Weller Quality Control? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: PotatoBox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 12:25:13 am
content: I'm on the market for a new soldering iron (after coming from a crap radioshack iron). I'm decisive between the Weller WES51 and the Hakko FX888D. But I've read that people have been getting units DOA and not as well built as the hakko is.Is this true? Anyone with experience with a weller wes51 could comment?

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 06:15:39 am
content: I don't think you will get a statistically valid answer from the forum users.Similarly, it is hard to assess from posts in other forums or online shop reviews whether there has been a significant share of bad Weller stations. I would not be deterred by these posts, if you like the Weller. If you should receive a bad one, you could always have it replaced, right?Personally, if faced with the choice between the WES51 and the FX888D, there would be only one way for me to go -- for purely non-technical reasons, since I don't want to look at the Hakko's toy appearance on my bench every day... (I have neither a Weller nor a Hakko, though.)

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 07:23:10 am
content: In 30 + years, I had one problem with Weller. That was 15 years ago, Magnastat switch gave up on an old 10+ years TCP that worked 8+ hours daily..If all my equipment were that reliable.. Now I have WD1000 for 7+ years and no problem either.. Still use tips I got with it. I bought spares when I bought station, never used them..I don't think you can go wrong with either Hakko or Weller, I would buy whatever has better availability where you live.

author: ollihd
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 11:08:02 am
content: I've been using Weller for as long as I can remember and have had one problem with a Weller WSM 1C unit (new). It was due to a little bit of dust that had built up inside the unit. This resulted the unit in sending "button presses" even thought nothing was touched. A great unit after a little cleanup.

author: eugenenine
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 04:48:29 pm
content: What what I could tell the quality issues are with newer Wellers, not the older ones. So if you have had a 20 year old one thats been fine thats normal. Its the newer where they shipped the production out has the quality problems.The problems also seemed to be more with the tips and not the irons. I started wanting features such as the sleep and temp sensor in the tip which isn't the WES51/WESD51. I would have had to step up to the higher end models for that as well.I was looking at the WESD51 which is ~130-150 but the hakko 951 was $160 with those extras.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 05:08:08 pm
content: The irons and tips are sound, if treated reasonably the tips last so long are almost non-consumables!However I have encountered two physical problems with two different stations in about 12 years, one a WD1 and the other a WD2. One the top facia became loose, probably a screw or something, I am just careful with it, and the other has annoyingly noisy laminations in the transformer, but not so much I've tried more than once to fix it. These are very old faults, I still use them almost daily.

author: eugenenine
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 05:12:11 pm
content: How new/old are your tips? I can't recall when they outourced though, supposedly thats the time when quality dropped.potatoBox, have you looked at the Hakko 951 at all? It was recommended to me by nanofrog and I was hesitant at first due to price but when he pointed me to Tequipment the price was pretty close to the WSD951 that I was considering.

author: PotatoBox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 05:26:00 pm
content: Quote from: eugenenine on March 02, 2017, 05:12:11 pmThe 951 is pretty much out of my price range. Im in canada so it might be more expensive here than it is in the US.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 06:11:18 pm
content: I see I'm not the only one. Hakko equipment is top notch, but they really went out of their way to make it all as hideously ugly as possible, I mean I'm surprised they didn't go with fluorescent pink or something. The old 936 was a very classy design, much nicer than the garish yellow and blue. Not that I'd refuse to own a tool over the color scheme but still, what were they thinking?

author: eugenenine
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 06:17:19 pm
content: color sells, look at the imac, there wasn't any other reason to buy oneWife pointed out that Hakko used WVU's colors (I'm from WV).

author: bibz
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 06:28:06 pm
content: Second generation of rock solid usage for my weller too. Once the old man went butane only I inherited his old stations. Bought a new tip 10 years ago, hasn't skipped a beat! And count me up as another whom hakko's colours irrationally disturb.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 06:54:37 pm
content: Quote from: eugenenine on March 02, 2017, 06:17:19 pmC'mon, if the Hakko design was inspired by a computer, it wouldn't be the iMac, but this one:

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 07:10:32 pm
content: Quote from: eugenenine on March 02, 2017, 05:12:11 pmThe actual story is that at one period few years ago there was a (large) batch of sub quality tips. Weller admitted that, and then they fixed the problem and on all tips after that they are OK. Truth is that tips for my Weller are LT type, and they cost very little, just few €. Heater is fixed in handle. So you can have all kinds of tip you like, and choice is huge. For the price of 1 tip on JBC I can buy 10. Literally.

author: shteii01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 01:48:31 am
content: If you like Hakko 936, you may want to look at Hakko FX-600 soldering iron (no station). They way I heard it, FX-600 is repackaged 936 without the station.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 05:18:08 am
content: I wouldn't want it without the station, I like having a console with the temperature adjustment.

