Low cost soldering station/iron and multimeter for a beginner - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: forumate
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2022, 07:51:44 pm
content: I want to start working on electronics diy projects for fun, and I currently need a soldering iron or station and a multimeter.I can buy from AliExpress and I saw 2 brands that seem to be reliable but have many models so maybe you guys can recommend some.For soldering equipment it's Yihua and for Multimeters it's Aneng.If you have any other suggestions please let me knowIt should be relatively cheap, as ~$30 for multimeter, and not sure how much for a soldering stationI just got lost with all the models and I'd like a safe and well performing equipmentThanks!

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2022, 09:47:31 pm
content: I once bought two Aneng AN8008 meters, and about a month later I wanted to check a strip of 1k 1% metal film resistors. The first resistor I measured was a few percent out of tolerance. Then I took my old second hand meterman 35XP and the resistor was in tolerance. Then I fiddled a bit with the rotary knob on the aneng and it started measuring OK again. And I've read other reports of these meters also being unreliable.Then, on the other end of the spectrum, there is Brymen.The Brymen BM231 is the cheapest (except for the "pocket" meters) and costs EUR70.I know that's over twice your budget, but Brymen is well regarded and it will likely last you 20 years or more.I'd say, that if you're serious about getting into electronics, there is not much reason to buy a lesser quality meter.But also, when you start to do more with electronics, you're likely to want two or even more meters. For example for measuring voltage and current at the same time, or measure input and output voltage of ans SMPS, or for constantly monitoring some property, while using the other for moving the probes around different parts of a circuit. Having an extra DMM around is then always handy. It's mostly why I bought my aneng's, but I'm quite disappointed.For a soldering station, I would buy one of the T12 clones, and buy them in parts. Separate PCB, and probably a set with handle, Silicone insulated wire and plug. Maybe also the small box that's made to fit them, but not the power supply.I do not have much trust in the Ali / ebay / direct from China power suplies.Bypassing the "official" import routes by mail is a bit of a safety risk. But such soldering irons are not very critical with their input voltage. Second hand 19Vdc laptop bricks are quite adequate, or any of a number of other power supplies you can scavenge may be adequate. You can also combine such a power supply with an adjustable SMPS module and use it as a lab power supply at the same time. Just make sure you do not exceed the maximum total current.The Tips for the T12 clones are apparently (mostly) of reasonable quality, but not very good. And there are some different manufacturers, but the tips all look alike on the outside. I'd recommend to buy a bunch of different tips. some fine tips with a small flat spot, and some bigger tips for coarser work.The tips you do not use often will probably last quite a few years, while the tips that you use most last shorter, but are candidates for spending a bit more money on higher quality tips. If you buy Hakko T12 (or clones) instead of some no-name-brand, then you can at least buy spare tips.I ended up taking the the transformer out of my first soldering station for the generic parts bin and throwing the rest away because after a bunch of years I could not get replacement tips anymore.For soldering I also at least recommend something with an adjustable temperature. All those single temperature self regulating things get far to hot, and need an annoyingly long time to warm up. The T12 has a further advantage in that the tip is quite close to the handle. This gives noticeable more control during the soldering compared to for example the TS100 which has quite long tips.

author: forumate
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2022, 09:53:24 pm
content: Thank you for the in depth reply!Will look into the Brymen's. (If I can even find it online and shipped to me)Also, someone recommended me about the Fluke-101, which I saw I can get for $45, although it does seem to be minimalistic, but you get the reliability of Fluke. Any important features I might lose if I get it?Regarding the station - again I have to see if I can find decent ones, going to look up now.

author: Peabody
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2022, 10:07:28 pm
content: One thing to consider about Aneng. Occasionally when you try to measure power rail voltage, but forgot that you are set up to measure current, you're going to blow a fuse in the meter. I'm told that replacement Aneng fuses are hard to find, and expensive. Others here may know more about that. In any case, if you can get a supply of fuses along with the meter, that might be a good decision.

author: planet12
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2022, 11:28:51 pm
content: Quote from: forumate on May 03, 2022, 09:53:24 pmFor the price, it looks like a good little meter - AC/DC voltage, resistance, diode test, capacitance, frequency and duty cycle. Has a CAT III rating I'd actually trust.What it's missing is any way to measure current. With some accurate resistors to use as current shunts you could fudge your way around it - easy enough at lower voltages and currents, but gets less easy if you're wanting to measure eg. mains voltage @ 10A, where attempting to rig up your own shunt could be quite dangerous.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2022, 12:43:58 am
content: My aneng8009 I have (its not the 8008) has fuses of 3.6mm diameter and 10.25mm long. I've never seen that side anywhere else.If I had to replace them I'd put in some 05x20mm fusses. Fuse holders for those do not fit on the PCB but there is enough room in the casing.One of the nice things of the higher end meters is that they beep at you when dial is in the voltage position while the measurement leads are still in the current measurement position. This has saved my fuses a number of times.I am too opinionated about the fluke brand to write a sensible word about it.

