Hello I am trying to make a soldering station using a glow plug from a diesel engine but am not so sure on the electronic schematic to use and components. Also I have no idea on how I am going to measure temperature of my soldering iron, would you help?

 

This is an intriguing idea.

Can you supply a data sheet for the glow plug or a link to the data?

You can get an approximation of the temperature by observing the color it glows at. To get an accurate temperature ou will probably need a thermometer that uses a thermocouple.

What do you plan on using for the tips?

 

Have you planned how to heat the soldering tip without it shorting out the glow plug?

 

I wonder if the glow element will have enough thermal mass.

 

I am trying to make a soldering station using a glow plug from a diesel engine

Why do you want to do that instead of the proper soldering iron?

 

Why do you want to do that instead of the proper soldering iron?

I think it's great that people try different ways of doing things. Personally, I wouldn't waste my time on that because I'm not passionate about soldering irons (other than having a good one). But, I think trying different ways to do things is the heart of creativity. Plus, you never know, maybe he has lots of glow plugs and not enough money for a decent iron. Necessity is a mother...

 

Yeah of course you can weld a 6mm copper wire to the glow plug, file it off time by time, that may work somehow.

But I doubt the glow wire can be welded to copper, try hard soldering, well, copper conducts so will shourt circuit!

Soldering gun uses the copper loop instead, transformer with a few windings, is not really good for electronic parts.
Only good for few large spots to solder time by time.

Without even seeing the glow plugs. If they take on solder, after some time, it will dissolve.

 

Hello,

I wonder if the glowplug may be used for a longer period.
They are normaly only used for a short time for starting (as far as I know).

Bertus