Weller Soldering Tip Care and Use (Adobe Acrobat)
can be found on their web site, as well as other helpful documents on
soldering:
http://www.cooperhandtools.com/brands/electronic_applications/index.htm
The PTF tip is a 1/32" (0.031") conical flat tip -- VERY SMALL tip surface
area and useful for some surface mount work.
Always remember to match you tip to the surfaces being soldered
(YES, it means that you sometimes have to change a tip -- just like changing
a drill bit).
For the PTF, I try to avoid 800 degree tips due to the tip size.
700 is better and some users may prefer 600 degree -
depending upon the work (heat sensitive components, etc)
Electronix Express web page has very good graphics to show the tip and its
plating
http://www.elexp.com/t_solder.htm
===
I find older TCP-1 irons where the SW-60 magnetic switch has seized ....
and a "wack" on the bench does not always solve the problem. :-)
When a TCP series is used in production workbenches (24x7x7),
the SW-60 switch cycles about 124,800 times each year (assuming one cycle
per minute on average)
I don't know of many light switches that survive that many cycles !
This is one of the areas I check when refurbishing units from unknown
operations
Weller added a 3 amp fuse in the 24 VAC line in models after about 1970
(WTCP-L; WTCPK; WTCPN; WTCPS) of the TCP series.
This was a useful change to prevent shorted SW-60 (runaway heaters) and
heaters that fail as dead short.
I add this fuse, if not present, to almost every pre-WTCPT station that I
refurbish. In fact many "dead base units" just have a blown 3 amp fuse
inside !!
When they got to the WTCPT model 15 years ago, they switched the fuse to the
120 VAC primary winding of the transformer.
Greg
w9gb
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <elecraft@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 6:54 PM
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2006 09:37:40 +0000
From: "Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/KC8NHF" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Weller WTCPT tip longevity
The tip will last until the iron coating wears through and the copper
slug physically erodes.
I would suspect that the switch contacts in the handle of your iron have
broken or welded closed.
If viewed in the dark, an "always on" TCP will get red hot.
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I use a PTF7 solder tip on my WTCPT and recently found that after about
5 minutes of use, the tip suddenly starts to develop a thick char at the
end and makes the solder turn dark. I replaced the tip with a newer one
(<5 hours of use) and the same thing happens to that one. I will next
try a brand new tip to see if the same thing happens. Either the problem
is with the tip or it is with the heater/barrel nut assembly
contaminating the tip. Has anyone experienced the same thing? How long
should a typical solder tip last? Has anyone found a tip cleaning or
storage method that helps prolong tip life?
Thanks.
Jeff Fedison in Niskayuna, NY
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