Author Topic: Disappointment with the Ersa i-con Pico soldering station (more DIY editing)  (Read 3813 times)

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Offline CharlotteSwissTopic starter

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I don't remember exactly when I bought the Ersa i-con Pico soldering station whether it was possible to screw the nut perfectly when mounting a tip. Certainly, for a long time, I had struggled to secure the tip correctly.
The thread of the nut and the stylus were ok, but I could only screw in a few turns (and it didn't have a secure fit).
First image: above how it screwed before my modification (the nut could not screw any further); below the result after the modification, ok nut screwed tightly.
I honestly didn't understand why, the heating element was engaged well, but it's as if it were too long, thus preventing the nut from tightening more.
So yesterday I took over my father's workshop, and without inquiring, I freed my mind and made this modification (second image): first I drilled another 2 mm approximately inside the tip (drill tip diameter 3.5 mm , exactly like the inside tip); then I polished lightly with a 3.2mm Dremel bit. At the end of the work, the tip locking nut was finally screwed onto almost the entire thread.
I then tried to check the temperature of the tip with the multimeter, which was not an easy task, the reading was very variable. Before I had tried an original tip (set 220°, it had reached 206°, room temperature 10°); then I tried the modified tip, alternating various reading sizes, but it obtained a good 214° (out of 220°). See the third image.
When I set off with the modification, without informing myself in the slightest, I didn't know what I was getting into. Maybe I could have ruined the tip permanently. I had no idea if it had a particular surface treatment inside. From the test done it doesn't seem like it. I also very gently 'polished' the heating element.
At the end of the day, I then did the definitive test using the modified tip (2.4 mm): desoldering some solder on very old boards, usually even at 380° I struggled, tonight with 360° after a few seconds it melted the solder immediately.
Then I tried to do some soldering, setting 'only' 320° (at 10° ambient, so it must have been 310°) and I was satisfied, generally the solder often tends to remain on the tip, but today after 1 second it already occupied the pitch (fourth image, my tinnings are the 4 darkest).
Conclusions: has anyone ever had a problem like this? I honestly didn't understand what it was about. I came up with this solution without any research. It seems to work. Or I will have done irreparable damage. Meanwhile, I had fun and excitement using the mechanical tools  8)



 

Offline CharlotteSwissTopic starter

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Today I did the same job on all the tip Ersa sets that I own. Now I can secure them properly to the heating element.
The plastic nut that secures the tip is a cheap replacement, but that wasn't the problem I found.
The male thread made of a non-metallic material on the heating element, I disapprove. Also because that spare part has a considerable price.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2023, 02:12:19 pm by CharlotteSwiss »
 

Offline tautech

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On a generic pencil sourced without tips the tip retaining barrel was too short for the retaining nut to engage with the thread on the pencil for some tips.
I also found some tips would not seat as far onto the element but now with different length barrels I can mix and match to have them fit correctly.
There is also some small variance in element diameter yet all the tips I have fit on the elements I need keep them free from time to time to ensure none become permanent fixtures.   :scared:
Avid Rabid Hobbyist.
Some stuff seen @ Siglent HQ cannot be shared.
 

Online Martin72

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Partly the same here with the i-Con(normal).
However, a slightly stronger turn when screwing onto the heating element was enough.
However, I occasionally have the problem that the connection comes loose slightly after it has warmed up and you have to tighten it again.
I'll get a Weller when I get the chance and then that will be a thing of the past. ;)

Online wraper

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Never had this problem with ~20 different tips on 4 regular I-CON irons with full metal heater with metal thread (same as NANO). Looks like you have a defective heater with metal part being off-center/off axis in plastic housing or some issue with thread. Misalignment can be easily seen on the picture. Drilling deeper inside the tip is absolutely stupid because thermocouple is located at the end of the the heater and must make direct contact against the flat surface inside the tip. With what you have done, temperature sensing is compromised. What made it fit most likely is enlarging inner diameter of the heater that also severely compromises heat transfer besides compromising temperature sensing. On the picture after modification tip still looks off axis. So in a nutshell you have destroyed perfectly good tip while not fixing initial issue at all.

« Last Edit: December 29, 2023, 11:50:23 am by wraper »
 
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Online wraper

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I suggest pulling the heater out to check if it's straight.

