hakko fx-888d

[Shock]

thats one of the first things i did check was wether it was fake and i have seen that video and mine is the real deal everything on mine matches the real one, also i reset it to default settings and it set the temp to 750C as default

Cool yeah that is good to hear. After you restore the default settings the only time you want to go into the adjustment setting is to recalibrate it. As I mentioned previously using the melting point or better yet a thermocouple will help get that adjustment setting accurate. Otherwise changing it randomly will throw the tip temp out of calibration and you won't know where you are at.

The running temp should most of the time be less than 350C or 660F for normal soldering. If you have a scrap PCB board with some through hole try doing some reflowing of joints (fresh solder) to see how it's running and give the PSU another go. Its hard to determine though what is going wrong without seeing the exact tip and joint you're soldering.

As a rule of thumb the end of the iron tip should be approximately matched to the size of the pad/joint. This is why thin pointy tips aren't the best for through hole they have minimal contact area to heat the pad. Looks black in this picture because of the light but your tip should also be shiny when cleaned. If it's dull and dirty looking after cleaning it might be oxidized and that will make it harder to heat up the joint and solder easily.

[KL27x]

thats one of the first things i did check was wether it was fake and i have seen that video and mine is the real deal everything on mine matches the real one, also i reset it to default settings and it set the temp to 750C as default

You cannot adjust the set temp of a genuine Hakko 888D to 750C. The range of set temp is only 50C - 480C. If you try to set it to 500+, the most signficant digit just wraps back to 0. And if you try to set it between 481-499, the input is not accepted, and the interface wraps back to the most significant digit.

On the 7 segment display, you might see decimal points between the numbers. If these are lit up, you are adjusting the calibration rather than the set temp. Earlier you mentioned setting your iron to 850, and this is impossible even in F**, so I think you are making some incorrect assumption regarding how to operate this station.

I think the station defaults to C when you reset it, but I could be wrong. Maybe it's F. W/e is the case, I think you are mistaken in some way. 750C is 1382F. I think this is hot enough to make steel glow.

I'm not going to reset my station, but I would take a guess that the default F setting after a reset is probably 650-700 or thereabouts, and the default C setting is maybe 350 or thereabouts.

**I think I got the timestamp right. Right around 45:45. This is a Hakko 951 set to display in F, but the 888D operates pretty much the exact same way. Here, Louis Rossman demonstrates what happens when you try to set a Hakko 951 to 850F:

https://youtu.be/WgoGhnlJHas?t=2747

[rsjsouza]

In my experience it's not necessary to increment the temperature a lot, I use it at 260-280 c with the tip with the highest storage of heat possible for the application.

https://www.hakko.com/english/tip_selection/selection_1.html

In T12 (fx951) exist tips with special high heat capacity, but in T900 the geometry it's the key. Use original tips with good tinning, this improve a lot the wet ability and lower the temp. SMD spatula have a VERY high heat storage, but any of the other tips with 5-7mm front may be enough, for example K type or S3 that are cheap and long lasting, mine have more than 6 years and seems like new.

I have a FX888 (not D) and I also used to have some trouble with large mass soldering with the standard tip. However, after I bought a few different models (T18-S3, T18-D32, T18-CF4) this problem was severely reduced.

Large GND planes on multi-layer PCBs are still very difficult to negotiate, but I will eventually finish building my board pre-heater and things should improve.

[ironsniper1]

so two things have happened, 1st being i was wrong and my iron was set to F and not C, set it to C and its working better, also i won a desoldering iron with vacuum pump on ebay for under 70 shipped so i am happy about both!

[Tarloth]

The 888D was buyed at ebay too? How much it did cost?

[ironsniper1]

The 888D was buyed at ebay too? How much it did cost?

see screen shot

[Tarloth]

Are you confident that is a original one? This solder station plus the new solder/desolder station that you did buy it's more money than 888d original with a lot of accessories or you are close to buy one Pace or FX-951 station. I ask to me every time that I see a tool offer in ebay, It's worth buy at ebay/bangood/etc tools with the risk of a counterfeit part and need to replace in the future?

[Shock]

Ness Electronics is a distributor, the Hakko FX-888D often sells for around $90-$100.
https://www.hakkousa.com/storelocator/index/view/id/223

[Tarloth]

OK, It's original, really good news, but why not buy directly to them ?

[KL27x]

^Hakko appears to sell mainly through authorized distributors, in the US. I have never purchased anything directly from Hakko. I don't even know how, of if it's even possible without becoming a reseller.

I bought my first one or two from Amazon, but I checked the seller is an authorized distributor. They also sell them at Fry's, but there are only something like 6 store locations in the US. Brick and mortar electronics stores are somewhat rare, here. We are a land of people bred and trained to value newness and to attain this newness by buying things, not making/fixing things.

If you want to buy a soldering iron from a brick and mortar store, many people will be able to find only the cheapest of Weller's line at the hardware store, and that's about all. The lil station with the adjustable power knob and the spring holder is gonna be the "good one."

Radioshack is our equivalent of Dick Smiths. But most of them closed down and the ones that are left mostly only sell cell phones and audio cables and Sharper Image style toys, in the last 15 years.

