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Hello,
I recently bought Hakko FX 888D on eBay from seller in China which turn out to be fake, counterfeit item. I hoped to get 220V version that fits EU standards but unfortunately end up with "this thing".
I find it appropriate to share my experience here since there are other posts covering fake / copy items of Hakko and other manufacturers.
Purpose is just to help people not to stumble on these copy items and have to go thru all the problems and costs which they cause.
Overall it is a "good" copy - packaging and external appearance is not something that will be of use identifying this fake products, since Chinese perfected that part of copying - which makes it almost impossible to identify it from those aspects. Maybe to some one with trained eye or with close up photos, which they rarely provide.
Important thing is internal build. So that is what I am mostly gonna cover.
There are few important things that give away that it is fake: soldering quality, component quality, main IC and heater.
Lets start with soldering quality.
As you can see from the picture soldering quality on PCB that is connected to transformer is very bad. Some joints have low amount, others high, some have cracks - bottom lane - very very bad. Also every joint i can look at is not adequately soldered - this is just example. Heater is so badly soldered that i wont post it, and DIN plug had two cables broke of plug slot.
Component quality
Best example is this 120 Ohm resistor and capacitors. Resistor is of poorest quality possible and capacitors are branded JWEO not nichicon as it is on original. Also you can note burn spot on one of black cables leading to PCB, probably from soldering iron, which also indicates poor human soldering.
Main IC
Main IC is not Hakko custom made, it is branded ATMEL ATMEGA8A AU 1338, which is possibly easier and cheaper to get than original.
Heater
Heater is notorious copy, markings are not as same as on original. On original there is no nuber 8, all letters are gray, and hako mark is diferent. Also it has visible marks of usage.
You can see the difference between original and fake heaters on this topic, here on forum:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/genuine-vs-fake-hakko-936-ceramic-heater-a1321/
Other things to note are: visible cable quality, different color of cables, overall soldering quality, transformer is different, screws are different, nonexistent serial number, etc.
As reference on how original looks you can look at link here, a nice tear-down covered with pictures:
http://runawaybrainz.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/hakko-fx-888d-solder-station-hi-res.html
That's about it folks! Unfortunately it turned out that not only they are copying FX 888, but also the FX 888D, which was unknown to me and couldn't research it on internet prior purchase. I expected to get Chinese 220V to use in Europe, but no luck!
Any other info needed, pictures, etc., I will gladly help!
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Thanks much for the tear down. Is there anything that could clue you in from the outside chassis? Stickers, markings, the box? What about the hand piece? Does it look real from the outside? If you don't mind, how much did it cost and what was shipping and handling?
Now have you tried using it? Does it heat rapidly and accurately? -
How much did you pay for it?
More importantly, how does it perform?
Using SMD on the control board is pretty uncommon for a Chinese station - a lot of them are 100% through-hole.
An AVR is not uncommon for the Chinese, but not all that popular either - I was expecting an 8051.
FYI the MCU in the genuine one is a Renesas part. -
Box is shaped identically and all is packed as original, but i think writing is in Chinese instead of Japanese.
Chassis color is a bit darker i think than original, and not so shiny. Other things and are identical (shape, size, etc.).
Stickers are a bit different in writing font and serial is non existent, screws are different i noticed.
Think that those differences are only visible when you see item - but not on pictures, sellers of fakes are aware of this so mostly there are no close up pictures. So it looks very very real from outside, as i said, almost impossible to identify over pictures.
I payed it 140$ + 60$ of import charges since it vent thru DHL and had to go thru customs procedure. Don't know if it is ok to link the item i purchased, or some more i suspect(99%) that are fake on eBay.
I powered it up after i resoldered most important joints and replaced crappy caps for NCC ones. It obtained working temperature fast but was constantly updating, red dot blinking. So i inspected wand again found nothing, but then disassembled wand connector and found out it was one part broke one part melted from worst soldering job i ever saw. Now I am waiting for new jack to repair it. Also 120ohm power resistor currently on PCB was very very hot, think more then it should, and visibly bad quality - so i will replace it and and jack to se how it works.
