Anesty ZD-915 (Duratool/Ningbo/edi-tronic) Desoldering Station Review & Weller DS-801 Depature
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- Опубліковано 17 жов 2024
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A long ish look at the Anesty (E-nasty as I call it now) Desoldering Station and the old Weller DS-801 as it departed. The review of the ZD-915 starts at 11:06
The edi-tronic, Solder Peak, Ningbo and Duratool are clones of this (or this is a clone of one of those) and I am sure there are many others.
#anesty #duratool #desolder #weller
The review of the ZD-915 starts at 11:06
Maybe wait with the whining before you check the Maschine probably. "i may have damaged the tip drilling this out" oh come on(even could have been done in a less destructive way if you had the rigt tools and were so afraid to ruin a tip worth probably less than a dollar(which the company would have gladly replaced for free im sure)..
its an ultra cheap model and your not even giving it a fair change. If you expect high quality, dont buy a 100 bucks desoldering station and just rant it before you even start testing.
Stop testing gear if you cant keep price and expectations in line.
Sorry about the tip clogging up. I've not had one do that yet, but I guess whatever "solder" they use to protect them isn't too great.
I did find with mine that I had to set the heat to about 360-400C as well to get good thermal capacity out of it.
I think you may be biased by having owned the Weller before though. lol
The Duratool (Zhongdi) station is still one of the best things I've bought. I don't need to use it too often, but it's still great when you do need it.
I just can't complain about the price at all. Especially for replacement tips, heating element, or the whole gun. I bought my station from Farnell for £80 about 5 years ago.
Originally, they came with a plastic solder container, and obviously got a bit "melty" after using it at higher temps. lol
So, they replaced that with the glass cylinder now. I bought several of the glass kits direct from Zhongdi for 74p each.
One BIG thing to keep in mind, though - twice now I've had to replace the nozzle/ heater, as it got blocked solid. It was mainly because I lost the cleaning wires, and it's surprisingly hard to find wire like that around the house.
I've now bought some more cleaning wires, and ALWAYS clean the nozzle after each few holes are de-soldered. And I even leave the cleaning wire in the nozzle before powering it off.
The heater / nozzle was only £12, and not too painful to replace. It does use that weird wire for the thermocouple that you can't solder to, though. They supply two small crimps for that.
Other than those issues (my own fault for not cleaning it), it's been fine.
I don't think I got the silly tray thing with mine, just the holder.
I do agree that the design of the Weller is nicer, but what I usually do with the Duratool is to place the PCB vertically (on the non-clip ESD mat), so the pump isn't fighting gravity, and that helps quite a lot with desoldering the tough vias on ground planes etc.
Yeah, it's obviously not the best-built thing ever, but it's still great for the price, and easy enough to get parts for. You could even buy the entire handpiece for around £25 at once point.
And yep - getting the solder container out isn't supposed to be that hard - it seems like they made some of the glass containers just a tiny bit too long.
You're normally supposed to remove it by pressing the back of the cylinder against the vacuum / release block, then it should easily clear the grommet thing at the front.
(I think they might have even changed the white seal at the back when they changed to the glass containers? I think mine still has the old one on.)
If you do need spares, just e-mail Zhongdi directly, as their prices were dirt cheap, and used a cheap (but slow) shipping option as well. ;)
Wow. I didn't mean to type my own full review. lol
Oh yeah - one thing I did notice is that the internal PSU only seems to put out around 18 Volts, and not the quoted "24V" on the handset?
It could be different now, but it's worth noting.
I think it's possible they are actually using a 12V motor on the 18V supply, but I could be wrong. lol
The supply to the heater actually uses PWM and a transistor to create an "analog" ramp instead of a purely digital one.
Just watching the last ten minutes now, and I have to say that I've never had mine get blocked up as easily as that. lol
I don't know what's going on, but yeah, that's not great.
I think I've only ever used the 1mm tip, so maybe that's it?
And, for the REALLY stubborn vias, or for when there's a lot of solder on the top side of the board (on ICs legs etc.), I have used the "trick" of holding the PCB vertically, heating the chip leg with the soldering iron, then using the Duratool on the other side.
And yep - you should always use the cleaning tool after so many holes, but it shouldn't be THAT bad. lol
Put it this way, I can normally de-solder two 40-pin DIP chips before having to clean the nozzle. Not sure what's going on with yours?
Also - the original plastic container didn't have that weird metal plate against the filter. Instead, the spring inside was a very tight coil, with hardly any gaps around it. Maybe it could do with a bit more vacuum to stop it blocking?
