Getting a soldering station - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: PotatoBox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2016, 08:52:34 pm
content: Hi,As of now, I've been using one of those cheapo soldering irons from aliexpress for 3 dollars. But now, I think I want to get a soldering station with removeable tips. Now, I don't have enough money to get a weller or hakko, so I've been looking at some of these:https://www.amazon.ca/Aoyue-Variable-Soldering-Removable-Design-ESD/dp/B00MCVCHJM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1470775476&sr=8-7&keywords=soldering+stationhttps://www.amazon.ca/Variable-Temperature-Soldering-soldering-SHIPPING/dp/B009BXYOWC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1470775476&sr=8-3&keywords=soldering+stationAny thoughts?

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2016, 12:26:51 am
content: I imagine they will work just fine.https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D-23BY-Digital-Soldering-FX-888D/dp/B00ANZRT4M/ref=sr_1_1I gave this soldering iron to my grandson and his first project looked fine. But I see no reason the two irons you are looking at won't workl. They do. however, lack an indicating knob or a temperature display.

author: PotatoBox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2016, 12:49:31 am
content: How about tips? What kind of tips do you guys recommend?

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2016, 02:40:48 am
content: Depends what you prefer.The basic types are hoof/oval shaped, chisel/spade, and pointed tips.Typically you want a tip just a little larger than the diameter or width of the solder pad.Due to the shape of chisel/spade tips it can be difficult drag soldering (a soldering technique for surface mounted IC's or doing wide pin connectors).In addition to hoof/oval tips, other more exotic tip types like blades and hook tips can be used for drag soldering and also removing solder bridges (solder linked pins/joints). Drag soldering typically uses a tip large enough to cover several legs at once and take enough solder to complete the drag.

author: Paul Price
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2016, 04:36:47 pm
content: Why spend USD $50 when you can make your own ceramic heating element, hakko compatible tips, precise controlled temperature Hackko for $5??If you are really interested in learning about electronics, want to save money and like the idea of being able to use your electronic knowledge to do something that will help you, then try this..DIY.[url=https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/picking-a-soldering-station/msg840456/#msg840456]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/picking-a-soldering-station/msg840456/#msg840456Make your own for pennies.[url=https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/picking-a-soldering-station/msg840584/#msg840584]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/picking-a-soldering-station/msg840584/#msg840584https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/picking-a-soldering-station/?action=dlattach;attach=193130[url=http://www.ebay.com/itm/Useful-5-Pin-Soldering-Station-Iron-Handle-for-HAKKO-907-ESD-907-936-937-928-926-/331741879087?hash=item4d3d5b5b2f:g:Ef4AAOSwQTVV-opZ]http://www.ebay.com/itm/Useful-5-Pin-Soldering-Station-Iron-Handle-for-HAKKO-907-ESD-907-936-937-928-926-/331741879087?hash=item4d3d5b5b2f:g:Ef4AAOSwQTVV-opZ

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 10, 2016, 04:49:30 pm
content: Quote from: PotatoBox on August 09, 2016, 08:52:34 pmGo onto Craigslist (or Kijiji) and type in "Soldering". In addition to the load of crap you'll see for cheap Chinese/CdnTire/Princess Auto stuff, you'll come across decent soldering stations by Weller, Pace or Hakko. For example here in metro Vancouver there are a couple of decent Weller stations for well under 1/2 price on Craigslist right now.http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/rch/ele/5718065687.htmlhttp://vancouver.craigslist.ca/rch/ele/5686807522.htmlI've personally had my Weller for 35 years (and it was used when I got it), but I hear good things from people who have Hakkos

author: Paul Price
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2016, 04:53:56 pm
content: Craigslist, Smaigslist!Why spend USD $50 when you can make your own ceramic element precise controlled temperature Hackko for $5??See my previous post.

author: PotatoBox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2016, 02:14:30 am
content: Quote from: Paul Price on August 10, 2016, 04:36:47 pmIn that schematic, the component that looks like 2 diodes side by side, what is that? Its below the 5pin din socket.

