Soldering Iron Saver

Thread Starter

studiot

Joined Nov 9, 2007
4,998
Whils looking for an old article I came across this bit (pun intended) of ingenuity again, thanks to PT Evans, and decided to post it since we regularly get questions on this subject.

ironsava.jpg
 

MrAl

Joined Jun 17, 2014
11,389
Hi,

That's pretty cute. Way back in 1971 wow. Today they have soldering stations with hot air and the hot air has a gravity switch like that on it but i dont think the iron does. That would be nice too.
I thought about making a foot switch for mine that varies the temperature as the switch is pressed harder or softer with the foot.
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
Whils looking for an old article I came across this bit (pun intended) of ingenuity again, thanks to PT Evans, and decided to post it since we regularly get questions on this subject.

View attachment 78624
Your post should carry a cautionary note!

This may not work quite the way expected if wired in the lead of a direct mains temp' controlled iron.

Judging by the standard of a minority of the novices that sometimes turn up here - I envisage a half-wave rectifier being put in series with the primary of a transformer base soldering iron. I foresee lots of magic smoke escaping, and possibly a resounding phutt!

Hopefully no one will be daft enough to do this to a controlled iron - but if you'd seen the things I've seen.........................
 

Thread Starter

studiot

Joined Nov 9, 2007
4,998
Temperature controlled iron?

This thread was the cue for old timers to go AAAhhhh!



But you are right, if you have a controlled iron then you shouldn't need a sava.
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
Temperature controlled iron?

This thread was the cue for old timers to go AAAhhhh!



But you are right, if you have a controlled iron then you shouldn't need a sava.
Temperature controlled iron?

This thread was the cue for old timers to go AAAhhhh!



But you are right, if you have a controlled iron then you shouldn't need a sava.
I've got a couple of "big Bertha" irons, but since the installation of ELCBs they both have to be run from isolating transformers - the floating secondary would simplify safety measures where the diode and switch are, but they get used so infrequently its hardly worth the bother.

Years ago I bought quite a lot of Antex X25 irons because they were vulnerable to mains transients - but cheap enough to think of as consumables.

Since then I fitted MOV protection and then life expectancy ceased to be a problem - after that I treated myself to the 50W temperature controlled version, there's still several X25s in a box gathering dust somewhere.

BTW: was that a Radio Constructor article?
 

Thread Starter

studiot

Joined Nov 9, 2007
4,998
Yes, indeed it was RC Sept71. Next month after the article on the amplified diode I wanted for the CS design thread.
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
Yes, indeed it was RC Sept71. Next month after the article on the amplified diode I wanted for the CS design thread.
Do you know of any PDF RC archives lurking on the web anywhere?

Someone gave me a large collection of them when I was at school, but they got destroyed while stored in a garage with a leaky roof.

There was one particular article/project - a 2 transistor radio that was both reflex and regen, and used a "gimmick" capacitor (2 insulated wires twisted together) for the regen coupling.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Do you know of any PDF RC archives lurking on the web anywhere?

Someone gave me a large collection of them when I was at school, but they got destroyed while stored in a garage with a leaky roof.

There was one particular article/project - a 2 transistor radio that was both reflex and regen, and used a "gimmick" capacitor (2 insulated wires twisted together) for the regen coupling.
Was it something like this?
The 4.7pF capacitor could have been hand-made. We made this and played with it for an afternoon a while back. AM content in my area has gone to the dogs!

http://www.electroschematics.com/601/2-transistor-radio-receiver/
 
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