I've noticed that a lot of cheap chinese soldering tips are really hit or miss with the solder coating on them. Some of them are fine, and other ones if it comes into contact with leaded solder, it instantly clumps up and has to be scraped off. It's bad enough where I'll spend a few minutes just sanding the coating off and retinning the tips completely with some cheap 60/40. After that, they'll work fine. But Chris is right, you definitely get what you pay for.
It just needed wearing in! =D It has worked perfectly since I did this video lol. I missed that video Fran did on setting temp max and leaving it face down. Haven't needed to do that yet though!
Loved your full report, and I love how good the support for this Unit is still strong..
Excellent stuff. When it finally came time to clean this thing, the video was a huge help. I'd never have been able to get the damned glass tube out without watching you do it. :) The nozzle was totally blocked with solder and the filter at the end of the glass tube was totalled. Someone on Facebook suggested heating the nozzle at the glass tube end with the soldering iron while pushing one of the ramrods in at the tip end, and sure enough the rod popped through and brought lumps of solder with it. I'd better buy some spare filters now. :) Thanks again.
Glad it was useful to someone lol! It is annoying when the inside part of the nozzle gets a bit of solder stuck there! I've found the same thing works with the ramrods btw! That's how I usually unblock mine! I had a much worse blockage recently where the solder (or whatever) was in the middle of the heating part. That was a nightmare to unblock and it took over an hour of ramming it, using hot air etc etc.
I have this station and am very happy with it for the cheap price. The filters in the gun do fill up quickly, as they should by design. You can get a sheet of 3mm ceramic fiber filter blanket for a few bucks and a 17mm hollow punch both from E-Bay and make your own filters for pennies a piece and change them as often as you like. This really keeps the unit working great.
Nice tip on the ceramic fiber filter!!! Yes, they are great stations! Mine has worked perfectly since those first few blockages.
Cheers for the video. Do you know where to get spare tips here in the UK? Running low and previous supplier has disappeared lol. PS. The 1.3mm tips clog a lot less than the 1mm ones...
There are some sellers on eBay selling them for the duratool station - which is exactly the same thing! I think RS sell the Duratool tips too.
CPC.co.uk part nums = SD01413 & SD01414 also stock new grip SD01394 , element SD01395, filters SD02162 and other parts.
Ive been using my zd915 for a couple years. Definitely got my moneys worth.
I wanted to grab a heating element for if/when mine goes out but all thats available is the parts for the proskit new version.
I wanted to order the whole new proskit gun but its 7 pin and the zd915 is 6 pin.
Any idea what the extra pin is for and if it could be made to work?
Thanks
I wasn't aware of that - but searching eBay there are loads of replacements for the ZD-915 (which seems to be the same as the ZD-917)
whats your opinion after a few years? I gave up with mine. Never seems to really work very well tbh. Just cleaned mine out (it's been sitting around for years!) and it still doesn't impress me at all! Much prefer the "old school" methods (although I really wish it'd just work well)
Hi Mark =D TBH - I am somewhere in the middle there - ie. When removing a DIP IC with lots of pins I will usually go to it, and most of the time it makes the job easy. 10% of the time it will block at which point I spent 10 to 30 mins trying to unblock it... The tube fills up really quickly and the filters need swapping out every single time I empty the tube too - but that's kinda to be expected with any desolder station really. Overall for the price I think its great, but it does block one too many times for my liking.
I've been using the Duratool D00672 version of those for many years now, and it's the best one I've had. This is the first desoldering gun that I've had to open up because it was full. All the ones I had before would always block up well before they were anywhere near full.
CPC has spare elements for £8 and complete replacement handsets for £20. I keep spare ones on hand for when I get a blockage that won't clear, so I don't lose any time when I'm working, and then just clean up the old ones when I have some spare time. You can sometimes drill out the blockages in the elements, if not, just crimp on a new one and you're away again.
I don't recall ever having one that didn't clear straight away, I guess you're always the lucky one.
The element staying hot is surely a good thing, if it cools down straight away, the solder won't flow, and it will take longer to get back to temperature.
Best advice is the same as ever, use lots of flux. I tend to add flux rather than solder, so the end can move around, and move the tip of the gun over the board to free the pin before pulling the trigger. Works a treat.
If it gets blocked, it will often clear if you turn the temp up and leave it in the cradle and the solder runs out the end. With the right technique, you can get used to leaving it clear every time. I also tend to work at 90 degrees, with the board vertical and the gun horizontal, seems to be more comfortable.
Think about the mechanics of it, with the gun vertical, it's far more likely the molten solder will fall back down and block the end when the suction stops. With it horizontal, it will most likely fall onto the spring.
Also the shorter the time you hold onto the trigger, the more chance the solder won't make it out of the element into the clear.
Thanks for all the tips there Dave =D After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D It is fantastic for the money!
