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| Disappointment with the Ersa i-con Pico soldering station (more DIY editing) |
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| CharlotteSwiss:
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) |
| CharlotteSwiss:
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. |
| tautech:
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: |
| Martin72:
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. ;) |
| wraper:
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. |
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