First of all, THANKS for all answers!
The original 936 had only 24V transformer good for about 50W. The 888 has the 26V transformer for 70W rating. Many of the more modern clones also advertise 70W, now.
Yes, but most of them LIES. If you measures the heater resistance never can pass 70 watts from transformer. The heater delivers 50 watts or least at maximum power. I'd tested some T12 clones and saw the same thing, all that I'd measured can deliver less power that original ones. I did't can measure Pace or JBC clones but I think that it's the same.
IMO, a lot of the value in the Hakko 888 is in the handpiece and the quality, selection, and low cost of the tips.
I totally agree, i believe that the station perse it's not exceptional, only robust and well made (not the interface!), the real goodness of this iron it's the handle+heater+tips. I did used the tips for years and they seems like new!
In the new Pace ADS200 station (120W capable) for the heater supply they use ~30VAC to an unbuffered mosfet bridge, so rectified but not smoothed.
Thanks for this very important data! Yes, the same that I see in the Hakko patents.
There are $200 JBC clones now as well but I wouldn't even bother
I agree, for few dollars more I buy real ones from another good brands!
... it's better to save up for the $200 genuine Pace if you want to run a station on the cheap....
Yes, I read carefully your post about you two solder stations and see the Dave review and I like it! If I live in USA probably buy Pace and if I live in Europe JBC.
My actual problem it's that everything that I import to my country pays almost $90-120 on shipping (good solder stations are heavy) and 50% in taxes for the price+shipping. A $250 station plus some cartridges (I use four or five diffferent shapes and sizes) plus shipping and taxes it's roughly $600 (250+50+100+200) and I can't afford it with this economical situation.
If I can buy only the cartridges this change everything. The shipping cost $15-25 and the final cost it's four times less. I have in my desk components for build any driver, toroid transformers and desk bases for the handles salvaged from previous stations.
With Pace and JBC I not see copied handles in ebay. I can make one from aluminium in a CNC lathe and would be gorgeous but time demanding to prepare the program and resolve all issues for do only a one handle!. if I have not any other choice I do that, but seems like buy a "decent" T12 handle (with any connector) make or buy a decent but cheap driver and buy original T12 cartridge tips would be a simplest and cheap solution.
since upgrading to a T12 based unit about 18 months ago, i'll never waste money on a removeable tip type iron again.
That's I see, most of forum members (include Dave :-) ) says that cartridge technology it's better and I believe that too.
I think that T18 series it's a very very good iron (at first 936 and for last few years 888d), my best circuits and developments (when I was young) was soldered with this solder tips and had works always, but now I need a small handle like the cartridge solders use and prefer to add a cartridge solder station to the fx-888d. With cartridge system I thing that handle's quality it's less important than in 888.