Weller WX 2021 vs Metcal 5041 vs JBC DD vs ERSA i-CON2

[poorchava]

I've considered getting Ersa iCon nano, but then decided it's too low power, and higher power ones were too expensive.

What is the actual principle of operation of iCon irons? They are supposed to be fixed/automatic temperature setting type. Is it a conventional heater like for example JBC or RF as in Metcal? What kind of tip does it have? Integrated with heater as in JBC, or separate as in Hakkos?

[nanofrog]

Is it a conventional heater like for example JBC or RF as in Metcal? What kind of tip does it have? Integrated with heater as in JBC, or separate as in Hakkos?

They're conventional systems, and the heater is separate from the tip.

[jpb]

I've considered getting Ersa iCon nano, but then decided it's too low power, and higher power ones were too expensive.

What is the actual principle of operation of iCon irons? They are supposed to be fixed/automatic temperature setting type. Is it a conventional heater like for example JBC or RF as in Metcal? What kind of tip does it have? Integrated with heater as in JBC, or separate as in Hakkos?

I'm happy with my Ersa iCon nano. It heats up very quickly. I haven't stressed it with soldering engine blocks or anything major so it may lack power for some applications.
I posted some photos on this thread:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ersa-vs-hakko-soldering-stations-and-a-question-on-%27anti-static%27/30/

[eKretz]

Here is a link with better info for the Ersa line of i-Con stations and I-Tool irons. This was a major PITA to find, I wandered Google for hours before it turned up on a German website. Luckily I read German...although I'm sure one could get the gist by using Google Translate.

http://web154.server3.keller-brennecke.de/index.php?modul=static&id=120

[jpb]

Here is a link with better info for the Ersa line of i-Con stations and I-Tool irons. This was a major PITA to find, I wandered Google for hours before it turned up on a German website. Luckily I read German...although I'm sure one could get the gist by using Google Translate.

http://web154.server3.keller-brennecke.de/index.php?modul=static&id=120

Also I found that the pre-sales support (in English) was very good from Ersa themselves, they answered my e-mails promptly and in detail. I was pleasantly surprised as I wasn't a big customer and I often find that organizations fail to respond at all to private individuals asking questions or you get some non-technical person who fobs you off with waffle.

This was particularly useful to me because though my aunt is German, my knowledge of the language is down to the remnants of a beginners course I took a few years ago!