#100

I compare typical soldering irons, test the power, heat-up time, temperature regulation, heat transfer, and also their usability.
Links:
Aoyue 968 A+: www.aliexpress...
907 Constant Temperature Electric Soldering Iron Lead-free 60W: bit.ly/2fGGt8A
Mustool® MT223 60W Adjustable Temperature Electric Soldering Iron (not good): bit.ly/2gaErJS
TS100 Digital OLED Programable Interface DC5525 Soldering Iron: bit.ly/2gO6q1T
www.facebook.c...
/ spiessa

[@golot]

100th video!!! Congratulations! One of the best Arduino/Electronics channels on KZbin! Thanks for all the great work!

[@maxlindstrom5435]

I have the same Weller station since 1980 and it's still very good for my purpose! Just found new soldering tips from a supplier in Australia. Life goes on :)

[@AndreasSpiess]

True. They cannot be killed!

[@1powelrainbow2]

"the Aoyuueeuuublbblblbll.." hahaha I died at that part!! XD

[@AndreasSpiess]

:-)

[@marcovergueiraxd]

Great comparison, I purchased a TS100 recently, seems a good iron, the portability and the available tips are an advantage.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks for your feedback!

[@wasanka2000]

I ordered TS100 and it is way over my expectations. Thanks for introducing a great product!!!

[@AndreasSpiess]

You're welcome. I am glad you like the iron.

[@surajbhawal2474]

Dude! the fumes smell amazing... they are the best part of soldering....

[@AndreasSpiess]

+suraj bhawal So, the fume extractor is a real waste for you?

[@surajbhawal2474]

Andreas Spiess Oh no! I do se a fume extractor.....it's just nice to sometimes just sniff the nice smell of flux.

[@AndreasSpiess]

:-)

[@Hagledesperado]

Enjoy it while you can. It's very unhealthy.

[@1pcfred]

You should get flux sick someday just so you know the difference. But basically if you're not writhing on the floor with dry heaves then the fume concentration is too low to adversely affect you.

[@whollymindless]

I have a TS100 I use in the flying field powered by RC batteries. It's amazing. I was terrified it wouldn't be able to handle 14 gauge power cables but it just soldiered through it, at least as good as my bench iron.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Glad you share the same experience! Thanks.

[@whollymindless]

It really has no right to be that good. Thermal mass is and has been important forever.

[@AndreasSpiess]

But with a small thermal mass and a strong heater you could then "recharge" the heat very fast and the temperature drop then also would be reasonably small. But I am not a specialist, just a user.

[@whollymindless]

Andreas Spiess But you have to admit that generally "mass is good." but this iron is really good despite the size. Part of it is the control circuitry (and the strong heater). RC batteries are great for high instantaneous current.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Of course, mass is often good. That's why I drive a Harley ;-) But I am glad, that my wife does not have a huge mass...

[@battlecoder]

One of my soldering irons is pretty similar to the 907 you tested (probably the same, although mine doesn't have a model number) , and never really bothered to actually measure its temperature. I knew it was way under the number the dial shows, but didn't realize the difference was THAT much. I tested now with my multimeter's thermocouple and got basically the same results as you did. Thanks for doing this video.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Glad to read that. I am always a little alone in the lab when I do videos and I am never sure if I do everything right. And, if you make mistakes, the internet is not very forgiving these days...

[@battlecoder]

Internet can be cruel and unforgiving indeed, so I guess the pressure of doing everything right when you upload something to the internet is quite high. There's nothing to dislike in your videos though. They are really informative and any mistake is either insignificant or it's corrected by you in post (with on-screen comments, for example). I really enjoy your content. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience with us.

[@AndreasSpiess]

:-)

[@MaxintRD]

100 episodes! Thank you and congratulations! Nice video again. I also still use my 35 years old Weller, next to some chinese iron. Tip for today: have a look at the very cheap mini usb soldering iron. It's only a few euro's. Big Clive already reviewed it. Compared to the ones you reviewed it will fall short, but it does work, even when powered using a USB-battery. I bought one and found it quite portable and surprisingly well operating for soldering small components. I got another one after destroying the first by putting too much force on the tip while desoldering some old electronics. The ceramic heater is quite brittle, so only use it for fine soldering.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks for the congratulations! I got this tip with the USB irons already a few times. So I will maybe make a test in the future...

[@asiw]

Wow, my TS100 has arrived - it's fantastic, incredibly quick to heat up (I'm using a 19v power supply). Thanks for the recommendation.

[@AndreasSpiess]

You're welcome. I am glad you like the iron.

[@pivoglotik]

I'm getting addicted to your videos. Thank you for sharing experience!

[@AndreasSpiess]

Healthier than alcohol or other drugs ;-) And cheaper in addition (unless you do not buy everything I show on the channel).

[@BenHickok]

Thanks Andreas. A great video. I can't believe there are any dislikes on it whatsoever. I guess that's the kiddos coming here expecting some bro to do an unboxing video of a ts100, and to do nothing but say its sick. I appreciate the real information much more. Thanks.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Nobody knows where these dislikes come from. They are on all my videos and seem to belong to the game...