I wanted to buy one of these but I've held off until someone reviews it. Thanks Chris for your in depth and excellent review, I will be buying one really soon 😁😁😁 Kim 😁😁😁
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D It's actually really good and I enjoy using it!
Is it better to stay away from flux rosin core solder and clean flux when using this machine? I cant seem to find any information on this, and I dont damage the machine or glass tube. Please let me know if you have any useful information regarding this.
A great review and real-world test. I've heard mostly very good things about this desoldering station. I was surprised to see you had the blocking issues. I bit the bullet and purchased a Hakko FR300 about a year and a half ago -- it too had a major blockage issue early on. I learned that, yes, you have to use the clearing rod quite often to keep the nozzle path open and clear. I also got into the habit of holding the desoldering gun upward into the air and pulling the trigger after working on every 8-10 pins. This seemed to let any excess slag fall into the back of the collection chamber away from the nozzle end. This helped quite a bit in my case.
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D It is a great product for the money! Really enjoying using it now!
Good to hear. I've often looked for a 125VAC version for the North American market but can't find any - a shame.
Nice review!
I have a different - old - desoldering station, but also gun-shaped. Instead of the spring inside the glass cylinder, i fill it up with fine steel-whool. It works perfectly, and also makes it much easier to clean by just replacing the steel-whool. An added benefit is that the filter in the back hardly get dirty!
Great idea!!! It just needed wearing in! =D
I have the Duratool version....had it a few years without too many problems. I have recently bought a spare gun (identical) and also a different gun (AOYUE B1002A) that has better shaped tips that I managed to retro fit on. I found the supplied gun would clog just where it enters the glass part (albeit I don't run very hot). I also modified mine to left-hand-drive so the gun clips on the other side.
It just needed wearing in! =D It has worked flawessly since I did the review lol
I've had one of these for a few years now and had to replace the gun twice. Both due to the plastic catch that releases the glass chamber snapping internally, and it no longer clips together holding the glass in place. There is a redesign of the gun which has a plastic lever on the side instead of the nasty plastic catch on the end of the gun, which looks to be sturdier.
Don't turn off the pump before you retract the tip from PCB, and don't go with temperature lower than 380*C and you'll be fine. If it clogs it is enough to set the highest temp. with the glass tube on an wait for about a minute, the solder will eventually melt. I've also sprayed the silicone oil inside the metal pipe, so the solder doesn't stick to it.
It just needed wearing in! =D I don't need to keep the pump going when removing the tip. It just works like the Weller did now.
I bought the ZD-915 almost a year ago. I had a similar clogging problem with the supplied gun. Eventually I broke the element trying to unclog it. I ordered a new replacement gun, and that has worked flawless since. I routinely clean it before every use, and when finished for a session, I point it upwards and keep the pump on for a few seconds, 5 or so. To keep the solder from cooling in the chamber. I've never had to unclog the new gun. I do have the metal shield next to the filter. I guess the quality of these guns vary a lot, and it is just a case of whether you happen to get a good or a bad one. Anyway, nowadays I can desolder 2 x 40 pin chips in one go, with no problems. Too bad yours isn't working as it should. As you said, you get what you pay for :) I would order a replacement gun for your station, and try with that.
It just needed wearing in! =D
I ordered main today as i and thump pump sucker arent in talking relasion ship anymore ;)
Good to know what to look for.
Was wondering. I would have heated the tip of the cleaner with ligther befor inserthing it. Would it have helped at all?
That might help! Some additional heat there is what is required when trying to unblock it. I've found the easiest way to unblock these is remove the cylinder thing, and you can nearly always see a blobl of solder there inside where the glass cylinder is, just hanging out of the end of the metal tube. Heat with a soldering iron whilst pushing the cleaning tool and it normally frees up instantly.
@@GadgetUK164 Thx!. I did get it last week and as it was from Ebay i tested it rigth away to know if its ok or not.
I managed to free all 3 tips without pluging the tube. I just tilted the station so the gun heats up while it is vertical and set the heat to max (480C)
After it get there i leaved it on ~13min. and after that when i tryed it, the solder did just get right in the chamber.
After that i just retinned the tip whitout the plug and let tit cool for next one to be unplugged.
Someone on your comments on this video did link to Frans video where Fran tould this on one version of this station... and damn that worked for me.
Havent yet have a time to try how it works on the job that its for but what i have bean thinking is that i would atleast wait ~5min.(5 on high temps ~420c ~10+min on lower temps),
before i start useing it on the temp i have seted it so the tube gets hot all the way.
Anyway Thx for the video and keep it safe on these greasy times ;)
Do you know any where that sells the mineral wool? since Hakko has tripled the price of their filters recently it would be nice to find an alternative.