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2016, 09:54:43 am
content: Quote from: Paul Price on August 10, 2016, 04:36:47 pmExcept you can't.The $3 handle isn't going to be anywhere near the quality of something decent. Even the ebay ad shows the strain relief popped out. Then again, what do you expect to get for that money?Your "precise" temperature control is far from anything a decent solder station would do. You basically have a comparator that compares the set point and the feedback it gets from the thermistor. That thing overshoots, I guarantee it. A decent solder station needs a carefully tweaked PID control loop, whether it is analog or digital.Quote from: PotatoBox on August 11, 2016, 02:14:30 amAtriac.

author: PotatoBox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2016, 05:49:44 am
content: Anyone have experience with hakko 936 clones?http://m.ebay.ca/itm/YiHUA-936-220V-ESD-Rework-Electric-SMD-Soldering-Station-Iron-Kit-Set-Welding-EU-/371605922994?nav=SEARCH

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2016, 08:42:44 am
content: Quote from: PotatoBox on August 12, 2016, 05:49:44 amI got 4 of them, the transformer capacity is less than the Hakko 936 according to someone who mentioned testing it. The fine soldering tip it comes with is not much good for anything but can easily be replaced with either clone tips (very cheap on Ebay) or genuine Hakko T18 or 900M series (the T18 are superior according to them) which start around $5 USD, buy from a genuine distributor if you do.Dave did a review on it, but I don't recall him calibrating the iron after changing the tips, you need to do this or adjust the temperature to compensate (common to many Hakko models). When I brought my 4 it came to $15.74 each (shipped!) they have almost doubled in price but they used to be crazy cheap.Apart from that it always pays to take a quick look under the hood for any funny business, such as bad earthing, you will also want to confirm if it has the correct mains plug and voltage for your country. Obviously don't do anything outside your skill level.

author: setq
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2016, 09:24:37 am
content: Avoid the Aoyue clones. I had one and it spent most of its time falling apart and the heater didn't touch the tip properly.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 12, 2016, 10:12:43 am
content: Quote from: setq on August 12, 2016, 09:24:37 amThey are somewhat decent enough for most of non demanding soldering jobs. Would buy it (only is I had tight budget) over this useless garbage (withpower, not temperature control) any day:Quote

author: setq
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2016, 10:15:52 am
content: Yes I'd buy it over that as well!

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 13, 2016, 12:28:48 pm
content: potatobox, the best thing you can do for yourself is to save money for a longer period of time and get a quality soldering station. There have been more than enough threads here over the years I've been a member that complain about the quality of the cheap stations or how to modify them to be better. When you buy the right tool, the best tool you can buy, you only buy once. Why drive a Yugo when, for not a huge amount of money more, you can drive a Mercedes. Remember you can't modify that Yugo to be a Mercedes.I learned to solder with a firestick just like you. Then I got a Hakko 936 brand new that I saved money for. Huge difference. Now I have a Hakko FX-951 and a Metcal MX-500. Huge difference again. If you plan to solder a lot, save the extra money, get a selection of OEM tips for whatever station you buy and then there will be no buyer's remorse. Unless there is an urgent need for one NOW, be patient and buy well. I do understand that money is tight, it is for me also. I have what I have because I disposed of a bunch of stuff I accumulated over the years that gave me enough money. Otherwise, I would still have the 936 and would still be enjoying using it. Just because money is tight, it doesn't mean you can't have what you want. It just means it will take a bit longer to get there.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2016, 07:11:22 am
content: +1 ^^^

author: setq
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2016, 07:55:23 am
content: Just a note: you can pick up a used metcal on eBay for not much now.