[@Buddy-po4hv]

My father gave me his Weller station that he bought 55 years ago, its still working like day 1

[@AndreasSpiess]

Mine also still works in my brother's garage ;-)

[@cmj20002]

I really think the TS100 is a great little iron. I am getting one, it should come in handy.

[@AndreasSpiess]

I am pretty sure you will like it.

[@SmoothbassmanStudios]

C MJ they work great. Have a battery lead to use it with Lipo batteries in the field.

[@davybloggs1564]

Andreas - fantastic video, thanks for taking the time to do this, it was very informative, although I feel the copper 'ground plane'type test with the board should have been done at a lower temp. TS-100 on order!

[@AndreasSpiess]

Good choice!

[@giannisvrellis]

Thank you for the extensive comparison!

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Ioannis Vrellis :-)

[@phantom349uj]

I literally spit a little coffee all over my steering wheel when you tried to pronounce that soldering iron at 60 Seconds.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Sorry for that!

[@tomkenney5365]

I found an Aouyueeeeeeaaaaaahhhh 968A+ at a garage sale for $60 about 5 years ago. A little slow, a little cumbersome with the fume extractor, but it has a fume extractor, and it's a workhorse. I'm about to pick up a TS100. Seems that's about the best combo there is.

[@AndreasSpiess]

I had to dump my 968 (it was defective) and I use a TS80 now.

[@MrMartinZockt]

I have a JBC CD-2BE and I love it. Very expensive, but I use it every day. So I thing it will last forever and it was a investment for my entire life. It heatup in no time and the mechanism to switch the tips is also clever and fast.

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Mr.Martin This is really another class! If you use this for living, this for sure a very good choice.

[@Moonbase59]

I still keep my Weller for sentimental reasons, bought it 2 years earlier than you :-) and it’s still in perfect condition and use. Quality indeed, and one of the best buys I ever made. Talk about "your father/grandfather"-OURSELVES it was! :-) Then again, today I also use mostly Aoyue … unpronouncable-name-stations. Hint: In the EU, the Aoyues are usually cheaper if bought directly at www.aoyue.eu/. You save import customs and also get all the parts and tips here. Re heating elements: Be careful when buying! They come in different wattages, like for the Aoyue Int968 it’s 35W and for the Int968A+ it’s 70W. So maybe you just bought the wrong spare? I made this error once, buying an Int936 (35W) instead of an Int936A (50W). They seem to learn, though: Mine came with a free spare heating element. Kudos for that.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thank you for your information. I also bought some stuff in Germany, but only later. And You are right with the heating element. I had a wrong one and now it is much faster!

[@Moonbase59]

You’re welcome. I think we all learn from errors we make. And sharing is improving, for all of us. :-)

[@zesegatto]

Thank you!!!!Your review seams me the only one with scientific methods (and not covered of opinions). I'm going to buy a TS100 knowing the it capabilities.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Good choice!

[@shodanxx]

I find the hakko fx-951 copy to be very good. I got it with 12 extra tips under 100$USD. It works great, only difference with the real thing is that it does not go to standby heat when you put the iron in the holder. I was going to buy something like the Aoyue but I didn't like that the base was so big. Also I figured I would prefer two separate units. So I got a very compact 35$ Gaoyue 858D heat gun (with the same colors as the hakko unit !) It works great. I don't use a fume extractor, I just use a small fan to push vapors away from my face. The vapors are only flux but still unpleasant to breathe and very dry, they are not a problem when diluted with lots of other air. The TS100 is very interesting, I might have gotten that if I had known about it. It seems to use the same hakko heating element/tips as the FX-951 ? Though the handle does not seem as ergonomic. Very good choice on the go it seems.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks for your feedback. I am sure, it helps other viewers in their decisions.

[@HariWiguna]

Holy cow Andreas! That must've been a ton of work! Lots of footage = lots of editing. I can't believe I've never seen a fume extractor that is mounted by the tip like that. I wonder if I could buy an add-on for my Hakko FX-888? If I may give you feedback, recently you've started using a highlighter to point at things on the screen capture (for example: 20:54). To me, it looks like you are marking things as WRONG. Which is not what you meant. I am red/green color blind, so maybe you're using a green highlighter, but all I see is a darkish color covering existing text. I can think of two alternatives: 1. Use a yellow highlighter, 2. Circle the items rather than crossing them out. Honestly though, from your explanation your intention was clear. You're highlighting it and not marking it as incorrect, so it is not a big deal, but I thought you should know. As usual GREAT video! I agree with commenter Run Asulin: "One of the best Arduino/Electronics channels on KZbin!"

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks for the nice words and you are absolutely right: I use a dark green highlighter because I thought, that it will be better viewable than the yellow one. But of course, I did not think about the fact, that most of my viewers are male and that the male population has this problem of color blindness. I should have known it better because I used to work in the photo finishing industry and there, the first test at job application was always the color test. So, in the future, I will use your proposal and circle things. Thanks for the hint!

