Since the soldering iron has no laminations the noise is produced by some other mechanism. If the element is a helix of resistance wire then adjacent turns tend to repel each other as a result of curent flow. This could cause mains-frequency vibration.

From what I can see during heating and use is the heater is like what you can see in a toaster. Flat wire wrapped around in a coil/circle form. That's only when it's red hot for for the heater. Can't be 100% sure.

 

Since the soldering iron has no laminations

I did this whole thread thinking it must be a soldering gun because it is so large, and I was wrong.
Sorry. My bad.

Still, we had fun talking about magnetostriction and watching a substation blow up. Not a total loss.

and, yes, Alec_t is right about flimsy coils vibrating each other with a magnetic field. If they are that thin, they will eventually break, but that's what you get for cheaping out. Use it until it dies, then throw it at something you want to break.

 

I did this whole thread thinking it must be a soldering gun because it is so large, and I was wrong.
Sorry. My bad.

Still, we had fun talking about magnetostriction and watching a substation blow up. Not a total loss.

and, yes, Alec_t is right about flimsy coils vibrating each other with a magnetic field. If they are that thin, they will eventually break, but that's what you get for cheaping out. Use it until it dies, then throw it at something you want to break.

No worrys. I don't think it will need to be used much as it's just for soldering to chassis. I got my nice first temperature soldering station for better soldering. I cant recall the name. It comes up under a velleman(Not that little $30 one. It's a $60-70ish one, great beginner station) I want to say. Oh well. I just really want to solder with it but have nothing to solder!

And not worry, I will have to try and remember to throw it at something when it breaks(the 150w iron). As chances are it will break in the middle of me soldering.

 

Get old/broken equipment and desolder components.

 

Get old/broken equipment and desolder components.

The first thing I soldered with my station was a kaypro computer power supply connector. 370*C and perfect little solder joints on it! I could just solder and desolder junk stuff but I don't have I'm willing to destroy. At least there working!, for the most part(the junk stuff)

 

Stuff from the 80s has lots of DIP chips which you can use and are easy to desolder.

 

Stuff from the 80s has lots of DIP chips which you can use and are easy to desolder.

I'm not sure if this kaypro can be saved. I got the mother board, power supply, floppy drive(5 1/4 full height). Planned to test the power supply as something for use elsewhere. I might use the case for someone like a raspberry pie. If I had one. Only if the computer couldn't be saved. That would be cool. Modern computer in place of vintage. I gutted the case awhile back in preparation of something that might take place for years!

Don't even understand my self sometimes. Awesome as I wanna be!

 

I bought this iron to solder to chassis if it's copper, aluminum, steel or whatever

If the tool in question is indeed intended to solder aluminum then vibration is both normal and essential to that purpose! - In which case $10 was quite a bargain! FWIW the mechanism of such oscillation is generally magnetostriction...

Best regards
HP

 

If the tool in question is indeed intended to solder aluminum then vibration is both normal and essential to that purpose! - In which case $10 was quite a bargain! FWIW the mechanism of such oscillation is generally magnetostriction...

Best regards
HP

So what's the vibration for? If it essential how's it helping? Say it wasn't, would that hurt it being able to solder? I don't understand that. I thought it was down a ticking time bomb and then just poor craftsmanship. Now to its vital for soldering aluminum?

 

What broke down in that computer of yours?

 

What broke down in that computer of yours?

No idea. Bought them "working". They were $5 a piece in the end. I got two kaypros. They don't work. But hey for $10 I don't really care. I think it's just a lot of little parts bringing the entire thing into non working. So that's much cheaper then eBay prices non working.

 

Thats cheap it shows just how electronics dont gain on price as they age unless they are popular like Amiga or similar. That motherboard has plenty of logic chips which can be used in projects. You can sell the Z80 CPU for 5$.

 

So what's the vibration for? If it essential how's it helping? Say it wasn't, would that hurt it being able to solder? I don't understand that. I thought it was down a ticking time bomb and then just poor craftsmanship. Now to its vital for soldering aluminum?

The vibration 'scrubs through' the surface Al2O3 'film' such that the solder may bond (i.e. 'alloy') with the aluminum -- Note that a film thickness of said oxide sufficient to interfere with solder bonding forms within a few milliseconds...

Say it wasn't, would that hurt it being able to solder?

Oscillation is necessary only for soldering aluminum...

Again, these considerations apply only if the soldering iron is indeed intended to solder aluminum -- as your OP seemed to suggest?....

Best regards
HP

 

The vibration 'scrubs through' the surface Al2O3 'film' such that the solder may bond (i.e. 'alloy') with the aluminum -- Note that a film thickness of said oxide sufficient to interfere with solder bonding forms within a few milliseconds...


Oscillation is necessary only for soldering aluminum...

Again these considerations apply only if the soldering iron is indeed intended to solder aluminum -- as your OP seemed to suggest?....

Best regards
HP

My op didn't suggest this is built for soldering aluminum. I bought it for soldering to chassis weather it be aluminum, copper, steel or whatever(since chassis vary so much is material in vintage items). I went big for the power needed to do that. A 100w would most likely do the same job just not as fast. Or I could alway buy a 300w iron that looks to be the size of a arm! With a thumb for the tip. Could, but I doubt I need that much power on electronics. If I needed that much I must be doing something seriously, seriously wrong.

 

My op didn't suggest this is built for soldering aluminum. I bought it for soldering to chassis weather it be aluminum, copper, steel or whatever(since chassis vary so much is material in vintage items). I went big for the power needed to do that. A 100w would most likely do the same job just not as fast. Or I could alway buy a 300w iron that looks to be the size of a arm! With a thumb for the tip. Could, but I doubt I need that much power on electronics. If I needed that much I must be doing something seriously, seriously wrong.

In that case the described vibration likely owes to incidental magnetostriction corollary to the alternating field about heating coil (AKA 'element') --- IOW No need to loose any sleep over it

Best regards
HP

 

Since the soldering iron has no laminations the noise is produced by some other mechanism. If the element is a helix of resistance wire then adjacent turns tend to repel each other as a result of curent flow. This could cause mains-frequency vibration.

The resistance wire element is usually coiled in some way shape or form. So it will produce an alternating magnetic field.

Buzzing suggests some magnetisable metal in the construction that isn't tied down too well.

To answer the TS's question about safety/reliability; the vibrating part could eventually chafe through insulation on the element. it will probably go phut at some point.

I'd verify that the safety earth is sound and get what use for however long it lasts - and buy a better quality iron ready for when I need it.

The make I've settled on is Antex - they're almost cheap enough to regard as expendable, the only vulnerability I know of is they're susceptible to mains spikes - use an MOV protected socket strip.

 

@PrincessWoona
Another thought --- Inasmuch as faulty electrical connections are not uncommon in inexpensive tools, it may be advisable to eliminate arcing as the cause of the objectionable operation -- readily accomplished via noting interference to a nearby AM BCB receiver while the iron is energized...

Best regards
HP