Disappointment with the Ersa i-con Pico soldering station (more DIY editing) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2023, 04:02:51 am
content: I don't remember exactly when I bought the Ersa i-con Pico soldering station whether it was possible to screw the nut perfectly when mounting a tip. Certainly, for a long time, I had struggled to secure the tip correctly.The thread of the nut and the stylus were ok, but I could only screw in a few turns (and it didn't have a secure fit).First image: above how it screwed before my modification (the nut could not screw any further); below the result after the modification, ok nut screwed tightly.I honestly didn't understand why, the heating element was engaged well, but it's as if it were too long, thus preventing the nut from tightening more.So yesterday I took over my father's workshop, and without inquiring, I freed my mind and made this modification (second image): first I drilled another 2 mm approximately inside the tip (drill tip diameter 3.5 mm , exactly like the inside tip); then I polished lightly with a 3.2mm Dremel bit. At the end of the work, the tip locking nut was finally screwed onto almost the entire thread.I then tried to check the temperature of the tip with the multimeter, which was not an easy task, the reading was very variable. Before I had tried an original tip (set 220°, it had reached 206°, room temperature 10°); then I tried the modified tip, alternating various reading sizes, but it obtained a good 214° (out of 220°). See the third image.When I set off with the modification, without informing myself in the slightest, I didn't know what I was getting into. Maybe I could have ruined the tip permanently. I had no idea if it had a particular surface treatment inside. From the test done it doesn't seem like it. I also very gently 'polished' the heating element.At the end of the day, I then did the definitive test using the modified tip (2.4 mm): desoldering some solder on very old boards, usually even at 380° I struggled, tonight with 360° after a few seconds it melted the solder immediately.Then I tried to do some soldering, setting 'only' 320° (at 10° ambient, so it must have been 310°) and I was satisfied, generally the solder often tends to remain on the tip, but today after 1 second it already occupied the pitch (fourth image, my tinnings are the 4 darkest).Conclusions: has anyone ever had a problem like this? I honestly didn't understand what it was about. I came up with this solution without any research. It seems to work. Or I will have done irreparable damage. Meanwhile, I had fun and excitement using the mechanical tools

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2023, 11:11:35 pm
content: Today I did the same job on all the tip Ersa sets that I own. Now I can secure them properly to the heating element.The plastic nut that secures the tip is a cheap replacement, but that wasn't the problem I found.The male thread made of a non-metallic material on the heating element, I disapprove. Also because that spare part has a considerable price.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 09:56:04 am
content: On a generic pencil sourced without tips the tip retaining barrel was too short for the retaining nut to engage with the thread on the pencil for some tips.I also found some tips would not seat as far onto the element but now with different length barrels I can mix and match to have them fit correctly.There is also some small variance in element diameter yet all the tips I have fit on the elements I need keep them free from time to time to ensure none become permanent fixtures.

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 10:21:28 am
content: Partly the same here with the i-Con(normal).However, a slightly stronger turn when screwing onto the heating element was enough.However, I occasionally have the problem that the connection comes loose slightly after it has warmed up and you have to tighten it again.I'll get a Weller when I get the chance and then that will be a thing of the past.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 10:51:17 am
content: Never had this problem with ~20 different tips on 4 regular I-CON irons with full metal heater with metal thread (same as NANO). Looks like you have a defective heater with metal part being off-center/off axis in plastic housing or some issue with thread. Misalignment can be easily seen on the picture. Drilling deeper inside the tip is absolutely stupid because thermocouple is located at the end of the the heater and must make direct contact against the flat surface inside the tip. With what you have done, temperature sensing is compromised. What made it fit most likely is enlarging inner diameter of the heater that also severely compromises heat transfer besides compromising temperature sensing. On the picture after modification tip still looks off axis. So in a nutshell you have destroyed perfectly good tip while not fixing initial issue at all.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 11:09:19 am
content: I suggest pulling the heater out to check if it's straight.

author: inse
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 11:34:12 am
content: Usually the tips are galvanized all over to prevent oxidation.When you drill into the tip, the surface is damaged and copper oxide will form over time.Copper oxide will be less thermal conductive than pure copper and the tip also might stick (burn, I don’t know the English phrase) to the heater.