[@westonochoa4048]

Here it's for 46.99 dollars with coupon code: OLEDS www.gearbest.com/boards-shields/pp_266258.html?wid=21&lkid=10737299 Cheers kzbin.info/www/bejne/enaokn-Dq5uXpck

[@InXLsisDeo]

Wow, the price has almost doubled on Gearbest ! Now it's €71: www.gearbest.com/boards-shields/pp_266261.html At this price, better get it from Amazon instead: faster delivery and better service overall. You can get it for €61 on Banggood, though or at $60 on various american websites like this one: www.getfpv.com/ts100-digital-oled-programmable-interface-mini-soldering-iron.html, showing that the chinese websites are no longer the cheapest ones. Finally you can get it for €45 shipped from Malay on eBay.

[@1pcfred]

I couldn't work with a pipe hanging off a soldering iron.

[@madrian_hello]

My most awaited video is finally here! :)

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Adrian :-)

[@madrian_hello]

Andreas Spiess it would be good to know how long lasts the TS100's tip. You should make a video about tricks in soldering, tip maintance /correct usage of the sponge, cleaning steel wire/, how to store soldering iron after use etc., how to select correct temperatures etc. :)

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Adrian I wold definitively not be the right guy for these topic as I do no care about them. I use a brass sponge to take the excess solder away and never replaced any tip in the last years. Maybe somebody else has more experience

[@asiw]

Another milestone - 100 videos, amazing. Thanks for this, I have found Christmas present number 2 - it must be the TS100. Best wishes Arthur

[@AndreasSpiess]

Glad to read that. Hope, you like it, too.

[@Electromaniaworld]

thanks Andreas for indepth review, i was about to buy a good soldering iron after first failed cheap Chinese iron. i think the TS100 looks very interesting.

[@AndreasSpiess]

:-)

[@reeseyme9613]

nice stuff man, really like the fact that you do not religiously stick to only the most top end brand like HAKKO or what not. and only through such comparison, viewer can differentiate whats really bang for their buck thats goes within their budget.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thank you for your compliment!

[@reeseyme9613]

btw, i do have the mustool mt223 that i got from banggood awhile ago and yes it doesn't have any sort feedback from its heating element. i remove the pcb and it too have an identical circuit as yours but mine is kind of works. i got a variation of around 250degC to 510degC by adjusting the setting knot, around a offset of 50degC from its nominal. i never actually study the whole circuitry but its looks awfully like a simple TRIAC current control to me. i believe your unit may have a faulty reference resistor, protentiameter or the TRIAC itself.

[@lovefpv7786]

Hi Andreas, there are irons that only have two connections to the tip, which contains both the heater and the temperature sensors and work very well (don't ask me how they work, there are many possibilities). A good example is the PACE IntelliHeat system (TD100 handpiece), professional all the way with the best regulation I've ever seen. Just so you know. OK, other than the Magnastat back in its days, none of your test subjects even comes close to its price range.

[@AndreasSpiess]

I learned that they switch the heating off for a moment to measure the temperature.

[@efox29]

What a fantastic channel. Great content !

[@zadintuvas1]

TS100 uses the Hakko T12 cartridges (they have just made them shorter) which are much better than 9xx tips, because they are sealed. If you are interested in them, there are now many cheap soldering stations with them: search "T12-D", "BK 950D" or "T12 oled". There are also DIY kits if you search for "T12 controller" or "T12 oled". You can save some money with DIY kit, but only if you already have power supply available (laptop ones are OK, but more voltage gives move watts just like with TS100) or you like DIY things. Personally, I have T12-D and it heats much faster than old 9xx station, temperature can be a bit off like with TS100 in your video, but it is expected from cheap product. Edit: also, regarding your comment Mustool not being temperature controlled because it has only two wires. It looks like 9xx clone so it is true. However, if you look at TS100 (or any other T12 iron) it uses only two wires. It works by rapidly switching between heating and measuring the resistance to detect the temperature.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks for the update for the T12. Did not know that you can do it with only 2 wires. Concerning the Mustool: I think, the result showed, that it had no regulation...

[@BernhardHofmann]

I keep coming back to check the results and can't find them readily so I'll refer to this comment in future. The table of results, features and prices chart is @20:50

[@AndreasSpiess]

And I added overlays about the results with the original Ayoue iron (not in the table, KZbin does not allow to change videos)

[@daijoubu4529]

There's also a BAKON BK950D 55W, also sold under different brand names, Atmega8 based using T12 tips for about 30$, heats up in seconds, only using 3 leads, no vibration switch

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thank you for your information.

[@DoRC]

the temp tests might have been innacurate as i think you're supposed to put solder on the iron tip and couple to the thermocouple that way.

[@cymeriandesigns]

Very informative video, not that you could ever make one that was otherwise. One thing I wondered on the Aoyue (I know that may not be the correct spelling) was if the fume extractor had an effect on its ability to maintain temperature. It looks like a lot of cooling wind is being sucked past the tip.

[@AndreasSpiess]

The "wind" is rather small because it is very close to the tip. So, no issue there.

[@daskasspatzle2396]

Thanks for this comparison :-) There seems to be no reason to replace my Weller (with temperature regulation). And one of your next projects will probably be starting the stop watch app with synchronized sonoff switching ;-)

[@AndreasSpiess]

I agree with the first statement. And for the second: We never know what future will bring to us...

[@myounges]

Happy 100 episode! Great videos!