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2022, 03:24:55 am
content: If you want to spend $30 on a meter, look at the Zotek VC17B+. Just realize that you pay your money and you take your chances...https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003385746175.htmlThe Fluke 101 is likely better quality, but it does not have any current capability, which would be an issue for a beginner with only one meter. You could get a DT830 from Harbor Freight for $7 and then you'd have two meters and some current reading ability, but for $50 not $30. The Fluke is grey market and does not have any warranty, while the HF DT830 has a 90 day warranty but is only $7 (they used to be free!) so if it blows up it blows up. Just be sure to never use it anywhere on mains power (wall socket or panel).For soldering, if you can get something by Yihua, or a generic T12, or something used/cheap for $20-40, give it a try if you like. But keep in mind that ~$100 gets you a Hakko FX888D which will work well, last a long time and accept a large variety of excellent and inexpensive tips--so don't spend $80 on questionable stuff. A lot of those 'cheapies' aren't much less money than that. The Yihua stuff is not terrible, but not great either. This 908D kit seems...OK.https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32947334493.html

author: SmallCog
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2022, 03:35:07 am
content: RE the soldering station I've got a Hakko on my bench at work and a Yihua on my bench at home.They both get hot and solder stuff together just fine, and for your purposes would probably work out just fine.I put a genuine Hakko tip on my Yihua rather than the crummy looking tip that come in the box.Biggest negative I have to say about the Yihua and similar clones is that the cable isn't as soft and flexible as a proper hakko and is easily damaged by the hot iron. Upgrading to a silicon cable doesn't seem to be terribly difficult or expensive I just haven't gotten around to it.RE the meter it depends what you intend to do. If it's putting together kits or playing with arduino's or something just get a cheapy meter and don't use it with mains electricity (irrespective of it's rating)Later on if you get into things that need high accuracy or higher safety (playing with mains or higher voltages) then get another meter. Your first meter will always be handy for those times you need to watch more than one power rail at the same time, or want to see volts and current at the same time.

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2022, 06:30:55 am
content: Quote from: Peabody on May 03, 2022, 10:07:28 pmI blew a fuse in my Aneng once. Fortunately I was able to find the correct size fuse online somewhere. They came with leads but you can just trim them off. Since they were cheap I bought like 50 or so. Of course, I haven't blown a fuse since then.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2022, 06:59:35 am
content: Can I just throw a spanner in the idea of getting a T12 iron. If they break, which they do regularly, you will need another soldering iron to fix it. Would suggest getting a second hand Weller TCP or an Antex iron as a first one just because they tend to actually not die and don’t need repairing.

author: MikeK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2022, 01:32:12 pm
content: I like my UNI-T UT61E, which was around $50 when I bought it.

author: forumate
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2022, 02:15:04 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on May 04, 2022, 06:59:35 amThank you! Will try to look if I can find a second hand one, if not I will try the low cost Yihua that was suggestedQuote from: MikeK on May 04, 2022, 01:32:12 pmDid something happen to Uni-T? Looks like their official AliExpress store disappearedQuote from: bdunham7 on May 04, 2022, 03:24:55 amIf the Hakko FX888D was ~$100 I would not even think twice, but where I live it starts at $220, and since it's a heavy item, buying it online usually involves high shipping cost so I can't get away with the costQuote from: SmallCog on May 04, 2022, 03:35:07 amTy! I'll never touch high voltage unless I ever get qualified for thatQuote from: Doctorandus_P on May 04, 2022, 12:43:58 amThat's really annoying, as someone else suggested the Uni-T I wonder if their fuses are standard ones, though looks like Uni-T store vanishedQuote from: planet12 on May 03, 2022, 11:28:51 pmTy! And no way I'm getting anywhere to probing high voltage, unless I ever do an electrician courseGuys, I also found an old Weller soldering station in my house - it says Weller TC202D and there's a 3 pin socket for an iron that says "For TC201 only". How old is this station?PS I did find the iron itself, but one of the pins on the plug broke, is there anyway to salvage that, if it's even worth it? (Or get a new compatible iron) - Do you want me to upload an image of it?**Update: How about the KSGER brand?https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/T12-Soldering-Station/1486111_258927002.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_groupList.8148362.6.470d372evC6qFH&origin=n&SortType=orders_desc&g=y

