Soldering Iron Problem

[MarshLane]

Can anyone offer any insight into what's gone wrong here (or have I done something wrong) as I am somewhat confused!

 

I purchased a new Weller 60W soldering iron last week.  I have used it six or seven times in putting a kit together so it may have been on for up to 4-5 hours in total.  It was brand new and packaged when purchase, I have come to it today and the chisel tip (which was attached when supplied) appears to have collapsed.  Is this a fault with the tip, a problem somewhere or am I doing/not doing something?  

 

I am loathe to return to Amazon as faulty and request a replacement if the same thing is going to happen again.

 

 

[spamcan61]

what flux have you been using?

[MarshLane]

Hi @spamcan61

Its Liquid Rosin Flux, that I was originally recommended for track work but is working superbly on the kit as well!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005DNR01Q/ref=pe_3187911_185740111_TE_item

 

Edit: Should add, I have used it for track work for a while now, but havent noticed any issues with previous soldering irons, although they were all less than 30W.

 

Rich

Edited February 8 by MarshLane

[spamcan61]

Just now, MarshLane said:

Hi @spamcan61

Its Liquid Rosin Flux, that I was originally recommended for track work but is working superbly on the kit as well!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005DNR01Q/ref=pe_3187911_185740111_TE_item

 

Rich

That looks pretty benign, can't see that causing the problem.

[Darius43]

Looks like very severe oxidation of the tip.  Did you coat the tip with solder after each use?   This prevents oxidation as it seals the tip from exposure to the air.

 

Cheers

 

Darius

[Barclay]

I'm certain the bit must be faulty, it looks like a whole chunk of it has broken away. Even a heavily used and abused bit should last ages longer than this!

[brossard]

Try a replacement bit.  I bought a Weller replacement wand (from Amazon) for my soldering station not too long ago.  At the same time I bought replacement tips.  Tips will wear out after a while but not in just a few hours of use.  My Weller 20W stand alone iron has been champion.

 

I have used the replacement wand quite a bit since then with rosin and regular flux without any issues.

 

One thing I swear by is the use of brass wool.  Frequent wiping of the tip on this keeps the bit shiny.  You could use a damp sponge but the wool is more convenient IMO.

 

John

Edited February 8 by brossard

[MarshLane]

3 hours ago, Darius43 said:

Looks like very severe oxidation of the tip.  Did you coat the tip with solder after each use?   This prevents oxidation as it seals the tip from exposure to the air.

 

Cheers

 

Darius

 

Hi Darius, Yes tinned to start with, then solder after each use, and not touched it with a file or anything!

 

2 hours ago, Barclay said:

I'm certain the bit must be faulty, it looks like a whole chunk of it has broken away. Even a heavily used and abused bit should last ages longer than this!

 

Thanks @Barclay, that was my view, but I wanted to just make sure it wasnt me doing something stupid!

 

1 hour ago, brossard said:

Try a replacement bit.  I bought a Weller replacement wand (from Amazon) for my soldering station not too long ago.  At the same time I bought replacement tips.  Tips will wear out after a while but not in just a few hours of use.  My Weller 20W stand alone iron has been champion.

 

I have used the replacement wand quite a bit since then with rosin and regular flux without any issues.

 

One thing I swear by is the use of brass wool.  Frequent wiping of the tip on this keeps the bit shiny.  You could use a damp sponge but the wool is more convenient IMO.

 

John

 

John,

Thanks I'll return this one as faulty, and get it replaced and see what happens.  I have a temperature controlled 25W one for small items, but this kit needs more power, as there is a lot more brass to act as a heatsink.  Yes agree with brass wool, although I have used a damp sponge as well on occasions.

 

Thanks guys.

 

Rich

[MarshLane]

Just as a thought, can anyone recommend a similar 60W iron?  I am thinking it may be best to go for a different brand.  I dont want a temperature controlled iron (got a 25W one),  but as this kit is a 7mm Brass kit it needs the 60W power.  Just a simple iron would work fine - any recommendations appreciated, although I know a lot is personal preference.

 

Rich

[brossard]

9 minutes ago, MarshLane said:

Just as a thought, can anyone recommend a similar 60W iron?  I am thinking it may be best to go for a different brand.  I dont want a temperature controlled iron (got a 25W one),  but as this kit is a 7mm Brass kit it needs the 60W power.  Just a simple iron would work fine - any recommendations appreciated, although I know a lot is personal preference.

