JBC BT-2BWA (analog) vs. JBC CD-2BQE (digital) - Is the display worth the +100€? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: jokow
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 29, 2020, 08:38:26 am
content: Hi,I want to buy a soldering station, I'd either like to buy the analog BT-2BWA or the digitial CD-2BQE. The price difference in Germany is around 100€-120€.Having a look at the additional settings the digital version has, there is nothing I desperately need. But it seems to me, that the display of the digital version could come in handy, when you e.g. solder a large ground plane and you need more power. With just having an LED on the analog version you won't see any temperature "issues". With the display you would see at which temperature the soldering station actually is and the power level gives you an indicator what is currently going on. But is this a valid scenario? Do you ever look at the display? What would you recommend?Thanks a lot!

author: Hydron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2020, 09:31:29 pm
content: I bought the cheap one, don't see much need for a display (though I'd certainly take one if offered, or even just a power indicator), and setting temperature is actually going to be much quicker with a big dial than poking at buttons.The biggest downsides for me are that you can't play with any station settings (probably not that useful in reality) and the seeming lack of a hibernation mode when you leave the iron in the holder for a long period. It does drop down to 180C as fast as it can physically cool, but doesn't go further and actually go to room temperature after an hour or so as the other JBC stations do. This is a bit annoying as I was expecting the feature to be present when I bought it (internally the iron has a microcontroller running the show still, so no excuse not to have a hibernation function).

author: jokow
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 30, 2020, 12:18:01 pm
content: Hi Hydron,thanks for your answer.Quote from: Hydron on May 29, 2020, 09:31:29 pmRegarding the big dial, that's what I've already seen when reading all the various JBC threads.QuoteThe question here would be for me, why would you need the hibernation? Is it because you want to save energy? Or is it because you want to increase the lifetime of your soldering tips? I guess for the latter you don't need to worry. Have a look at this diagram:http://www.chiemtronic.de/daten/uploads/jbc-loetstation-loetspitzen-lebensdauer.jpgJBC says, that an increase of 50°C, will decrease the tip life by 1/2. So going down to room temperature might not make a huge difference.I'm still not sure what to buy. :/ I don't want to regret buying the analog version in a year or so. On the other hand for 100€ I could by 4-5 tips...

author: Hydron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2020, 12:49:52 pm
content: Main reason for hibernation is to save tip life when you forget and leave the iron on overnight etc.Given the fast heat-up I don't know why it's not just enabled by default on this station at say an hour.Oh, another thing to note - both stations can take the T210 iron as well if that's of interest. I have one and some tips coming onmondayTuesday (fuck UPS), though be warned - they're even pricier than the C245 ones!

author: jokow
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 30, 2020, 06:33:54 pm
content: Quote from: Hydron on May 30, 2020, 12:49:52 pmI guess it's just business decision, so that you buy the more expensive digital models.QuoteYes the T210 works, but the tweezers dont. I you want to use them, you need to buy a completly different station. Another business decision

author: isabido
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 12:59:49 pm
content: Hi @HydronI have tested the station JBC BT-2BWA with a T210 handle and a C210002 cartridge, because after checking the actual temperature of the tip it does not correspond to the DIAL, that is...To reach a real temperature of 350º I have to set the dial to 400º and at maximum the real maximum temperature is 400º and not 450º.I understand that this is not normal operation.I don't have C245 cartridges right now to check it, but could it be that the temperature scaling is for this other type of tips?Have you been able to try it yourself?