author: watchmaker
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 11:54:13 am
content: The best response to criticism is success. You got your intended result and as I was taught in Neuchatel, there are lots of ways to get the job done as long as the result is correct.And to be clear to avoid unwarranted criticism, in Switzerland, the result in watchmaking means "fit, finish and function". The piece under restoration does not care if the part is a factory replacement. What matters is the final fit and finish, and if the timepiece functions as originally intended. If you cannot tell it from original, the job is a good result.In electronics, this would mean even the solder joints from a replaced transistor are undetectable while the unit meets all factory specs. How many can meet that standard?You did not want to buy a new iron. You wanted to increase the utility of what you had (why make a new tool when the back of a tweezer will do).You thought the process through and used good mechanical technique, as witnessed by the result.So youmayhave missed the alignment issue. Not sure that would have changed the scenario other than spending money on parts; which you chose to avoid.But the claim you ruined things is overstated. You proved your results and minimized expense. It is a tool, NOT an important historical artifact or work of art.Good on ya!!

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 12:12:28 pm
content: Quote from: watchmaker on December 29, 2023, 11:54:13 amWhat success? There will be the same issue if OP tries to use other tip. Not to say after prolonged use heater will likely get stuck inside the tip due to copper oxidizing and flaking off with protective plating stripped.QuoteIt doesn't. There is no chance it has the same performance as intended. For that tip must have flat surface on the end of the hole and tight fit with the heater.

author: watchmaker
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 12:19:16 pm
content: Your post presumesyou knowthe long term outcome. Data?In the meantime, her results beat your presumption. Charlotte will learn if the results hold up over time and if necessary buy a new iron.So what?

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 12:31:22 pm
content: Quote from: watchmaker on December 29, 2023, 12:19:16 pmI know from soldering irons with bare copper tip that were way more common in the past. After some time it becomes nearly impossible to pull the tip out. As of the spare I-CON pico heater, it costs about EUR 50https://www.ersa-shop.com/ersa-ersatzheizk%C3%B6rper-f%C3%BCr-l%C3%B6tkolben-itool-pico-p-8765.html. Also from the looks of it on the pictures, it should be possible to take it apart by pushing the plastic hooks inside.What I find the most problematic, is going straight to destroying the perfectly good tip rather than recognizing the root cause of the issue.

author: watchmaker
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 12:35:20 pm
content: So she CHOSE to make a modification rather than spend money outright. I do not understand what appears to be criticism for that choice.As far as results, it works. As far as your prognostication, time will tell. In the mean time, she can solder.I strongly doubt she needs me to defend her, and that your concern is going to cause her sleepless nights. Let us let this go.Have a good New Year (can it be worse than the last?)

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 12:54:06 pm
content: Do not forget she has at least one other tip to be destroyed to fit in the same way. Those two tips cost like 30-40% of the new heater. Also did you not see I wrote heater should be possible to be taken apart? Also it could be thread issue I've seen some reports of that could be fixed by some filing. But OP did not provide any photos of the heater.

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 02:41:12 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on December 29, 2023, 09:56:04 amIf I didn't want to scrap the heating element (it costs a lot), either I modified the tips as I did, or I could have shortened the element by 2 mm. I opted to work on the tips.Quote from: Martin72 on December 29, 2023, 10:21:28 amI understand what you mean, but I assure you that it was almost impossible to screw the tip (maybe I only screwed a couple of tips, but only a couple of turns). I was risking ruining the thread of the element. Now after the modification, they screw in perfectly (with no play, I only dug in just enough). >I agree that I don't think the next station will be there yet...).Quote from: wraper on December 29, 2023, 11:09:19 amThank you. Look in the first image, after the edit. It's perfectly aligned. As you said it wasn't aligned before, simply because the nut barely reached and it was difficult to initialize the thread.By now I have modified all my tips. I tried them, they weld well now. The temperature sensing test was good. I agree that I shouldn't have drilled, but it was the only solution I could think of...I don't remember exactly, but in my opinion, even from the first uses, the tips screwed on badly and poorlyThe other day my head went crazy and I played with the drill and phrase maker, I'm impulsive!Quote from: inse on December 29, 2023, 11:34:12 amThis was one of the problems I had asked myself. Will the tip have an INTERNAL treatment? The inside is now copper.Quote from: watchmaker on December 29, 2023, 11:54:13 amI definitely wanted to try a solution, I never give up, not even to the obvious. If I couldn't screw the tips anymore what should I do? Change the heating element (a lot of money) and I would have solved the problem? Maybe yes.The only mistake was being impulsive. From the time I thought about solving the problem to the time I picked up the drill, 10 minutes must have passed. No information on the matter.Let's say that perhaps I could have 'filed' the heating element by 2 mm, still saving my tips for the future.Quote from: wraper on December 29, 2023, 12:54:06 pmThe fillet had no problems, on both sides. But if I insert the tip with its holder, and it already touches the bottom of the element, it is obvious that the threaded parts cannot be screwed.Then ok, my modification (about 6 tips or more) could have negative implications in the future.It is as if the heating element had become longer at its end, by 2 mm. I don't see any other reason.

