YIHUA 928D - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: bobcat2000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2021, 03:41:58 am
content: Sup Guys!I am still researching soldering iron. It looks like Yihua is a big company making soldering iron for a long time.I see this one selling in Amazon. Youtube has many good reviewes and teardown videos but they are in Russian.Reading tons of reviews gives me the conclusion that the only thing that is not good is the power cord. It is too thick and bulky.One thing I don't understand is why they put a 3-pound transformer in their soldering station but nothing in this iron. They can just put the part from the iron to the station and get rid of the transformer, can they not?I am still learning. Would you good people teach me why you need a big transformer in a soldering station when some chips can just do fine just like the 928D?Thanks, Danken, and Gracias!https://es.aliexpress.com/item/32978185386.html?src=bing&albslr=200140449&isdl=yhttps://www.amazon.com/YIHUA-Adjustable-Temperature-Soldering-194-896%C2%B0F/dp/B07RQQFGFY?ref_=ast_sto_dp

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2021, 04:52:28 am
content: Depends how close you want your hand and sensitive circuitry to mains power. The stations use a transformer to step down to something like 24VAC to drive the heater, which gives a layer of safety and allows the cable to be a lot nicer to work with than something (hopefully) rated to plug in the wall.Yihua makes ok (functional, fit for purpose, safe) stuff but I'd suggest a station that uses T12 style tips in any event, which they don't appear to make. The slip on T18/900M tips dont conduct heat out the heater as well, especially the off brand (not Hakko) heaters and tips with a loose fit, so you have to run bigger tips and higher temps to get work done.

author: bobcat2000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2021, 02:17:46 pm
content: I think the T12 tip is a horrible design. They are basically torching up a long metal rod. Half the flaming rod is inside the handle. They are baking whatever inside the handle crispy crisp with hundreds of degrees. The heat has nowhere to go inside. You are basically holding a burning metal rod with your hand. They say the T12 tip design is very efficient. What this efficient means is that the rod is even hotter baking whatever inside the handle really really crisp. It is safer if they can keep half the rod outside the handle.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2021, 09:29:35 am
content: Quote from: bobcat2000 on March 27, 2021, 02:17:46 pmNot really correct the element is in the Tip along with most of the similar based technology regardless of manufacturer. This is why the time to respond to temperature drops at the tip is much improved over older style element and tip designs. Some heat will as a result of the metal shaft return down toward the handle but most won't.There is some issues with 'some' of the cheaper Irons and tip Grounding to be aware of so you should be aware of this as frying components before you use them isn't a good idea

author: DavidAlfa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2021, 10:33:52 am
content: There are really bad quality T12 tips, with too much resistance in the internal wires.I had a tip that melted at the top, not the connection, but the nylon between the steel tube and the internals.The whole tip was burning as hell.After dissection, I could messure about 2ohms in the wires going to the heater!Other tips are better.I guess original Hakko will be much better (and expensive), but hey for $3 it's a nice deal.Now that the JBC tips are starting to grow in the China market, I hope to see some cheap quality copies coming soon.I'm waiting for a few I bought 2 months ago, they looked great at only €6.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2021, 10:41:28 am
content: I just did the deal on a JBC CD-B and a few genuine starter tips. I am considering buying some clones for more occasional use types.I have been using and still do on the bench own two Aoyue/Hanba/Yihau so nothing wrong with that tip style for most applications either but one of my Stations has developed an intermittent bug and is erroring out multiple times an hourAlso worth a look is a TS80 or TS100 with an appropriately grounded supply. Love my TS100 for out and about use just not so much for the bench.

author: bobcat2000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2021, 05:47:23 pm
content: Those fancy soldering irons are super expensive. That will be months of saving. There is no way I afford one of those.I think Yihua can replace the 3-pound transformer with whatever powering the Yihua 928D to make their soldering station more affordable.Why don't they do that? A Transformer is very wasteful. It turns electricity into magnetic fields and then back to electricity.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2021, 06:01:53 pm
content: As the tips of those irons you linked appear to be ungrounded there is a reasonable expectation that the tip of the iron is floating and referenced to the mains supply. This can damage components and is why you should consider alternatives.With the transformer designs 'generally' the Tip of the iron is connected/referenced to ground to avoid this possibility. Some of the cheap T12 clones such as the Ksger with built in switchmode supplies were not and if you look at some of the threads you will find this discussed and some fixes for this.