 

Online inse

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Usually the tips are galvanized all over to prevent oxidation.
When you drill into the tip, the surface is damaged and copper oxide will form over time.
Copper oxide will be less thermal conductive than pure copper and the tip also might stick (burn, I don’t know the English phrase) to the heater.
 

Offline watchmaker

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The best response to criticism is success.  You got your intended result and as I was taught in Neuchatel, there are lots of ways to get the job done as long as the result is correct.

And to be clear to avoid unwarranted criticism, in Switzerland, the result in watchmaking means "fit, finish and function".  The piece under restoration does not care if the part is a factory replacement.  What matters is the final fit and finish, and if the timepiece functions as originally intended.  If you cannot tell it from original, the job is a good result.

In electronics, this would mean even the solder joints from a replaced transistor are undetectable while the unit meets all factory specs.  How many can meet that standard?

You did not want to buy a new iron.  You wanted to increase the utility of what you had (why make a new tool when the back of a tweezer will do).

You thought the process through and used good mechanical technique, as witnessed by the result.

So you may have missed the alignment issue. Not sure that would have changed the scenario other than spending money on parts; which you chose to avoid. 

But the claim you ruined things is overstated.  You proved your results and minimized expense.  It is a tool, NOT an important historical artifact or work of art.   

Good on ya!!

Regards,

Dewey
 

Online wraper

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The best response to criticism is success.  You got your intended result and as I was taught in Neuchatel, there are lots of ways to get the job done as long as the result is correct.

And to be clear to avoid unwarranted criticism, in Switzerland, the result in watchmaking means "fit, finish and function".  The piece under restoration does not care if the part is a factory replacement.  What matters is the final fit and finish, and if the timepiece functions as originally intended.  If you cannot tell it from original, the job is a good result.\
What success? There will be the same issue if OP tries to use other tip. Not to say after prolonged use heater will likely get stuck inside the tip due to copper oxidizing and flaking off with protective plating stripped.
Quote
and if the timepiece functions as originally intended.
It doesn't. There is no chance it has the same performance as intended. For that tip must have flat surface on the end of the hole and tight fit with the heater.
 

Offline watchmaker

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Your post presumes you know the long term outcome.  Data?

In the meantime, her results beat your presumption.  Charlotte will learn if the results hold up over time and if necessary buy a new iron.

So what?
Regards,

Dewey
 

Online wraper

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Your post presumes you know the long term outcome.  Data?

In the meantime, her results beat your presumption.  Charlotte will learn if the results hold up over time and if necessary buy a new iron.

So what?
I know from soldering irons with bare copper tip that were way more common in the past. After some time it becomes nearly impossible to pull the tip out. As of the spare I-CON pico heater, it costs about EUR 50 https://www.ersa-shop.com/ersa-ersatzheizk%C3%B6rper-f%C3%BCr-l%C3%B6tkolben-itool-pico-p-8765.html . Also from the looks of it on the pictures, it should be possible to take it apart by pushing the plastic hooks inside.
What I find the most problematic, is going straight to destroying the perfectly good tip rather than recognizing the root cause of the issue.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2023, 12:38:17 pm by wraper »
 

Offline watchmaker

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So she CHOSE to make a modification rather than spend money outright.  I do not understand what appears to be criticism for that choice.

As far as results, it works.  As far as your prognostication, time will tell.  In the mean time, she can solder.

I strongly doubt she needs me to defend her, and that your concern is going to cause her sleepless nights.  Let us let this go.

Have a good New Year (can it be worse than the last?)
Regards,

Dewey
 

Online wraper

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 :palm:  Do not forget she has at least one other tip to be destroyed to fit in the same way. Those two tips cost like 30-40% of the new heater. Also did you not see I wrote heater should be possible to be taken apart? Also it could be thread issue I've seen some reports of that could be fixed by some filing. But OP did not provide any photos of the heater.
 

Offline CharlotteSwissTopic starter

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On a generic pencil sourced without tips the tip retaining barrel was too short for the retaining nut to engage with the thread on the pencil for some tips.
I also found some tips would not seat as far onto the element but now with different length barrels I can mix and match to have them fit correctly.
There is also some small variance in element diameter yet all the tips I have fit on the elements I need keep them free from time to time to ensure none become permanent fixtures.   :scared:

If I didn't want to scrap the heating element (it costs a lot), either I modified the tips as I did, or I could have shortened the element by 2 mm. I opted to work on the tips.