 

Rich

 

I bought a Weller 80W iron a couple of years ago.  A huge disappointment as the bit turned black almost immediately.  So, there's a non recommendation for you.

 

Depending on the thickness of the brass you might consider a mini torch although I've never used one.

 

My 50W soldering station has been man enough to tackle my 7mm kits up to now.

 

John

[cctransuk]

7 minutes ago, brossard said:

 

I bought a Weller 80W iron a couple of years ago.  A huge disappointment as the bit turned black almost immediately.  So, there's a non recommendation for you.

 

Depending on the thickness of the brass you might consider a mini torch although I've never used one.

 

My 50W soldering station has been man enough to tackle my 7mm kits up to now.

 

John

 

I invariably use solid copper bits nowadays.

 

Generic ones for my soldering station are available from Aliexpress, but it's easy enough to make your own from copper rod.

 

CJI.

[MarshLane]

1 hour ago, brossard said:

 

I bought a Weller 80W iron a couple of years ago.  A huge disappointment as the bit turned black almost immediately.  So, there's a non recommendation for you.

 

Depending on the thickness of the brass you might consider a mini torch although I've never used one.

 

My 50W soldering station has been man enough to tackle my 7mm kits up to now.

 

John

Thanks John,

What is your 50W iron if you dont mind me asking?

Rich

[brossard]

57 minutes ago, MarshLane said:

Thanks John,

What is your 50W iron if you dont mind me asking?

Rich

 

Oops, should have said, it's Weller as well.

 

John

[Barclay]

I use a Maplins 60w temp controlled iron, very effective 

[MJI]

I would get better tips if the rest of the iron is OK

[Siberian Snooper]

I bought a Silverline 60 watt iron a couple of years ago and a set of bits, not used the other bits yet. My Weller 40 watt temperature controlled iron bit is getting a bit long in the tooth, but as I'm soldering white metal at the moment, it's hanging in there.

 

 

[Dagworth]

I've got an Antex 80w beast that I use for big stuff, everything else I use an Antex XS25.

 

Antex irons have never given me any problems so they are what I've stuck with for 40 odd years.

 

Andi

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

That problem bit must have had an inclusion or porosity. Request a replacement.

 

This said I have a barbarous implement inherited from my late Pa, about 150W with a bit like a tomahawk, from his days at Philips when he worked on electron microscope development. It's very handy when I need a lot of output for soldering brass church furniture in locations where naked flame is inadvisable. It eats bits like fury, but between employers of my late FiL and myself I have enough bus bar offcuts to fabricate my own.

[mikemeg]

Hi 'Marsh Lane',

 

Your original iron, the one with the collapsed tip; was it a variable or fixed temperature and what was the temperature range.

 

I once had a precision gold variable temperature (180C - 400C) range digital soldering set, which was inadvertently left on in its stand for nearly 24 hours. When I came to use it the whole tip had oxidised and almost completely burnt away.

 

My current iron - a similar digitally controlled variable temperature thing - has an automatic switch off facility after a time interval of inactivity, which can be set - now set to 15 minutes. This system was bought new for less than £40, with temperatures 180C - 480C, 60 watt rating and five different bits; so not expensive.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

[jonhall]

As I understand it most soldering iron tips have some sort of hardened surface treatment that resist corrosion from flux, however once the hard surface has been breached, I have had several bits that eat away like I see in your photo - they can be dressed back to shape with a file, but that's only really a bodge whilst waiting for a new tip to be delivered.  If your bit was new perhaps it managed to escape the hardening step? Certainly the solution should be new bit, not whole new iron.

 

Jon

[Chris Turnbull]

This isn't the first time this problem has been aired.  

 

My suggestion  then and now is to treat yourself to, say, six inches of copper rod of a suitable diameter to fit your iron.  You can machine or file the tip to whatever profile you want and have several tips of various shapes if you desire which you can interchange.  A couple of years ago the tip on my 120W iron was showing signs of distress after many years use so I replaced that and was so pleased with the results I did the same for my 25W iron which must be 55 to 60 years old.  Copper rod is available from any model engineering supplier.  It's not cheap but will give you many years of faithful service.