[@AndreasSpiess]

+myounges :-)

[@nickname7152]

Another nice video. I can strongly suggest a USB Soldering Iron. There is not anything mobile than it. Even you can use it with a Power Bank. However, you will need a big soldering iron for heavy duty.

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Mehmet Kaya O you have a suggestion for one?

[@nickname7152]

Andreas Spiess Currently using this one and I'm kinda happy with it. Using it with Xiaomi 10K mAh PowerBank. www.aliexpress.com/item/Mini-USB-Electric-Soldering-Iron-Portable-Soldering-Gun-with-LED-Indicator-Hot-Iron-Welding-High-Quality/32629514881.html?spm=2114.13010608.0.0.oJAc3l P.S.: Never use it with phone/tablet charger. Use PC USB port or a PowerBank. Charger will burn it to a red core.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks for the link and the tip!

[@fpvrcstuff]

They recommend putting a small amount of solder on the tip of the iron when you test on the heat test device for better heat transfer.

[@AndreasSpiess]

You are right. Otherwise it does not work.

[@npw913]

Your TS100 was very close to the actual temperature. What was the firmware you used for this video? I have 2x TS100 and non of them gets close to what you have. I set the temperature to 400C (stock firmware) but only get half of it using the tip thermometer. I tried with 3rd party firmware where it can reach 450C but it measures actually only 360C. The efforts on this video is highly appreciated!

[@AndreasSpiess]

I would check if your measuring method is good. Maybe you try to find out at which temperature your solder starts to flow and compare it with the specs of the solder. Then you know if your measurment is correct

[@Mobliz]

Thanks so much for this thorough review.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Peter_S_]

This is excent information. Back in the 1980s we didn't have so many options. I used a Xytronic Supertemp 60W temperature controlled station for hobby and production use for 23 years before the heater finally failed and I have never found an iron or station I liked more. The modern version is the Xytronic 137ESD which is almost as good, but with less mass in the heater. Presently I use an older Hakko FX-888 with a knob to select the temperature; the standard bench iron of Japan. Another excellent choice and quite inexpensive. Unfortunatly the new pushbutton equivalent, the FX-888d, isn't nearly as easy to operate thanks to a poor user interface.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Sometimes, old stuff is not worse. But often, I love the choice of today's times. And sometimes they overdo cost cutting by replacing dials with buttons. This is probably for the younger generation which is conditioned to the IPhone with a flat screen ;-)

[@Moonbase59]

Yeah, I’d just LOVE the Aoyue Int968A+ to have a dial for the hot air gun temperature, mumble, grumble …

[@tony359]

Thanks for your nice review. When I bought my Aoyue I had to replace the tip with genuine Hakko ones - then I had good performance. The Aoyue tips were useless in my opinion. I am seriously considering purchasing a Hakko and use it for many many years :)

[@AndreasSpiess]

Currently I use a TS80. It is very light-weight...

[@raul0ca]

I've been using my Hakko 936 for over 10 years now

[@xennelul]

this video should have two thumbs up

[@AndreasSpiess]

+xennelul thanks a lot!

[@cornolinius]

There is another nice soldering iron for outside the lab: usb powered. They are really cheap on ebay (~5€) and for hobby use they work really good. They need a 5V that can deliver like 2A though, but most powerbanks offer this much "oomph".

[@roidroid]

10 watts seems a bit too low powered. Is it really ok?

[@cornolinius]

Surprisingly, yes. For stuff like pin headers and other through hole componente it works really well. You can look at bigclivedotcom s video on it, he tested it.

[@whollymindless]

roidroid Actual power is determined by the.supply voltage. Heater is really strong and there seems to be enough mass for 14/16 awg wire. It is nuts.

[@robertcartier5088]

8:48 In order for the Mustool MT223 to reach 60 watts, it must be set to the highest temperature. The dial is not turned all the way to maximum. I have one of those, and it does the job quite well. Excellent as a low-price backup tool. ;-]

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks for the info!

[@reynagomez4335]

The aoyue pronunciation i laughed for 5 minutes straight, Very informative video gracias.

[@AndreasSpiess]

:-) It was really not easy...

[@Hasitier]

I use an Ersa Icon Pico. Heats up in about 15 seconds and can be programmed after what time it should cool down or switch off. It is lightweight and has a flexible silicon wire which was important for me. I like it and would not change to anything other for the lab. For mobile use I tend to buy a t100 some time. As a fume extractor I use a pwm controlled 12 cm fan with an active carbon filter in front. Greetings from Germany Michael

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks for the info about your experience. Concerning fume extractor: How far away from where you solder do you have the entry ?

[@Hasitier]

It works fine until about 20cm distance at a medium, not nerving speed. If used at full speed it works up to 40cm. I could also provide some pictures and details of the circuit if you are interested

[@AndreasSpiess]

Yes, please. I am sure, many viewers are also interested.

[@Hasitier]

Ok. I will collect those infos and pictures. Can I send them to you so that you can publish them? I am not so into all those instructables and github things. You and the audience can use them in any way you want.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Yes, of course. And I post a link into the description. Please use twitter or Facebook to send it.

