I've used the Weller temperature controlled stations for more years than I care to remember. My "newest" one is a model WTCPT station that I got around the mid 1980s and it was used then.
A few weeks ago I was working on a power supply control board and went to solder a component. Psssst! The trace instantly disappeared. I found out (the hard way) that the thermostat element in the handpiece had stuck closed and I have no idea how hot it was but the bottom 1/4 inch was glowing orange....
Hi Tom,
This brought a chuckle here, there is a thread on here somewhere and I recommended an imported regulated solder station to a young ham's inquiry because I have bought and used them to stock tech workbenches in various service shops.
Well, there are responses in that thread about how the import is "junk" and how the guys saying this would never have nothing but their WTCP, etc. etc. etc.
The kid bought the import soldering station at a very good price, got lots of bang per buck out of it (as we have in these service shops where the stations turn in yeoman's duty day in and day out with a statistically tiny failure rate) -- and in both cases of failure seen out of around thirty or more of these things, some with different brand names on them but the same basic design and build, both failed because of a simple comparator IC failure and both of them had the IC in a socket. And, I might add, the failure mode was NOT runaway heating, was simply a case of an iron that would not heat anymore.
Hmmm...
73
