Any opinions on the Aixun T420D?

[rigrunner]

I noticed that too the last time I used it.  And, I had just updated the firmware... 

How long have you been using your T420D and what was your previous firmware revision?

[black6host]

I got mine about 9 months ago.  Sorry, I don't remember the old firmware version.

[Clyde]

My T420D asked me to confirm the handle type today using the supplied Aixun C245-K200. I left the K200 cartridge in a handle last time I used it. When I powered it on cold the next day it prompted for handle confirmation.

Aixun soldering stations are quite capricious about tip/handle resistance and TC voltage. I've tried to connect Sunshine S1 tweezers (two C210 tips in a series - about 4 ohms) as T245 (3 ohms) and my T320 gives me a "handle disconnected" message.
Just try to replace the tip.

[rigrunner]

Aixun soldering stations are quite capricious about tip/handle resistance and TC voltage. I've tried to connect Sunshine S1 tweezers (two C210 tips in a series - about 4 ohms) as T245 (3 ohms) and my T320 gives me a "handle disconnected" message.
Just try to replace the tip.

I can forgive wear and having to adjust/reinsert a cartridge. If my aixun station was old, or the handle tired that's excusable. A new station with a few hours on it with the manufacturers own cartridge should be flawless. black6host observed the handle confirmation error after updating firmware. I'm going to try and run through a few of the older firmware files and see if they differ - assuming it is possible to downgrade...

I'm hoping the latest update is the culprit and it will be resolved in a future update.

[sigxcpu]

Plus, I found some "hidden" menu. No clue what that could mean, but here they are..

So, how did you get into the hidden menu? A video on youtube is stating that pressing "left channel" for few seconds, but that doesn't work in latest firmwares (if left arrow == left channel). Did you use other combination? I've seen that the menu is showing some kind of PID tables for various tips and I want to check if I have anything set for T245.

I've ordered and received the 7-pin T245 handle, it is recognized as T245 but it has huge overshoot, the software/probe gets stuck to 308 degrees and it heats forever at 100% PWM until white hot because it is not reaching 350. Setting it to 280 is manageable, because it overshoots up to 390 and then goes back (still it burns the tips like crazy).

This station has been sold as T210+T115 kit, so I wonder if they intentionally don't calibrate the PID tables for other tips (T245). What's strange is that the experimental menu/probe compensation has only two entries: T115, T210, so it may be factory locked to those.

LE: it is not probe compensation, but power compensation and it is designed for T115/T210 exclusively in this firmware version, so that is fine, it is not locked. The only thing left that I can think of is missing PID tables for T245.

[rigrunner]

I'm not getting any huge overshoot with a T245 handpiece. I'm not actually getting to the set temperature. If I set the required temperature to 300C a cartridge only makes it to 280C. Aixun's online information suggests adjusting the temperature compensate menu option for the observed difference. The compensate option doesn't work at all, it has no effect.

Emails to Aixun seem to fall on deaf ears. No responses from them yet.

Anyone know how to calibrate the T420D?

[sigxcpu]

Do  you have the 7-pin version? Can you open the iron socket and take a picture? Maybe there is something special about T245 on T420d and my T245 may be for a different version.

[rigrunner]

I do have a 7 pin version. I have the 7 pin T245 handpiece that came with the station and a 6 pin handpiece that I have drilled a hole in its plug to cater for the 7th pin. Both handpieces perform the same.  I doubt there is a different between the 6 and 7 pin variants, other than a 7th pin exists.