I don't tbh - I looked after you posted this message and nowhere seems to sell it anymore?!?! Maybe Farnell, RS Online or DigiKey?
When I brought my Duratool ZD 915 a few years ago I had exactly the same problem when the tip on the factory fresh gun was blocked and I could not clear it. I had to contact the seller for a replacement tip who said they never had this problem on previous sales which made me feel that I had done something wrong, which I hadn’t. Never had this problem again with other new tips which makes me thinks it was a problem with factory procedure with the tip on the new gun.
6-7 years ago I found an older Pace MBT rework station on eBay for about 1/3 the price of a comparable new unit and it had only been used a few hours and was in original box. You can connect up to three handles at once (it came with four different ones). I did have to replace the soldering handle after a couple of years as the older style heating element was no longer made.
So for about $450 total I got an industrial grade rework station, not as cheap as the imports these days but it will last me the rest of my life I'm guessing. If I had been in a pinch now needing one for my work as you did I would have picked up a cheap one like you did. My point was that if someone is looking for a good rework station and has time to watch eBay you can get a good deal.
I know Pace is not as common other places in the world but a Weller probably is and is also a very good brand.
That's a great idea and I did think about "re-purposing" the vacuum part of the Weller, but even that wouldn't last long as it was. It needed to go at some point. Great job getting that Pace MBT working as you did!!! =D
I have been using Pace in my workshop for some years and would not be without the MBT setups, I have a couple of high end wellers as well. Although most of my kit was obtained though workshop clearances and thus a good selection of spares were supplied, some of the sensor-temp parts can be a little difficult to source.
Hi gadget,where did you buy those tips for your station,i also buyed a Anesty zd-915d,its a good station for wat you pay,but cleaning this is a pain in the a....
Do a search for duratool zd-915 tip on eBay! Or I think RS Online sell them too (and filters and other parts)
Thx gadget,found them.,also ordered the filters,a new pistol,the rubber.
i've had the duratool branded version for a few years now and it hasn't skipped a beat. Regular cleaning is essential and the spare parts are pretty cheap too.
Got the Anesty one 2. Day one I had to repair mine. The wiring connections on the socket for the gun needed re soldering :). I use a coin 1c / 1p half way down the spring to catch the solder. Some are using a wire gauze filter from an E cigarette instead of the coin. I also use some dry film lubricant ( for firearms ) on the spring and the coin. You have to clean it after every session of use. Forgot to do it once, and it was a SOB to unblock. Same as what happened to you. Now I make sure to use the cleaning rods before I turn it off and put it away. The coin trick does help you get longer out of the small filters.
Glad it's not just me lol! It has worked perfectly since this video though! It just needed wearing in! =D
Ive owned 2 of these the first one lasted a good 3 years which the motor got worn out and stopped working right even after pulling it right down and cleaning it out as it was used 7 days a week for say 5 to 6 hours the second one i got is the updated version ZD-8915 which is better but still suffers the same blockage issue you have. What i think the problem is that when you use the cleaning rods look carefully at them see how they have like a file at the end i think when you reach all the way through into glass barrel it scraps away at that end part causing the solder to stick to it. Could be wrong but thats what i think. Also keep a eye out on the rubber little O ring at the end over time they split and crack which causes this problem more.
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D
I should have waited until you finished the reson you keep blocking the tool I noticed you released the triger to early keep the triger pressed longer when moveing it away from the pin also at the end of work leave the unitswitched on until you have leaned out the solder with the tool before aswitching off hope this helps.
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! I've found I don't need to hold the trigger when pulling away - it just works as it should now. It just needed wearing in! =D
Mine was clogged too, I think they are all like that. I was able to unclog it by heating it up real high and using the supplied plunger to press it out.
Was trying to find the 985 after seeing it in an old eevblog video, but that one seems to be a bit harder to find these days. It seemed to work well at 300°C though? Had a much different spring as well.
I'm using a ZD-915 as well and I agree to the hints and tips provided here in the comments. It works pretty good if you follow the advice :)
Yes, agreed - it does work really well! After an hour or two I've had no more blockages at all!
Great vid, I have one also that blocks up there, and high heat to unblock it.
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D
GadgetUK164 - Retro Gaming Repairs & Mods . Thinking of putting an 8cm fan on the back too keep it cooler, not that it needs it, be more for fun more then anything 🤔
Excellent video as always, got confused whilst watching, impressed, not impressed, impressed, not impressed and finally impressed? 🤣
Haha :o) After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D It's great for the money!
Had it clog a few times when I first got it two years ago but I think that was partly my fault and partly it having to burn in.