Partly the same here with the i-Con(normal).
However, a slightly stronger turn when screwing onto the heating element was enough.
However, I occasionally have the problem that the connection comes loose slightly after it has warmed up and you have to tighten it again.
I'll get a Weller when I get the chance and then that will be a thing of the past. ;)

I understand what you mean, but I assure you that it was almost impossible to screw the tip (maybe I only screwed a couple of tips, but only a couple of turns). I was risking ruining the thread of the element. Now after the modification, they screw in perfectly (with no play, I only dug in just enough). >I agree that I don't think the next station will be there yet...).

I suggest pulling the heater out to check if it's straight.



Thank you. Look in the first image, after the edit. It's perfectly aligned. As you said it wasn't aligned before, simply because the nut barely reached and it was difficult to initialize the thread.
By now I have modified all my tips. I tried them, they weld well now. The temperature sensing test was good. I agree that I shouldn't have drilled, but it was the only solution I could think of...
I don't remember exactly, but in my opinion, even from the first uses, the tips screwed on badly and poorly
The other day my head went crazy and I played with the drill and phrase maker, I'm impulsive!

Usually the tips are galvanized all over to prevent oxidation.
When you drill into the tip, the surface is damaged and copper oxide will form over time.
Copper oxide will be less thermal conductive than pure copper and the tip also might stick (burn, I don’t know the English phrase) to the heater.


This was one of the problems I had asked myself. Will the tip have an INTERNAL treatment? The inside is now copper.

The best response to criticism is success.  You got your intended result and as I was taught in Neuchatel, there are lots of ways to get the job done as long as the result is correct.

And to be clear to avoid unwarranted criticism, in Switzerland, the result in watchmaking means "fit, finish and function".  The piece under restoration does not care if the part is a factory replacement.  What matters is the final fit and finish, and if the timepiece functions as originally intended.  If you cannot tell it from original, the job is a good result.

In electronics, this would mean even the solder joints from a replaced transistor are undetectable while the unit meets all factory specs.  How many can meet that standard?

You did not want to buy a new iron.  You wanted to increase the utility of what you had (why make a new tool when the back of a tweezer will do).

You thought the process through and used good mechanical technique, as witnessed by the result.

So you may have missed the alignment issue. Not sure that would have changed the scenario other than spending money on parts; which you chose to avoid. 

But the claim you ruined things is overstated.  You proved your results and minimized expense.  It is a tool, NOT an important historical artifact or work of art.   

Good on ya!!



I definitely wanted to try a solution, I never give up, not even to the obvious. If I couldn't screw the tips anymore what should I do? Change the heating element (a lot of money) and I would have solved the problem? Maybe yes.
The only mistake was being impulsive. From the time I thought about solving the problem to the time I picked up the drill, 10 minutes must have passed. No information on the matter.
Let's say that perhaps I could have 'filed' the heating element by 2 mm, still saving my tips for the future.

:palm:  Do not forget she has at least one other tip to be destroyed to fit in the same way. Those two tips cost like 30-40% of the new heater. Also did you not see I wrote heater should be possible to be taken apart? Also it could be thread issue I've seen some reports of that could be fixed by some filing. But OP did not provide any photos of the heater.

The fillet had no problems, on both sides. But if I insert the tip with its holder, and it already touches the bottom of the element, it is obvious that the threaded parts cannot be screwed.
Then ok, my modification (about 6 tips or more) could have negative implications in the future.
It is as if the heating element had become longer at its end, by 2 mm. I don't see any other reason.  :-//
 

Offline CharlotteSwissTopic starter

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I 'stole' the wraper image: I'm almost sure that the height indicated in red, in my element, was 2 mm higher than that designed by the manufacturer! If someone had the same soldering station as me and measures this amount, I could check.
Of course, in the cold mind I should have worked on element (or asked here on the forum first). but that's how I am, every now and then my electrons accelerate...  :-//

1965351-0
 

Online wraper

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35mm on I-CON with full metal heater cartridge, pico should be the same as it uses the same tip system.
 

