OT: Expedition soldering iron/station

[Paul Erickson-2]

I am getting some tool together for an upcoming DXpedition, and the issue
of a decent soldering iron came to mind. Where we will be operating from
has 220v, so my regular station will not be suitable by itself. As I see
it, there are 4 possible options.

1 - Look for 220v iron
2 - Get a 12v iron to run off one of the 12v supplies. Weller makes a 2v
version of their iron, but $110. is a bit steep for a couple of weeks.
3 - Bring a 12vdc to 110vac inverter and run one of our existing stations.
4 - 220v to 110v transformer

I realize one can get butane irons, but while that would be fine for
outdoor antenna work, I would want to use one for fine work.

Any other suggestions?


--
----------------------------------------------------------------
cheers, Paul - VA7NT - email: [hidden email]

"Those who hear not the music, think the dancers mad."


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[Don Brown-4]

Hi

One option would be a Weller WTCP iron. These soldering stations have all of the temperature regulating stuff inside the iron, the base is just a 24 volt transformer. A 220 to 24 volt 2 amp step down transformer should be easy to find. Just mount it in a bud box and you are ready to go. Many of these transformers have dual primaries and can be wired to switch between 120 and 220 volts. I had a bad transformer in the base of a WTCP that I converted this way. I could not find the connector Weller used so I cut it off and replaced it with a 3 pin DIN connector. I used a 2 amp 24 volt transformer from Radio Shack. WTCP irons can be bought from Weller as a replacement part but I would try to find a used or broken unit and rob the iron from it. If the iron is the bad part, they can be easily repaired.

Don Brown


  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Paul Erickson<mailto:[hidden email]>
  To: Elecraft Reflector<mailto:[hidden email]>
  Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 12:19 AM
  Subject: [Elecraft] OT: Expedition soldering iron/station


  I am getting some tool together for an upcoming DXpedition, and the issue
  of a decent soldering iron came to mind. Where we will be operating from
  has 220v, so my regular station will not be suitable by itself. As I see
  it, there are 4 possible options.

  1 - Look for 220v iron
  2 - Get a 12v iron to run off one of the 12v supplies. Weller makes a 2v
  version of their iron, but $110. is a bit steep for a couple of weeks.
  3 - Bring a 12vdc to 110vac inverter and run one of our existing stations.
  4 - 220v to 110v transformer

  I realize one can get butane irons, but while that would be fine for
  outdoor antenna work, I would want to use one for fine work.

  Any other suggestions?


  --
  ----------------------------------------------------------------
  cheers, Paul - VA7NT - email: [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>

  "Those who hear not the music, think the dancers mad."


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  Elecraft mailing list
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[Doug Faunt N6TQS [phone]]

   Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 22:19:27 -0700
   From: Paul Erickson <[hidden email]>

   I am getting some tool together for an upcoming DXpedition, and the issue
   of a decent soldering iron came to mind. Where we will be operating from
   has 220v, so my regular station will not be suitable by itself. As I see
   it, there are 4 possible options.

   1 - Look for 220v iron
   2 - Get a 12v iron to run off one of the 12v supplies. Weller makes a 2v
   version of their iron, but $110. is a bit steep for a couple of weeks.

I have one of these I'd loan you for your trip.  They often appear on
EBay cheap, too.

   3 - Bring a 12vdc to 110vac inverter and run one of our existing stations.
   4 - 220v to 110v transformer

   I realize one can get butane irons, but while that would be fine for
   outdoor antenna work, I would want to use one for fine work.

5.  Get a 220 to 24V transformer and use that with your existing iron.

6.  Use two 12V power supplies in series to provide 24V for the
    soldering iron.  A small 12V switcher in series with the station
    supply will do this.

7. Build a 12V to 24V inverter, like the N4UAU unit (his website seems
   to be unavailable right now).

73, doug

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[w9gb]

CONTENTS DELETED

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[Sander Wissing]

Where is the DXpedition to?  It might be easiest to just borrow one when
you get there?  Unless of course it is to a really remote spot where no
one has ever heard of soldering..

