Soldering station, simple and resistant

[shabaz]

It was a pointless test. With respect, this is crazy that you'd take that risk given you only have the one soldering tip. Throw that solder away..

Also, too many links in your post for me to want to check, but no, you don't need any flux for soldering Arduino connections. If/when you feel the need for it, you can buy yourself a little tube of it (for instance 10-15 ml) or a little bottle of it. Why would you want half a kilo bag of substance to mix with a level of IPA which you do not have either?

A small quantity of decent brand flux, in tube (paste) or liquid form, is purchasable from Amazon Italy, for ballpark 10-20 euro, all ready to use.

A tiny tube of flux should last you years, and into the timeframe when you're good and ready to advance further with (say) surface-mount techniques.

[marck120]

Yes, it's an old soldering wire that I found at home, I won't use it anymore, I'm not an expert and I don't even know the chemical composition of that tinning wire, even if it's junk and still a soldering tin, I doubt that it contains acids or substances so corrosive as to ruin a tip in 5 minutes of use, then anything is possible.

Decent brands of flux on Amazon Italy I don't know if they are available, I'll check better, there's no need to open all the links, if you want to take a look these four are enough :

https://www.amazon.it/InfoCoste-Pasta-per-saldatura/dp/B00FA40RHM?th=1

https://www.amazon.it/Kemper-B090PASNE1-Pasta-Salda-Blister/dp/B00H42KPZ2

https://www.ebay.it/itm/275045894224

https://www.electronicmegastore.net/it/home/saldatura-e-dissaldatura/flussante/liquido-flussante-rf-800-no-clean-per-smd-rigenera-saldature-100-ml-saldatura-100ml.1.1.255.gp.16351.uw

However, if for now I don't need any flux to solder the pins of the SHT45 sensor, there's no point in buying it, as soon as it arrives I'll only use the tin I ordered, yes I agree it's better to use a ready-made flux, no I don't have isopropyl alcohol, yes exactly in case I need it a small amount is enough, even 10-15 ml is fine.

EDIT :

These are good brands of flux, but if I do not need it for now it is useless to buy it:

https://www.amazon.it/MG-Chemicals-Pasta-saldatura-siringa/dp/B00425FUW2/258-9249577-8177925

https://www.amazon.it/MG-Chemicals-erogatore-pneumatico-irrigazione/dp/B00M1RC0IU

https://www.amazon.it/Solder-Paste-clean-Lead-Free-syringe/dp/B07B3VL5B6

[marck120]

Hello, I have carried out some tests, I measured the temperature of the tip of the Ersa i-CON NANO MK2 to understand if the temperature indicated by the display was correct, I set the temperature to 320 C°, unfortunately the temperature revealed by the Brymen bm257s is decidedly lower, I don't know what to think, perhaps the thermocouple of the Brymen bm257s is not reliable ? or I have not carried out the test correctly ? by squeezing the probe between the fingers it should measure the body temperature instead it indicates 32 C°

[shabaz]

There's supposed to be a bit of solder on the tip, and the thermocouple surface is usually flat (i.e. special thermocouple) so that the tip with its solder can gently rest on it with good contact.

Since your soldering station is new, you can just trust it, i.e. the set temperature won't be more off than 10-20 degrees, which isn't of concern since you're only planning to solder connectors etc.

You could set the soldering station to a sensible value (start at around 330 degrees C, and maybe increase by 10 or 20 degrees if that's not effective for your needs) and you don't need to verify further; your measuring equipment and setup with that thermocouple may be overall less accurate than what the manufacturer used, so you shouldn't try to calibrate against that anyway. You could buy a temperature measurement device, but it's all pointless, it's a waste of money if you don't need it (which you don't). At this stage, you ought to be now using the iron for its intended purpose, making projects or whatever you planned on doing.

[marck120]

@Shabaz

Hi, thanks for answering me, no I didn't put solder on the tip for fear of dirtying the thermocouple probe, I thought the tin could remain attached to the probe.

More than anything I wanted to do this test because when I brought my hand close to the tip of the soldering iron I felt very little heat, so I took these measurements, yes in fact I expected 10° - 20° degrees of difference, I was surprised when I measured 35° - 40 ° of difference. as you explained to me probably this thermocouple is not suitable for this type of measurements, I don't know it seems unlikely to me that the soldering station has some kind of problem.

Exactly, I didn't even try to calibrate the station because I don't know if the probe I'm using is reliable, among other things the temperatures revealed during the measurements are always different.

I didn't take the measurements because I need high temperatures but only to understand if the temperature indicated on the display was correct.

The thermometers are cheap but as you said maybe it is useless to buy them, I am only interested in making sure that the station works well, I have no special needs, I would never want it to have any problems, I have until January 31st to return it.

The surface of the thermocouple is not flat, the end has a shape that resembles a drop.