author: RobertHolcombe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 05:29:36 am
content: The business I work for has 5 or so WES51 units and we haven't had any issue with them, I own one personally which developed a buzz/hum from the transformer being loose, 5 minute fix.

author: BMack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 06:57:38 am
content: From my understanding; there are a lot of fake Wellers out there, that could explain a lot of the bad reviews. I've heard of fakes coming from Amazon and obviously if they fake it, you can find one on eBay.I have the Hakko, I hate how it looks but it's a damn fine soldering station.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 07:06:47 am
content: Quote from: BMack on March 03, 2017, 06:57:38 amWell I don't know about that, I buy Weller stuff locally from authorized dealer, and I know it's original Weller.... There is a ton fake stuff around too.These tips don't have heaters, it's just a blob of copper, and small on at that... I would presume it would be faked more than complicated stuff, it's easier..

author: BMack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 08:19:32 am
content: Quote from: 2N3055 on March 03, 2017, 07:06:47 amI wasn't speaking in regard to you but I'm glad you clarified your experience.

author: shteii01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 09:32:55 am
content: It has temperature adjustment.Quote from: james_s on March 03, 2017, 05:18:08 am

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 09:50:10 am
content: Quote from: shteii01 on March 03, 2017, 09:32:55 amI think "console" was James' keyword here, and the FX-600 does not have that of course.I have owned a similar iron with temperature adjustment right on the handpiece many years ago as my first soldering iron. A bit of a fumble to adjust the temperature, and an increased chance to move the little knob by accident. Hakko's product page describes how the knob can be removed after setting the temperature. Using the iron in production with a fixed, preset temperature is probably a target market.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 11:02:47 am
content: Round about 10 years back there were a lot of crappy Magnastat switches in Weller's spares channel. IIRC we sent back two or three in a row that hadn't lasted a month. Element resistance was normal and another TCP handset worked on the same base unit with no issues so it had to be defective switches. I don't know if they were outsourced or just plain fake, but IIRC we had ordered from the CPC Farnell group so they should have been genuine.

author: CraigHB
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 12:13:23 pm
content: I have both a Weller WESD51 and a Hakko FX-888D.The Hakko was cheaper and the quality seems better. On my Weller station the iron's connector has become loose and has trouble making connection. It's always been a flimsy connector and now it's failing. Also the dial has become jumpy and it's hard to land on a particular temperature setting. I'm not very happy with the longevity of the Weller station, but one thing positive I can say is the tips are cheaper and they seem about the same quality. On the Hakko I actually don't like that it doesn't have a dial. The buttons are clumsy and I keep forgetting how to operate the thing when I haven't used it for a while. I end up using the Weller because I don't feel like revisiting the Hakko manual.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 07:28:02 pm
content: FYI, I'd recommend the Weller over the Hakko, for precisely one reason only: the rotating encoder, instead of the confusing pushbuttons.If you can find an analog FX-888 (no D), get it! I was lucky enough to get mine when I did...The operation and reliability of both units are comparable, and will last many years.By far the most troublesome issue, is the same for any class of iron: proper tip care. If you have idiots using the iron, who crank up the temperature and don't use enough solder and flux, you WILL end up with a lemon: at the very least, losing a lot of time trying to tin the tip, and having to replace it often.The same goes for desoldering irons, by the way: keep the tip tinned and clean. I've gotten strange looks, many times, from novice technicians: "what are you doing, adding solder when desoldering?!" If you can't figure out why this is a silly question to ask, you shouldn't be soldering.Tim

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 07:32:01 pm
content: Yeah I hate those buttons, my friend has one of the new Hakkos with the confusing pushbuttons. Really, could they have come up with a less intuitive way of adjusting the temperature? What's wrong with a pot or encoder? Or a simple up/down button arrangement with a lock button or switch?

author: PotatoBox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2017, 02:35:25 am
content: Quote from: BMack on March 03, 2017, 06:57:38 amAre you refering to amazon themselves or the third parties that sell on amazon? It doesn't seem like amazon themselves would sell a fake item...

author: eugenenine
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2017, 02:44:02 am
content: Is the Hakko 888 harder to use than the 951? I found it pretty easy. Though I would like if I could disable the 'key' lockout as I don't currently need it.

author: CraigHB
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2017, 05:22:12 pm
content: Some idiot at Hakko thought it would be "cool" if the thing didn't have a dial. You have to adjust with buttons and it's not even a traditional up-down arrangement (which would actually still be okay). It's crazy they designed an interface for something as simple as a soldering station that requires you read the manual to use it. Then you forget the key sequences if you haven't used it a while. Sometimes I wonder where these companies find their engineers. The older version of the same iron (which Dave uses in his soldering tutorials) does have a dial, but it lacks digital feedback which is a big problem for my preferences. Though they discontinued that one in favor of the dial-less version.

