CFW for KSGER/Quicko STM32 Soldering Stations

[wickated]

u dont have 8551, u have shitty 621 one. first to change.

[Tugo]

u dont have 8551, u have shitty 621 one. first to change.

From the message it is 8551 (top picture). 621 (bottom picture) is from the picture dark_hawk said it is from David's github.

[Tugo]

dark_hawk: how about a good picture from the other side of the board? Maybe something near the pinout for upgrade? Did you use some kind of conductive paste?
Another option: downgrade to original FW just to see if it has anything to do with SW or HW.

[DavidAlfa]

I don't think it's the software if it has worked well until now.
He updated the fw after the problem appeared, trying to solve it.
Maybe some ceramic capacitor has failed.
There have been few cases of badly soldered caps, or broken.
Recently one failed on my Quicko, the one that filters the handle Shake sensor, it developed 6K internal resistance.

I'd rework the solder joints, and add/replace the LDO/stm32 caps.

If you have oscilloscope, check the op-amp output and the power rails...

[hanzz]

...found some Original Backups even Ksger 3.1

Not tested by me!

Are they different from the ones in github?

I dont see any for Ksger 3.1 on github

[dark_hawk]

It seems it has been resolved by a complete erase from the STM32 utility. It now works fine. I don't know the reason why a complete erase from the utility would differ from a new flash which does an erase or an All Reset.

A question: When setting the zero value in calibration, when I start the board the first time, the temperature in the debug menu is around 30, 6 degrees above the ambient with an adc around 30. If I left the debug menu running (set at zero) it slowly rises in a few minutes to reach around a 100 degrees!
Which value should I be using for zero in calibration ?

[mastershake]

...found some Original Backups even Ksger 3.1

Not tested by me!

Are they different from the ones in github?

I dont see any for Ksger 3.1 on github

i posted the hex file a while back and someone else posted the backup later on so they have both been posted in this thread already.

[ygi]

It seems it has been resolved by a complete erase from the STM32 utility. It now works fine. I don't know the reason why a complete erase from the utility would differ from a new flash which does an erase or an All Reset.

A question: When setting the zero value in calibration, when I start the board the first time, the temperature in the debug menu is around 30, 6 degrees above the ambient with an adc around 30. If I left the debug menu running (set at zero) it slowly rises in a few minutes to reach around a 100 degrees!
Which value should I be using for zero in calibration ?

I, for one, power up the station without tip then go straight into calibration menu. There, the MOSFET is turned off and I can insert a cold tip, then enter calibration settings where I capture the ADC value for zero. That value should not change more than a couple points when you try multiple times.
If your ADC drifts that much with the MOSFET turned off, there's definitely a hardware issue, most likely the opamp. I'm assuming the reading is the problem but if the MOSFET turns on when it should be off, then it's what drives the MOSFET that's faulty.

[DavidAlfa]

Yep, that's how it's done.
You might get small variations depending on the tip and the station temperature , but usually no more than 2-3°C.

About the strange 100°C drift happening in the debug menu: Is the tip actually getting any warm?

[dark_hawk]

That erase thing wasn't it, It worked for a while and then started acting up again. It was a dodgy solder joint on the board. Not the one in the picture but another one I didn't see, but I resoldered all the joints again and it seems to be working now.


The zero value seems to drift from 33 when just starting the board to 42 in 40 minutes, and seems stable at 42 for the last 10 minutes at an adc of 135.
Should I change it? And if so, what are the compatible part numbers, I can search the scarp boards I have I may find one.

[DavidAlfa]

Uhh...
What is 32...44? °C?
135 ADC value when reading 44...°C?
Typically you calibrate when the system has fully heated up and got stable.

Some drift is normal as the handle/board heat up, it's working with very small signals and there's no compensation of any kind, few tens of microvolts are enough to change the readings slightly.
Given the way they're made, that's more a design issue than a hardware failure.
If not done yet, I'd redo the soldering joints of every single smd resistor, capacitor...

[dark_hawk]

Uhh...
What is 32...44? °C?
135 ADC value when reading 44...°C?
Typically you calibrate when the system has fully heated up and got stable.

Some drift is normal as the handle/board heat up, it's working with very small signals and there's no compensation of any kind, few tens of microvolts are enough to change the readings slightly.
Given the way they're made, that's more a design issue than a hardware failure.
If not done yet, I'd redo the soldering joints of every single smd resistor, capacitor...

Yes, 32 to 42 degrees °C. 135 is the ADC value at 42 °C.

Is there a way to enter the zero value manually instead of capturing it? I'd have to power the board for half an hour and wait for it stabilize.

I re soldered the ics and few of the smd resistors/capacitos. I will take it apart again and do the everything.