author: Paul Price
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2016, 11:32:07 am
content: Someone has remaked "Your "precise" temperature control is far from anything a decent solder station would do. You basically have a comparator that compares the set point and the feedback it gets from the thermistor. That thing overshoots,I guarantee it. A decent solder station needs a carefully tweaked PID control loop, whether it is analog or digital."This is nonsense. Can you "guarentee it"?Show me any video or any data to back up your claim for absolute need for a "carefully tweeked PID control loop,,or that other "Professional" soldering stations maybe hundreds of times more expensive are not also showing this behavior?Having a "carefully tweaked PID control loop' implies a critical need that a competent soldering station has been equipped with a microcontroller and carefully tweaked software. I haven't yet to see even the uncommon use of any MCU in any soldering station schematic I've ever seen.There is only reason for MCU's not being used, they are not necessary to achieve good temperature control.First of all it is not necessary to control the temperature of any soldering iron within few degrees, soldering is a much an art as a skill and learning how to use the tools you have makes all the difference in using any soldering tool.Even with the crudest of soldering tools, learning that soldering technique is a "touch and go" situation that can be learned as a skill, and having this skill can allow even a cigarette lighter heating a ball-point pen clip to be used to successfully solder/unsolder tiny SMD components. It does take a little practice.Having any feedback loop, such as the very simple comparator circuit I've shown is in comparison, is a thousand time more able to stablize temperature and can rival the soldering ease of the most expensive stations.The temperature of the tip of a soldering stations varies, it varies, with many factors, most notably, the thermal mass it is applied to, the power available to heat the heating element and the distance/thermal resistance from the heating element from the sensor and the tip and the thermal conductivity of the object being soldered and the surface it is soldered to, the time that tip is applied to the object to be soldered..etc.It is not constant.

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2016, 06:39:53 pm
content: Quote from: Paul Price on August 14, 2016, 11:32:07 amHow about you quote my post properly and not make it seem like you don't know who it was that wrote that?Quote from: Paul Price on August 14, 2016, 11:32:07 amYes, I can guarantee that the temperature is going to overshoot with a comparator regulator. It takes time for the heat to propagate from the heater element through the metal to the thermistor, therefore by the time the regulator detects that the temperature has reached the set point and cuts the power, the heater will have already put too much heat into the system and the temperature will overshoot. Simple physics.Look at the behavior of a proper soldering station. The power to the heater will be pulled back before the tip reaches the set point, resulting in minimal/no overshoot.Quote from: Paul Price on August 14, 2016, 11:32:07 amIf you think that I'm going to put in the effort to dig around the internet or turn on a camera to prove a point to you, you're sadly mistaken. Do your own research.Furthermore, if you are going to quote me, have the decency to use copy-paste or make damn sure you spelled the words correctly.Quote from: Paul Price on August 14, 2016, 11:32:07 amNope.Quote from: Paul Price on August 14, 2016, 11:32:07 amYou could also argue that using a tip of a knife is much better than using a rock to undo a screw, but you couldn't possibly compare it to a screwdriver.Is your solution better than using a firestick iron? Absolutely.Does its performance rival the most expensive stations? Not even close.

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2016, 06:45:09 pm
content: Quote from: PotatoBox on August 09, 2016, 08:52:34 pmNow after everyone's thoughts, what is yours?

author: Refrigerator
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2016, 08:04:11 pm
content: The cheap hakko clones are decent.The reason they don't work very well is because the tip of the heating element ( where the temp sensor is ) does not touch the tip of the iron and there is a gap between the heating element body and the inside of the tip.This can be fixed to some degree by shimming the tip with tin can aluminum but i've broken a couple heating elements doing that, thankfully they are reasonably cheap.Some cutting would need to be done to make the tip of the heating element touch the tip of the iron as i found the gap is about 7mm.Also another problem is the thin conductors in the lead of the iron, which does add resistance and thus losses, the lead is also quite stiff.I've received a pair of 2$ hand pieces for "hakko" stations from different sellers and one has a nice soft lead, while the other has a stiff one, so they are not all the same.Tips for these stations are cheap and there is a huge variety of them out there.