author: chinoy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2022, 04:53:25 pm
content: A friend Arun recommended a T12 setup.I fell in love with it. I cant imagine how I wasted so much time and effort with shit soldering stations.My unit has lasted me 8 years. I burnt out one T12 bit because I left it on over night at 350c.Now I use the auto cool down and auto shut off function.https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2255799859207906.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.18751802XBIqyH&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdaptAs to which one to get. Most all have the same features and functions. Where they differ is in the hand piece. I got one with a crappy hand piece it would give an error beep every time I tried to use it. Replace the hand Piece. And it worked fine.I would say focus more on the hand piece you get vs the which unit you get.Bakon and Queco have never let me down in either dept.Bakon BK950D was my first T12 setup and I have used it every day for 8 years.I have the newer Queco unit with auto sleep and all the bells and whistles but I still prefer my Bakon cause it has 3 pre-sets. So at the click of a single button i can jump temps. No fiddling with a knob.

author: tpwire
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 05, 2022, 05:16:03 pm
content: Hello,I am also looking for a new soldering station with auto sleep. Here some alternatives, maybe it could be useful for you:Aiffen A9 ->https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005004158467896.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.219a3c00JfiRwp&mp=1&gatewayAdapt=glo2espAIXUN ->https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005004005217359.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.219a3c00JfiRwp&mp=1&gatewayAdapt=glo2esp

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2022, 07:07:54 pm
content: It's sort of you get what you pay for, but unfortunately the relation is not that straightforward.If you just go for the cheapest, then you're likely to get very mediocre to bad quality though.I think I've seen the KSGER brand even in local shops here in the EU, so that means they've at least done the paper work, and that those shops have enough confidence in the quality that not too much of them will be returned because of defects.If you buy a KSGER from Ebay or Ali, then I won't even be too sure it's a GSGER.China isn't too quick with stumping down fakes because too many companies depend on bringing money into the country by selling fake stuff to foreigners.

author: Infraviolet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2022, 09:42:41 pm
content: Would always say for multimeters and soldering irons, buy from a "known" brand, not some unpronouncable chinese one on amazon. Anything sold by the likes of RS, farnell, digikey, mouser will be adequate for what it is supposed to do. Look for the lowest end of brands like RS PRO or Duratool, the lowest end ones of those are reasonable price but good enough quality for reliable use. An amazon multimeter, for the same £30 ish price, is just as likely to tell you a 9V battery is 1.8V, that a capacitor marked 10u is 0.1p, and that a 1k resistor is 0 ohms. An amazon £60 soldering setup is not that unlikely to let mains ac reach the tip and fry your parts, a £60 ish one from an electronic parts and tools seller will work fine for through hole, 2.54mm pitch, 1.25mm pitch and occasional larger pitched SMD (0805, SOIC, SOT-23...) if you ever wish to do that later on. Make sure to buy a soldering station, not a lone iron, get it with the box (digital or analogue temperature control dial/buttons) and stand, and it should have a range of tips supplied with it (the cheap irons usualy aren't compatible with a standard tip form factor).

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2022, 10:22:38 pm
content: QuoteI'll agree mostly with that,but buy new,you can pick up a 25w antex xs for less than £30 here in the uk with the silicone flex,dont go with cheaper pvc version.Look after it and it will last a lifetime,mine is coming up to its 40th birthday,yea its had a few new bits,and an element,but i can still easily get the spares for it.

author: chinoy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2022, 09:29:25 am
content: 90% of the known brands are now being made in China. They dont make them like they used to.Just because an old setup has lasted 30 years does not mean the new one you get will be the same.Be it soldering workstations or Washing Machines the story is the same.Our first LG washing machine lasted us 20 years so when it came to replace it we purchased an LG it started acting up in a year. Then the service engineer told me its the same story for all appliances they want you to change it every 2 years.My china made T12 has lasted me over 8 years and has soldered thousands of components. Without a hiccup.I love the way that it goes from cold to useable in under 8 seconds.I love the fact that I can change out tips anytime even with the unit on.I do like the china stations but I also like to buy the tips from well established brands. The tips are better quality the more you pay.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2022, 10:46:03 am
content: Quote from: bdunham7 on May 04, 2022, 03:24:55 amFYI, Zotek and Aneng are the same thing. Most likely, Zotek is the actual manufacturer, since the boards in Aneng units have Zotek model numbers.