[@1pcfred]

Now you have to come back in 30 years and test everything again. I'm sure the Weller will still be working. I got my WTCPN station used for $10 with a handful of other electronics tools so it is high value for me.

[@AndreasSpiess]

You are right. For my part, I most probably will be dead in 30 years :-(

[@1pcfred]

I thought the same thing myself 30 years ago and here I am. I still might get a T12 station kit and build it up someday. I need to do some other things first though.

[@freeelectron8261]

The little TS100 iron looks really good. Would be interesting to see it running on a 12 v battery. Stands are available for this iron on eBay. I can see it being good for SMD work. Thanks Andreas really useful info!

[@AndreasSpiess]

Recently I got a cable with a battery connector and I used it with a 3S battery. It worked fine. Not as fast as with the Laptop adapter, of course.

[@skrizi2782]

i have a similar model like the MT223 for situations where it has to be portable but where i can use those "907" soldering-Tips, which are quite good for the price an have excellent availability. When i opened my MT223 variant i found out that the the circuit is just a simple TRIAC-Dimmer circuitry, so no Temperature regulation. The heater-core doesn't even have a thermocouple.

[@AndreasSpiess]

This is why I did not recommend it

[@stewartrv]

I have the same weller for years too. It's a workhorse and I love it! If you change the handle on the Aoyue you should also re-calibrate it, which is easy since you have a temp meter. I have a similar chinese one (from Conrad) but without the hot air gun and it seemed to be useless when I changed the handle and element. Once I recalibrated it it was perfectly fine. I also have a 907 but I don't know if it can be calibrated or not but there are pots you can see inside... Tips a re a big deal these days, so the cheap chinese irons that take standard size tips are very useful since you can buy genuine hakko or cheap chinese ones. Might be worth a video on comparing the tip costs and durability. (I know weller ones cost a fortune, but I never needed a new one!).

[@AndreasSpiess]

I calibrated the old iron. It was not easy because the trimmer seems to have a wrong value (a very small movement already changed the temperature a lot. Maybe I will do it with the new iron, when I have time. I can hardly compare tips because I use them not enough. So, somebody which uses the soldering iron every day eight hours would be the guy for that.

[@stewartrv]

I'm not sure how yours works, but mine had a self calibrate feature or something similar. After letting it run that it was quite simple to adjust the temerature in small increments. Before it was out by about 70 degrees!

[@AndreasSpiess]

Maybe I have to read the f****ing manual ;-)

[@1pcfred]

I just bought some Weller tips for my TC201 handle iron. They were $3.44 a piece with free shipping. I'll see when I get them if they're genuine Weller tips or not. They were sold as the real thing.

[@christyinnovations]

Another useful and interesting video by you, well done as always. Congrats on the big 1 - 0 - 0 I am a little unclear on the downside of the Aoyue iron that was listed at 20-25 watts. I was under the impression that a higher watt iron would heat up faster, get hotter and hold it's heat better. The only area where the Aoyue seemed to suffer was the heat up time which was 18 seconds slower that the Weller. So 20 watts of power savings (compared to the Weller) cost you 18 seconds at startup time. Last question - does the fume extractor ever get in the way while you are soldering?

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Bob Christy (christyinnovations) After the tests I ordered a new iron directly from Aoyue, because I think, that my replacement part was not original. I will include an annotation after the tests. 20Watt is definitively too low. Yes,the extractor sometimes get sometimes in the way.Everything has its advantages and disadvantages ;-)

[@Dhamian]

I have a Hakko 888D, very compact and suits my hobbyist needs quite well. Only problem I see with it is that the soldering iron is quite chunky, I would prefer a thinner and shorter one like the TS100.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks for your comment. I think, Hakko is also a very well known brand for hobbyists. But I never owned one, so I had no experience with it. The TS100 is a real small and lightweight iron.

[@deangreenhough3479]

Very interesting, even more so with your results. Great review

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks a lot!

[@emgab]

Excellent video - extremely usefull - many thanks for your precious work - perfect as always - kind regards, Mike from Mannheim Germany

[@AndreasSpiess]

You are welcome! Glad it helps.

[@ArnoudvanLeijden]

Congrats with #100. I enjoy looking at your videos and learn something every new video. I do hope you do not start #101 again by saying 'this is the guy with the Swiss accent'.

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Arnoud van Leijden Thanks for the compliment! Why should I change my "brand name"? What would be your proposal then?

[@ArnoudvanLeijden]

Hello Andreas, sorry for this remark. I meant you speak English very well. I didnt know it was your brand name ;-) I hope you will make a lot more videos!

[@AndreasSpiess]

I did also not know when I started and at the beginning, I thought like you. But now, if you google "guy with the Swiss accent" you get already 274 hits in forums etc. and I get a lot of nice comments about my accent. So, out of an "excuse" for my bad accent actually emerged something useful. So, sorry, you have live with it (or you mute the first few seconds)

[@GoatZilla]

I'm curious if you ran the TS100's calibration feature?

[@AndreasSpiess]

+GoatZilla Yes, I ran it

[@kwintberg]

and did it improve ?

[@LightwalkerN7]

yes did it improve the accuracy of the temperature?