author: bobcat2000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2021, 06:12:36 pm
content: This is the video I watched. It is in Russian but Alex has done a very good job with the visual. I don't need to understand Russian to know what he is doing.https://youtu.be/Umj76tLiTxs

author: DavidAlfa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2021, 06:52:17 pm
content: Quote from: bobcat2000 on March 27, 2021, 02:17:46 pmIf you think T12 is bad, better don't ever think on buying a Yihua or similar station.They usually have a big space between the tip and the heating core, making the heating transfer really awful, that is for sure what I would call terrible.I think the best approach is to get JBC tips and a compatible station.

author: bobcat2000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2021, 09:08:20 pm
content: Jesus christ! Thirty American dollars for one of those tips. They are expensive.

author: DavidAlfa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2021, 09:21:11 pm
content: Don't take the anxiety pills yet, there are already copying them, for 6-10$ at aliexpress.Also there're absolute crap copies, but also ok-ish clones.I bough 3 less than $30. Here I can get the originals for 22eur each.

author: RayRay
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2021, 10:30:38 pm
content: There's this new JBC 210 compatible station for $65.99:https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002277980506.htmlCouldn't find any reviews on it though. Other JBC replicas (such as the SUGON/JCD/XSOLDERING T26 cost double!)And as already been said, there are replica tips as well (which are cheaper than the originals), such as these:https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001429865703.htmlPersonally though, I still prefer T12. T12 stations are cheaper, the tips are cheaper too (and there's also a lot more variety of em!) And in terms of precision (reducing the distance between the tip to the handle) there are these handles:https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000130747937.htmlhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/32859907033.html

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2021, 12:34:40 am
content: Quote from: bobcat2000 on March 28, 2021, 09:08:20 pmThey might seem that way but as someone who plays with some woodworking I have paid over $50 for Router bits and under $3/each for cheap Aliexpress ones. Price on good tools generally but not always pays back in making a better and easier job for longer, soldering is no different. I am still happy to give some of the cheap tips a go as in spite of the JBC purchase my bank balance is not bottomless eitherI actually watched a bit of the mad Russian chasing affiliate sales $ for himself with auto translated subtitles turned on (amusing translation at times) and a good assortment of the lower end of irons was on show. Just bear in mind what he is trying to gain.Given this sounds like you first or second Iron? Just go into it with a bit of knowledge of the shortcomings of the cheaper options and be prepared to buy another within a year or two if you go to cheap.Have a look at this TS100 review from MarcoReps as something you should have in your list IMO.also I like Andreas and this is a good spread

author: RayRay
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2021, 02:46:19 am
content: Quote from: beanflying on March 29, 2021, 12:34:40 amI've seen multiple reviews of it before, and while it does seem to be a good value for money, ergonomics wise, given it's non-rounded shape, I can't imagine it being very comfortable to hold extensively (and I wouldn't go for it for that reason alone, but that's just me). T12 stations IMO currently provide the best cost/value ratio. There's this DIY kit for $24.5:https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32790086981.htmlIt includes all the essentials (plastic enclosure & power supply board too). It doesn't include a stand or extra tips though, but great value overall. It includes the standard (non-oled) controller, which I personally use and prefer more so than the oled one (as it's easier to calibrate the temperature on those) and it includes the standard handle (which is absolutely fine for regular use) but for SMD work, a precision handle, with a shorter tip to handle ratio (like one of those I previously mentioned) would be more suitable.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2021, 04:36:59 am
content: If you or anyone buys that one you linked RayRay very carefully check that the Earth is connected to the tip. It makes sort of a reference down the page in one photo but SOME of the other pictures show the earth floating in the breeze with no connections to it.Partly why the TS100 is not my daily driver I have a hand span of over 10" so it is a bit tiny for me. It along with the DC-DC converter live in my gear bag. Generally I power it with an assortment of R/C LiPo's or off a 12V Car battery on site. As I don't do production soldering I could certainly 'make do' with the size and shape of it but I am a bit fortunate that I have no SHMBO or other fiscal constraints so the JBC is an indulgence because I can

author: RayRay
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2021, 06:22:55 pm
content: Quote from: beanflying on March 29, 2021, 04:36:59 amFYI, there's a grounding point (on the power supply board) for the IEC connector, and the controller itself connects to it via a 3pin connector (connector has plus & minus for DC and grounding, which reaches the tip) so as long as it's assembled properly, there are no worries there (and since the enclosure is made out of plastic, it's perfectly safe in that regards)