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 09:55:32 pm
content: It says its compatible with T210, so that should not be an issue.It could be the size of the tip, or your technique, or your thermocouple used to measure.Are you using a new thermocouple? Have you compared with any other irons?

author: isabido
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 10:09:43 pm
content: it is true that it is not easy to take a good measure.I give you an example with the same dial setting, and a C245741 tip the temperature value is perfect.On the other hand, with a C210002 tip which has very little surface area, the temperature is 320ºc.I know that with such fine tips it is more difficult to have a reliable measurement, but I am wondering if this station detects a C210 tip and the dial scale is correct.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 10:31:10 pm
content: That looks like a very small C210 tip with long extension. I would say this is somewhat expected for thermocouple feedback when the station doesn't know what tip is being used.Is that the largest C210 tip you have?

author: isabido
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 10:39:17 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on March 08, 2024, 10:31:10 pmRight now yes! I just purchased the station, it would be interesting to try it with a larger tip, it will probably be closer to the value indicated on the dial.I had my doubts that since this station works at 12vac for C210 and 24vac for C245, the "calibration" of the dial was intended for the C245.But I don't think JBC made that mistake, it's probably due to the complexity of taking the correct measurement for a tip with only 0.2mm.The question is... if I want to transmit to the pcb/component that I am soldering 350º, should I trust the dial? or set the dial to the value that obtains the 350º reading on the check thermocouple.

author: gtm
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 10:57:02 pm
content: Quote from: isabido on March 08, 2024, 10:39:17 pmSet the station at 185C-190C approx.Try to melt some leaded solder with it.If you can, then the thermocouple is too massive to measure such tip accurately.

author: isabido
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 11:11:19 pm
content: Test carried out, with the C245 tip the dial at 185-190º measures exactly the same on the thermocouple and is capable of melting tin with lead.I change without touching the dial, to the C210 tip and it is not capable of melting, I check with a thermocouple and the temperature read is 160º

author: gtm
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 11:39:48 pm
content: Then your measurement technique is fine and the tip is truly 30 degrees lower.The maximum offset that you can set in the station is 20 degrees I think. So I don't think it's the stationIt must be the tip.

author: isabido
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 11:46:18 pm
content: The tip is new, it has not worked more than 1 hour and only tests of this type.Regarding the offset adjustment on this station, a special interface is necessary and I also don't know if it can be applied differently depending on whether it is detecting a C210 or a C245.I hope soon to be able to acquire another somewhat larger tip and be able to contrast.

author: gtm
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2024, 12:15:47 am
content: Yes, there are 2 sets of settings. One for the T245, and another for the T210.But I doubt it is that.Mind you, with such a small dial it's difficult to set the temp precisely.I have the much older AD2700 (internally the same as yours, even same PCB) , which has a larger dial that only goes up to 400C, and even with that extra granularity I cant reallly set the temp to within +-5C.If bumping the dial a little bit allows you to melt solder, while being bellow the 200C marking, then I say the tip is probably fine.I lost my t210 handle, so I can't make any tests to confirm until I get a replacement.

author: isabido
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2024, 12:34:45 am
content: Thank you GTM for your help, let's see if the colleague @Hydron can carry out some checks at his station.What I am clear about right now is that at least with this tip I have an error of about 30º, to melt I need to set the dial to a little more than 200º.Here I leave you a link to a 210 handle that I bought, it is very very economical.https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005006134608748.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.5.3cca194dreJAqj&gatewayAdapt=glo2esp

author: gtm
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2024, 12:20:21 pm
content: Oh, that changes things.Assuming that you're not using a real T210 handle, but a 5 euro clone from Aliexpress. I'd say that's the most likely reason your temps are 30C low.(I actually ordered that very same handle, from same vendor, last week. Once I receive it I'll check the temps with the 2 C210 tips I have)

author: isabido
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2024, 12:42:37 pm
content: Do you think it is because of the handle clone? I have measured the resistance value of the cartridge directly and through the connector and my FLUKE 789 indicates 2.7ohm as well.To minimize the DIAL adjustment error, I have performed another test exchanging the handles for each measurement point.You can see how the difference between the tips increases as we raise the DIAL, the average value between the samples is 30º.

author: gtm
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2024, 05:25:27 pm
content: Quote from: isabido on March 09, 2024, 12:42:37 pmIt could be, it would certainly be my main suspect.Next it will be the tip. Never encounter, or heard of, that problem. Still a possibility of course.What I'm certain is that your initial hypothesis ( the station being designed or calibrated for the T245 and not the T210) is just not the case.