Hakko 850 hot air station

[newtekuser]

Wasn't sure if I should post it in the repair section because the unit is working well, but found that the heater handle is rattling when shaken. I opened it up and found broken pieces of glass, removed them but the rattle is still present and can't tell where the remaining pieces are lodged.
Is this glass critical to the protection or function of the unit? I just picked it up on ebay for $190

[ygi]

If you found glass inside the hand piece, it can only come from a broken Reed switch. It's a magnetic sensor (kinda looks like a small light bulb) used to detect when the handle is back in the stand, so it will go in standby mode. I don't know about your Hakko station but generally speaking, they "protect" the switch under heat shrink wrap. There's a big chance the wire that was previously soldered to the shattered switch is now lose and is responsible for the rattling. Anyway those are very cheap and easy to replace.

[SHTechnics]

Which color of glass, form?
The only pieces of glass in the handle are, like ygi has already said, the reed switch (mostly greenish color) which is not critical but really annoying if not functional. It keeps blowing hot air even when in the stand...
OR, it may also be the quartz pipe which is broken, replacement nr. B1441.

[SHTechnics]

Looks like there's no reed switch is this model, so the only possibility is the quartz protection pipe. I've attached a picture.

[newtekuser]

Thank you both! I only got two pieces of thin clear glass out of it which looked spherical. Already found the pipe assembly with quartz on ebay, thank you for sharing!
As far as functionality, the pump turns on as soon as I plug in the power cord, but heater only comes on after toggling the power switch. Once it's turned off, it only blows cold air. Guess that's normal from other posts I've read.

[ygi]

Yes, it's an older design so I guess it doesn't come with automated standby. That being said, I never knew they'd made stations using "glass" as insulator. Glad they don't do that anymore with how often I either dropped or knocked down my hand piece

[wraper]

Thank you both! I only got two pieces of thin clear glass out of it which looked spherical. Already found the pipe assembly with quartz on ebay, thank you for sharing!
As far as functionality, the pump turns on as soon as I plug in the power cord, but heater only comes on after toggling the power switch. Once it's turned off, it only blows cold air. Guess that's normal from other posts I've read.

Sounds like failure. If you leave it pugged in, pump will likely fail in a day or two. Also it's certainly not worth $190 even in as new condition. Performance should be similar to $40 Chinese stations.

[SHTechnics]

Yes, it's an older design so I guess it doesn't come with automated standby. That being said, I never knew they'd made stations using "glass" as insulator. Glad they don't do that anymore with how often I either dropped or knocked down my hand piece

Quartz is, if it breaks, still better than asbestos I found once in an old rework station 

[SHTechnics]

Thank you both! I only got two pieces of thin clear glass out of it which looked spherical. Already found the pipe assembly with quartz on ebay, thank you for sharing!
As far as functionality, the pump turns on as soon as I plug in the power cord, but heater only comes on after toggling the power switch. Once it's turned off, it only blows cold air. Guess that's normal from other posts I've read.

'Normally' it keeps blowing till the handle is below a certain temperature at which it turns the fan off. At least with most models, don't now if it's normal on the 850?