Weller MLR-21 substitute - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: shakalnokturn
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2018, 09:54:06 pm
content: I've been using Wellers for the past 2-3 decades without much trouble.I have two WECP-20 stations, two LR-21 irons, and up to a week ago a MLR-21 iron, that was my favorite one, very convenient for SMD.The MLR-21 has died with an open heater and of course is now obsolete, although Weller do make spare parts available for some time I find they are never cheap nor available anymore when needed.I've been looking into used MLR-20/MLR-21 irons but find the cost a little high for something that may be close to end of life.The Weller WSP-80 could be an option, if I understand right the thermocouple has a similar range only the plug would need swapping to fit the WECP-20 stations.Can anyone give me advice on similar size or smaller irons that would adapt easily (changing plug) to my stations even other than Weller branded ones.I have just missed a cheap used Pace TW-50 station with TD-100 iron that could have been the size I'm looking for.The ERSA i-CON Nano/Pico look good too although I can't figure the difference between them, don't get the point in having a PC interface or microSD card for temperature presets and fear having a corrupt firmware one day due to aging SMPS trouble. (Nice iron, crap station...)Please give me your opinions on soldering pencils, new or used my price limit is around 150$, it has to have adjustable regulated temperature.

author: shakalnokturn
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2018, 09:38:59 am
content: I finally went for this WSP-80:https://www.ebay.com/itm/192518310953Described as "aftermarket" but also "genuine" sounds a little contradictory really.It arrived in good shape but I do have serious doubts it is genuine, the LT tip definitely does not look original, it looks like the one here:https://www.mikrocontroller.net/topic/253666The iron itself has a silicone cable but the individual wire insulations are PTFE.The overall cable diameter is lower than on the original MLR-21 or LR-21 I have.I has expecting to swap the plug from the dead MLR-21 to fit the WECP-20 station but the plug on the WSP-80 appears to be molded, can anyone with a WSP-80 from a trusted dealer confirm this?I ended up swapping the whole cable to fit the new iron, I'm aware that with 6.3ohm cold resistance for the heater I'm overloading the station a little but other than that things are working well for now.

author: chryslerdude
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 22, 2023, 12:51:47 am
content: Quote from: shakalnokturn on May 09, 2018, 09:38:59 amHello sir, and thanks for sharing your endevors with finding a MLR-21 replacement.I also have troubles finding a replacement MLR-21 (bad cable), for my WMD3 station, which has followed me from workplace to workplace, (or vice versa), since the early 1990´íes, and finally, I saved it from being scrapped, and brought it home..It has seen good use, so I keep on shortening my cable, and I am not particularly interested in paying the inflated prices for the last remaining original / unobtanium cables, and would love to hear, how your station kept up with the extra load from the WSP-80... (or what ever happned since 2018 :-) ) I found the (copy) WSP-80 on AliExpress at a resonable price, and even with a very well detailed postive review, so unless you warn me not to, I will go ahead and buy that for now!Thnx in advance..

author: shakalnokturn
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2023, 01:06:25 am
content: The iron I bought then is still working, nothing bad has happened to the station since either and it has seen quite some hours of use.The other thing that goes wrong once in a while on my Weller stations is the on/off switch contacts charring.