Quick 201B Desoldering Station

[TheBay]

After another issue with my ZD-8915, I decided enough is enough and I need to buy a new desoldering station.
I've replaced the heater/gun 3 times on my Zhongdi station and even after lots of modifications it's performance was far from stellar.

It's something I use most days in the workshop, so instead of getting yet another heater element or any of the other models of ZD desoldering stations I looked for an alternative.

I came across a Quick 201B available in the UK from AMS (https://www.ams-electronics.co.uk) for £246.60 inclusive of VAT and Delivery so I ordered it.
There seems to be little information or reviews of this desoldering station and took a bit of a chance.

Well it arrived with me today and I'm so glad I took a chance, I was expecting it to be a little bit better than a Zhongdi ZD desoldering station but it is in a completely different class. The ZD station I own and others I have used feel like a toy in comparision.

First thing I noticed is the weight, it's really well put together and even the iron stand is heavy.
The gun feels well put together and professional. I would say it's an extremely good copy of the Hakko 802/809 Gun, I have no idea if the Hakko parts such as the tips etc will fit yet.

I turned it on and it got up to heat quickly, grabbed a scrap board and started desoldering some through hole components.
Wow it removed all the components from the board with ease! like nothing I'd ever experienced with the ZD stations.

One nice touch is it holds the suction on for about half a second when you release the trigger, just like the Weller desoldering stations I've used in work places.

The tips are really good quality and way bigger than the tips for my ZD-8915, they are plated and have a lot more thermal mass.
A heat resistant pad is provided so you can swap tips over when the gun is hot, lots of cleaning tools are provided as well.

It came with 2 bags of filters for the gun, 4 springs, 3 different sized tips and various replacement rubber seals.
There is also a cable provided with banana plugs both ends complete with croc clip that fits in the back of the unit for grounding purposes.

There is no fan and it has a traditional linear transformer which I personally prefer over a SMPSU, but it does only take one voltage.
Not a problem here as I do not plan on using it in a lower voltage country but may be something to point out to those who do. I have no idea if the internal transformer has a tap for different voltages.

There are settings that can be changed through the front buttons such as auto sleep on or off, password, maximum selectable temperature limit (450c or 480c) and also temperature calibration adjustments.
The gun filters look to be the same size as the ZD stations (17mm) and should be the same as the Hakko 474 type filters (802/807/809/817). The filter on the main unit is quite large and just attaches with silicone pipe so is easily replaced/sourced with any industrial inline filter. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Hakko springs fit this gun, but I must say the quality of the supplied springs are really good.

This really does feel like something that can be used in an industrial/production environment and I'm extremely impressed so far.
I thought I'd post at least something as there is hardly any information on this unit anywhere.

A Couple of pictures below and the user manual attached. I'll try and get some more pictures soon and update this thread.
The main Quick website states that it has a
Any questions please ask.

[WaveyDipole]

Thank you for the review and pictures. Funnily enough my ZD8915 clogged up again today twice! My usage is relatively light but clogging has been a constant and frequent problem with this unit during the 3 years of so that I have had it. Until now, I have been able to clear it relatively quickly, but both times today I had real difficulty trying to do so. In addition, somehow, I  managed to dislodge the thin metal tube from the heating element while trying to shove the cleaning rod through it so it is now loose. It seems as though the exit end of the heating element is too cold or too narrow and any significant quantity of solder just seems to solidify before reaching the end of the tube and getting expelled into the waste solder container.  This has been my first de-soldering gun and for what I paid for it (they seem to cost considerably more now), it has been a useful purchase and if nothing else it has demonstrated the usefulness of such a tool. When working well, it certainly can tackle jobs with ease that a soldering iron and pump cannot. I could buy another heating element, however, the clogging problems have been frustrating and I am thinking that it is time to purchase a more reliable tool.

I was going to ask on here what to buy. The Wellers cost a grand or more which I cannot justify for occasional hobby use. I was wondering why you chose the Quick 201 over the Hakko, but having looked them up, they also seem to be quite expensive by comparison, although Amazon have an FR301 for 378GBP. Ok it is a bit more, but it is Hakko. Nevertheless, if for under 300GBP I can get something that is going to be reliable, last and not clog up every 5 mins, then it will probably be a worthwhile purchase.

[kikook]

After taking informations (thanks to "TheBay" !), I'm using the Quick since two weeks.

It replace the Aoyue 701A++ desoldering gun  (= Aoyue 474A++).
The thermal conductivity is far superior on the Quick, the solder melt quicker (I had calibrated the Aoyue, not the Quick), and this make a big difference when using it.
The overall qualty is also better inside the box (but the Aoyue Station itself is very reliable). The succion power seems to be equal.
The plastic part of the Quick gun is identical to the Aoyue gun.

I'm using Hakko nozzle on the Quick, and the filters are also compatible. I'm currently using the bigger A1007 Hakko nozzle (1.6mm).
It seems to keep good succion power a little longer than the Aoyue before needing to clean it.

[dreamcat4]

so if there was some way to improve the heating on the ayou. then it would be similar to the quick? because the ayou is something around almost half the price here. at worst still well over 100 euro less expensive

[kikook]

I don't think it's possible. The conception is absolutly different. The nozzle on the Aoyue is mount on a tube across the heating element. There is a lot of air and gap. I also think that the Aoyue is more fragile.
If you make effort on the nozzle when using it (because the nozzle is bad or the temperature is too low for example), you will brake the heating element shortly ( done several time).  I don't think it's possible on the Quick.

The Aoyue is a good choice i f you have a light to moderate use. Good point, the parts are easy to find (in Europe) and not to expensive, and you must change the nozzle (if it's Aoyue brand) often enough.
For daily use (professional) the Quick is a better choice, with the use of (expensive but very good and durable) Hakko  nozzle.

