need to hack them, although I have to add that three out of the four irons play, or used to play, in a different league regarding the pricetag.
My irons are:
Weller WECP-20:Has a neon lamp switch and also a LED that lights up steadily when heating and keeps blinking once the target temperature is reached.
Weller WSD-81:
Digital temperature readout.
Atten 858D+:
Digital temperature readout.
Pace MBT-250:
Digital temperature readout.
I think I am excessively well equipped regarding soldering irons.
Now that I got the MBT-250 (which also came with a hot air handpiece) I might as well sell the 858D+ and WECP-20 to free up some space on my workbench.
Cheers from Germany,
Florian
Definitely a cool video. It's not something that I'm going to do with my FX-888, but pretty useful nonetheless for projects in which that could be implemented.
It's not something that I'm going to do with my FX-888, but pretty useful nonetheless for projects in which that could be implemented.
Yeah, that was the idea. Can be used in many other apps too.
Dave.
I ordered one from fry's sunday night and showed up today ( I work nights ) and used it for about two hours and ordered another one at 1 AM. These things are great.
I like the mod and plan to "fix" the problem on both, just I though why not keep with the color scheme and use a blue and yellow "chip" LEDs in one of those light pipes. Blue power on and Yellow heating, should look cool.
Thanks guys for the tip about them on sale at Fry's, now I'll have two in less than a week, and for cheap!
Chris
and a 8K2 resistor across the
Ok, I just *have* to ask!
Is this a "UK" thing? I'm Canadian and have been doing hobbyist electronics for a long time. Not since hanging out here have I seen this "8K2 2K2" stuff. I'm assuming this means 8.2 kilohms? We just say 8.2K here.
Not criticizing, just curious.
I won't get into Aluminum vs. Aluminium...
Ok, I just *have* to ask!
Is this a "UK" thing? I'm Canadian and have been doing hobbyist electronics for a long time. Not since hanging out here have I seen this "8K2 2K2" stuff. I'm assuming this means 8.2 kilohms? We just say 8.2K here.
Not criticizing, just curious.
I won't get into Aluminum vs. Aluminium...
No, no, no, no, no!!
8.2 K is 8.2 kelvin (very cold). You may not like the inconsistency with M and G and T and whatever, but "kilo" is "k" (lower case). 8.2 kilohms is 8.2 k.
As for the 8k2 thing, this is a notation to avoid errors on markings and diagrams. If someone wrote "8.2k" and the "." got lost or erased due to poor ink or abrasion, it might get confused with 82k. Thus to avoid Mars probes going off course a convention has been adopted to write 8k2 and make it very clear where the decimal point goes. Similarly you could write 8R2 for 8.2 ohms or 8M2 for 8.2 megohms. Or even 4u7 for 4.7 microfarads.
No, no, no, no, no!!
8.2 K is 8.2 kelvin (very cold).
I DID say I was Canadian...
Thanks for the enlightenment.
As for the 8k2 thing, this is a notation to avoid errors on markings and diagrams. If someone wrote "8.2k" and the "." got lost or erased due to poor ink or abrasion, it might get confused with 82k.
I've actually done this MYSELF on MY OWN DESIGNS. I spent forever trying to figure out what was wrong, checking every little thing over and over again, and then eventually noticed the decimal. I now stick to the 8k2 notation.
I've thought about modifying my Hakko 936-9 about a thousand times because I've left it powered on for more than a day before. I went looking for a schematic and layout and stumbled back on here. The schematic and layout from Tom Hammond, N0SS, helped a lot. I also found Radio Shack in the US carries a 3 color LED with a common anode that makes a red/green (or red/blue, etc.) a piece of cake. It's a bit brighter than the original as well. One FET and one 1.8K resistor and it was done. Glad I finally did it.
There was also a 100K resistor (R13) going from the same point that drives the original resistor & LED that appears to generate the hysteresis for the temperature control. I probably threw the temperature calibration off slightly, but I changed it to a 1Meg and the iron cycles much faster now. I really doubt it improves the thermal regulation much, but when the iron is sitting unloaded, it blinks about once per second instead of once every several seconds and obviously the "on" time is much shorter as well. I also notice that when the iron is warming up and reaches temperature, there must be a little overshoot of the actual iron tip because there is a few second pause before it starts the normal blinking that didn't seem so obvious before.
You could also simply replace the ON/OFF switch a with a neon lit switch, its the easiest mod to do.
I have a question about the transformer of the Hakko FX-888.
Can anybody tell me if the transformer also have leads for 220V?
I am living in The Netherlands and a 220V version of the FX-888 is impossible to buy.
So I was thinking maybe it is just a matter to use the 220V leads if present.
Can anybody tell me if the transformer also have leads for 220V?
No, the 120 V version of the FX-888 cannot be converted to 220/230/240 V operation. However, it can be powered from an external 120 V transformer.
No, the 120 V version of the FX-888 cannot be converted to 220/230/240 V operation. However, it can be powered from an external 120 V transformer.
Thanks IanB for this information.
I will take your suggestion of an external 120V transformer in consideration.
Can someone please post a "Parts List" for this project?
thanks
Have you watched Daves video about the hack? All the info you need is in there.
Chris
Has anyone done the LED mod on the 220v version (the one with op amps instead of a microcontroller)?
I could find a 10v line from the big capacitor, but the LED terminal toggles between 34.5V and 12v so Dave's circuit won't work.
thoughts?
I wonder what the variability between units is on the hysteresis for the heater and subsequently LED on/off ratio?
I got one today and mine is cycling 10x in 30 seconds @ 350°C. I'm not sure that alternating colours would actually be more eye-catching than the slow flash. Now, mounting a flashing LED on
top of the unit...
As Dave says, "Murphy will get you": I mean, this mod is a must-do! and it justified its existence within the first week when I left it on and there it was: the green LED instead of a turned off LED.
The LED on top of the unit will also serve the purpose, but possibly ruin the design.
Does anybody know if the 220V version without a microcontroller was a fake in the end?
Mine works pretty well, but I want to know the truth!!
I got a 220V version of the FX-888 from aliexpress recently. Inspired by Dave's video I ran to a local store and bought a dual colour LED. However, back home I realized it was a different type than that used by Dave.
Darn, I am such a bloody beginner, I did not even realize there could be different types!My red/green LED has a common cathode. So I had to re-invent the whole boodle. Sorry, it's done with bipolars. But hey, I got it working. My first mod ever and it became a success once I fiddled a couple of stripes of rubber tape in between some of the legs of the messy flying composition.
I was so happy, I really wish everyone interested in electronics can have such a blast once in a while.In contrary to the specimen hacked in the video, my FX-888 does not have a 9V PWM signal on the original LED, but 16V with a bit of a ripple on top. So I dropped the caps and threw in an extra transistor.
Hope this helps you in doing your own hack. Keep it frizzling!
Your design shows an IC with an open collector present in the 220V version. I haven't seen any of those with a micro controller. Can you post a photo of your board? That would help others to differentiate among the real and fake ones. Also, where did you get it from? Cheers...
What soldering iron does Dave use personally?