Pace ADS200 soldering station

[edvb]

If you plan to get it from TEquipment, you may want to give them a buzz first, because it appears they're out of the station.

Yes I plan to get it from TEquipment. I just want to get all my ducks in a row before ordering. That way I will not have to pay shipping and hopefully get the 6% EEV blog discount. Does anyone have the code?

[edvb]

Hopefully, Cliff and Shock can also chime in here.

Here is the list so feel free to make the changes that you think will work out better. Thanks for all the help so far.

8007-0579        ADS200 with Instant Setback Tool Stand

1131-0003-P1   1/64" bent conical

1131-0032-P1   3mm hoof/MiniWave

1131-0019-P1   1/16" 30° angled chisel

1131-0051-P1   1/8" 30° angled chisel

1131-0037-P1   1/4" knife
 
1131-0055 -P1  1/4" chisel

[Cliff Matthews]

Maybe $3.39 for a pack of o-rings 1213-0090-P5 wouldn't hurt.. Look for the sponges too.

[edvb]

Thanks Cliff

Since you have used the station what is your take on the tips and also between the Ultra and standard? What would you change in the list in the above post?  Attached is a list of all the tips in case you did not have it.
Do you have the sponge part number?

Thanks for replying.

[Cliff Matthews]

I do very little smd or light soldering so I can't comment on subtle differences, yet.. I just know it's built to outlast me!

[labjr]

I do very little smd or light soldering so I can't comment on subtle differences, yet.. I just know it's built to outlast me!

In your photo of the tips, it looks like you have 1/8" chisel tips in both Standard and Ultra Series? Have you compared the two?

[Cliff Matthews]

I do very little smd or light soldering so I can't comment on subtle differences, yet.. I just know it's built to outlast me!

In your photo of the tips, it looks like you have 1/8" chisel tips in both Standard and Ultra Series? Have you compared the two?

No, I haven't used the first two yet, the 3rd was just put into service because I worked the 4th to death (as worn plating shows after desoldering ~30,000 parts). To really test, I'd want to solder 1/2 a project PCB with one, and 1/2 with the other.
 
One day I want to stuff-in a tiny PSU and Arduino driving a piezo for optional audio tones. It would indicate instantaneous tip-on power via R/C tc averaging to the ADC (this would help evaluate performance and tip heat transfer, while still allowing operator to focus on work). Of course, it'll need 2 panel button's to change sensitivity level's, tone's, or turn it off..

[labjr]

I'm interested in which tips work best for through hole and point-to-point wiring, terminal strips, tube sockets etc. Wondering if the larger mass makes a noticeable difference?

[Shock]

My standard selection and what I use the most. 1/32" 30° Chisel (0.80mm), 1/16" 30° Chisel (1.59mm),  3/32" 30° Chisel (2.38mm). Add a larger chisel if required.

Then a fine pointy tip for small smd. The blade (aka knife) and bent (aka hook) for rework and tricky angles, touch ups, wiping. A large chisel for soldered heatsinks etc. Lastly miniwave (aka hoof) tips for drag soldering. That would make a good set for me and should give anyone plenty to try out, learn using and improve their technique.

[edvb]

I am thinking of these as shown in the attachment. They are the standard tips but for a hobbyist building both through hole and some smd work mostly from kits seemed like a good selection.

Shock, looking over what I am getting would I need a knife  or does this look like I will be covering all my bases?

[Shock]

Shock, looking over what I am getting would I need a knife  or does this look like I will be covering all my bases?

They are quite useful for drag soldering, wiping solder bridges and components away with the edge and you can also use the point of the tip to solder. Probably the most flexible tip but when you have chisels and doing through hole not the most used. It's worth the money to learn to use, so if you have the budget pick one up, otherwise you can work around it.

[Bud]

I did not have luck with a knife tip (on JBC, but it looks similar to Pace one) trying to solder SMT ICs, basically it carried too much of a solder mass on it, but maybe i did not try hard enough.

[Bud]

You sure you want to use all Ultra Series tips?

That's a really good point. The ultra tips are bulky, I don't think I would want them for anything smaller than 1/8". I don't think they'd be helpful for 99% of the work you'd be doing with smaller tips.

You may want consider better plating on the ultra tips, Pace said it is more robust on the ultra tips, i guess that may mean longer tip life all other conditions being same.

[edvb]

Bud 

I talked to a few people including a Rep. from for Pace. For my application they all thought the standard tips would be the best choice for me.

I think I will stick to what I have listed for now and see how it goes. I also added the O-rings and an extra brass wool insert.

It ended up around $310 with the EVV Blog discount. It was a little more than I wanted to spend but I should be set for most of the projects I need to tackle.

Thanks everyone for helping me out on this. I sure do appreciate it.

Ed

[Shock]

It ended up around $310 with the EVV Blog discount. It was a little more than I wanted to spend but I should be set for most of the projects I need to tackle.

Thanks everyone for helping me out on this. I sure do appreciate it.

Excellent, considering its a tool you will spend countless hours on its a very low cost of ownership for what you end up with.

[edvb]

Thanks Shock.

[3160550]

Hey =) i just fixed my 10+ year old  espresso machine and.... tada ! Silicone o-rings in bulk.

The pace o-ring is about 8.1x4.5mm and these replacements for espresso ptfe tube is 8x4 (2) mm.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jura-Seal-100-Piece-for-Teflon-hoses-O-Ring-4-0-x-2-0-mm-VMQ/382523629210?hash=item59102f5e9a:g:r0kAAOSwaWhZyEFU

[labjr]

Hey =) i just fixed my 10+ year old  espresso machine and.... tada ! Silicone o-rings in bulk.

