Hakko 936 Soldering Station related help

Thread Starter

vistula

Joined Dec 20, 2009
22
I have been on lookout for a Hakko 936 soldering station, however it seems that Hakko have no disturbutors in Europe for the above mentioned soldering station.

Few days ago I found on ebay two sellers offering a Hakko 936 220V variants which of course caught my interest. However neither of them knew how to answer which input frequincy the soldering stations they sold were rated for. The reason I asked is because I am in country where we use 230V~50Hz while parts of asia (where both sellers operate from) use 220~60Hz and I am afraid that the transformer inside the soldering station would cause trouble.

So I was wondering about whether anybody could help me with info regarding the transformer used in 220V version of Hakko 936 (is it rated for 50Hz, 60Hz or perhaps both). I was also wondering if my fears regarding the transformer inside were unfounded.
 

S_lannan

Joined Jun 20, 2007
246
60Hz AC is okay for a 50Hz transfomer.

but...

50Hz mains can saturate a 60Hz transformer. As you decrease the frequency of the AC driving the transformer you increase the magnetic flux density.
 

Thread Starter

vistula

Joined Dec 20, 2009
22
Indeed it should. I even explained it to the sellers. Still they failed to provide the answer.
Which got me suspicious since Hakko (Japanise company) would never failed to provide that type of info (i think international regulations require that from producers) so I figured out that those two guys were selling Hakko fakes in other words cheap Chinese clones of hakko made to look like the real thing.
Reading on HakkoUSA webpage I found out that such things indeed happened from time to time.
Of course I have no proof and only my suspicion - then again my instincts usually are right so I decided to not to buy a Hakko station from those two.
 

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
http://www.allendale-stores.co.uk/pcb/images/936__soldering_station.jpg

http://www.mastechpowersupply.com/h...dering-station-iron-60w-esd-safe/prod_28.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/ATTEN-AT936B-So...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4a96e7cb2a

Heres an ebay search of "936 iron"
http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m38.l1313&_nkw=936+iron&_sacat=See-All-Categories

There are lots of them if you look around with dozens of names. Some are knock offs I guess and some are licensed. If I were going to get a 936 I would actually get a 928. Those are sweet.
 
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Thread Starter

vistula

Joined Dec 20, 2009
22
Aoyue is clone of Hakko just like the quakko, however unlike the quakko the Aoyue is apparently not a bad clone... I was thinking about buying one before I found this guy on ebay selling Hakko (original apparently) rated for 220V power mains. I contacted one other guy that have bought and tested the above mentioned product and he said that the soldiering station worked.

Does anyone have any suggestions of how I can make sure if the soldering station i linked to is really a original Hakko?
 

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
Hmm they have made them so long they all actually look a little bit different. I would just go by the sellers reputation. If he's trying to sell clones as the real thing then someone will post something.
 

Thread Starter

vistula

Joined Dec 20, 2009
22
Well I bought the station and it is on its way here. Another friend of mine bought the same station and got it today. I went over to him and we discovered it is a fake. It has Hakko label on it they got most of the details right but the insides are all different and the finish quality is bad. Also the heating element inside the iron is bad quality (his assessment on the matter not mine since I dont know nothing about these things).

Well, I was wondering if there is a way of salvaging the situation with buying the genuine hakko heating element and then exchanging the fake with real thing or would it be just more waste of money? :confused:
 

Paulo540

Joined Nov 23, 2009
191
A possible reason why you are having trouble is because that model is discontinued

this is the replacement. http://www.hakko.com/english/products/hakko_fx888.html


As far as the fake, I'd send it back and demand a refund. If they dick you around, ebay will refund you the money and charge them anyhow.

If you just have to have the 936, then worst come to worst, could always get properly rated stepdown xformer for a 120v version.

I think the Oki/Metcal ps800e is awesome sauce, personally. The one's I purchased for my company have provided 1000s of hours of service over a wide range of applications (some very temp critical) and have yet to fail.
 

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
It has Hakko label on it they got most of the details right but the insides are all different and the finish quality is bad.
What other proof is there that it is not a Hakko? I believe the 936 had 12+ revisions over a decade +. Its still being manufactured and isn't "discontinued" in the traditional sense because I think they are licensing it to other companies to make.. They actually use it in the hobby market and paint flames on it. Also don't worry if your model is discontinued Hakko is really good at supporting disco's with tips and service. Actually I prefer disco's because you can get what they are selling for $800 for $50.

On a further note did this happen this week or something? I can't find a Hakko FX-888 for sale anywhere at all. Has it been released yet?
 
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Thread Starter

vistula

Joined Dec 20, 2009
22
Transformer is not the issue anymore. The transformer inside is rated for voltage and frequency I need.

However right now the costs of shipping the item back (which ebay will not reimburse I am sure) from where I am will be almost as much as i paid for the item (68 USD - while I paid 78 USD to get the item to europe...)
Because of the above mentioned I am more inclined of trying (if possible) to modify the unit.


@maxpower097

The heating element used, transformer type used and the fact that the letters are too easily scratched away. There have been 12+ revisions (mine is 936-12) true but only few heater elements used - and the one inside that iron is not looking as any of them...
Still, I would be really happy if proven wrong so if anyone has any pictures of hakko 936-12 insides would they please post them so that me and my friend can compare them with our stations?
 
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maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
What a lot of the people are doing is putting a 939 iron (#903) on a 936 base. The 939 iron has the heating element in the tip and is amazing. So each tip you buy has a brand new element and heat drop off is nothing. You can hang around on ebay and get one for about $25-$35. Tips are $21.50 new from hakko but again hang around on ebay and can get them for $12-$15. Or you can replace the old/fake 936 iron with a real one for about $25-$35 on ebay. Just shop around and make sure you find a real one. Tips for it are cheap. I personally have a 939 which was the big bad new model that never took off because tips were too $$$$ for the general market. But the irons are interchangable so you can put a 936 iron on a 939 and use the cheap tips if you want. I hope that made some sense. I'm going to be shopping around for a 936 iron for my 939 and if I see some I'll let you know. Many times you can find lots of irons.


** Not sure which rev this is but here is an old hakko 936 manual with pics of the guts.
http://dancap.co.uk/soldering/936.pdf
 

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
The heating element used, transformer type used and the fact that the letters are too easily scratched away. There have been 12+ revisions (mine is 936-12) true but only few heater elements used - and the one inside that iron is not looking as any of them...
Still, I would be really happy if proven wrong so if anyone has any pictures of hakko 936-12 insides would they please post them so that me and my friend can compare them with our stations?
Actually if it is used it's quite possible is a real Hakko base with a fake hakko iron. They sell bases by the dozen on ebay for cheap. I could see some ebayer buying 50 936's and then buying 50 generic irons and selling them off. I'll try to find you some more pics and manuals.
 

Thread Starter

vistula

Joined Dec 20, 2009
22
Thanks for the manual.
The hakko was sold as new - at very low price (I bought it from another seller - not the one I linked to since he had many bad reviews accusing him of selling fake merchandise - which ironic considering situation I am in :) ). Good idea about buying new iron...
 
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