for years Ive used a current detector to turn on a flashing light outside my workshop, to tell me that Ive left my Soldering Pencil on. I know, I know, its not going to burst into flames, its just hard on the tips, and tips are now more expensive than Gold.

I left my soldering iron on a time or two (in about 50 years). Now I just make sure to check it before I leave the room.

Soldering isn't usually the last thing I do before leaving the room, so I usually turn it off when I'm finished soldering.

The tips of my iron (Weller) control the temperature (600F, 700F, or 800F), so there's not much risk of burning up tips, but it saves wear and tear on the heating element. I've had to replace the heater once in 50 years. Only had to replace one tip in that timeframe. Soldering eventually ate through the aluminum and iron coatings on the tip.

 

Are we not overthinking this? I don't see a problem.
I turn off my soldering iron when I am finished using it. It takes less than a minute to reach operating temperature from cold power on.

 

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805703696203.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809366281855.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832840858370.html

Everything in the links starting with the question mark and on are for tracking. I copied those links and looked at each. Nice. Mechanical. The third one boasts "Solid State Design (last bullet point) but all I see is a mechanical timer.
View attachment 359746
Yes, the switch I linked to is much more expensive. But compared to burning up your soldering iron or burning down the house - the expense is not that big a deal. I merely posed that idea because your comment encouraged me to think in that direction.

[edit]
That last switch also claims (second bullet point) to be able to switch "electrical pressure cookers, ovens, rice cookers, and more" but the wires and switch contacts don't look like they can handle that much wattage. Plus - they don't claim a statistic saying how many amps or watts that switch can handle. If it can be used on 240VAC perhaps a smaller wire will suffice. But at 120VAC it gets dodgy whether that switch can handle the loads it claims.

 

Are we not overthinking this? I don't see a problem.
I turn off my soldering iron when I am finished using it. It takes less than a minute to reach operating temperature from cold power on.

Frequent thermal cycling is hard on a heating element.
Yeah, we're probably overthinking it. But a problem has been set before us for a solution. These are examples of where I've been and where one might go - going forward.

Not a big fan of a mechanical timer. Especially one that is made of chinesium.

 

----> https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805703696203.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.25.23ca3f30WFdKbP&algo_pvid=5e6f8a6f-68e4-4b3e-8a21-86b700c432a3&algo_exp_id=5e6f8a6f-68e4-4b3e-8a21-86b700c432a3-24&pdp_ext_f={"order":"133","eval":"1","fromPage":"search"}&pdp_npi=6@dis!USD!3.27!2.70!!!3.27!2.70!@2101f54117645152603162498ec03d!12000034720548395!sea!US!171220328!X!1!0!n_tag:-29919;d:7cb94ae8;m03_new_user:-29895;pisId:5000000191721587&curPageLogUid=U6eQT3KUHZXk&utparam-url=scene:search|query_from:|x_object_id:1005005890010955|_p_origin_prod:

----> https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809366281855.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.32.23ca3f30WFdKbP&utparam-url=scene:search|query_fromc_back_same_best|x_object_id:1005009552596607|_p_origin_prod:&algo_pvid=49880dfe-ed91-4cd2-8113-e6bbd6d6b126&algo_exp_id=49880dfe-ed91-4cd2-8113-e6bbd6d6b126&pdp_ext_f={"order":"-1","fromPage":"search"}&pdp_npi=6@dis!USD!3.32!1.83!!!3.32!1.83!@2101d9ef17645152966546877e1a9c!12000049444048614!sea!US!171220328!X!1!0!n_tag:-29919;d:7cb94ae8;m03_new_user:-29895&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt

Your proposal is for the wealthy...
----> https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832840858370.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller.2.436af8bdZcfupR&gps-id=pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40050.354490.0&scm_id=1007.40050.354490.0&scm-url=1007.40050.354490.0&pvid=77f90e9c-f74c-4c49-87fa-7377951ffa68&_t=gps-idcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40050.354490.0,pvid:77f90e9c-f74c-4c49-87fa-7377951ffa68,tpp_buckets:668#2846#8115#2000&pdp_ext_f={"order":"117","eval":"1","sceneId":"30050","fromPage":"recommend"}&pdp_npi=6@dis!USD!0.70!0.70!!!4.92!4.92!@2101d9ef17645151675263435e1a9c!67406729793!rec!US!171220328!X!1!0!n_tag:-29919;d:7cb94ae8;m03_new_user:-29895&utparam-url=scenecDetailTopMoreOtherSeller|query_from:|x_object_id:33027173122|_p_origin_prod:

"Your proposal is for the wealthy..." Thats why I buy components almost exclusively from Ali Express!!

