Alternative to Ersa 102 series soldering tips (fits i-CON PICO/NANO) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: HSPalm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2016, 07:45:05 am
content: Hi,I own an Ersa i-CON PICO and was wondering if anyone knew of compatible tips for this soldering station. The soldering iron attached is called i-TOOL PICO and is compatible with Ersa 102-series tips which looks like this:http://www.kurtzersa.com/electronics-production-equipment/soldering-tools-accessories/soldering-desoldering-tips/soldering-tip-series-102.htmlI find that the original tips wear out fast, and are generally not pleased with the coating because it oxidizes much quicker than I'm used to. I would either prefer the tips to be of better quality or cheaper so I can replace them more often. I notice many other brands have cheaper tips and/or are available through chinese vendors as compatible replacments.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 20, 2016, 08:24:43 am
content: Quote from: HSPalm on July 20, 2016, 07:45:05 amThose tips areverysturdy and almost undestroyable. This is 100% your fault for not using them properly, not tinning them occasionally and/or using very high temp. Probably your solder has crappy flux inside it (matters a lot). Buy tip reactivatorhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=tip+reactivator, and no, there are no 3rd party tips. You can also use wet sponge (can buy one unsed for cleaning surfaces in supermarket) for cleaning the tips when tinning them, but should avoid for constant use if working at lead free temps.

author: HSPalm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2016, 09:09:36 am
content: Thanks for replying me.I always take care of tinning the tip when left in the stand and right before turning the iron off. I clean my tips regularly while soldering and use only brass "wool" and not sponge/water. For lead free soldering I use 380 degrees and 360 degrees for lead tin, as thought by my instructor when I was IPC certified. After many years of soldering I have never experienced the same grade of deterioration as (especially the smaller) ersa tips. My prevoius soldering station was my trusted old Pace ST 75 but the heat up times were killing me, but the tips lasted forever, even though there were no standby or sleep modes, so I had to shut it off manually when taking short breaks and sometimes forgot to.Are the smaller tips more susceptible to deterioration than the larger ones? At work I have a metcal with the same size tip and have not noticed this. This is not used as often though.

author: HSPalm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2016, 09:27:54 am
content: About that tip reactivator. I do have something similar at work I can use, but out of interest I'm looking into the names and ingredients of different types.The three names I've come across so far are tip cleaner, tinner and reactivator (and activator).The contents are usually mostly Tin, about 97 to 99.3 % and the rest is copper. But wellers tip activator content istin, Zinn >=36 %Ammoniumphosphat =24 %Diamoniumphosphat =37 %Surfactant / Tenside <1 %Do these products have different purposes and/or are different in how effective they work?

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 21, 2016, 10:32:45 am
content: Quote from: HSPalm on July 21, 2016, 09:27:54 amDunno which is better, I have only ersa branded, it's not a thing that you consume fast. In about 7 years among the many tips I replaced only PLCC blade tip which had plating damaged at the sharp point. And then solder dissolved internal copper in a few days. I had 2 tips completely oxidized after melting some plastics with them, solder would not stick to them at all how regardless hard you try. Reactivator made them like new.

author: HSPalm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2016, 10:43:09 am
content: But do you think they all have the same intentions?This is the tip I'm struggling with:http://www.tme.eu/en/details/ersa-0102adlf13/soldering-tips/ersa/The hardest part to keep tinned is the small flat face at the end. It does not clean very well on the brass wool since it's so tiny and mostly just pokes through.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 21, 2016, 10:45:47 am
content: Quote from: HSPalm on July 21, 2016, 09:09:36 amWet sponge cleans much better but produces thermal shock. I use it occasionally when my tips become a bit crusty. Also try using a different solder, I have one which does a very poor job when tinning the tips. Also it makes tips oxidizing faster, so sucks for doing a lot of soldering. On the other I have a spool of Stannol Sn97Ag2.6Cu with kristall 400 flux which is just excellent in this regard, always using it when I need to retin the tips.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 21, 2016, 10:50:58 am
content: Quote from: HSPalm on July 21, 2016, 10:43:09 amMaybe you shouldn't poke it into the wool but clean like in the video above. Move the tip across the surface of the brass wool.

author: HSPalm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2016, 10:59:47 am
content: Thank again for your tips. Yes the damp sponge is better for "drag" cleaning the small flat tip, it's hard to drag the tip against anything inside the big ball of brass.I will keep an eye out for trying some new solder.

author: eKretz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 08:41:18 pm
content: I have owned an i-con 1 for years now, and am still running the original 2mm chisel I got with it - it shows no signs of wear or erosion that I can see. I have about 8 tips in total and haven't worn through the plating on any of them. It sounds to me as though the OP's tip is merely dirty/oxidized.

author: HSPalm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2016, 12:28:15 pm
content: I tried with some tip tinner last week but the results only lasted until next time I added solder and cleaning it.Next step is to try a different solder. I believe I switched to a different type almost at the same time as I started seeing the "damage".

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 12:59:14 pm
content: Quote from: HSPalm on July 20, 2016, 07:45:05 amIf anything, Ersa's tips are famous for lasting much longer than other brands. I have to agree with the others here who've said that it's either user error, or you misinterpreting what you are seeing.Definitely try some other solder. I use Kester 63/37 with #44 flux for leaded, and something from MG Chemicals for lead-free. Both ship from amazon.com in USA. (I'm not as familiar with the European brands, even though I live here, LOL.)

author: HSPalm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2016, 11:12:48 am
content: Thanks for replying. About ersa tips lasting longer, that's also what I heard before purchasing.I will try a different solder, and maybe also remember du photograph the tip so you can see what I'm seeing.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2016, 03:46:26 pm
content: Quote from: HSPalm on July 21, 2016, 10:43:09 amIf I understand you correctly, Yes (various activator/reactivator/tip rejuvenator ... type products). I've the Weller branded version, and it works well. As others have mentioned, it's used occasionally.Given the rest of your posts, it's definitely time to try a different solder. As per what to recommend though, what do you need?I know Stannol & Multicore have better availability than say Kester (Farnell imports it), and also has better pricing from what I've seen. If you're after say 63/37 though, you'll have a tough time finding it in the EU from what I've seen (i.e. Multicore dropped a lot of their leaded offerings a few years back). 60/40 would be easy to find though, and the lead-free formulations as well (I use Alpha Metals'Telecore HF 850in SAC307 for such needs; core size is P2 & .032" dia.).Flux wise, I'm partial to RMA & RA, but that's not always available. So when I have to use a no-clean formulation, I prefer the modified rosin versions as it's easier to clean than those that use synthetic resins. Skip the organic/water soluble stuff IMHO, as it can't be left on the board (must be cleaned). Just a PITA for repair/prototyping/hobbyist use IME.