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2022, 08:01:07 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on May 06, 2022, 10:46:03 amYes, same fake CAT ratings and all. I'm not sure all Anengs are by Zoyi, but apparently a lot are. Does Aneng have a model equivalent to the Zoyi VC17B+?

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2022, 01:30:43 pm
content: The Zotek 17B+ is sold as the Aneng 860B+.Yeah, Aneng also seems to rebadge some non-Zotek meters, especially the really low end stuff. Then again, you can easily find images of Zotek branding on those same super cheap meters (which aren’t listed on the Zotek website), so either Zotek actually does make those as well, or at some point they also rebadged those meters bought elsewhere. The end result, all the same, is that almost every item available with the Aneng name is, or was, available with Zotek branding in the past.(I wonder when Zotek launched the Zoyi brand? They used to brand their meters “Zotek”.)Some Aneng models seem to be unique (like the ones with LCDs covering the entire front panel), but they could be custom made by Zotek, for example.

author: forumate
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2022, 10:08:34 pm
content: Thanks everyone! Regarding the station, I will use a cheap iron for now,For the Multimeter I think I will buy the UNI-T UT133A. What do you think?it costs $26. At this price point is it better to just get the cheaper ones like the $10-15? Or the UT133A is actually a solid unit for my purpose? (Or any better unit for this price?)Since as you guys told me, I'm not going to use high voltage anyway so I'm not sure it's worth investing even $50 on a multimeter that a $20 can do pretty much the same?I saw that the UT133A is actually well built and accurate according to a few reviews

author: xavier60
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2022, 12:45:06 am
content: Quote from: forumate on May 04, 2022, 02:15:04 pmHow unfortunate. Here in Australia where things tend to be more expensive, the FX888D seems to be on permanent discount. About $120USD with free delivery.https://www.oritech.com.au/hakko-fx888d-soldering-station.htmlhttps://mektronics.com.au/products/hakko-fx-888d-digital-soldering-station-genuine-incl-free-roll-of-solder-mc334

author: MarkKn
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2022, 02:01:37 am
content: I see the weller wlc100 is on amazon for $34. I have had one for many years and it works fine. Maybe the new ones aren't as good. I upgraded to a Hakko FX888D-23BY--nice catchy model number. It appears to be working well--but had to buy extra tips right away to get a wider tip for bigger soldering tasks. I liked the idea of it telling me when the tip reached temperature. I like the reviews on amazon, and for whatever reason, soldering irons and stations have lots of bad review--presumably cost cutting on the manufacturing side. Again on amazon, lots of inexpensive multimeters. Even if you don't buy from amazon, its a nice place to look at reviews and see what people's experience is. I have had good experiences with digi key and mouser. For those in america at least.

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2022, 04:56:01 am
content: Quote from: forumate on May 08, 2022, 10:08:34 pmIt seems to be designed as an electrician's meter but it should work just fine for hobby circuits. It claims a "fast capacitance measurement" which is nice but there are couple of things it lacks...for instance, it doesn't seem to be able to measure duty cycle and the frequency measurement only goes up to 1 MHz. For microcontroller work it would be nice to be able to measure higher frequencies.https://www.uni-trend.com/meters/html/product/General_Meters/DigitalMultimeters/UT133_Series/UT133A.htmlUpdate: You might find this compilation of reviews helpful. Then again, it might just further complicate your decision making process.https://lygte-info.dk/info/DMMReviews30.html

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2022, 09:50:39 am
content: I bought the Hakko FX888D and very happy with it.The Hakko FX888D is available from tEquipment for $104.95 minus the 6% EEVBlog discount.https://www.tequipment.net/HakkoFX888D-23BY.html?v=118031

author: forumate
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2022, 04:22:51 pm
content: Quote from: MarkF on May 09, 2022, 09:50:39 amNot shipping to meQuote from: ledtester on May 09, 2022, 04:56:01 amTrue, but it also shows me that the UNI-T units are actually some of the best there and safe! So I will probably get a cheap UNI-T (like the UT133A) instead of other cheap! TY!Quote from: MarkKn on May 09, 2022, 02:01:37 amThat's a great option! In fact it looks really good, will see if they have the 240V somewhere! TY!!EDIT: These are my final contenders for a multimeter (all UNI-T):1) UNI-T UT33A+2) UNI-T UT133A3) UNI-T UT136B+4) UNI-T UT136C+Which one do you think would be the best out of these?