 

 

Chris Turnbull

Edited February 9 by Chris Turnbull
Typo

[MarshLane]

3 hours ago, mikemeg said:

Hi 'Marsh Lane',

 

Your original iron, the one with the collapsed tip; was it a variable or fixed temperature and what was the temperature range.

 

I once had a precision gold variable temperature (180C - 400C) range digital soldering set, which was inadvertently left on in its stand for nearly 24 hours. When I came to use it the whole tip had oxidised and almost completely burnt away.

 

My current iron - a similar digitally controlled variable temperature thing - has an automatic switch off facility after a time interval of inactivity, which can be set - now set to 15 minutes. This system was bought new for less than £40, with temperatures 180C - 480C, 60 watt rating and five different bits; so not expensive.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

 

Mike,

Thanks - it's a fixed temperature iron ... it was only £35 from Amazon, so I wouldn't have expected a lifetime use out of it!  My 25w is an Annex Variable Temperature Control and that is a very different story!  

 

16 minutes ago, Chris Turnbull said:

This isn't the first time this problem has been aired.  

 

My suggestion  then and now is to treat yourself to, say, six inches of copper rod of a suitable diameter to fit your iron.  You can machine or file the tip to whatever profile you want and have several tips of various shapes if you desire which you can interchange.  A couple of years ago the tip on my 120W iron was showing signs of distress after many years use so I replaced that and was so pleased with the results I did the same for my 25W iron which must be 55 to 60 years old.  Copper rod is available from any model engineering supplier.  It's not cheap but will give you many years of faithful service.

 

Chris Turnbull

 

Thanks Chris, I am thinking that may well be the way to go.

 

Rich

[Chris Turnbull]

16 hours ago, MarshLane said:

Thanks Chris, I am thinking that may well be the way to go.

 

Yes, good choice.

 

Looking again at your iron, it is similar to my 25W the bit of which is a screw fit.  Being an old iron, I had a job to get it out and had to soak it well with easing oil IIRC.  Yours is newer so may not be a problem.  Having done that I then threaded the copper rod 2BA.  You may well find that yours is a metric thread, either way you will need a suitable die.  Copper is very "sticky" so take it slowly, half a turn, back off a quarter, half a turn again and so on.  I mucked up one piece of copper by being too eager!

 

Chris Turnbull

Edited February 10 by Chris Turnbull
Typo

[hayfield]

On 08/02/2024 at 13:11, MarshLane said:

 

I purchased a new Weller 60W soldering iron last week.  I have used it six or seven times in putting a kit together so it may have been on for up to 4-5 hours in total.  It was brand new and packaged when purchase, I have come to it today and the chisel tip (which was attached when supplied) appears to have collapsed.  Is this a fault with the tip, a problem somewhere or am I doing/not doing something?  

 

 

 

 

MarshLane

 

If its a week old and used for a few hours its a faulty tip. I have never had a tip do this in the last 20 years, despite the amount of abuse (through ignorance) I gave my tips, its broken apart not worn away

 

Assuming the tip is interchangeable send a photo to the seller and request a replacement tip. Any problems then just return the iron as defective and buy a new one from a reputable retailer. Its either faulty or not fit for the job, either way you are due either a replacement or refund

[Chris Turnbull]

15 hours ago, hayfield said:

If its a week old and used for a few hours its a faulty tip. I have never had a tip do this in the last 20 years, despite the amount of abuse (through ignorance) I gave my tips, its broken apart not worn away

 

Assuming the tip is interchangeable send a photo to the seller and request a replacement tip. Any problems then just return the iron as defective and buy a new one from a reputable retailer. Its either faulty or not fit for the job, either way you are due either a replacement or refund

 

Rich is quite entitled to have his money back or a new replacement tip - and Amazon are usually very good at this.  I have returned quite a few of my Amazon purchases for various reasons and have never had any trouble, unlike some suppliers.  However, if I understand Rich correctly, he is concerned that the same thing will happen again and, on reading through various reviews on Amazon, I find that he is not alone in his experience.  Also, as I said in my earlier post, I have seen reports of similar problems on both this forum and on other ones so he is wise to be concerned.

 

As it happens I have just this afternoon made myself another tip for my 25W iron (to a different profile) from the copper rod I bought the other year.  If it lasts as long as my other copper tips it could well outlast me!

 

 

Half-an-hour's work produced this.

 

Chris Turnbull

Edited February 11 by Chris Turnbull
Added photo