WELLER soldering iron reliability?

Just had my 2nd shop WELLER WTCP iron go open circuit in the heating
element - it joins the other one in the junk pile at the back. Been
through 2 replacement elements in 2 years - not good enough. If I
replace the 2 that have failed, these 2 irons will have gone through 5
elements. Not good enough. Went and bought a HAKKO.

Question - anyone else having these reliability problems, or is it just
me?

Andrew VK3BFA.

 

"Andrew VK3BFA"

** It's not just you.

Must have gone through 4 heaters and 5 switches in my WTCP before I turfed
it for a Hakko 900.

The rot set in when Weller started making spare parts in Australia - at
their factory in Albury IIRC.

Have been using Hakko now for about 10 years, two 900M irons and one station
with ZERO failures.

Even their tips last for yonks.

A really top product.



........ Phil

 

Dunno, I have mine running for over 15 years. Still original.

Meindert

 

I had a single failure of my two irons in
the last 10 years. The local weller distributor
replaced the faulty element free of charge, even
as it was long out of warranty.

But the tips seem to become worse. I have to
replace them at increasing speed. Say every
couple month. And this even if I don't use them
every day. It is switched off then.

Rene

 

The tip reliability certainly went downhill when Weller sold out to
Cooper and eventually stopped making their own tips. I believe Vanier
make the tips nowadays, not nearly as long lasting. I dont think the
iron plating is as thick as it once was.

 

Well the old product was very good. I have my first WTCP starting
around 1975 and only replaced the heater and the switch once up until
1999 when the transformer developed a short and overheated thus
melting the plastic case. The iron itself was still ok though. I made
do with another base unit which had seen better days until I bought a
new WTCP about 5 months ago. I will see how it goes for reliability.
At least they are still made locally in Aus which is something.

 

My first weller was second hand, looked at least 5 years old at the time of
purchase and is still going strong some 7-10 years later.

Another one in the shop is now about 5 years old, still no problem.

Last one is about 7 months old WMD-3, all 3 heaters working like a swiss
watch.

SioL

 

I used a Weller soldering station for some years without any problems,
then sold it when I got a second-hand Metcal system a couple of years
ago. That is very reliable, also, and the cartridges (even the pointy
1/64" one I use most) still work as well as when they were new.

Leon

 

"SioL"

** Seems the OP is speaking of the *Australian* built version of this:

http://www.cooperhandtools.com.au/Australian Images/images/hi_res/images/WTCPTD.jpg

Ever see one ??




........ Phil

 

Its not you. Weller sucks. Their tips wear out way to fast too. I had
some Weller irons in the past, but they also died too soon. Since then
I buy Ersa.

 

I also recently had 2 different weller irons fail. Now im looking into which
to replace it with. Maybe not so much at weller now.

 

I used XyTronic from Jameco for years. I still have these around.
I used to use the unregulated Ungar and Radio Shack types.
They all worked for me, but using this Weller WRS 3000
is a real treat. I'm not used to using such a small iron with such high power 80 watts.
I could never go back to those bulky irons. No problems yet other than keeping the
solder sucker cleaned out.

greg

 

The irons are great, but the tips do wear out too fast.
Maybe its the fact that the ones I buy say "Made in Germany" on the box.

Anyone else from EU here to report?

SioL

 

Now that is one tip that wears really fast, the solder sucker tip.
That handy tool with the cleaning pins/drills is helpfull for cleaning it out.
It was included with mine.

SioL

 

Anybody know where to get tips these days for Weller W-40 irons? These
are the ones that have the magnetic temperature control slug in the
tip. I have two that have been running for 20 years, but I don't see
the tips any more in Digikey etc. Any pointers appreciated!
Regards, Terry King ...On The Mediterranean in Carthage
(Back ...In The Woods In Vermont for the Summer)

 

In message <kiYcg.3362$>

Can't say I've ever used a Weller, but the Antex 660TC is nice. The XS25
non-temperature-controlled irons are also pretty good if you keep an eye on
the temperature. When the handle starts getting warm, kill the power and let
it cool down for a bit - usually means the element's gone past 300C and is in
"lift the tracks instantly" territory.

The 660TC is 50W and temperature controlled. Built like a tank and much nicer
than the XS. Thinner, lighter and less likely to go into thermal runaway (the
XS tends to do that if you don't get the tip all the way on).