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 02:49:43 pm
content: I 'stole' the wraper image: I'm almost sure that the height indicated in red, in my element, was 2 mm higher than that designed by the manufacturer! If someone had the same soldering station as me and measures this amount, I could check.Of course, in the cold mind I should have worked on element (or asked here on the forum first). but that's how I am, every now and then my electrons accelerate...

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 03:20:29 pm
content: 35mm on I-CON with full metal heater cartridge, pico should be the same as it uses the same tip system.

author: ksjh
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 06:32:48 pm
content: I vaguely remember that when we first got an i-CON nano at work, I thought that it was quite odd that you can barely screw on the nut until I realized that you have to push the soldering tips quite firmly into the nut so that they essentially become one unit. When you have done this, the nut and the tip are hard to separate, but the assembly screws on properly.

author: maralb
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 08:56:13 pm
content: Quote from: ksjh on December 29, 2023, 06:32:48 pmAs an owner of an I-CON Nano I can confirm this.

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 10:33:07 pm
content: If you look at the first image below, it is after the modification, you can clearly see the nut well screwed onto the element; In my opinion it should be like this. The element is absolutely not off-axis.Before the modification, even by pushing the tip very hard towards the element, the thread only gripped a couple of turns, and then it turned idle. But looking at the space between the metal retainer and the tip, it was clear that it was at the end of its travel, it was not possible to screw in more than that. Without forgetting that the thread of the element would have been ruined by continuing in that way.I measured the part of the element, it is approximately 35.83mm. It's definitely bigger than it should be (second image).In the third image, you can see the inside of a tip after editing.Now everything has been done, we'll see what surprises the future has in store for me.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 10:39:10 pm
content: Quote from: ksjh on December 29, 2023, 06:32:48 pmThanks for posting something constructive without being toxic.To the OP, I suggest doing regular inspection of the heater element and tip to make sure you don't end up with them becoming fused.Soldering tips are consumables and are easily replaced, but the element is likely more difficult and expensive to replace.

author: ksjh
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 10:45:30 pm
content: Looking at Charlotte's photos, I am still not sure if the tips are fully inserted into the nut. The nut has an internal ridge right where the front row of rectangular holes are. The tips themself have a rim at the end. When you insert the tip into the nut, the rim tends to rest on the ridge. But this is not right. When the tip is fully mounted in the nut, the rim needs to be right at the front of the nut.Charlotte, is it easy to remove the nut from the tip?If this is the case, I think the tips are not fully seated in the nut. It should not be easy to remove.

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 10:47:44 pm
content: I don't doubt what you say. But after what happened, it wasn't my intention to get a new item like this one. The problem could have happened againHowever, I always had the feeling that the tip didn't heat up much with this station; with 380° I always had trouble desoldering old solder joints; and when soldering, the tin often floated on the tip. In the tests carried out now after the modification, I desoldered 360° without problems, and the soldering finally took place optimally. It will be a coincidence.

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 10:49:41 pm
content: QuoteYes, you have to apply some force, then they "click" into the holder (I pulled on both ends).

