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Vintage Test Gear and Workshop Equipment For discussions about vintage test gear and workshop equipment such as coil winders. |
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Thread Tools |
2nd Aug 2021, 6:42 pm | #1 |
Nonode
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Coulsdon, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 2,109
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Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
Not exactly 'vintage' but I've had this delightful-to-use iron since 2011 which I purchased from another forum member.
Today if flashed up some odd numbers and then showed - - - the iron is cold so I assume the element has failed. The replacement part is hard to track down, but Farnell have them at c. £120 inc VAT Is this worth replacing or is there a better solution 10 years on Has anyone fitted a new element - just pondering how easy it may be to do ? Thanks Andy |
2nd Aug 2021, 7:42 pm | #2 |
Nonode
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 2,013
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
I wouldn't assume anything. It has to be worth checking the cable has continuity and it hasn't broken at some point due to repeated flexing.
I don't know WSP80 immediately but assume it's one with proportional control and not a thermostat. |
2nd Aug 2021, 7:52 pm | #3 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Morden, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 1,552
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
Check the cable before forking out for a new element (and the element come to that) I have had several Weller irons fail with an open / intermittent cable, usually where it bends coming out of the iron.
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2nd Aug 2021, 9:18 pm | #4 |
Pentode
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Braintree, Essex, UK.
Posts: 170
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
As mentioned above, I too had to repair the lead to my Weller iron handle due to an intermittent caused by an internal break, just the other week.
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2nd Aug 2021, 10:47 pm | #5 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 4,941
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
My Weller TCP died within three years when the cable crumbled internally when the insulation along the entire length crumbled.
Weller just turned their back on me, and refused point blank even to supply a new cable FOC, even thought the crumbling cable, which I sent photos of, was clearly not fit for purpose. So I will never, ever buy or recommend a Weller to anyone. Their customer service is risible. Do yourself a favour; don't throw money at the thing, and recycle the it, then spend some money on a decent unit. There are multiple threads on Vintage Radio on the topic of decent soldering stations. Craig |
3rd Aug 2021, 7:48 am | #6 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Bognor Regis, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 2,288
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
Its not worth spending £120 on fixing but well worth checking the cable as others have said.
If you do decide to replace it with a new iron don't chuck the remains, they have value on e-bay. Peter |
3rd Aug 2021, 10:22 am | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 4,941
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
Weller TCP cable
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3rd Aug 2021, 10:25 am | #8 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 4,941
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
Another pic of the same cable
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3rd Aug 2021, 7:15 pm | #9 | |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 1,706
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
Quote:
After a few years use the thing started randomly shorting out, the silicone rubber cable had gone hard & crunchy in places, an autopsy revealed the insulation for the inner wires had crumbled to bits (maybe they buy their cables from the same supplier as the fruity phones ). We repaired the iron with a cable salvaged from an older one and used it with an older base station, as it no longer had the new style plug. David |
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4th Aug 2021, 8:03 am | #10 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 4,941
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
That was the one. It was not cheap either. Quality control at Weller is clearly now something of a joke.
The older generation TCP irons, the ones that had a Bulgin plug on them, were seriously constructed with real silicone insulation and cord fillers. Now use a Metcal GT90 (they also do a 120W version, the GT120), which is expensive, but I bought it to do surface mount work. Haven't regretted the choice (so far!) Craig |
4th Aug 2021, 8:20 am | #11 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 983
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
This is a sad state of affairs, I still have at least four very old and very used TCP's that are as good as they were 30+ years ago.
Sad to see such a well repected make go downhill. |
4th Aug 2021, 9:47 am | #12 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING.
Posts: 9,145
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
Shame. I used Weller irons for decades at my shop. 8am-6pm every day! I am still using one and I closed the shop 19 years ago.
Everything has gone down hill. Every so called up grade is the reverse! John. |
4th Aug 2021, 1:38 pm | #13 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,526
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
Cost engineering? Built in obsolescence?
Obviously they went a bit too far with the dodgy cable, ten years life would probably be seen as acceptable by most potential buyers.
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4th Aug 2021, 10:41 pm | #14 |
Pentode
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Braintree, Essex, UK.
Posts: 170
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
Once back in the early 90’s I had a fault on the TCP. Following a helpful phone call (remember those?) to their service department I was asked to post the unit to them. They returned it a few days later, completely refurbished and FOC. That was back in the days of Cooper Tools.
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6th Sep 2021, 6:31 pm | #15 |
Nonode
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Coulsdon, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 2,109
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
I had another look at this today. Having found the users leaflet, I tried to test through the cable and connections using the numbered diagram in the leafet, but helpfully the pins are not numbered on either piece of the connector. I did find 4.7 volts DC on one pair of adjacent sockets on the power unit and the corresponding pins on the connector measure approx. 51 ohm but I've no idea whether that's a sensor or the element (probably the former)
I also can't see how you open up the Iron, or its plug, or the PSU base come to that. Having reseated the connector again, surprisingly it began to heat and appeared to be working...but then failed again. Hopefully this means the element is OK. It's possible there's a break in the cable as there's a strange 'pinch/twist' in the cable half way down which I may cut open to take a look. I would try and measure at the connector but without pin numbering its pointless. Has anyone had theirs apart ? what's the secret ?? Andy |
7th Sep 2021, 8:15 pm | #16 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 1,706
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
It must be possible to open as the element is replaceable, only problem is the manual only has a exploded parts diagram (page 30) and no instructions to take it apart.
https://media-weller.de/weller/data/OI/OI_WSP_80.pdf Picture showing the element assembly with attached PCB on Rapid (no longer available from them), I'm guessing the handle unscrews and you can feed the cable through to access the connections. https://www.rapidonline.com/weller-t...rodAccessories David |
7th Sep 2021, 8:48 pm | #17 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 1,706
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
The WS51 station can also be used with the WSP80 iron, the manual for the WS51 has a rather badly scanned diagram of the connector on page 50, pins 1 & 2 are one pair, pins 3 & 4 are another pair (can't read the text for sensor or element) and pin 5 is ground.
https://media-weller.de/weller/data/OI/OI_WS_51_81.pdf Maybe someone has a dead tree edition of that manual and can clarify which pair of connections is the sensor & element. What is the base unit you have? David |
7th Sep 2021, 10:52 pm | #18 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,800
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
Short sightedness at Weller. Once they were trustworthy, but once the trust is gone, it's a long road to get it back, and modern management principles won't allow them to work at it for that long. There is enough of their modern gear out there to hang the whole firm out to dry as the (lack of) quality becomes evident to more people. Metcal (OKI) and JBC seem to have taken over without a fight.
David
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8th Sep 2021, 3:36 pm | #19 |
Nonode
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Walsall Wood, Aldridge, Walsall, UK.
Posts: 2,853
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
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It's an enigma, that's what it is! This thing's not fixed because it doesn't want to be fixed! |
8th Sep 2021, 3:51 pm | #20 |
Nonode
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 2,181
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Re: Weller Iron failure. WSP80 worth repairing ?
Iron or magnetic switch ? I've had a Weller 1201 for a lot of years( thinking back it's over 30 year old). Some time back it didn't heat up properly. I bypassed the magnetic (temperature) switch and all is well. I keep it mainly as a "go to " iron for quick jobs. For other stuff I've got an old Maplin electronic soldering station, but Maplins copy of the Weller is not as good. Might be worth opening the iron body and testing the element.Working in a few places with production lines I've acquired a few irons like this. This one is one of two I rescued from the bin.
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