Cheapest soldering station - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Oxodao
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2016, 12:17:49 pm
content: HeyI've seen quite a while ago Dave's video about the cheapest soldering station out there, and I guess I found even worse.It looks like a soldering station but it's in real only a temperature controllable soldering iron..It's the PARKSIDE PLS 48 C1 "Soldering kit" (48W) which is sold for 11€ ... So 12-13$Unfortunatly I don't think that people outside France or Parkside implemented country can buy it since it's kind of a local product.I haven''t tried it yet but we can already see that it weights nearly nothing. The station itself is not enough weightly to even stay in place when you're putting the iron or taking it away...It is sold with a conic tip and a flat tip, but also with a small sponge, 1.5 and 1 mm 10g solder sample, which are 60/40 but no clue if it has a flux coreHere's some picture:I'm going to tell you more about it as soon as I try it

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 04, 2016, 12:32:22 pm
content: Well, it has a base unit with a separate controller - so Iwouldcall it a soldering station. Whether it's any good is another matter.We await your observations.

author: uncle_bob
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 04, 2016, 12:39:25 pm
content: HiIf it's local manufacture and it has a CE sticker on it, that's a good thing. It weighs nothing because it' has direct line power to the heating element (a guess, but I'd bet at least 25 cents on it). With high voltage on the element, you *want* a unit that has some sort of certification.Bob

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 04, 2016, 12:47:43 pm
content: So the 'control' could be nothing more than a triac dimmer.Hmmmm....If so, I'm not sure I could go with 'temperature controlled'.

author: fubar.gr
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 04, 2016, 01:04:47 pm
content: Yesterday I got a similar one from my local Lidl storeMine has a little drawer for storing the extra tip and solder rolls, but otherwise it seems identical.I did a quick teardown and it is triac controlled, just like light bulb dimmers.The board is nicely designed and manufactured though, with a small common mode choke and X and Y caps for line filtering, properly crimped earth wires, etc.The tip is directly connected to earth (zero ohms resistance)What I didn't like:-The handpiece is HUGE. Trying to do precision soldering with that thing will be tricky-The handpiece cord is very thick and stiff, identical to the power cord, which up to a point is to be expected, since there's mains voltage in there. They should use a thinner cable there, I guess they are more expensive and this is built down to the penny.-The base is too light and can be tipped over very easily. The thick and stiff handpiece cord doesn't help either.-The tips are plain stainless steel and do not wet with solder well.-The tips have very little thermal mass. Wiping the tip on the wet sponge will cool it down enough to solidify the remaining solder.

author: Oxodao
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2016, 01:25:32 pm
content: Yeah that's it, mine came also from LidlIt take an insane amount of time for it to get hot (Compared to my WS-51)

author: gameru
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2016, 01:28:14 pm
content: This garbage is found even in my country for 13Euro.It is sold by a German shop (Lidl)http://www.lidl.ro/ro/Oferte-513.htm?action=showDetail&id=49387

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2016, 01:40:41 pm
content: I think Parkside is a house brand of Lidl. They have various tools made for their stores under this brand and sell them usually very cheaply.They are mostly crap, but sometimes you get a surprisingly decent piece of gear for a ridiculous price - e.g. I have got a jigsaw for about 20€ which is actually quite good. It is built like a brick, takes standard blades and is plenty enough for my ocassional cutting of a small piece of wood or plastic for my projects. I wouldn't want to remodel a house with it, but then even many brandname tools are not designed for such use. And when it finally breaks, hey, it was just 20 and I won't regret having to trash it - a comparable brandname power tool would have cost me at least 100€ or more.Concerning that soldering iron - it was sold here for 11€ some time ago. It is really crap, I wouldn't want to use it for anything serious. However it does the job in a pinch if a wire gets broken on your real soldering iron somewhere and you don't want to use a blowtorch to fix it

author: Oxodao
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2016, 01:52:37 pm
content: Indeed it does. But that really feels crappy, can't be correctly hold ...

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2016, 04:34:48 pm
content: Quote from: fubar.gr on February 04, 2016, 01:04:47 pmTwo observations from the video:1. Some people call chisel tips "screwdriver tips", but they took it a bit too literally!!2. I've been doing it wrong for 25+ years. I had no idea I was supposed to put on gardening gloves while soldering!!

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 05, 2016, 10:22:03 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on February 05, 2016, 04:34:48 pmNope, you should be using oven mitts because the iron gets hot.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 06, 2016, 04:28:02 am
content: But with oven mitts, I can't get my respirator on properly.

author: crispy_tofu
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2016, 04:57:01 am
content: Am I supposed to put the oven mitts over my hazmat suit?

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 06, 2016, 01:28:14 pm
content: Quote from: Brumby on February 06, 2016, 04:28:02 amObviously, the respirator goes on first, D'oh.Quote from: crispy_tofu on February 06, 2016, 04:57:01 amYes, and don't forget to tape the mitts to the suit.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 06, 2016, 01:38:07 pm
content: Quote from: GreyWoolfe on February 06, 2016, 01:28:14 pmThat's what I would have thought - but in the safety manual they say to put the mitts on in step 4 and then the respirator in step 7. Step 9 talks about the hazmat suit - but then adds a side note that the hazmat suit should be put on between steps 2 and 3. No such side note for the respirator.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 06, 2016, 01:40:09 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on February 05, 2016, 04:34:48 pm3. The guy on the video has no clue how to solder.

author: arekm
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 06, 2016, 02:11:21 pm
content: Replacement parts (tips) for these are AFAIK sold byhttp://www.kompernass.com/(at least lidl redirects people to this company). Not sure if these are also original manufacturer (probably only selling parts).Seehttp://www.kompernass.com/index.php?filter_name=102652&route=information%2Fsupportor even more stationshttps://www.kompernass.com/index.php?filter_name=PLBS&route=information%2Fsupport

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2016, 09:04:18 am
content: Quote from: wraper on February 06, 2016, 01:40:09 pmAre you sure? Really sure? I thought you had to be a master to solder with an untinned screwdriver while wearing gardening gloves! :p While holding the board facingawayfrom you?

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2016, 09:19:27 am
content: this one is cheaperAnd i think Dave may have reviewed it.http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__19240__Soldering_Station_with_Adjustable_Heat_Range_US_Warehouse_.html

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2016, 09:58:01 pm
content: Does this one have a grounded tip?

author: Alfons
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2016, 07:28:29 pm
content: It is no wonder, that we slowly no longer know, where to put all electronic waste. Unfortunately, it is not forbidden to produce such a waste and garbage to sell. Perhaps this soldering station is a bit rule better suited for soldering, but to heat up a screwdriver on the stove. But just a bit. A stove can still use for cooking and put a screwdriver to screw ....