KSGER T12 STM32 V3.1S soldering station

[flurl]

Hi!

I just wanted to buy a KSGER T12 soldering station from aliexpress. When I noticed that there's been a new version V3.1S released, see https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/STM32-V3-1S-Station/1486111_516916735.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.0.0.58f51775oP5qmU

I didn't find any information about the differences to V2.1S. Does anyone know?

Thanks!

[Jon.C]

my 2.1s exploded within 10 months of buying it

[flurl]

I got an answer from the aliexpress store:

V3.1S add Russian language,and fixed some small problems on V2.1S,and V3.1S is much more stable than V2.1S

I guess, I'll give V3.1S a shot

[Jon.C]

my 2.1s exploded within 10 months of buying it

KSGER sends me a new free power supply   

[Electric Elf]

From the store named KSGER T12

KSGER 2020 New Arrival V3.1S T12-K,BC2,BC3,ILS,D24,B,KU Solder Tips STM32 OLED T12 Soldering Station Gift For Boy Friend
Attention: you can choose the tips' types as you need, make a note in the order to replace the standard types, but BCM2 BCM3 are not avilable in this kit.
the order will be sent out within 24 hours.


3.1S Advantage:
1. more stable system
2. with Russian language
3. succinct display
4. oversize temperature number shows(especially for older persons are better, easy to look)

I am also interested what other issues are fixed, as I have the old one. And/or option to upgrade the firmware without buying new hardware.

[saratoga]

Once you get it, open up the unit and post pictures.

[flurl]

I got mine yesterday

[Jon.C]

thanks for the pictures


that transformer looks a bit ugly 

[ulwur]

Looks like that live trace still is routed underneath the heatsink with only the soldermask as insulation.

[flurl]

That's some kind of cardboard remnant on the transformer. Not sure, why cardboard is glued to a transformer at all.
Yes, no difference in that trace insulation as far as I can say - don't have the predecessor.

Another quirk I noticed: From time to time the station turned on on itself, even when the switch was turned off. Just for half a second or so. I noticed it beeping or the screen blinking. That stopped after I turned the plug 180° in the socket to change live and neutral.

[cobramostar]

you can give information on how to act hw 1.3 and the capabilities of plugging in the jbc 245 as this possibility, if any, is very attractive
is it advisable to buy

thanx you

[mattej]

Looks like that live trace still is routed underneath the heatsink with only the soldermask as insulation.

I'm using HW v2.1, and the heatsink is actually floating, the same is seen on the pictures of v3.1. There's thermal pad (non conductive) beneath the TO-220 and screw itself has a white plastic spacer that does not allow screw to touch the sink of of the TO-220.

Anyway, the v2.1 is now 35$ on BG if anyone cares to grab a cheap one, not the newest one.

[is-this-taken]

I'm considering getting the v3.1 hardware, are there any knows issues?
Also, how does it compare to 2.1, besides the listed changes?

[benadamson]

I'm also interested in if there's any useful changes in this version. I've tried to sum up a couple of other posts below. I'm uncertain if a V1 was ever sold or marketed as V1.

From what I've found in this response and this response:

V2.0:

• Had LDO overheating issues
• Doesn't appear to be sold now

V2.01:

• Earliest version still sold?
• Fixed overheating issue with a copper pour
• Approx £35 as kit with 2 tips and plastic handle

V2.1S:

• Has pads for MOSFETs for pumps, however these seem 'pre-vestigial' in that the functionality isn't there yet
• Has a bug where there is high parasitic drain from the RTC battery (fixable by removing R10)
• Approx £45 as kit with 2 tips and plastic handle

V3.1S:

• Undefined 'stability improvements'
• "Succinct" display, whatever that means, possibly just referring to the larger font of the temperature readout
• Russian language support
• Approx £55 as kit with 2 tips and plastic handle

From all of this it appears that there's nothing particularly useful worthy of the £20 premium the 3.1S model has over the 2.01 model.
Perhaps someone else here has more information on other changes / safety improvements / firmware improvements between the versions?

[Gandalf_Sr]

It looks like R10 is still fitted to the control PCB; unless the schematic is updated and RefDes renumbering has occurred, that means a battery life of 2 weeks. Not sure I'm convinced that this is better than 2.1 which I have 2 of.

[KL27x]

Gandalf, look at the post counts. This thread is KSGER marketing BS.

[Electric Elf]

It looks like R10 is still fitted to the control PCB; unless the schematic is updated and RefDes renumbering has occurred, that means a battery life of 2 weeks. Not sure I'm convinced that this is better than 2.1 which I have 2 of.

