Re: Metcal RF soldering base unit playing up.
I use a Metcal all the time at work and one of their few downsides is that the tip / cartridge is also the 'element'. The most common failure mode for the cartridges, apart from the tip becoming physically worn out, is for the cartridge to start running merely quite hot, rather than very hot. This symptom is, on my Metcal station, accompanied by the green LED being lit as usual, but the amber LED also coming on. To my frustration, this often starts to happen while the physical tip is still in good condition.
If you had this problem with just one tip I would be adamant that the tip / cartridge was your problem: But in light of the fact that you have this problem with a number of tips including a new one I am somewhat mystified.
As always, a major suspect with any cable connected hand tool should be the cable which gets wriggled around constantly in use, especially where it exits the base station and where it enters the handpiece.
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