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 10:52:55 pm
content: Quote from: ksjh on December 29, 2023, 10:45:30 pmI tried many times before the modifications, the tip was inserted well both in the retainer and in the nut. In my opinion when I screwed two turns, the element was already at the bottom of the tip.Yes, the nut drops well from the tip

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2023, 10:59:02 pm
content: Quote from: Martin72 on December 29, 2023, 10:49:41 pmI confirm, after holding and pointing there is a last piece which, by pulling the two openings in reverse, then fits together at the end of the stroke.

author: georgd
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2023, 02:44:26 pm
content: The same dimension measured by OP on my i-CON Nano is 34.48 mm, against 35.83 mm measured by Charlotte.Georg

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2023, 03:20:16 pm
content: Quote from: ksjh on December 29, 2023, 06:32:48 pmOne of my customers has this model. IMHO you should get a screw cap for each tip so you can replace the tips quickly.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2023, 03:48:33 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on December 30, 2023, 03:20:16 pmThat is exactly my thought and that is how I have store them on the brass sticks.This way the exchange is easy and fast.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2023, 03:53:40 pm
content: Yep! Strongly recommended. I'm using an i-Tool for many years and have a dedicated screw cap for each tip. This makes things much simpler when changing tips. Also, I never had issues with badly seated tips so far. Similar advise for the ChipTool, i.e. get a collar set for each desoldering tip pair. It's a few bucks more but really helps.PS, the screw caps are avaiable in two colors (black and green). Helps, when you have different tips for classic and lead-free solder to prevent mixing of both solder types.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2023, 04:51:17 pm
content: Yes, having one nut per (frequently used) tip is the only practical way to use the i-Tools in my opinion. A bit expensive, but that way you can even swap tips while they are still hot, without needing pliers or such.@CharlotteSwiss -- if the tip slides out of the nut (once unscrewed) without the need to apply force, you most likely had not fully inserted the tip into the nut. The collar at the bottom of the tip needs to gopast the little indentsin the nut's metal cap. All the way in until it reaches the hard stop at the end of the metal cap. A forceful tug with your fingers is required, or even a careful tug with flat-noise pliers.

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2023, 11:49:54 pm
content: Quote from: georgd on December 30, 2023, 02:44:26 pmThankthis confirms that my element was longer than normal. This prevented the nut from reaching 'comfortably' on the thread. The difference is about 1.5mm, I will have drilled more or less that size I think.I should analyze the element better, somehow the heating element must have slipped forward. But now it will have to stay like this, after the change to the tips...Quote from: ebastler on December 30, 2023, 04:51:17 pmAs written above, I believe the problem was the heating element being too long. I always stuck the tip all the way into his metal retainer, that's right the last click needed force (ok after click).Thank you

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 31, 2023, 08:55:08 am
content: Quote from: CharlotteSwiss on December 30, 2023, 11:49:54 pmOn multiple I-CON is have, it's 35.1mm to be more precise. 0.7mm shuld not make a significant differencуe, as with 35.1mm nut goes for more than 1mm past the thread which is just 3 turns. Again, I wrote about reports about plastic thread issues on the heater which you completely ignored.

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2023, 05:08:39 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on December 31, 2023, 08:55:08 amCan you explain better what I should check in the heater thread? I didn't ignore you, I just didn't understand your request.I'm taking new measurements this evening, I was told that the tip wasn't properly inserted into the nut. If this were the case, the measurements I take should not coincide with yours.Thank you

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 31, 2023, 05:13:52 pm
content: Like does thread look OK from all sides? As it's an injection molded part, there may be a misalignment between its halves.

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2023, 05:44:10 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on December 31, 2023, 05:13:52 pmThen I go down to the workshop and check the parts carefully, take some better photos and some measurements. I'll update later. Thank you

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2024, 12:58:07 am
content: Looking carefully at the thread of the heating element, in fact the first crests of the thread are 'worn out'. This is why the nut thread wasn't gripping. It has been ruined since I was struggling to reach this thread with the nut. If it had been metallic, this wouldn't have happened! (first image).In the second image I highlighted the final click that the tip must make to allow the nut to screw on well. I always screwed with the tip in the right position.In the second image you can also see the marks I made on the tips when I drilled them (bench vice)Happy New Year to all