 

Frequent thermal cycling is hard on a heating element.
Yeah, we're probably overthinking it. But a problem has been set before us for a solution. These are examples of where I've been and where one might go - going forward.

Not a big fan of a mechanical timer. Especially one that is made of chinesium.

Frequently I am lured from my lair with the promise of a "Quick" trip out for coffee, and that just blanks my brain. the Quickness is often truncated by trips somewhere else...and my pencil stays on , heating the world the whole time

 

Frequent thermal cycling is hard on a heating element.
Yeah, we're probably overthinking it.

Maybe I turn my soldering iron on 1 to 4 times on a busy day, or not at all when doing other pursuits.
The effects of thermal cycling is worse on electronics than on a heating element.

 

On a job contract I ran a hot air pencil. It was rated to operate 400 hours between heating element failures. However, because it was being switched on and off it was needing replacement about every 100 hours, possibly due to being switched on and off frequently. (If I recall correctly)

 

Frequently I am lured from my lair with the promise of a "Quick" trip out for coffee, and that just blanks my brain. the Quickness is often truncated by trips somewhere else...and my pencil stays on , heating the world the whole time

I'd just turn it off whenever you left the room. It shouldn't take long to get back up to operating temperature whenever you return.

 

Ok, for years Ive used a current detector to turn on a flashing light outside my workshop, to tell me that Ive left my Soldering Pencil on. I know, I know, its not going to burst into flames, its just hard on the tips, and tips are now more expensive than Gold.
The Current detector works ok, but frequently misfires, probably due to me buying such things on Ali Express. Ive got a million Infared Diodes (LED5mm style case) can I use one of them to detect my iron being on, because of the heat?

So getting back on track - you want a remote indicator telling you that the iron is still on. OK, yeah, I can see use of a thermal detection method to activate a flashing lamp somewhere. Since it's likely the iron will be in the holder, a thermal switch at a low temperature setting will be set close enough to the iron to heat up. When hot it switches on a light outside the shop. Not sure how well an infrared LED would work - I assume you're talking about the Receiver. But if you set up a window comparator you can dial in the temperature you want to sense.

I still think - for this purpose - would be to use a thermal switch such as this
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Thermostat-Normally-Temperature-Controller/dp/B07PFV4CFG/ref=sr_1_3
It doesn't control the iron, it controls a remote indicator so you don't have to go all the way to the shop to see IF you turned it OFF.

 

I'd just turn it off whenever you left the room. It shouldn't take long to get back up to operating temperature whenever you return.

oh shure , like Im going to remember!

 

You're not looking for something to turn the iron off, are you?
My impression is that if you forgot to turn it off there would be a visible indicator lamp somewhere in your line of sight. Is that correct?

 

oh shure , like Im going to remember!

How much more difficult would it be to remember to turn it off instead of looking for a flashing light?

 

How much more difficult would it be to remember to turn it off instead of looking for a flashing light?

obviously, you dont know me, if there is a difficult way to do something, Ill find that way. Besides, what fun is it actually being responsible enough to turn something off

 

Got to love how people argue about what a poster wants when it's pretty clear from the post.

You might point out alternatives, but to argue about it really isn't helpful.

 

Got to love how people argue about what a poster wants when it's pretty clear from the post.

You might point out alternatives, but to argue about it really isn't helpful.

I didnt know that arguing was considered a tres pas, I shall not do that again, thank you

 

All I want is a simple answer.

You're not looking for something to turn the iron off, are you?
My impression is that if you forgot to turn it off there would be a visible indicator lamp somewhere in your line of sight. Is that correct?

 

Hello,

Perhaps a current indicator?https://www.circuitlab.com/circuit/5ns733t82z64/ac-current-indicator/
Build it in a box, so that no parts can be touched.

Bertus

 

This is what I currently have now, but I have found it to be quite unstable

 

This is what I currently have now, but I have found it to be quite unstable

Missing link ?