One strange thing i noticed is that there is no resistor between ground and wand connector jack as on original, think it is 1K one. So i am in doubt if i should but one there ad on original? You can see that on picture:
I apologize for not putting pictures of external appearance since i am in bit time rush, but i will update thread with then when time allows.
Thanks much for the tear down.
Anytime, happy i could help and share experience! Gladly will help anything else needed on this.
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Yes, post more pictures will be more helpful.
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It obtained working temperature fast but was constantly updating, red dot blinking.
A real one does that too. The dot has the same function as the heater-on LED of the analogue model - it should be blinking if the iron is idling, to maintain a constant temperature.QuoteAlso 120ohm power resistor currently on PCB was very very hot, think more then it should, nd visibly bad quality - so i will replace it and and jack to se how it works.
It's a power resistor - "too hot to touch" doesn't necessarily mean it's bad.
Either way, I think you did get ripped off - $140 is too much for an FX-888D, probably even more than the real 120V version + a suitable transformer. An Atten AT315D is around that price and is a 150W station - more than double the power of the FX-888D.
No idea what resistor you're talking about, sorry. -
Post a picture and I can tell you.
I compared it with some Japanese writing i have at home and it is for sure Chinese, also Chinese is in manual. Thanks nevertheless!
In the end I changed that power resistor for higher quality and now even few hours of operation does not get burning hot.No idea what resistor you're talking about, sorry.
I realized later that that is resistor that connects grounding wire in wand, thru jack, with ground wire in case, so I added it to keep it grounded. You can see it here on picture: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nlye4X11YVE/UTdkXKejnjI/AAAAAAAACiE/oFSp2N9JvNo/s1600/IMGA0292.jpgEither way, I think you did get ripped off - $140 is too much for an FX-888D, probably even more than the real 120V version + a suitable transformer.
Yap definitely, original one 120V version would cost around 130$ delivered + transformer.
Apologize for reviving "old" topic, but here are some impressions of station working.
I didn't have time to use and test it till last week. Used it almost all week for 5-6 hours a day and with no problems after replacing the fake heater and putting original tips.
It is working unexpectedly well. It is fast to reach temperature and with good temperature stability, tho it needed some calibration which is normal. Also it performs quite well for lead free soldering - tho i had issue with received fake heater which was poor quality and used out - after installing original heater, which is compatible, it works like charm. Great thing to add are original tips which can be used because they truly make difference in performance.
So it turned out not so bad solution for now, but in the end original is always better quality and overall product, always go for that kind of product. Hakko
<3 I will probably get one in some time, but for now will use this one, since i invested returned money in other equipment and parts i needed.
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It is working unexpectedly well. It is fast to reach temperature and with good temperature stability, tho it needed some calibration which is normal. Also it performs quite well for lead free soldering - tho i had issue with received fake heater which was poor quality and used out - after installing original heater, which is compatible, it works like charm. Great thing to add are original tips which can be used because they truly make difference in performance.
That's not surprising, it's not difficult to create a good temperature controller and the biggest difference between the clones and the originals is the heater and tips - which you've changed for a genuine one. But some of the clone heaters are pretty close too. -
I purchased a Hakko FX-888D from china for $95 + $45 shipping + $30( Duty&taxes). How do I determine if its a fake .
Attached is a picture of the PCB
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That looks like a real one (and given the price, you would want it to be.) The PCB layout is identical to that found on others' real FX-888Ds, including the rare MCU:
http://runawaybrainz.blogspot.ca/2013/03/hakko-fx-888d-solder-station-hi-res.html -
Hakko's distributor in India buy them for Rs. 4000 + 25%duty and sell them for anything between Rs.9000 - 15000 + 12.5%VAT. I'm sure now that my hakko is a original and it was delivered in 4 days. The distributor takes almost a week to ship it
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That looks like a real one (and given the price, you would want it to be.) The PCB layout is identical to that found on others' real FX-888Ds, including the rare MCU:
http://runawaybrainz.blogspot.ca/2013/03/hakko-fx-888d-solder-station-hi-res.html
Yes it is indeed a genuine Fx-888D, Purchased from Dancap in the UK
I also added a few more pictures so people can use them for reference.
Cheers
Rupert -
TBH the copy doesn't look that bad. I'm not sure if it's just your photography, but I can't really make out anything that would worry me about using the iron.