Angle is not essential but cleaning it with the tool every 100 or so pins is, and, most importantly I think, to get into the habit of keeping the trigger pressed for about one second after lifting away from the pin. I’ve done many thousands of pins since without a single clog.
I usually give the spring a coating with teflon spray to keep it clean. The filter in the gun last a long time, much longer than I expected and I’ve never even changed the one in the connector, yet it only has a very light gray ring the size of the tube and will probably outlast the heating element.
Still use the same tips and they are as good as new.
The fan in the unit was very annoying so I cut out the grill and slowed the fan way down within a day or two of getting it.
I didn’t expect a lot of this unit but I’m very much impressed by its performance. Is it perfect or as good as a Weller or PACE? No, but it costs a hell of a lot less too, and the consumables are so much cheaper.
You nailed it there! It just needed wearing in! =D
Hi, I have had one for a few years and it has held up pretty well. Take it straight to 480 degrees. The calibration is meaningless. Mine is a 'Duratool' but they are re-badged as all sorts. Not top end by any means but can certainly be used in an emergency lol. Things to watch out for are that it is a bit of a sod to clean out as the spring holds the glass tube in pretty well. I broke one changing it but they are pretty generic and easy to find. It does need a bit of tlc sometimes. Should come with a couple of rods. Also watch the three screws holding the end to the handle. They won't take much aabuse. Let me know if you find out anybody who sells spare guns. Good tips are 1mm and 1.3mm I find.
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D They are pretty good for the money for sure!
Bought exactly the same one a year or so ago, I was constantly taking the gun apart to drill it out from the glass tube end (had no issues with the tip end) until I saw a couple of videos advising to crank it up and leave the gun pointing down, so the heat travels up the tube. That worked for me! Generally with mine I try to leave it on for ten minutes before I use it, so the whole tube is hot. I don't just start using it because the display says it's ready. I don't generally run it under 400.
yes, the glass tube is a pain in the backside to get out. That's the worst thing on mine. But now I've solved the blocking problem by letting it really heat up, I'm happy with it.
Thanks - awesome tips there! After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D
Excellent video Mr.G...been thinking of investing in one of these for a while. Still not quite sure after watching your review though. It seems like when it works, it works great but it could become frustrating!?
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D It's great value for money! It's more likely you won't have the problems I had, but some people have. Once worn in they seem fine though.
@@GadgetUK164 Thanks. I guess at the end of the day, you get what you pay for and in this case I think it's good value for money. Might put it on my xmas list ;)
i have the same unit from Jaycar here in Australia. i have the heat set to 360c for it to work correctly also. i use a kitchen sponge cut down to a circular pattern as the filter in the gun. mine was the same when i got it ; it was clogged in the tip, once heating to 360 it went away and all good. also watch after you clean it with one of the prong things to run it away from your work piece as it will sometimes pump crap out of tip.
Thanks for the info there =D I found that after a few hours of use it settled down - no more blockages! It's not bad for the money at all!
Otherwise known as the "Bob Marley Desoldering Station". It's always Jammin!
LOL =D
😂
I have a similar one Chris and those disc filters dont last long. I am sure i also read in the manual to keep those filters a little bit moist before each use. I tend to do that with mine and it obviously bulks out the filter. I love mine its far easier to use than a manual solder sucker. Ya do need to keep them clean tho.
Some of your comments were funny as! That thing is good, but frustrating as hell. I had the Duratech TS-1513 and ended up swearing at it way too often. I sold it on and haven’t replaced it yet
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D
=D
great review interested in getting a desoldering station
The machines need around 5 to 10 minutes heating up.... It takes time for the whole tube to come up to temperature. If you do not take this time, the solder will solidify of before it reaches the glass tube.
Did you try moving it in and out about ten or twenty times?
LOL!!! I am never going to live that one down!
You deserve way more subs.
Thanks, very much appreciate it =D
The way I have unblocked mine the twice it got like yours is crank the temp to the max 480 and leave it five/ten mins. The tool pushed right through first time then.
Flux does help as well! I have the duratool version with a spare gun so I can change tip VERY quickly by simply changing gun. I used the Weller version previously and would rather have that but the gun was goosed and it cost three times more for a gun than an entire soldering/desoldering station!
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D
I bought the same kind (but different brand) and I also had the tip with solder inside... I heated it up to 400 degrees and it just unblocked nicely. Maybe the 320 you tried was not enough for that thing... give it a go with hot air it will unblock. Of course, I bought it from Amazon and not from China (I don't know where you got yours), but maybe quality control is better for stuff that goes to Amazon... no idea.
Wait I'm confused. Is it good or not?