[@gamezerge1229]

This guy loves his bells and whistles xD

[@AndreasSpiess]

Yes! Because he is en Engineer ;-)

[@iLive2Ride76]

Really great review. One thing with cheap irons, and other electronic products, is electric safety. But I guess people knows that 😀. I would really like to see more review videos.

[@AndreasSpiess]

+iLive2Ride76 I do not know too much about electric savety and do not have any instruments to deal with it. I am also a biker and therefore, safety usually is not always my first thought ;-)

[@iLive2Ride76]

Andreas Spiess LOL I know what you mean. I'm a biker too. What kind of bike do you drive? I'm all into Harley and the lifestyle that comes with hd.

[@AndreasSpiess]

I have a Breakout, but without the livestyle ;-) But I still love it.

[@iLive2Ride76]

Andreas Spiess nice bike. But you should consider the lifestyle 😝

[@AndreasSpiess]

You do not change old people like me easily...

[@Grandpa.Dan8881]

Very well done, thanks...

[@AndreasSpiess]

My pleasure!

[@086dx66]

Thx for compare friend. Very useful info

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks!

[@Damjanhd]

I use yihua 992d station and I am satisfied with it, the only problem is that heat gun is not that powerfull.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@silviucambesteanu7230]

Hi Andreas, Are you using lead or leadfree alloys for soldering? From what I know the leadfree are more difficult to solder as it needs higher temperature and it also forms oxides on the iron tip.

[@AndreasSpiess]

I only use solder with lead.

[@Moonbase59]

I’m an old fart, and some habits never die … so I still love my good old 60/40 solder. But I also solder lead-free. My tips here: You might need flux, investigate in Kester 186 (almost liquid) and the Kester 951 flux pens. Clean afterwards using isopropyl alcohol. To clean the tip, it’s great to have one of these bronze sponge thingies-much better than the old watered sponge.

[@mickaellaplace9113]

Congrats and many thanks , you helped me to decide myself for the Ts100

[@AndreasSpiess]

+mickael Laplace :-)

[@vinceherried497]

I didn't see anything about grounded tip? That Mustool looked scary is the tip grounded? I recently bought X-Tronic 3020. The first one died in two days, the company replaced it with no charge for shipping. The 2nd was erratic. I re flowed the solder joints in the handle and now it works fine. It has a crude motion sensor in handle and sleeps to 200 C after 10 minutes, heat up time to melt 60/40solder is about 25 seconds. They claim to use PIR technology to keep the temperature. Mine has about 70 volts on the PCB in the handle when the power switch is off. The tip is grounded. Another great video Andreas.

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Vince Herried The Mustool and the Weller (!) are not grounded. The others are or have a screw to do it (TS100). I did not say anything because I am not a ESD specialist.

[@GorkemYildirim]

Excellent video and congrats!

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks!

[@carlosfraija6216]

Excellent, excellent, excellent... thank you, very much...

[@AndreasSpiess]

You are welcome

[@herik63]

Weller, I used a newer model than this, and actually I recovered a nice black antistatic model more recent but around 25 years old :)

[@AndreasSpiess]

They last forever. Maybe not a good business model for the company ;-)

[@azmrblack]

Take advice from someone whos been thru the cheap stations: Just buy a Hakko 888D. The chinese special ones will break and there are no parts, a Hakko will last you decades. I bought my 888D almost 10 years ago and haven't had any issues with it.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@AndyFromSpace]

Thank you! This was very useful.

[@AndreasSpiess]

You're welcome!

[@derisis13]

My iron looks like the MT, I checked and there's no regulation. It has a habit of burning the tips, now I know why

[@trenxnet]

Amazing video! thnx for sharing it was really useful information for me, my soldering iron should be worst than the mustool lol . ill get one of those ts100 as soon as I have some money :)

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Juan Campos :-)

[@1959Berre]

Since my Weller WTCP-S magnetic switch died, I urgently need another iron. I would like to keep on using my Weller PS and the silicone power cable, it is 26 years old and still in fine condition. The price of a new Weller magnastat (just the switch) equals the price of a TS100! So I put a 4A bridge rectifier on top of a heath sink in de Weller station (without a regulator, since I only have a (1A) LM7824 available, which is clearly to weak). Unloaded, the PS now shows 22.4 VDC (unregulated and unfiltered). Would that be usable for the TS100 - TS80? In fact, I just wonder if the TS100 - 80 can handle an unregulated, unfiltered power supply. Does the TS100 take care of rectification itself?

[@AndreasSpiess]

The TS-100 is a DC device. I assume it needs a reasonable DC voltage without too much ripple. I use it with an old Laptop power supply.

[@1959Berre]

Thank you. That is what I expected. I will get the DC regulated and filtered with 10,000 μF.

[@fernarias]

You can get Weller work stations for 53 and 75 dollars. You can also get a Hakko. How long will these last?

[@AndreasSpiess]

There are many new choices appearing these days. If you browse through the internet you find that many reviewers like the TS100.

[@fernarias]

TS100 will not last, I admit it's cute. I have a Hakko and I've been using it for 8 years now, every weekend and most weekdays. Same with my desoldering gun, it's a Hakko and it has lasted 8 years. No repairs, no new heat elements. There are also Wellers that are 10, 20, 30 years old and still work.