Offline ksjh

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I vaguely remember that when we first got an i-CON nano at work, I thought that it was quite odd that you can barely screw on the nut until I realized that you have to push the soldering tips quite firmly into the nut so that they essentially become one unit. When you have done this, the nut and the tip are hard to separate, but the assembly screws on properly.
 
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Offline maralb

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I vaguely remember that when we first got an i-CON nano at work, I thought that it was quite odd that you can barely screw on the nut until I realized that you have to push the soldering tips quite firmly into the nut so that they essentially become one unit. When you have done this, the nut and the tip are hard to separate, but the assembly screws on properly.

As an owner of an I-CON Nano I can confirm this.
 
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Offline CharlotteSwissTopic starter

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If you look at the first image below, it is after the modification, you can clearly see the nut well screwed onto the element; In my opinion it should be like this. The element is absolutely not off-axis.
Before the modification, even by pushing the tip very hard towards the element, the thread only gripped a couple of turns, and then it turned idle. But looking at the space between the metal retainer and the tip, it was clear that it was at the end of its travel, it was not possible to screw in more than that. Without forgetting that the thread of the element would have been ruined by continuing in that way.
I measured the part of the element, it is approximately 35.83mm. It's definitely bigger than it should be (second image).
In the third image, you can see the inside of a tip after editing.
Now everything has been done, we'll see what surprises the future has in store for me.
 

Online Kean

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I vaguely remember that when we first got an i-CON nano at work, I thought that it was quite odd that you can barely screw on the nut until I realized that you have to push the soldering tips quite firmly into the nut so that they essentially become one unit. When you have done this, the nut and the tip are hard to separate, but the assembly screws on properly.

Thanks for posting something constructive without being toxic.

To the OP, I suggest doing regular inspection of the heater element and tip to make sure you don't end up with them becoming fused.
Soldering tips are consumables and are easily replaced, but the element is likely more difficult and expensive to replace.
 
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Offline ksjh

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Looking at Charlotte's photos, I am still not sure if the tips are fully inserted into the nut. The nut has an internal ridge right where the front row of rectangular holes are. The tips themself have a rim at the end. When you insert the tip into the nut, the rim tends to rest on the ridge. But this is not right. When the tip is fully mounted in the nut, the rim needs to be right at the front of the nut.

Charlotte, is it easy to remove the nut from the tip?

If this is the case, I think the tips are not fully seated in the nut. It should not be easy to remove.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2023, 11:10:42 pm by ksjh »
 

Offline CharlotteSwissTopic starter

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I don't doubt what you say. But after what happened, it wasn't my intention to get a new item like this one. The problem could have happened again  :-//
However, I always had the feeling that the tip didn't heat up much with this station; with 380° I always had trouble desoldering old solder joints; and when soldering, the tin often floated on the tip. In the tests carried out now after the modification, I desoldered 360° without problems, and the soldering finally took place optimally. It will be a coincidence.
 

Online Martin72

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Quote
If this is the case, I think the tips are not fully seated in the nut. It should not be easy to remove.

Yes, you have to apply some force, then they "click" into the holder (I pulled on both ends).

Offline CharlotteSwissTopic starter

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Looking at Charlotte's photos, I am still not sure if the tips are fully inserted into the nut. The nut has an interal ridge right where the front row of rectangular holes are. The tips themself have a rim at the end. When you insert the tip into the nut, the rim tends to rest on the ridge. But this is not right. When the tip is fully mounted in the nut, the rim needs to be right at the front of the nut.

Charlotte, is it easy to remove the nut from the tip?

If this is the case, I think the tips are not fully seated in the nut. It should not be easy to remove.

I tried many times before the modifications, the tip was inserted well both in the retainer and in the nut. In my opinion when I screwed two turns, the element was already at the bottom of the tip.
Yes, the nut drops well from the tip  :-//
 

Offline CharlotteSwissTopic starter

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Quote
If this is the case, I think the tips are not fully seated in the nut. It should not be easy to remove.

Yes, you have to apply some force, then they "click" into the holder (I pulled on both ends).

I confirm, after holding and pointing there is a last piece which, by pulling the two openings in reverse, then fits together at the end of the stroke.
 


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