It's great! Or is it? Yes, it's great! Or is it? :o) After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D
Ok, so if at the end it started working OK, then all is fine... The smaller tip is better, so you'll be good once the replacement tip arrives... Good luck with the station mate! :D
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D
Great content, as always, thanks!!
My ZD-915 worked perfectly fine for like 10 desoldering jobs, like mvs caps raplacement, nesrgb mods, etc. Unfortunaltely it also got stuck after some time and it's too annoying for me to clean it every 10 seconds. :p
If it works, it's worth the money, imo.
It just needed wearing in! =D Absolute value for money!
I haven't had no where as bad of a problem with blockages, I noticed you use the solder a lot. I never use it. Maybe that is why you're having so much of a problem with blocking?
I found after it had been used for a few hours it stopped blocking! Been perfect ever since!
Ma non ho capito.. è lui incapace o è il saldatore che non aspira?
Funziona bene, ma si blocca frequentemente.
Just bought one and successfully removed a 28 pin DIP IC from a cars ECU (very difficult to do usually!)
Ok you think it is faulty it is not the temprature you set it at is to low I would imagin the solder they put on the tip is most likley lead free therefore needs a high temp put it on full temp then when you have removed their solder you may be able to lower slightley just touch the solder up on pcb before trying to desolder good luck.
It just needed wearing in! =D
I've desoldered dozens of chips with mine and I never even "unboxed" the cleaning tools. It just worked and never got stuck yet. Strange...
It just needed wearing in! =D
These work ok. A few mods and they are acceptable useable tools. Power convertor and replace the internal fan as they fail quickly. The tips have solder in them to prevent corrosion
It just needed wearing in! =D
At times you must of been thinking oh for flux sake this sucks, shame about the Weller. Nice it's working now the new station.
I find with my Duratool ZD-915 is it works like a beast for a good period but eventually clogs to the point were I have to strip it down to unblock it but then will work for a good time again afterwards. I've also notice its worse with un-loaded solder I.E. more clogging.
Thanks! It just needed wearing in! =D
I have one of these, just the gun model without a station.
I really need to find extra nozzles.
replacement ZD-915 pistol is under $20, you or the person that got Weller from you could mate it to Weller base. I combined mine with replacement $15 aoyue vacuum pump and basic temp controller.
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D Thanks for the info on prices! I had no idea a new gun was so cheap!
*sigh* and I offered to send you a fully refurbished Hakko 808 for free as a thank you for all your work. :(
LOL! After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D It's fantastic now I've worn it in! Thanks for the offer, it was much appreciated =D
KainkaLabs has at least two vids for drastically improved ZD-915 suction. Def check ‘em out! His mods are even more useful for the older version of the Aoyue Int701A++ / Int474A++ like I have (slower/weaker AC pump). I’ll do something similar with a foot switch controlling a valve to a pre-charged vacuum reservoir.
Anyway, your difficulties are extremely similar to my struggle with Aoyue. After a two very bumpy years, I’m finally getting some good use out of it so perhaps explaining my issues will save you some trouble.
I upgraded my desoldering setup in 2016 when I used my last replacement tip for a Radio Shack bulb desoldering iron to finish my first Hi-Def NES! I opted for the Int 701A++ over the Int 474A++ because I also needed a decent soldering iron with digital temperature controls and compatibility with genuine Hakko tips (474 is just the desolder gun). 701 was also on sale w/free shipping that the 474 didn’t qualify for, so it was almost like getting a free digital temperature controlled Hakko clone (~$140).
Anyway, the soldering iron side of this thing has been great! It was a huge step up from my knob-job I was using before. I’ve done over 200 UltraHDMI installs with it and a lot more odd jobs. I might have got a TS100 instead if it were available in 2016 but I’m totally happy with this Hakko clone, especially after getting a bunch of genuine Hakko tips. Though the AC pump is considered “more robust” for constant use as an iron-mounted fume extractor, I’ve used that a lot less than I thought I would after realizing that it was clogging up my pump and makes too much noise if I’m recording a video.
I read the manual cover to cover twice before I ever attempted to use the desoldering side. The most frustrating thing was that they would tell you to clean it frequently without detailing the full cleaning procedure. For example, it came with some silicon grease that was clearly labeled “for cleaning desoldering gun” but didn’t tell me what parts you apply the grease to, how much, how often, etc. They did detail the unclogging procedure, which they confusingly call “cleaning” sometimes and tell you to do it often while in use (it didn’t mention grease either). Surely they aren’t telling you to remove the reservoir tube, spring, filter, silicon gasket, etc and wipe down everything with grease every few legs.