author: PotatoBox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 01:14:10 am
content: Quote from: ez24 on August 14, 2016, 06:45:09 pmWell, IMO, I dont think I need a Hakko or expensive soldering iron. I have other hobbies that are a lot more expensive then soldering and with little money to play around with I need to choose where to spend my money on these things. So Im sure an Aoyue of some sort will be sufficient.

author: R005T3r
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 08:12:43 am
content: Quote from: Refrigerator on August 14, 2016, 08:04:11 pmThere's no point into buying a hakko clones then unless you want crap and you expect a crappy results: get something else instead, or as aforementioned, DIY. It works better.

author: setq
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 08:49:06 am
content: There are quite a few that don't as well, like all the ones I've owned...

author: Paul Price
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 08:54:54 am
content: Someone has made a claim and said "I guarantee it" about the unsuitability of my simple comparator controller circuit to make a very functional soldering station on their own.But when asked to "guarantee it", the poster claimed he would not, could not.It is bad manners to post a strong judgement about the functionality and practical advantage of the simple circuit I've posted here if you cannot support your claim with facts to back it up.The word "overshoot" lacks quantitative support, which it must, because it's mangnitude is dependent on the exact instance of soldering, and it might be that the size of this effect might be totally insignificant in allowing someone achieving good and easy soldering results in the greatest number of instances.It is just not going to help electronic enthusiasts and the OP sort out the real facts from conjecture. Please better help those interested in this topic to make their own choices and not present instead judgements not backed up by actual experience.I would much prefer something posted here about someone that had decided to buy the $4 handle and then reporting their results of their soldering experience with this DIY tool, but with intellectual honesty. Aside from the questionable visual impression presented by a picture of the handle(showing a drooping strain relief), the other pictures of the insides of this handle appear to match other hakko clones of very high quality.

author: Paul Price
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 09:21:59 am
content: The graphical relationship of quality versus price is most always a curve of diminishing returns.Everyone often must choose their favorite point upon it.Just why can't one sometime expect that some bargains are just bargains?

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 10:56:56 am
content: A certain person in this thread is quite clearly struggling with reading comprehension, so someone decided not to give that person the courtesy of replying any more.OP, I hope you manage to find a soldering station that satisfies your needs.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 11:47:06 am
content: Quote from: Paul Price on August 14, 2016, 11:32:07 amI can only hope that English isn't your native language because your writing is damned near impossible to understand.Anyway, Ithinkyou're saying that you've never seen a soldering station that needed an MCU in its controller for anything other than display. This is utter nonsense. What others have explained to you about overshoot is not only true, it's also simple plain common sense. Ever notice how when people are filling a bottle with water (at the faucet), they'll slow down the flow at the end so it doesn't spray everywhere? Same principle.Whenever you have momentum in a system (like thermal mass to overcome) and use only simple single-threshold, on-off control, you end up with oscillations. You see this with radiator central heating using "dumb" bimetallic strip thermostats, too: it takes a while to reach the setpoint, and when it does and the thermostat turns off, the excess residual heat in the system continues to heat the building well beyond the setpoint.FWIW, my Ersa i-CON nano has three "power" settings (though I think "aggressiveness" would actually be a better word): high heats super fast but can have significant overshoot (I've seen 30C overshoot, enough to damage some components), low has zero overshoot (but takes much longer to warm up since it heats very gently at the end), and medium which is a good balance for everyday use (allows a few degrees of overshoot). The control system has, I believe, around 10 actual power levels, though the onscreen bargraph shows only 5 levels -- initial heatup happens at full power, and then as it approaches the setpoint, the power level is dropped down, and ultimately turned off at the setpoint. (If it couldn't regulate power levels like this, temperature stability would be much worse, with more overshoot, and with larger fluctuations overall.)I think the point you're trying to make, Paul Price, is that not everyone needs a top-grade professional station. Nobody here actually disagrees withthat. What we disagree with is your casual statement that some $5* piece of junk (which may be good enough for many jobs) is just as good as professional equipment. It's not and never will be. Learn about false economies: saving up and spending $100 on a real station will not only last longer, but it'll also be a pleasure to use. Can you make a solder joint with a hot nail? Sure. Is it enjoyable to work that way? Absolutely not. Why waste time and enjoyment over such a trivial amount of money?*Ignoring that it can't be done for $5. If you've spent $2.70 on that junky handle, you're still gonna need far more than $2.30 in parts to build the rest. It's rarely actually cheaper to build our own electronics -- Chinese factories are just too damned efficient. We do it for fun and learning, not to save money.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 11:48:59 am
content: Quote from: PotatoBox on August 09, 2016, 08:52:34 pmThose are junk. Save up and buy a genuine Hakko or Weller (or other top brand). You'll be glad you did, a real soldering station is a joy to work with. The popular Hakko FX-888 seems to be a winner for around $100 (never used one myself). Do a search, you'll find countless other threads discussing soldering stations for beginners.

