REQ - opinion - these "cold" soldering irons

[Guy Fawkes]

These kinds of things

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Xmod-Cold-Hea...oryZ2565QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

are they any good?

Got a 25 watt antex at the moment that is OK ish, and can't justify a
three figure pro hot air job,.


opinions?

TIA

 

[Ray]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Xmod-Cold-Heat-Soldering-Iron- (snip)

are they any good?
Got a 25 watt antex at the moment that is OK ish, and can't justify a
three figure pro hot air job,. opinions?

The tip is pretty small and can't heat a very large connection, but the worst
problem is that it puts 6 volts (four AA batts inside) across the terminals at
the tip... shorting that produces the heat. I wouldn't get near any PC board
with that toy. You risk torching the components! Another thing: don't depend
on the tip staying cold like they show in the ads. It does get hot on larger
solder jobs and can burn you. Not worth it!

Ray

PS I didn't buy one. One was left on my bench by someone who just had to have
it... and then discovered the shortcomings.

 

[Art]

IMHO: I Actually think it would be much more fun and enlightening to build a
nice Van De Graff and us it to solder the components to the double sided
boards!! Any one that has done any amount of repair within the last 15
years knows that discharging any amount of current across a junction to
solder it can and probably will decrease the longevity of modern
electronics.

 

[GregS]

IMHO: I Actually think it would be much more fun and enlightening to build a
nice Van De Graff and us it to solder the components to the double sided
boards!! Any one that has done any amount of repair within the last 15
years knows that discharging any amount of current across a junction to
solder it can and probably will decrease the longevity of modern
electronics.

I look for opinion of users, but I don't think I ever have seen a user respond,
only speculators.

greg

 

[CRaSH]

I look for opinion of users, but I don't think I ever have seen a
user respond,
only speculators.

I think one speculator stated he had one left on his bench, that he
USED.....

 

[sofie]

GregS:
My brother got one for his birthday last month..... IMHO it is nothing more
than a toy.... might be useful for a very occasional solder job like a
soldering a wire on a battery clip or some other light duty job. I tried
several solder jobs and got less than satisfactory results and I certainly
wouldn't use in around and near semiconductor junctions.
So there..... an opinion of a user.
By the way, if you ever take a piece of equipment to a service shop and they
have one of these "cold" soldering irons on the bench..... leave
immediately, don't leave your equipment, find a different shop.
--
Best Regards,
Daniel Sofie
Electronics Supply & Repair
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[Guy Fawkes]

thanks all, much appreciated.

 

[Ken Layton]

Completely useless if you need to de-solder something.