The manual only mentions the cleaning grease with what's included. Seriously. I’m still not sure if I’m supposed to grease anything more than the seals on the plastic reservoir tube but I use a toothpick to grease the rest of the rest of the tube and the solder spring. If I’m supposed to put it inside the metal pipe that delivers the melted solder to the reservoir I’d love to know, since that may prevent the frequent clogs. With Aoyue’s design that tube is part of the tip and I don’t think I should be shoving grease in there without explicitly being told to (can’t risk my tips). I’ve watched tons of videos and even contacted their US distributor to find out what I’m supposed to be doing with it but it seems like no one knows.
The first time I used it as a desoldering station was to remove an Atari 800XL cartridge port so I could extract a bent pin, straighten it, and switch it for one of the vestigial pins (it was shorting to the opposite side). This went beautifully with the port literally falling out of the board without having to wiggle anything, but this would be the only time I’d ever be so lucky. It clogged so hard and so frequently I had to break out my 45w bulb desolder iron to finish up another Hi-Def NES. It’s caused countless problems with my other repair efforts and often proved cocxmpletely useless. Even so, I think I’m finally starting to get familiar enough to get some use out of it after two whole years.
I have since bought all kinds of new parts including a spare tube, spring, gasket, etc so I can have a clean set ready to swap in. Even the smallest cone-shaped tip couldn’t fit between some pins but they also have some that are more of a protruding tube. For the 1mm tip, this was the same size hole with less thermal mass. Their distributor frustratingly stopped carrying the $3 drill bit while I was assembling my order (disappeared from the site after I had it in my cart) and now you have to buy the $7.50 replacement with handle. Frustrating, because I already broke mine and really wanted to order two replacements, but not at that price.
Part of the issue with this thing is that the motor has to ramp up the suction strength. It starts slow and solder does not fly out of the metal tube while it's still molten so it ends up blocking or constricting the tube. The stronger DC motor helps but doesn't completely solve this. The bigger issue was poor suction even after completely clearing out the gun. This got worse and worse until one day the fume extractor just stopped in the middle of using it. I had pretty much given up on using the desoldering functions at that point (about a year old).
The first HUGE step to actually make this thing useful again was finding and clearing my phantom clog/restriction. The filter and nipple were clear. It was finally out of warranty so I took apart the entire station for the first time and found all kinds of yellow dust in the AC motor. I cleaned out all the diaphragms and checked the thankfully-transparent internal tubing, but it STILL wasn’t working. With the case off and the filter removed I should have been able to see light from the front fitting but I couldn’t. Sure enough, I just touched it with a toothpick and saw a puff of yellow dust appear inside the clear tubing. Light was now passing through and it actually WORKED again. Now I remove the nipple cap and filter to blindly shove something in there before every use. I also stopped using the fume extractor unnecessarily.
Now, I’ve done a ton of UniBIOS, Hi-Def NES, and other installs with this thing and I’m pretty sure my best practices will apply almost as much to yours. First, it’s almost useless for DIPs if you don’t crank the temperature up to at least 360. 380 seems to be the minimum for anything on a ground or VCC plane. This is primarily because of low thermal capacity and slow response as heat sinks away. To get away with lower temps you have to dwell significantly longer than a name-brand station, which can be even worse than a higher temperature. You still have to pace yourself and ream the tip every 8 pins or so.
While it is best to add fresh solder, I would do it with a soldering iron and not with the desolder tip. It saps some heat away right when you need it most and gets fresh flux in the metal tube, which can make solder stick to it. I like to add a lot to the tip before I set it down so that the solder will add to the thermal mass when I’m ready to use it. I usually just flick off the excess right before applying the tip to a component leg.
How wet my filter sponge is seems to have a huge effect on suction power. I’ve seen some people replace these with ceramic disc filters from a Hakko 808 or similar and those don’t need to be wet, but I’m hesitant since the reservoir tube is plastic and not glass (ceramic may get too hot). For yours it shouldn’t matter. My sponges stop readily accepting water after one or two uses, likely because silicone grease migrates there somehow. Really wish I knew if I was doing that right!
The trick for removing the reservoir tube is that the spring-loaded part on the back seals the tube with another spring-loaded piece. You need to push the tube further back to clear the hot tube from the front. To reload, you push the tube into the back before dropping it down in the front. When you lock the back piece into place it really only adds pressure to the seals, since it’s already loaded enough not to fall out.
Thanks for all the tips there! It is a great product for the price for sure. Now it has been "run in" for a week or two it does work perfectly. No more blockages!
*salute to the old Weller* Really interesting stuff. I've just got a super cheap sucker/iron all-in-one, been looking to upgrade maybe but i have the feeling the clogging issues of this model would probably drive me nuts!