[wickated]

Is there a way to enter the zero value manually instead of capturing it? I'd have to power the board for half an hour and wait for it stabilize.

just work with station keeping spare cold tip nearby. switch and recapture

[ricktendo]

Minor cosmetic feature request:

Add JBC iron picture for no tip error screen, station shows JBC iron picture when station is set to JBC type handle and/or T12 tip when set to T12 handle.

[ityjob]

Without having had a chance to read much of this 95 page long thread yet (I have looked at this github page https://github.com/dreamcat4/t12-t245-controllers-docs/tree/master/controllers/stm32-t12-oled) which aliexpress irons are suggested buys at this point, or could someone direct me to a page of this thread where that was discussed? I was looking at this KSGER V2.1S https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33006521566.html as the PCB on shown on aliexpress looks like the recommended one "Original version of the v2.1S hardware. This is the preferred hardware for v2.1s ..." from the github page.
Thanks

[DavidAlfa]

58eur/$67 for a DIY kit, ,comign with the crappiest plastic handle? To me, it seems very expensive, and a try of charging twice trying to get extra profit of the silicon crysis.
There isn't a design that's notoriously better than others., everything is just the same, don't get fooled by a fancy alluminium bezel.
The major changes come in the 3.3V regulation. Some KSGERs (2.0, 2.1, 2.1s.. uhh... I don't know which ones right now) use a cheap design where they convert 24V to 3.3V with a linear regulator,  causing a lot of heat.
For some boards it's too much, the LDO overheats and causes weird behavior like random resetting. But the analog front end is, as far as I know, the same thing in all with minor changes.
Maybe some KSGER fanboys can advice you better, I just see a ton of money for a crappy design 

I'd get a KSGER 3.1, Quicko T12, Quecoo T12-955, whatever is cheaper.
Search "aliexpress" in this topic, you'll quickly find some links.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000183089084.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32947718640.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32954334507.html

[ricktendo]

If you want portability and inexpensive (if you already have the QC3/PD/DC power supply) you can also go with a PINECIL

https://pine64.com/product/pinecil-smart-mini-portable-soldering-iron/

Here is a smaller/cheaper KSGER 3.1 that requires external laptop DC power adapter (however it does not come with a nice handle, I would buy separately)

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000055007842.html

[Tugo]

I own 2 of the v2.1s and they work fine. Main problem is that I cannot compare it to other versions.
David has Quicko so I believe the best support will be for Quicko 

When I measured with thermocam I believe I got something over 50 C on the LDO but it wasn't in the case. It was a little bit worm to touch but nothing big.
On my first v2.1s I used for quite some years I didn't have any kind of problems. Nowdays I mainly use another one that has David's FW and has a lot of probl... I am just kidding, everything works. Even David's FW 

[mastershake]

all of mine i use are 3.1 versions. they work fine with the newer firmware versions now. i do have some 2.1 controllers but i dont use them as much honestly

[ygi]

Anyone tried this handle? : https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000130747937.html
On paper it checks all the right boxes. I mean, it's made of aluminium, has a usable shape, short tip to grip distance, a large silicon sleeve and is suspiciously cheap (compared to all the "nice" T12 handles). So, is it as good as advertised or yet another piece of garbage that burn user's hand or doesn't fit the tip properly?

[wickated]

Anyone tried this handle? : https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000130747937.html
On paper it checks all the right boxes. I mean, it's made of aluminium, has a usable shape, short tip to grip distance, a large silicon sleeve and is suspiciously cheap (compared to all the "nice" T12 handles). So, is it as good as advertised or yet another piece of garbage that burn user's hand or doesn't fit the tip properly?

its actually a default fx9501 handle

[mastershake]

i have one of those handles note it did not work properly with the ksger stations i had to modify the wiring to get it to heat. so it depends what seller you get it from and how its wired ive seen a few different ones.

[DavidAlfa]

I just say because I've received few reports of the controller going nuts randomly, magically fixed after lowering the screen brightness.
So it must be the LDO, might be overheating, defective, a broken solder joint... there's no way I could know unless the owner works on it, which almost never happens.

An it's not a personal war against ksger devices. It against their inflated prices. They charge almost twice in some cases!

[Tugo]

I just say because I've received few reports of the controller going nuts randomly, magically fixed after lowering the screen brightness.
So it must be the LDO, might be overheating, defective, a broken solder joint... there's no way I could know unless the owner works on it, which almost never happens.

It didn't happen to mine yet but I hope to remember that if it happen. Thanks.

[M-Reimer]

I would like to try to run a real Hakko handle on this station. But I don't want to modify the handle in any way so it can still be used on its original station.

The NTC seems to have a different value but is connected the same way as on chinese handles. So no problem there as the value can be configured in your firmware.

BUT: The original handle has a small capacitor of 100 nF in parallel to the tip contacts. You can see it here: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170812/a70044c1d56aa37c3955395497c75ae1.jpg

I wonder if this causes any trouble with your firmware as the chinese handles don't have this capacitor. Is it possible to run the handle with this capacitor at all?