If you don't trust eBay, you can buy from companies like All Spec or Tequipment.

[helius]

^Hakko appears to sell mainly through authorized distributors, in the US. I have never purchased anything directly from Hakko. I don't even know how, of if it's even possible without becoming a reseller.

https://www.hakkousa.com

you can buy from companies like All Spec or Tequipment.

Both are excellent in my experience.

[KL27x]

Thanks. I don't know if I will start buying from here, or not. I already have accounts elsewhere. Shopping online is like automatically saying "yes, I'd like to sign up for a shoppers reward card."

And the price seems to be 5-10% more expensive, here; at least, on the items I have bought. Resellers are apparently allowed to and are given enough margin to undercut by a bit. In OP's case, something like 20% cheaper, even with eBay's cut.

OP, I was wrong:
According to Hakko's USA store, you can set the station higher than 840F

"Adjustable temperature control, range: 120° - 899°F (50° - 480°C)"

I would have just tested it myself, but you know what the UI is like. I'd a had to look that up, how to switch from C to F. FWIW, the "super hot" preset on mine is 350C, and that is only for temporary use. If I was in a pinch, I might try to adjust up to maybe 400C/750F, tops, before breaking out hot air for preheating. That's kinda what I have learned, but I typically use tips with large mass, which has an affect on the temps I use. At 400C, the chrome plating turns dark if you forget and leave the station there, IME... say unattended for a spell. I mean, if you were still using it you'd notice because the flux would be instantly vaporizing in a cloud of smoke.

[ironsniper1]

Thanks for the reply I got a bigger tip for my soldering iron and set it to c and it seems to be working better, my used desoldering iron needs a new tip as the previous owner broke something off in the tip and didn’t put it in the eBay description, I ordered a new tip but it’s coming from China so that will take a while, the iron I got is the crappy Chinese S-993A which I figure I can use for a starting point, but was wondering if anyone knew where to get tips from inside the US?

[ironsniper1]

wanted to post an update after dialing in the temp and changing the tip it has gotten better and i have been able to used desoldering wick easier, looks like things are looking much better!

[User01]

I know this is an old thread... but man I feel for you guys using the FX-888D. The FX-888 was/is amazing. The D is a pain to use. I bet you could get used to it but man it's a clunky interface.

[MarkF]

I know this is an old thread... but man I feel for you guys using the FX-888D. The FX-888 was/is amazing. The D is a pain to use. I bet you could get used to it but man it's a clunky interface.

Yes.  The interface is clunky.

The question is just how often to you need to use it?   

I set three presets at 20^oC apart and find no need to ever change them.
No temperature selection is more than two 'up' button pushes plus an 'enter' key away.
Even four presets wouldn't be a hardship.

If you need to constantly change the temperature a few degrees for soldering, I would
suggest you have a bigger problem than the soldering station.

[coppercone2]

I have both. The 888 is better IMO.

[floobydust]

I know this is an old thread... but man I feel for you guys using the FX-888D. The FX-888 was/is amazing. The D is a pain to use. I bet you could get used to it but man it's a clunky interface.

Hakko discontinued FX-888D, now replaced by FX-888DX with better UI: changed to a rotary encoder, and 95W option.
I don't see it offered on the Hakko USA site yet.

[Shock]

What an unfortunate new slogan "How do you solder?".

[simone.pignatti]

Here we go! Stock just landed. Public launch 1 of May 2024. We will publish a video in the next few days.

[simone.pignatti]

Comparison picture FX-888D Vs FX-888DX

[rsjsouza]

Comparison picture FX-888D Vs FX-888DX

That is a much nicer interface. I still resent the removal of analog volume controls from laptops.

[floobydust]

Marty, start the DeLorean! ... and here is my FX-888 dated 2011.
13 years and this is Kaizen? - although this is an analog controller - no auto-shutoff. Who are these people that think you need 1°C resolution to be better at soldering?

I modded the LED like Dave did, another Hakko UI mistake- only lit when the heater is on. You can glance, LED is off go home for the night but it was just the few seconds the heater was off 
Mod is to go bi-colour LED- always lit blue yet flashes red when heater is on, also did it for the 470.

[Shock]

Turn then press the rotary encoder seems to be their latest UI mistake, an unnecessary second step.

[tooki]

Turn then press the rotary encoder seems to be their latest UI mistake, an unnecessary second step.

Eh, I disagree. That’s good UI design. Two reasons:

1. Since rotary encoders need to use acceleration curves in order for large changes to not take forever while still allowing granular small changes, it’s important to not react immediately, since the user may overshoot (possibly significantly). Requiring a delay is one way to solve this, but pressing a rotary encoder your fingers are already touching is hardly a lot to ask, and requiring an explicit confirmation press addresses reason 2:

2. Avoiding accidental changes. Imagine if, while reaching for something, you brush against the rotary encoder, or cause something else to brush up on it, causing it to turn. Reacting without a button press means the temperature could be changed by accident. The simple button press eliminates this in many cases.

(I used to work in usability design.)