(Hint : why not come to South Africa?  I'll let you borrow my soldering
iron...)

73 de ZR6SW
Sander Wissing
KX1 - #251

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email] [mailto:elecraft-
> [hidden email]] On Behalf Of G. Beat
> Sent: 17 July 2004 02:43 PM
> To: [hidden email]; Elecraft Reflector
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: DXpedition soldering iron/station
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul Erickson" <[hidden email]>
> To: "Elecraft Reflector" <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 12:19 AM
> Subject: [Elecraft] OT: Expedition soldering iron/station
>
>
> >I am getting some tool together for an upcoming DXpedition, and the

issue
> > of a decent soldering iron came to mind. Where we will be operating
from
> > has 220v, so my regular station will not be suitable by itself. As I
see
> > it, there are 4 possible options.
> >
> > 1 - Look for 220v iron
> > 2 - Get a 12v iron to run off one of the 12v supplies. Weller makes
a 2v
> > version of their iron, but $110. is a bit steep for a couple of
weeks.

> > 3 - Bring a 12vdc to 110vac inverter and run one of our existing
> stations.
> > 4 - 220v to 110v transformer
> >
> > I realize one can get butane irons, but while that would be fine for
> > outdoor antenna work, I would want to use one for fine work.
> >
> > Any other suggestions?
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------
> > cheers, Paul - VA7NT - email: [hidden email]
>
> Paul,
>
> Don Brown and Doug Faunt have provided you with some good ideas.
> ALL of the 4 options that you mention are good logical approaches.
>
> I have seen the 12 volt heater version of the Weller TCP iron appear

on
> eBay
> for less then $ 50 the past couple of months.  By obtaining the 12
volt
> heater from Weller -- you could convert a 24 volt iron to run off 12
> volts -- takes time - since many Weller distributors do not carry the
12
> volt heater in-stock.
>
> You may also wish to consider a butane style soldering iron -- IF you
need
> heat for repairing wire antennas or PL-259 repair.
>
> 220 volt soldering station base units can be found (e.g. eBay,
European
> source) - BUT you will have to check the 220 plug.
> As you probably know -- 220 volt plugs vary widely across the world -
that
> should be a question for your DXpediton tech leader.
>
> IF you need the 3 pin plugs and jacks for the WTCP station/irons (that
Don

> mentions in his post) ----
> and you are building your own 220 volt to 24 volt step down --- I HAVE
> BOTH
> THE BASE JACK AND IRON PLUG (original Weller NOS) ---
> so you would not have to cut the plug .. and could use "off the shelf"
> TC-201P or TC201T irons (that already have the 3 pin plug).
>
> Greg, w9gb
>
>
>
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[Ron D'Eau Claire-2]

I couldn't begin to tell you how many very delicate repairs I've done
replacing SMC's and other small parts on boards while sitting on the deck
plates of a ship using a "Port-A-Sol" butane iron. They come with very fine
tips.

The trick, of course, is to have enough experience with the tool to use it
safely without damaging boards or parts.

And, after slipping on the big honkin' tip, it's great for replacing a
coaxial connector high on a mast in the driving rain. But it sure gobbles up
gas quickly doing that.

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
I am getting some tool together for an upcoming DXpedition, and the issue of
a decent soldering iron came to mind. Where we will be operating from has
220v, so my regular station will not be suitable by itself. As I see it,
there are 4 possible options.

1 - Look for 220v iron
2 - Get a 12v iron to run off one of the 12v supplies. Weller makes a 2v
version of their iron, but $110. is a bit steep for a couple of weeks. 3 -
Bring a 12vdc to 110vac inverter and run one of our existing stations. 4 -
220v to 110v transformer

I realize one can get butane irons, but while that would be fine for outdoor
antenna work, I would want to use one for fine work.

Any other suggestions?


--
----------------------------------------------------------------
cheers, Paul - VA7NT - email: [hidden email]



_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
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