JBC DMU (DME-2A) issues - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: kkontak
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2024, 12:34:11 am
content: Hi,after reading about the adventures some people have with DDE units, I thought to publish my issues with my DME-2A 4-tool unit because I cannot find much info anywhere. I guess not many people own a DME, or they don't have any issues!It is a great tool, works better than any other station I had before, but I expected to be better for the money.0. DISPLAYThe display is touch, and maybe this is it's downfall because I see videos of other stations DDE etc with real menu buttons, where the menu is as fast as you can press the buttons. This touch screen is slowwww, it needs about 1-2 seconds to think what you pressed, before acting about it.1. INDICATIONSI would expect the display to be more utilized. There are all these pixels standing there and very few info is shown. Especially in my favorite screen with all four tools showing in four windows, it doesn't show temp when in stand, just says STAND/SLEEP/HIBERN. respectively. And in a few seconds that four window disappears and goes back to the single last tool used screen. I want it to stay permanently on four tools!2. FIRMWAREThis is the firmware it came with, bought brand new in 2021.The latest firmware on JBC site have a minimum serial number restriction (Minimum Serial: 267898), that excludes my unit which has older serial number and limits my option to the already installed version 8886541. That means there is no hope for future bug fixes? However, there seem to be no missing options from the menu (profiles, station name etc are there), so I'm assuming this is not a case of smaller flash memory MCU, but that Minimum Serial indicates some hardware incompatibility.3. HIBERNATIONI don't have the problems others are saying about some tools not coming out of hibernation.All tools are responsible as they should when I pick them up.BUT, during experimenting, interchanging tools to other stands, confuses the station and hell brakes loose.Tool connected to Port1 via Stand-on-Port1 but rested in Stand-connected-to-Port2 is identified as Port2 tool and vice versa!This is logical to the point that it is using the wiring for each stand-tool combination to identify the state, but it makes the practice of two users sharing the same station fail prone, if you have different settings in each tool.The slow responsive display creates even more misunderstandings.4. WEB MANAGER LITEI was not able to connect my unit and control it via the web utility that JBC provides.Not sure what that would offer me, but it doesn't work anyways.5. MAJOR BUG (maybe...)During boot, the station seem to go full power, assuming by bad hardware design until the firmware is loaded.Is this only in my device, or it's normal and expected behavior on JBC stations, maybe to preheat the tools to start soldering faster? It does seem to heat the Port1 tool(T245) at full temp 320°C(maybe sees it as primary tool) , Port2 tool(another T245) at 150°C(SLEEP temp) and the same on Port3(PA120) at 150°C.Also, the transformer buzzes a lot on boot and when 2 or more tools are off the stands.

author: KG7AMV
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2024, 09:39:01 am
content: Welcome the the JBC Train Wreck Show! JBC Tools Banking on a name of quality but recently full of bugs and shoddy parts and workmanship! If you complain to JBC they will say they no nothing and never herd of the issue and then ignore you. Most fan boy's will not speak out and just put up with it which is sad. Thank you for steeping forward.

author: kkontak
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2024, 10:07:20 pm
content: I just found out that if I wanted to add a desoldering iron to my 4-tool DME station, aka the new DT530-A Angled desoldering iron, the only pump that goes with it is the new MSE-B Electric Desoldering Module, but according to the manual that requires a firmware update to the DME and then I hit a wall because the new firmwares are only for a minimum serial number and up while my unit is older, even though it is a 2021 model.So much for modularity!

author: gaminn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2024, 12:30:22 pm
content: The touch screen is really slow registering the touch, I can confirm. It is unfortunately like some cheap Chinese device with touchscreen 20 years ago...Many times I tried to update firmware of my DME-2A station. Approx 2 times I bricked it, fortunately customer service was able to help me. Impossible to update the firmware.

author: KG7AMV
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2024, 03:24:08 am
content: People are bricking their 4 tool DME Units preforming the firmware update's. From my conversations with owners the stations under warranty are held 3-4 months before repaired or replaced and out of warranty JBC telling them tough sh!t buy a new one.Made in Spain yea right. From the workmanship i would say "China Made" JBC Tools DME and the DDE's they are bound to fail.I can see why they are opposed to #righttorepair no Schematic nope would expose them to the fraud of saying made in EU.Here is a friend DME look at that quality workmanship.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2024, 09:57:05 pm
content: I think the tips are made in Spain, maybe. I don't know why you'd claim the station is?As mentioned before, what you show is more likely to be some small batch assembler, entirely possible its done within the EU, less likely to be China.

author: wohali
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 24, 2024, 09:23:47 pm
content: Very bad of JBC to have a firmware update process that can brick your machine! Other OP complaints are valid, but I've not had hibernation issues. Touch response is a bit faster with newer firmware. No transformer buzzing even with 2 tools going here so far. 🤞Tip: Older serial number 4-tool DME (DMU) units can use the new DT530 after updating, but you need to pick theolder 8886923firmware download that's offered in the pop-up when you click the newer update for the DME. Very confusing, they should just have two rows, one for older DMEs and one for newer DMEs past the serial number cutoff.Per the DT530's manual, the minimum firmware revision for compatibility is 8886909 for the DME and 8886903 for the DDE 2-tool unit.

author: KG7AMV
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2024, 07:11:05 am
content: Yea the DDE now have 3 firmware versions.. all with different sizes. I asked if this was because of the downgraded MCU issue I had they said no.