JBC Cartridge Compatibility - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: gabasa
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 03, 2016, 03:19:53 pm
content: Hi Everyone,I'm a new member and this is my first post here! I have a quick question that I'd like to ask regarding the JBC HD-4700 soldering station. It is about 10 years old and it originally came with a 2245 handpiece. Today's T245 handpieces also work with it. According to the instruction manual, only their 470-series (heavy-duty) cartridges should be connected. However, if I want to do some finer work, would I be able to use their 245-series cartridges?The newer version of this station uses the 470 handpiece, but this older one uses the 2245 (with instructions to use C470 cartridges). Is there anyone here that has this station, or knows about it well enough to know which tips I can use?Thanks.

author: wblock
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2016, 04:17:59 pm
content: The JBC US distributors are helpful and actually have the equipment, so I'd contact them:+1 866 429 5753, usa@jbctools.comAs to what is going on, my guess would be that the heavy duty stuff has bigger heaters with lower resistance, so a C245 tip does not do what the firmware expects and the temperature will be wrong. Might be correctable with a setting in the firmware, or maybe an inline adapter for the handle.Please post what you find out.

author: stmdude
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2016, 04:39:55 pm
content: I might be a little bit confused here, but as far as I understand, you have a T245 handle?If so, the C245 cartridges are the ones you should use.There's a handy compatibility matrix on page 6 of this manual:http://www.jbctools.com/pdf/T210-T245_MANUAL.pdf

author: gabasa
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 03, 2016, 04:49:16 pm
content: Thanks for the info. Here is the manual to this station:http://www.jbctools.com/pdf/manual_HD4700.pdfIf you take a look at page 2, in the left-hand column it states that it uses the 2245 handle (compatible with the T245), but only with 4700-series cartridges (which I think are compatible with today's 470-series cartridges). Have a look.

author: gabasa
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 04, 2016, 05:53:16 pm
content: Quote from: wblock on January 03, 2016, 04:17:59 pmI spoke to JBC on the phone today. I was told that if it uses the 2245 handpiece, then it can use the C245 series cartridges. They don't recommend it because the unit has more power than the cartridges are designed to handle. For me, I guess that means that as long as I use the finer tips for what they were intended to do, I should be fine. I can't weld engine blocks together with a 1.2 mm chisel, but PCBs are fine.Thanks for the help!

author: nukie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2016, 10:06:57 am
content: Deleted, Please ignore this.

author: gabasa
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 30, 2016, 01:47:02 am
content: UPDATE:After having been told by JBC in an email that the HD-4700 station is compatible with 245 series cartridges (because it originally came with the 2245 handpiece), I purchased an old HD-4700 station from eBay that was unused. I then purchased some 245 series cartridges online. They said to be cautious, but that it would work.It seems that the advice I was given was incorrect. These tips do not actually work with this station. Rather, I get an error come up that states, "ERROR WRONG TOOL."I purchased it as opposed to a newer model because having the extra power made it seem versatile. Now, I have a system that doesn't work. I'm just wondering if there is anyone here who might have some advice on how to make things work. Can these stations be modified to use these tips? If not, I may have to sell it off and purchase a smaller unit.Thanks.

author: wblock
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2016, 03:11:39 am
content: Do you have any of the 470 tips for comparison?

author: gabasa
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 30, 2016, 03:17:37 am
content: Yes, I have two and they both work perfectly fine.

author: wblock
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2016, 03:34:16 am
content: I'd compare the two kinds, then. See if the contacts are in the same places, measure the resistance. But I'd also contact JBC and tell them the problem, since they said these would work. Maybe a firmware update on the station, or maybe a different revision of handle is needed. Some resistance measurements here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/jbc-ad2200-soldering-station/msg750950/#msg750950.

author: gabasa
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 30, 2016, 03:43:14 am
content: Thanks for the info. I have contacted them and am waiting for a response.I just read some posts from a German forum through Google Translate. If the translation was correct, one person had a similar problem, and was told by JBC that a firmware update would be possible using their UC1000 cable. I hope that this is the answer I get from them.

author: wblock
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2016, 04:08:16 am
content: Quote from: gabasa on January 30, 2016, 03:43:14 amI think that's this one:https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.mikrocontroller.net/topic/345652&prev=searchWhich 470 station do you have? Is it an all-in-one or is there a separate soldering iron stand?

author: gabasa
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 30, 2016, 06:13:20 pm
content: This is the model that I have:http://www.stanleysupplyservices.com/jbc-hd4700-heavy-duty-solder-station/p/440-713Here is a copy of the user manual:http://www.jbctools.com/pdf/manual_HD4700.pdfThanks for your help! I have been in contact with JBC. They do seem responsive and helpful, so let's see what happens.

author: wblock
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2016, 07:03:42 pm
content: Interesting, it has a separate stand, an HD8470 according to the manual. So maybe it is the way the stand is wired. However, that manual says "You must use 2245 handpiece and 4700 cartridges range that have been specially designed for this type of soldering tasks. Rest of Advanced tools are not compatible with this control unit."But that might be outdated with newer firmware. The 470 tips might have a different heater or temperature sensor, but if I were JBC, I'd want them as compatible as possible with the rest of the line. It would make the high-power station more versatile and give customers another reason to buy them.Sorry you're having this difficulty.

author: gabasa
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 30, 2016, 08:10:05 pm
content: Thanks.I did read those instructions before I bought the unit, but that's why I contacted JBC (and a major North American distributor) to ask if it would still work. Both said that of course it would.If you're interested, I'll let you know what ends up happening.Thanks,Gord

author: wblock
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2016, 09:31:20 pm
content: Please do. This type of information is useful to anyone considering buying one of those systems.

author: mno555
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 11:18:35 pm
content: I’m bumping this thread. How did it go finally? Did you manage to use 245 cartridges with you station?

author: Brad808
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2020, 01:21:08 am
content: Since it has already been bumped up then I'll just ask my question here...Is the T-245 just a newer version of the 2245 handle?I have a 2245 and only the 2245 and 245 series tips are compatible correct?Thanks

author: Brad808
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2020, 02:21:36 am
content: Awesome thanks. I have a DI 3000 I'm not sure what that is comparable to in the new lineup