[@hoggif]

I have a 30 year old Weller that I upgraded for more power and pen type iron. The old iron is still working as brand new. It had needed only some spare tips in 30 years and not too many of those either. I have an Aoyue 968 as well. My version has low heating power as well. I almost never solder with it and use just as an hot air gun. With weller already I could have saved some money if I'd got only a hot air gun for smd work. I liked the idea of fume extraction but after getting a pen type iron it feels so bulky.

[@ingenierocristian]

You need to upgrade to a PACE or even a JBC gear, the TS100 is a good soldering iron, but you need a good set of tips, the conical tip is not adequated for soldering

[@AndreasSpiess]

I use a TS80 now which is sufficient for my useage

[@TheAmmoniacal]

You have to add solder to the tips before doing a temperature measurement, the thermal contact is very bad if not (and inaccurate).

[@AndreasSpiess]

You are right. Otherwise, it does not display a temperature.

[@RobB_VK6ES]

One critical factor many of the Chinese Hakko clones (all but the Weller and newer tech Hakko tip of the TS 100 as shown here) overlook is the fit of heating element into the tip. Often there is a significant gap between heating element and the tip and as we all know air is a poor conductor of heat. This results in poor temperature regulation and short heater life.

[@AndreasSpiess]

The problem was solved when I bought an original Aoyue iron...

[@davybloggs1564]

Rob B - you're not quite correct - what you describe is the 'old style' of regulated tip, where the tip is slid over the heater/thermo couple, whereas the newer 'direct heat types -Hakko 952 (clones included) for example, have the heater and thermocouple built INTO the tip itself, so heating/sensing is immediate, unlike the older style, like a Hakko 888 eg (original and clone).

[@Shadowcruise99]

I assume when you mention the Aoyue in regard to the time need to melt solder @13:58, you replaced the tip, not the complete iron.

[@AndreasSpiess]

I replaced the complete iron (handset) because the one I used in the test was a fake one.

[@auntmimirules3988]

Some discontinued models since video. Looking for an iron that isn't expensive for infrequent use to repair wire on valuable machine. Others have said the iron should get very hot so you don't have to make contact for as long. I'm new to this so I would like to ask people who know what they are doing.

[@AndreasSpiess]

If you only have to solder wires the temperature is probably not as important for you and you can use a higher temperature. Better is to use high wattage irons with a temperature control. They replace the heat quickly but do not overheat your devices.

[@chuxxsss]

I think I have to many soldering irons. I agree about the Chinese soldering stations the one I have is very good for heat sink. My 3 welders are my best ones.

[@AndreasSpiess]

So, you are "solder station rich" ;-)

[@chuxxsss]

The gas welders are my favorite ones.

[@ianide2480]

Hakko 888 should last a long time, Hakko has been a top supplier in the industries for a very long time. $100 USD might seem pricey, but you wont have to buy replacement parts for it right away. Genuine Hakko tips will also last a lot longer, reducing the TCO....

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thanks for the feedback. I also think, that Hakko, as well as Weller, and other Western Manufacturers deliver value products. There are many videos about those products in the net.

[@Smile-zu9bg]

What is the Main different between soldering iron with adjustable temp and soldering station ? Please help me to choose between TS100 & yihua 937D.

[@AndreasSpiess]

The station has the power supply built-in. With the TS100 you need an additional power supply.

[@vega1287]

my dayly driver is an ersa ms6000 i got fron one of my cousins with a half broken switch and i just jumpered out the broken switch and it worked again but the triac sometimes has problems because it got broken off by the transformer falling out when i tryed to fix it but a good slap usually get's it working again also my iron has the best stand of any soldering station ever and i dont think i will ever use a station wih a better stand

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thank you for sharing!

[@novoster]

Thanks for a great Video, Andreas. I also like TS100. Could you please tell how to clear its tip properly? Should it be a soft wet sponge or some other stuff? Thanks.

[@AndreasSpiess]

You're welcome. I use this one here: www.aliexpress.com/item/2PCS-Metal-Soldering-Iron-Tip-Solder-Cleaner-Box-Brass-Sponge-Holder/32267966973.html Make sure, it is brass and not only steel.

[@novoster]

Andreas Spiess, Thanks for reply. Didn't know if it is good or not to use it. Now I am sure everything is fine. And the metal must be brass.

[@diegogarciamedina6363]

Hi, do you think is it better the diaphragm system or brushless air pump?

[@AndreasSpiess]

I have no knowledge in this field :-(

[@diegogarciamedina6363]

@@AndreasSpiess thanks

[@jakekirby6438]

Thanks Andreas!!

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Jake Kirby You are welcome

[@dleivam]

Very good video, thanks

[@AndreasSpiess]

You are welcome!

[@carlosfraija6216]

Could you make a review of the ts100 working with differents voltages from 12V to 24V please?

[@AndreasSpiess]

The only difference is the speed of heating.

[@gxsszh]

thx, what about internal heating vs external heating soldering? who knows?