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2022, 02:55:37 am
content: I kinda think you are going about this the wrong way. Everybody has their favorite when it comes to meters, usually older ones that they last owned. Instead look towards the major supplier so meters to see what is new from the reputable manufactures. In other words go on a web site like Digikey and sort the available meters by price. On Digi they have almost 55 meters under $50.I have no problem with you buying a cheap meter as long as you are working on low voltage DC circuits. However if your interest take you to audio equipment or other items that expose you to line voltages I'd suggest looking for a CAT rated meter. A meter with an honest CAT rating which would mean the more established manufactures. Don't waste your money before you really have nailed down your needs. There are many good meters to consider, for example: Triplett MM350 and a whole bunch more under $50Which brings up another point, if you get into electronics, it will be really easy to feel the need for a second meter. One of those should be a higher performance meter. So sometime in the future you should plan on buying a higher end meter.As for soldering you might not need one immediately if working from a breadboard. My problem with soldering irons is that you end up needing more than one. One for the bench, one for working of ladders and other heights, one for high power and maybe even a reflow oven. Back in the day if I was working remotely we had butane power irons as crude as they where and really poor battery powered irons for very light work for example. At the bench Weller seemed to be one of the better options and still is from what I can see. Even at the bench you can run into needing more that one iron or sometimes a tip.In any event when it comes to irons what really makes th difference is easy access to repair parts. This especially for tips and heating elements. Tips have to be replaced fairly regularly and you often need tips of different designs. As such buy an iron that is well supported by the vendor you buy from and can get you replacement supplies fast. If there is one thing in an electronics lab that should be sourced locally it is the iron, make sure your vendor supports it well and that you have lots of options. I wouldn't go international to buy an iron, that is fine for a lot of other lab equipment, I just don't see it making sense for an iron.A good soldering iron station is not cheap, however if you look at them as an investment that should last multiple decades the cost is pretty trivial on a day to day basis. I might suggest that buying an iron, such as a WLIR3012A might be good enough to get started on. It will keep the entry cost low until you can invest a hundred or so $$$$$ in a decent station. A nice entry level station like the WE1010NA can set you back $150 and frankly that can detract from a lot of other stuff you may need to get started. YOu didn't mention where your interests are exactly, but you can easily end up spending a bit of cash just to get started working with Arduino's. I know from my early years how hard it was to get the parts and equipment to do anything. The getting is far easier today but the cost is still real.Think about it this way, the iron is just the hot part of soldering you will need to buy solder, flux, flux remover, a solder sucker, brushes, sponges and other goodies just to get started. If you don't have them already there will be a few hand tools too. All of this just to solder.In any event I'm thinking constrained budget here. If you have the cash to burn then it makes a lot of sense to skip entry level.Quote from: forumate on May 09, 2022, 04:22:51 pm

author: forumate
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2022, 03:43:48 pm
content: Quote from: wizard69 on May 10, 2022, 02:55:37 amThank you !!!I do understand what you mean, but all of the brands you mentioned simply don't ship to me / available where I live. Regarding the iron/station: I got a cheap one from a friend and I realized it does the job for my current usage, that's why until I get more experienced I don't think I will need anything more, but of course I'm planning to get better one.As for the multimeter: I saw a review showing that the UNI-T units are actually solid and are truly rated, they have ceramic fuses and, one review actually tested the 1000V rated UNI-T and it passedAlso their fuses are available for cheap unlike some other brands where it's hard to find fusesThat's why I think their $20-30 units are good for my needs, since they are also safe and true to the specs

author: Romualds
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2022, 05:44:14 pm
content: Quote from: forumate on May 04, 2022, 02:15:04 pmAliexpress isn't the only place for buying Uni-T equipment. I recently bought UT61E (not Plus ) for 50 USD on eBay. It is still available there from two vendors (from US and China).BTW, Uni-T homepage is still up and running (https://www.uni-trend.com/meters/).

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2022, 03:43:25 pm
content: Quote from: jannie on May 14, 2022, 02:55:40 pmThat station was discontinued years ago*, so what good is recommending it? (Plus, the OP is in USA where Ersa equipment is hard to find and priced very high.)Besides, I honestly don’t think 25W is a good starting point these days. Lead-free solder increases heat requirements slightly, but the multilayer, plated-through-hole boards that are common now just suck heat away like there’s no tomorrow.*present in the 2005 catalog, but gone by the 2008 catalog. I couldn’t find 2006 or 2007.