Thanks lol =D It just needed wearing in! =D
I have one of these, working OK but removing the glass tube is a pain. :-)
I have one too - I have to dismantle the gun to remove and clean the tube :(
It just needed wearing in! =D
I don't understand this clogging thing. I have this station for about 2 weeks now, have used it a hell lot since and no clogging at all since that. Weird. Maybe there's a quality difference between manufacturers despite the thing that they all look the same...
I think I just had a defective tip tbh! As I said on your other message it was fine in the end =D
I've had the Duratool version for a while and never had the clogging problems of the one you've got. I guess that's the issue with Chinese clones of Chinese clones of Chinese products. They all seem to use Clive Sinclairs' Quality Control Manual
After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D
lol :-)
Hard to solder wire is thermocouple wire needs silver soldered and is an alloy and is very brittle. On the pumps a vane type is common I rebuilt many that had ingested water or solvents. I tried to rebuild one long ago too.
Do you know of a source for a replacement vacuum pump for these? I would like to get one with a little bit more vacuum.
i have one of these but its re branded digitec i love it
Yes, they are very good! After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D
@@GadgetUK164 yeah i found the same thing but now i love it but its discontinued here so i got a few soare handsets and filters from discontinued stock
Honestly, as I go through the video, I definitely think you should return it. Mine has none of those issues. Nada. There's definitely something wrong with the handpiece...
How do you like it so far
It just needed wearing in! =D It's very good! I am finding it works much better than the aged Weller did.
Also forgot to add those replacement tips they supply are crap find a good set of original Hakko ones that fit these very well and last alot longer. The ends on these copy ones burn out very quickly
Ah, I didn't know Hakko ones fitted!!! That's great info thanks =D
Oh the fun :-) I had a weller go on me not so long ago may it rest in pieces :-) inherited that from a good fiend years ago, not far from hitting the button on one of the cheaper ones on the bay soon, it was funny I get back into the retro scene after many years being away, get my first c64 board to recap and boom, she's dead Jim, so it was the old solder sucker, now have too many projects and don't have the patience so time to bite the bullet, would really love a new weller but would rather bypass the nagging wife and get something a bit cheaper, looks like that one does the job well, so I'm in, there are so many available around the $140 (70ish quid) cheers for the vid, was wondering what you were going to get :-)
It was a shame to let the Weller go, but nothing lasts forever =/ It has worked perfectly since the video though! It just needed wearing in! =D
I had one of these a while back but it used to lift pads so I sold it on. I'm blaming the device not my crap skills haha. Also to add I had the exact same issue with my tip when I got it also.
That was probably due to too high temperature mate! I've had that happen in the past when using too much heat for too long. After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D Great for the money!
Is it possible that the installed tip is just for show?
I have the same. It did not have a clogged tip
Yes, I was just unlucky with the one I picked up! It does work really well though now it has been 'worn in' slightly.
Mine came clogged from the factory just like this one.
It's over two years old now, and my question is...
Is the far !? ?! Err-um This here Sucker still in service?
BTW Today I subbed and dropped a like..
Yes, it's working perfectly =D Thanks!!
@@GadgetUK164 No.. Thank you, Because I am expecting mine to be delivered any day now, and the way I see it is , if it's still working after two years for most other users, then I should be good for at least three years seeing I am a mere hobbyist who will pull it out into service every two months or so..
@@KorAllRBare Yes, I am sure it will be fine! The only problem I had was the occational block, but I worked out it's easy to unblock by removing the glass tube, switch it on, once heated up touch the solder blockage on the inside with another soldering iron and you can then push the cleaning tool through the blockage. That has only happend 3 or 4 times in the 2 years though. It's had quite a lot of use too!
i have the same model you need to run at full temp to unblock its just solder ..
It just needed wearing in! =D Not had a single blockage since!
most of this video and some comments made me feel xkcd 386.
It just needed wearing in! =D
Fran Blanche gave very good advice on unclogging these. Rig the set up so the tip is pointing down and leave it heating for about 15 min. = ua-cam.com/video/E_Wx5cARVm4/v-deo.html
Thanks! I missed that video on Frans channel! After a few hours of use it doesnt block any more! It just needed wearing in! =D
If it goes BANG! at least it will make good repair video.
Haha =D I hope it doesnt lol! Well, not yet at least!
Hmmmm. Not too bright of a reviewer. It's plugged with hi temp solder.
Hmmmm. Not too bright of a commenter. At 500 degrees C (max of the station) it would not unblock. Besides which, how on earth does high temperature solder (with a melting point higher than 500C) get into a brand new tip ;o)
Use flux instead of solder
You cant teach me to suck eggs lol! I've used flux on its own before now and find that solder containing flux works best for me.