Mine has R10 (V2.1S) and does not drain the battery at all - it sits stored for the last 3 months, in a drawer. Bought Nov. 26 2018 from KSGER Official Store on Aliexpress, although it is not for sale anymore.

[Gandalf_Sr]

They've renumbered the components, R10 is a single resistor that sits across the battery in the 2.1S versions.

[hpmaxim]

Anyone know how this compares to Quicko's T12 STM32 station: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32994824865.html

[Gandalf_Sr]

Anyone know how this compares to Quicko's T12 STM32 station: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32994824865.html

The control board looks the same but the power supply board is a different one, the most obvious difference is that there's a DC input on the Quicko's PCB.

[hpmaxim]

Anyone know how this compares to Quicko's T12 STM32 station: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32994824865.html

The control board looks the same but the power supply board is a different one, the most obvious difference is that there's a DC input on the Quicko's PCB.

But which version of the STM32 control board?  Also, the odd thing is that the DC input is 4A, but KSGER claims to have a higher amperage power supply, so does that mean the power supply in the Quicko is lower current and that the STM32's max power output is lower as well?

[Gandalf_Sr]

Here's a picture of my KSGER T12 Soldering Station Control PCB. This is supposed to be vn 2.1S and you can see that I've removed R10 which was the stupid resistor that sat across the battery and discharged it in about 2 weeks.

[Gandalf_Sr]

So I'm up at our cottage for this week and have got back to looking at my design for a replacement DIY PCB for this; I've decided (at least for the first effort) that all I will do is produce a PCB that is a fit and function replacement for the 2.1S (see picture in previous post) but I will try to make improvements where possible but I'm trying to design in parts that we can actually buy from suppliers such as Digikey and Mouser. So, here's a list of questions that I'm seeking input on:
1. Is the attached FloobyDust pdf the correct schematic for 2.1S?
2. What are the connector part numbers for the 2 pin power and battery headers?
3. The only OLED I can find that looks like the one on my PCB is this one from Banggood but it appears to have GND and VCC reversed so I've included a resistor patch (my R1) that allows the pins to be reversed.  Can anyone point to a different OLED or is this one OK?
4. I know the KSGER PCB has unpopulated desoldering pump components but do I need to include space for these?  It's no problem doing so but I have never seen or heard of anyone using one so maybe it's a unicorn?
5. Does the processor need to be a STM32F103 or STM32F102?
6. There's an LED on the KSGER PCB but, if it does something useful, shall I move it to the front and make it through hole 3mm?

I've got a bit more work to do and then I'll post the schematic up here, probably later today or tomorrow.  Input on the above or any other suggestions is welcome.

[floobydust]

If you're going to do a H/W V2.1S compatible board, start a new thread. There are a few boards+bom already out there for people to build and flash existing F/W. I will compare their schematics to mine, but I need a day or so. I have seen nothing (pics) about H/W version 3.1 differences (which goes with S/W 3.1S). But 2.1S is pretty good if the bugs are not copied.
The V2.1S schematic I drew, KSGER now only sells when you purchase an entire station. Kit or alone, the V2.1S recent they deleted the vaccum pump mosfets and buck-converter and went back to LDO, added a header for pushbuttons and SWD, the GX12-5 does not solder directly to it. It seems like a cheaper offering.

[dreamcat4]

Yeah i agree. and also a couple more observations:

* The photo earlier in this thread taken by flurl shows the back of a controller pcb with a silkscreen on it that ssays 'OLED-V3.0S'. Well that pcb has a 64 LQFP on it an the green thru hole capacitor making it look 'rather a lot similar' to the 2nd type of a 'v2.1S' on the other thread. But not quite, when we look really more closely and scrutinize it.

2 more points.

* There should definately be included the mod required for JBC tips. This is documented in PTDreamer 's blog posts. Like with some nice and reasonable means of selecting / enabling which tip is to be used. Even better to include support for more than just only the T245 tips. There is also T210 and the big ones (T470 ?). That would be really awesome I think. Especially if there was the capability to rig a selector switch.

 

* Finally is there really some 4A limit? That is to say it would not be a high enough performance to compete with other known designs. This was also mentioned on the other thread as being rather unfortunate. Well i should clarify that maybe is not bad for an average sinking into a thermal load. But a higher short term burst current (more like 8-10A) would improve the heat up time. When the tip is coming up to temperature and not yet under load. Which is to say only for about 3-4 seconds. IDK if that is necessarily a practical consideration with this PCB. But hope that it is overbuilt in this respect. Should the firmware be capable to support that kind of improved operation.