Disappointed with JBC

[dom0]

I run my Ersa at 360°C most of the time. It sleeps in stages. There's one at about 250°C, then somewhere around 100°C and the final step brings it to 50°C. It takes about 5 seconds to get back up to 360°C with a 2mm Chisel tip from 50°C. That's about the time I need to prepare the component.

McBryce.

360 °C? You are using lead-free solder I assume?

[Augustus]

Just make sure your iron sits in the holder right, or prior to come back to an oxidized useless tip.

That's why I like the Ersa system on their fully fledged I-Cons, they use accelerometers build into the handpiece to detect motion. If there is no motion for a programmable amount of time, the station switches into standby mode and finally turns off. You don't need a special stand for that, or a cable from your station to your stand. Any stand will do. In fact, you don't need a stand at all, if you laid your iron flat on the table and forgot about it, it will also switch off. Pick it up and by the time you have placed your component it is on temp. There are people who claim the accelerometer solution is overengineered but I think it is the way it really should be done   

[wraper]

That's why I like the Ersa system on their fully fledged I-Cons, they use accelerometers build into the handpiece to detect motion. If there is no motion for a programmable amount of time, the station switches into standby mode and finally turns off. You don't need a special stand for that, or a cable from your station to your stand. Any stand will do. In fact, you don't need a stand at all, if you laid your iron flat on the table and forgot about it, it will also switch off. Pick it up and by the time you have placed your component it is on temp. There are people who claim the accelerometer solution is overengineered but I think it is the way it really should been done 

Yep, IMO accelerometer is much cleaner (and probably cheaper) solution than building moving stuff and switches into the stand and then running a cable, or making built in stand into the station. I can move my ersa stands freely without need to think about any cables connected to them.

[JackP]

I think the best design for a 'sleep mode' is the Metcal system. I don't have one, but the use of a magnet to lower the curie point is pretty darned simple (by which I mean the implementation) and effective. Of course I believe the actual shut off time can be programmed into the base, which is not quite as flexible as the motion based system, which in itself seems pretty cool.

[dom0]

That's why I like the Ersa system on their fully fledged I-Cons, they use accelerometers build into the handpiece to detect motion. If there is no motion for a programmable amount of time, the station switches into standby mode and finally turns off. You don't need a special stand for that, or a cable from your station to your stand. Any stand will do. In fact, you don't need a stand at all, if you laid your iron flat on the table and forgot about it, it will also switch off. Pick it up and by the time you have placed your component it is on temp. There are people who claim the accelerometer solution is overengineered but I think it is the way it really should been done 

Yep, IMO accelerometer is much cleaner (and probably cheaper) solution than building moving stuff and switches into the stand and then running a cable, or making built in stand into the station. I can move my ersa stands freely without need to think about any cables connected to them.

I don't think there are mechanical parts involved in JBC's stand detection. They just put a pull-up on the silver metal part where you put your iron into. The iron then shorts that to ground with it's metal shell.

[zapta]

I think the best design for a 'sleep mode' is the Metcal system. I don't have one, but the use of a magnet to lower the curie point is pretty darned simple (by which I mean the implementation) and effective. Of course I believe the actual shut off time can be programmed into the base, which is not quite as flexible as the motion based system, which in itself seems pretty cool.

They Metcal shutoff time starts when you stop using it. It detects it based on the fluctuations of energy going to the tip.

[neslekkim]

I don't think there are mechanical parts involved in JBC's stand detection. They just put a pull-up on the silver metal part where you put your iron into. The iron then shorts that to ground with it's metal shell.

Correct, only electrical contact.

[ConKbot]

I don't think there are mechanical parts involved in JBC's stand detection. They just put a pull-up on the silver metal part where you put your iron into. The iron then shorts that to ground with it's metal shell.

Correct, only electrical contact.

And the source of my gripe with them not shutting off right, once either or both sides get dirty/oxidized. Yes, you can clean it, but at work I have enough stuff to do besides perform PM on my soldering station. Though I suppose someone will tell me to just put deoxit-gold on it when I'm doing the quartly application to scope BNC's also  

I think the best design for a 'sleep mode' is the Metcal system. I don't have one, but the use of a magnet to lower the curie point is pretty darned simple (by which I mean the implementation) and effective. Of course I believe the actual shut off time can be programmed into the base, which is not quite as flexible as the motion based system, which in itself seems pretty cool.

Close! The output is a constant RMS current RF, the tip of the iron has a lossy inductor in it, when the iron tip is at the curie point or above, or enough external magnetic field is applied, the inductor saturates, the voltage/power going to the tip drops.  I agree, its an awesomely simple and clever method. Though the accelerometer based system sounds very nice too.

[JackP]

I wasn't to sure on the details, thanks.

[JuKu]

Heat up times are about as relevant to real world usage as 0-60mph times. They give a hint of performance, but aren't really that useful a guide.

From cold start, maybe. When used, putting the iron to sleep does increase the tip life hugely, so this is very useful. Heatup time from that is one of the main decision factors for me.

The JBC's go into energy savings when it's in the cradle, but that temperature is still pretty high, and so when you pull it off the cradle, it doesn't have to go very far to hit your set temperature.  I feel like mine hits target temperature after pulling it off of the cradle in a mere second or two tops.

So, marketing aside, JBC is still a good choice for my next iron.

[ElectronicsNewbie]

kcs, have you received any reply from JBC on your matter?

[kcs]

kcs, have you received any reply from JBC on your matter?

No  . Btw, my unit has the same gap you have identified in your thread.