Electronics > Repair
Metcal PS-900 Soldering station heats up to over 400 °C
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nemail2:
Hi

i have a Metcal PS-900 iron since 05/2016 and earlier this year it failed on me, heating up constantly with all power it has, to over 400 °C until the whole shaft of the tip starts glowing red(!).
I have changed the induction heater in the handle once (they are designed to be replaceable) + the tip multiple times, nothing helped.

This year I replaced it with a JBC BT-2BWA soldering station which I like very much too but I thought it was a pitty to get the rust on the Metcal so I'd love to repair it.

What I have done so far, is replacing the IRF644 MOSFET which is heatsinked within the main box /w power supply, just because I had it laying around and to give it a shot. Unfortunately didn't work out, still the same issue.

Does anyone know this particular model or is this maybe a common issue with Metcals or at least this model?
I don't really want to poke around within the unit when it is connected to mains because I'm a hobbyist and that station is not worth risking my life so I can't really measure any voltages when it is powered on.
Playing around with 230V AC is just not worth it for me, that's where the fun ends...

Suggestions, anyone?

Thanks!
Rasz:

--- Quote from: nemail2 on November 19, 2018, 08:30:13 pm ---I don't really want to poke around within the unit when it is connected to mains because I'm a hobbyist and that station is not worth risking my life

--- End quote ---

sell it with detailed failure description, you will easily recover half its value
nemail2:

--- Quote ---sell it with detailed failure description, you will easily recover half its value
--- End quote ---

will do that if I can't repair it at all.

I'd be happy to invest like up to 50-100 EUR in new parts so if there are any obvious ones which could be the culprit I'd replace them one by one until the Metcal works normally again.

I was hoping that you much smarter than me people out there maybe could have a clue which parts might be causing this.
Somewhere I read, I think, that there is a feedback loop going to the DC-DC converter IC on the motherboard which then controls the voltage.
I know that Metcals don't have any temperature sensors and that they regulate their tips by themselves with some RF voodoo (curie effect).

The caps look fine, at least they are not bulged. If I don't get any other advice, the next thing to swap out would be the DC-DC converter IC, i guess? I also read somewhere that this thing gets rather hot and I once forgot to turn off the iron over night so maybe it is fried...

Thanks for any idea!
MosherIV:
Do you have more than 1 tip?

If so, does it do the same thing with all your tips?
nemail2:

--- Quote from: MosherIV on November 20, 2018, 07:47:19 am ---Do you have more than 1 tip?

If so, does it do the same thing with all your tips?

--- End quote ---

yeap, replaced the tip several times and also repleaced the induction heater in the handpiece (it is designed to be changed by the end user).
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