author: Sigmoid
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2017, 06:03:10 pm
content: Weller is ridiculously overpriced, they are going all out to capitalize on their fame, and not in a good way. I've never had issues with quality per se, but when I moved to Europe, and bought a JBC for a bit less money than a 240V WS51 would have cost, I was blown clean away by the difference between the two - the 120V WES51 I used before couldn't hold a candle to my 'entry level', Weidinger-cobranded JBC.I have never used Hakkos, as to me they seemed more expensive than Weller in the US, and are pretty much non-existent in Europe... I wouldn't diss their design though, I kinda like that 'cheerful' look.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2017, 07:20:25 pm
content: To toss another name into the discussion, I love my ERSA i-CON 1! Got it about a year ago, to replace an old ERSA analog station -- which still works nicely after 30 years, but I liked the new compact i-CON handpiece so much...Not sure whether these are easily available outside of Europe, and what the price is overseas. The smaller "i-CON Nano" is quite good value here. The larger "i-CON 1" feels a bit overpriced in comparison, but I ended up biting the bullet since I liked the user interface so much better. (Large display for temperature and menu, and a single rotary encoder.) A pleasure to use!

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2017, 07:29:22 pm
content: Even with the annoying digital interface, I would get the Hakko 888D or the analog interface FX601, which is the "reimagined" 888. Weller is not the Weller everyone remembers from the 1990s, they are now just a brand in a large corporation. Hakko is the same company from the 1950s. So there is more consistency with Hakko product and support ethic. After you buy a unit, you are also committed to its spare parts for the life of the unit.That said the WES51 is one of the most reliable units, since its been made since 1990s; its the direct competitor to the original Hakko 926/36 which was built around that time. Its the only Weller I would consider buying, see my old comments about it in the forum archives.Wellers models are made in different parts over the world, and the WES51 and WES51D for sale in the Americas are made in Mexico for some time, and thus, the quality is consistent and it has been good. Its widely used in Mexico over Hakko. Do not expect other Weller products to be as good as the WES51 as compared to the line of Hakko product consistency, you'll have to play Weller items by ear for each model.Unless there is a huge price difference in Canada between Hakko vs Weller as it is in the EU, Hakko remains a good bet all around. If you choose Weller, avoid the WES51D, it has all the same unnecessary digital annoyances the FX888D has over FX888.

author: PotatoBox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2017, 10:17:16 pm
content: I've found this store (some what locally) that sells the Hakko FX888D for a very good price...http://www.canadarobotix.com/soldering-tools/1557-hakko-fx888d-soldering-stationDo you guys think this will be a legit Hakkko? The price seems a little low compared to other stores...

author: Paul Moir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2017, 11:10:01 pm
content: Maybe they bought a bunch before the dollar went down? I see other legit sellers with similar prices or even less. Those guys also seem to stock a lot of other Hakko stuff so it seems unlikely that particular iron would be a fake. I think you'd have to check it out in person to know for sure though.I can tell you one thing with whichever station you end up with: it's night and day compared to the old radio shack iron. And since they warm up so quickly you're not loath to turn it on and off.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2017, 10:44:32 am
content: One problem I always find with Weller stuff is that their range is bewildering in the extreme. While it's good to have choice, I've yet to find a single point of call for all their offerings in a way that facilitates feature comparisons and tip compatibilities.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2017, 11:14:37 am
content: Quote from: Howardlong on March 05, 2017, 10:44:32 amThat is true.. It is confusing as hell. I have a local shop that has lots of tips on stock, and I just go there and browse in person.. That helps a lot.That is why I recommend to buy equipment that is locally supported.. Weller, JBC, Hakko, Metcal, Ersa.. They all have very good stuff.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2017, 11:37:19 am
content: OpenSale of counterfeit items in US and Canada is a crime [probably Federal level], so chances are its legit. That's about the US price, ~$100. That vendor has a retail store in Markam. It reads like they have a lot of top clientshttp://www.canadarobotix.com/about-usQuote from: PotatoBox on March 04, 2017, 10:17:16 pm

author: Paul Moir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2017, 08:19:20 am
content: In Canada all our crimes are federal.20 years ago that would be the big reason to go with Weller: it was what all the local shops had. But now even in my industrial backwater we have Hakko parts easily available.

author: R005T3r
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2017, 04:27:18 pm
content: I don't know what people have against digital soldering stations: changing temperature is not that critical in a soldering session unless you are dealing with various types of solder...