The pace o-ring is about 8.1x4.5mm and these replacements for espresso ptfe tube is 8x4 (2) mm.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jura-Seal-100-Piece-for-Teflon-hoses-O-Ring-4-0-x-2-0-mm-VMQ/382523629210?hash=item59102f5e9a:g:r0kAAOSwaWhZyEFU

Looks like a bowl of SpaghettiOs! But who needs 100 of them? They probably get old. Not sure how critical the size is either.

[3160550]

You go ahead and buy 5pcs for the same price as I get 100 pcs. Let me worry about them 90+ i have left getting old 

Hint: They where getting old after 10 years or so at about 100C in an espresso machine...that made about 10450 cups before failing.

About size:.... Well the original is ID 4.5mm and my alternative is ID 4mm... Considering that the function of the o-ring is to center the tip and hold it in place...Well..hmm..

[Cliff Matthews]

I'm still working on the original O-ring with 5 on-hand and I'd rather use the specified part. I suspect the friction it creates plays a part in keeping piping-hot tips from dangerously dropping out. Definitely not a place to penny-pinch..

[nimish]

First, all the best in a New Year..

Not putting words in your mouth, wasn't my intention, just illustrating the point...

LOL grognard... haven't heard that one in years...

You cannot be farther from truth... I embrace smarter and better without hint of luddism...
It's just that lately lots of new stuff is not better, just more technicolor...

Soldering iron can have advanced soldering profile without touch screen.
Soldering profiles are exactly something i would pay to get, because it is important sometimes. Some of the soldering stations with very low thermal mass are actually heating some components too fast.

Presets are great if you mix soldering targets and technologies. Lockout is also great but is used exactly where you don't want grunts changing parameters when you turn your back.

Real time graphs look cool but not really necessary, i can see how solder melts... Metcal solder quality diagnosys is a non-feature.. It's a timer...

I just want soldering iron to work well. If you are busy doing your work, you don't look at soldering iron's screen... You look at the stuff you are working on..
I agree that they could have put more of screen, but in the end not a problem.
I don't mind graphic screen if that's not only feature... I don't want style over substance.. And not prepared to pay more for colour screen on equally performing soldering station.

Cheers,

Sinisa

>  I don't want style over substance
Of course...but that cannot be an enemy to progress. It is not like a touchscreen is *expensive* these days. And I don't care for one either but an m5stack is $25 and has  Wifi, Bt + buttons and a battery AND a case! 1/10th the cost of a glorified heater i.e. soldering iron!

>Real time graphs look cool but not really necessary, i can see how solder melts... Metcal solder quality diagnosys is a non-feature.. It's a timer...

It's about hard data not about what it looks like. IIRC Metcal's quality diagnosis is better than just a timer but I may be wrong here.

Software is exceedingly cheap to iterate on. Hardware is not. Very hard to add or remove a button after the fact.


Got my ADS200. It is a tank. We'll see what mods I can do!

[2N3055]

Of course...but that cannot be an enemy to progress. It is not like a touchscreen is *expensive* these days. And I don't care for one either but an m5stack is $25 and has  Wifi, Bt + buttons and a battery AND a case! 1/10th the cost of a glorified heater i.e. soldering iron!

>Real time graphs look cool but not really necessary, i can see how solder melts... Metcal solder quality diagnosys is a non-feature.. It's a timer...

It's about hard data not about what it looks like. IIRC Metcal's quality diagnosis is better than just a timer but I may be wrong here.

Software is exceedingly cheap to iterate on. Hardware is not. Very hard to add or remove a button after the fact.


Got my ADS200. It is a tank. We'll see what mods I can do!

I agree with all. I'm all for progress.
Except Metcal diagnosys. It is a counter that measures expended energy. It can measure if you spend correct amount of energy for a solder joint (a standard one). It cannot see how it looks.
Solder inspection is either optical or X-ray. Both are visual, or computerized visual. Also , if size of soldering joint is smaller or larger.... I see how can it be useful to total beginner, but very quickly it is not very useful.

Congrats on new station, and I wish you good luck with mods, I hope you enjoy working on it and to be successful to make something you like.

All the best.

[labjr]

I fully expect to see some aftermarket mods for the ADS200. Even a drop-in replacement PCB and front panel. Maybe after the station becomes more popular. Not sure how long it took for Hakko T12. But it's been out for quite some time.

[edvb]

Well 5 tips,brass wool and the "o" rings arrived today. I checked on the ADS 200 and the last two tips and was told they will ship around Jan. 24th. It is a little longer than I expected but I can deal with it. Now just looking for a used AmScope  7X-45X  with a .5 Barlow lens and ring LED light.

If anyone in the US has leads let me know.

[tooki]

I fully expect to see some aftermarket mods for the ADS200. Even a drop-in replacement PCB and front panel. Maybe after the station becomes more popular. Not sure how long it took for Hakko T12. But it's been out for quite some time.

I think there’s essentially zero market for drop-in replacement PCBs. In the Hakko world, they exist only because clone makers decided to sell individual parts, and I’d be surprised if many of those boards end up being used in genuine Hakko stations.

Besides, a huge amount of the value of a name-brand station is in the control loops — they’ll have spent a lot of time optimizing them, using decades of accumulated expertise. I don’t see why you’d give that up.