[@Antiath]

I'm considering trying banggood after your videos on kits but I'm afraid of how the custom service will treat the packages, especially as most of what I want comes from the chinese warehouses. I don't care about VAT cost, I just don't want them to keep my packages because they don't like what's in it (like several uni-t instruments that may or may not have CE marking). As we both live in Europe, did you experience issues with your customs when buying from banggood ?

[@AndreasSpiess]

I did not have any problems so far. But I have to say, that I do not know the situation in other countries, only in Switzerland.

[@Moonbase59]

Late answer, just for the records: I’m located in Germany and never had problems buying from Aliexpress or Banggood. That said, you’ll have to pay import VAT above-I think-€20 and customs duty above €150. Parts have never been a problem, but complete appliances that need CE in the EU (like measuring instruments) might be sent back or even destroyed by customs, so I usually check if they have a "CE" on them, even if it only means "China Export" … sigh. For some things it may be a little easier to get things through if you’re a registered ham radio operator.

[@AdrianSchwizgebel]

Super video! Poschde mer äuä dä TS100, gsed super us.

[@AndreasSpiess]

:-)

[@billfield8300]

Thanks for the great video Andreas. Looks like I will invest in a TS100. I could use a mobile device such as this for my work... (then I can expense it. haha.) Any thoughts on the little butane soldering devices? I have always wondered how they stack up.

[@AndreasSpiess]

1. You're welcome. Thanks for your comments. Channels like that live of returning "customers"...2. Pay attention to tax authorities. I heard, that Mr. Trump needs money to build new infrastructure ;-) 3. I have never used a butane device, so I have no experience.

[@xennelul]

I have used the butane soldering irons, they are great for working on cars, not suitable for regular lab work in my opinion, they run really hot, temperature is hard to control, but they sure come in handy when working on something that does not have regular power nearby or when you have to move around a lot (e.g. splicing a car wiring harness).

[@billfield8300]

Thanks for the feedback. Actually, that is exactly one of my uses. I hate crawling around under the dash of a vehicle with the electrical cord wrapped around and under everything. Very frustrating sometimes.

[@ta5alof297]

Trust me, don't! I have one and broke it in a matter of a 2 weeks of use! Look into Bakon 950D, they come with Hakko's T12 tips and they are very cheap.

[@JUANKERR2000]

I have several Weller irons from 30+ years ago but the cost of replacement bits is rather high and one can buy a generic Chinese "knock-off" Hakko for about the same prices as one Weller bit - no contest! The 907 is not temperature controlled, it is a 'thermal balance' iron with phase-angle control marked with temperatures.

[@AndreasSpiess]

I am not sure if we will use our Chinese irons for the next 30 years ;-)

[@JUANKERR2000]

Andreas, I am sure that you are right but I shall not likely be here in 30 years' time to find out! :-))

[@AndreasSpiess]

Similar in my situation. I already need luck at the age of 62 ;-)

[@IanWilkinson-SgtWilko]

do you use different types of iron tip for different jobs, or do you stick with one type?

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Ian Wilkinson I use only one in the lab and occasionally change the tip

[@felixcat4346]

Nice comparo. None of the soldering irons you show will do the job if you want to change the PS/2 connector on a typical computer motherboard, for example,a common problem. Another thing to consider is there is a steep fall off in how hot they get after being used many times.

[@AndreasSpiess]

+Joseph Nicholas can you elaborate your two points a little more? I do not get them.

[@felixcat4346]

For anyone who does repair work you need alot of heat to get the job done. A computer motherboard which I mentioned in my op has up to 5 layers, which is alot of thermal mass. When a soldering iron is new it works better than when it ages, just like people. The constant heating and cooling starts to ruin the working parts. Hope this helps.

[@AndreasSpiess]

Now I understand. Thanks for the explanations. I am not in the repair business, so I had no use cases like you have with motherboards. I can not tell anything about long term reliability of the Chinese devices, because I own them not long enough. But you should get also replacement parts. BTW: After finishing this video, I ordered a second replacement iron to check, if the one I used here is somehow defective or not. The replacement should have 70 watts, not 20. I am curious. Next week, I should get it from Germany.

[@felixcat4346]

The cheap Chinese soldering iron Hakko types that use the avation GX16 connectors are a real bargin. If only the base station consisted of a thyristor to limit the current you could use an ac power supply to heat the element. I plan to build my own, I don´t want to use dc or the temperature option. Not necessary.

[@AndreasSpiess]

This should be possible. At the end, it is just a resistor which needs some current. So, maybe you post your comments when done...

[@WillVRam]

1:38 there was 5 products but on this table there is only 4. I didnt get it

[@AndreasSpiess]

I do not understand?

[@science4allworld587]

Thats nice electric plug that shows how many watt power is consumed. Where can we buy that?

[@AndreasSpiess]

I bought that 10 years ago locally. But they should be available in many places.

[@HayBeseret]

Superb video !

[@AndreasSpiess]

:-)

[@Passco666]

One tip.. Just buy solder Iron which can handle thin tips for smd soldering.. I have one bigger and.its.more dirty.job

[@AndreasSpiess]

Thank you for your tip!

[@jukkapekkaylitalo]

All soldeting irons have dynamic power draw if iron says it takes 70w it is 70max. But your iron in to waterglass maybe it starts to draw more power.

[@AndreasSpiess]

You are right.