author: Paul Price
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 12:43:58 pm
content: Thanks tooki, for your comments. You have managed to explain the problem of soldering iron temperature overshoot quite clearly.The point I wanted to make is that even a significant amount of temperature overshoot might not be a problem in the majority of soldering instances, especially when a little skill is learned in using any soldering tool.English is my native language, but I can make good use of three other languages as well. I apologize if my writing in unedited form results in a difficulty understanding my comments. I simply do not always have the time to carefully proofread and correct my grammar for the purpose of casual, informal online discussions. I realize that for some native foreign language speakers this oversight results in making some of my comments harder to understand.tooki comments that buying a good soldering station only involves spending a "trivial amount of money"The final point I wish to make is that $100 USD is not an insignificant amount of money for many people in this world..including the USA and that a DIY approach can be a way to save money and still achieve getting the soldering equipment that you need, while also allowing someone to learn much about electronics.I would really like someone to purchase the <$5 soldering handle, use free recycled parts to complete their soldering station and then report their DIY experience to all of us online!

author: Watth
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 01:57:01 pm
content: What do you guys think of a third solution (between cheap chinese products and state o the art professional stations): the generic soldering stations sold by renown vendors.For example: Farnell'shttp://uk.farnell.com/tenma/21-10115-eu/soldering-station-60w-220v-eu/dp/2062627or RS'http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/soldering-stations/9092095/At least you could expect compliance to regulations and a warranty. The prices are not that higher than thing baught directly from china, and a much shortrt delivery time.

author: Paul Price
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 03:02:21 pm
content: Watth, looks good at first, but each nib costs about $26 USD, and the price is not including shipping(and tax?). Add the cost of the shipping the initial product to you by the method demanded by Farnell and you've likely blown your $100 USD even if you haven't the money or the good sense to buy a spare nib.You can do better than this choice. If you must not DIY, order it from China and save oodles of $.Buy the $4 handle to hold you over you can save up $500 or so USD to buy one of the really good soldering stations that seem to be necessary to get any electronic beginner's job done and enjoy that it is so comfortable to use. This point has been emphasized by many posters on this topic as your best approach to buying a soldering tool.

author: Watth
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 03:36:41 pm
content: Quote from: Paul Price on August 15, 2016, 03:02:21 pmNote that I am not actually looking to buy a soldering station, I asked out of curiosity about this range of products, especially compared to direct from China products.Note that for the Farnell example, the ~30€ is for TEN bits. Still not practical: who needs 10 of the same bit? I picked this ones as examples.Note that in case of an order from in France from the french Farnell site, S&H is free for orders over 30€ (so shipping IS included). You indeed still have to add a 20% V.A.T. for individuals.

author: R005T3r
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 10:02:16 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on August 15, 2016, 11:48:59 amYes, I have to admit that switching from the cheap wall soldering iron to the 888d station was a really worthy upgrade, even if it I spent $100 : improved a lot my soldering experience! It also comes with a good selection of tips that are very handy for soldering smd stuff. You don't need to go more than $150/100 for a decent station.Also, don't forget to take the right solder for your needs or you will end up ruining your iron (and more important the PCB)...