It's possible tu use Hakko Nozzle on the Aoyue but you need to use an Aoyue tube (taken from a Aoyue Nozzle) and mount it on the Hakko nozzle. Done that, but it's not easy and you can damage the tube, the nozzle, or the heating element.

[WaveyDipole]

I also did wonder that myself, i.e. whether the heating could be improved on the ZD 9415, but I do agree that the problem is likely related to the design of the heating element and its thermal properties and conductivity characteristics which one can do little about. Unfortunately, from online photos it would seem that unlike the Aoyue, Hakko elements have a different mounting arrangement to those on the ZD 9415, so unfortunately that does not appear to be an option for the ZD 9415.

[dreamcat4]

thanks for these comments. it's very much appreciated

makes me wonder how the 250 euro quick 201b here compares to more expensive stations from the hakko. just purely in terms of the heating power for sinking into large groundplanes

[WaveyDipole]

The issue of de-soldering groundplane connected joints is also a factor in my consideration of a more powerful replacement. I recently had to remove Centronics 24-way connector and you can guess which pins the ZD 8915 couldn't shift the solder from... Although it cleared the solder from the surface, it couldn't unclog the plated-through holes that were connected to the ground plane. I did manage to release the remaining pins using a hot air gun and retrieved the connector without damage, but I would also like to know how well the Quick 201b would manage that by comparison. If, as the OP points out, the tips have a greater thermal mass, then this should offer an improvement also in this area. Perhaps OP could confirm?

[illiac4]

Hi.
Mine is working great. I did a few modification and it almost never clogged again.
I have moved the on/off switch to the front.
To avoid clogging I have used kepton tape to isolate the chamber.

[WaveyDipole]

My Quick 201B arrived today and having just tested it I agree with the OP that the quality is in a different class to the ZD8915. I have so far done only some initial tests on a couple of boards I had lying around but based on those I am happy with my purchase.

The unit came with the same accessories as described by TheBay in the opening post. There is no spare air-line filters. On the ZD8915 this fit into the screw cap at the end of the air line, but on the Quick 201B this is a external sealed plastic unit using that fits between the air line and the base unit. I found a replacement online but is costs £25 so I would be interested to know where this filter or suitable "industrial inline filter" replacements can be sourced from. I am yet to hear from the supplier I purchased the Quick 201B from. Hopefully, this will not need to be replaced that often.

I was easily and cleanly able to remove components that I had previously struggled to remove using the ZD8915. It cleared both 60/40 and lead-free solder although the latter required a little more patience. Nevertheless all components were removed without any real difficulty or damage and not once did I have to add solder to the joint to improve thermal contact. I must have de-soldered some 40-50 joints and the tool did not clog - not even once. I used the unit on the default setting of 380 degrees.

The gun chamber on the Quick 201B is not transparent like the one on the ZD8914, so one cannot see the accumulation of solder waste. However, the solder capture arrangement within the gun barrel on the Quick 201B is much better than that of the  ZD8914. The tightly coiled spring in the 201B captures all the waste solder before it hits the filter at the back. The spring to not press against or compress the filter. At the end of the session, the spring can easily be cleared of any waste solder residue.

The ZD8915 has a considerable drawback in this regard. The spring is very loosely coiled so does capture much solder. The filter is covered with a metal plate which the spring presses against. This means that not only is a large area of the filter covered but the filter is also being compressed. The result is a severely restricted air flow which undoubtedly contributes to clogging. Waste solder just hits the rear plate. Removing this plate as discussed elsewhere considerably improves the airflow and reduces clogging within the heater element, but the waste solder then hits and sticks to the air filter instead, reducing its usable life. Either way the design is problematic.

Whereas even with the plate removed to improve airflow, the ZD8915 still used to clog quite often, no such problems occurred with the Quick 201B during my 30 mins or so of almost continuous use. The ZD8915 would have clogged more than once during this time.

I am sure that the greater thermal mass of the nozzle contributes positively to a much better soldering experience. As described by TheBay, the stand is of much better quality than the one on the ZD8914 and does not fall apart. The unit also seems quieter than the ZD8914. Like the OP, I also see the linear supply as a bonus.

It remains to be seen how well this unit performs over time, but my early impressions are favourable. It was a pleasure to use, performed well and indeed seems to be in a class above the cheaper ZD8915. It does cost a bit more and like the OP I did hesitate to buy it even after reading his review, however, it is a cheaper option than Hakko and not to mention Weller which will easily cost over a grand. My feeling is that the investment will prove worthwhile in the long run.

[Mouse69]

The cross shaped aluminium washer in the back of the glass tube, between the spring and the fibre washer.

I drilled an 8mm hole in the centre of it to lower the restriction it places on the suction.

[WaveyDipole]

Didn't think of that. Its probably a better idea than removing it altogether.

[alocam]

Hello, does anyone know what is the heater voltage for 201B and/or heater resistance value? Does anyone know the thermistor value? Thank you!

[echo_mountain]

Reviving an old thread here, but now that we have begun a new year...

Can any of the owners of the Quick 201B who previously commented on this forum give us an update on how your units have held up over time?  I'm considering purchasing one and curious about longevity.

[TheBay]

Mine has been great, I ended up buying an additional nozzle cleaning rod as the one supplied with mine doesn't fit 2 of the nozzles. The one I bought is a Hakko part and I can't remember what the exact size it is but I'll reply with the part number when I use it next. It does come with a set of assorted rods in a case but they are not long enough to clear the whole tube only the tip.

Reviving an old thread here, but now that we have begun a new year...

Can any of the owners of the Quick 201B who previously commented on this forum give us an update on how your units have held up over time?  I'm considering purchasing one and curious about longevity.

[GnomeZA]

Is anyone willing to take pictures inside?