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2016, 10:14:47 am
content: Quote from: Paul Price on August 15, 2016, 12:43:58 pmFWIW, English is actually my native language. I apologize if I came across as harsh regarding your writing, but that one post really is nearly impossible to parse. I would encourage you to take the time to proofread — it saves time compared to having to repost to clarify!As for your kind words about my explanation of overshoot: I have years of experience as a technical writer under my belt (and even more years experience in explaining technical things to laypersons).What other languages do you speak? (I am at native level in German, fluent in Spanish, and know a little bit of French and Italian.)Quote from: Paul Price on August 15, 2016, 12:43:58 pmYes, it's true that to many people, $100 is prohibitive, but I'd sooner encourage someone to buy an old used Weller/Hakko/Ersa/JBC/Metcal for $40 than cobble something together from cheap parts.

author: sidlas
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 16, 2016, 02:38:29 pm
content: Quote from: PotatoBox on August 09, 2016, 08:52:34 pm

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2016, 03:00:13 pm
content: Quote from: sidlas on August 16, 2016, 02:38:29 pmFWIW, you could have gotten an FX-888D for that. Toss in a few tips and you'd have qualified for free shipping ($99 before discount).It wouldn't have come with the set of tips, but genuine Hakko tips outlast most any brand out there IME (i.e. 10yrs with proper care is very doable for something that costs $5). Try getting that kind of lifespan (value) out of the cheap versions that came with your station.

author: eKretz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2016, 08:37:26 pm
content: Getting a used Ersa, JBC or Metcal is unlikely for $40 but it IS a good idea IMO. That's what I did, and managed to get an Ersa i-Con 1 station with a brand new soldering iron for under $150. Later I found a set of 8 various tips with the screw collars for under $50. Although this may seem fairly high to some still, it was very much worth it to me, and I'm disabled and on fixed income. A repair or two for others and the station was fully paid for.Stations that use a PID loop system are important for repetitive soldering on SMD and soldering on boards with heavy ground planes etc. to avoid overshoot that could easily potentially damage heat sensitive components. For this kind of work I would never want to use a non-PID station if I didn't have to.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2016, 02:11:53 pm
content: I said an *old* used name brand station, not used but recent like your I-CON 1.Even a 25 year old Ersa or Weller is going to exceed some $5 job.

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2016, 06:01:19 pm
content: QuoteIMO, common soldering irons do not need PID. Soldering has a huge unknown variable. The iron does not know when you are going to touch or remove the tip from a joint. The more important factor is how close the sensor can be coupled with temperature at the tip of the iron. This is why Metcal/RF sensing is still king of responsiveness, not fancy PID iron control.In example of filling a bottle from a faucet, the size of the bottle is constant. If the size of the bottle changed by over 80%, irregularly, without notice, PID would be not nearly as effective/efficient in preventing overshoot/fill. In a hot air station, the amount of air flow is known to the station. In a soldering iron, the thermal mass of the tip and heater are known, but there is a huge unknown variable as to what the tip is in contact with at any given time, and this changes quite drastically from one microsecond to another.Until you spring for a metcal, you have to take into account the thermal mass of your soldering iron tip being appropriately sized for the job, your dwell time, and the look of the joint. A few degree here and there mean naught. It is perfectly ok to turn off the faucet when your hand gets wet. And to turn it on 100% when the bottle has any air... because the user might touch it to a joint in the interim.There are some modern stations boasting PID control and super tight temp regulation and high response time. I have no doubt software can slightly improve things. But it takes a huge backseat to tip/sensor design and max power. And it would be far down on my list of things to care about behind build quality, ergos, tip selection, anticipated future support.