Anesty ZD-915 in 2023? Desoldering Station MODS and a new style gun! Buck Step Down Converter

Here I walk you through installing the step down buck converter, improving airflow, and other info to get your Anesty ZD-915 running great in 2023 and beyond.
Step down/buck converter ... a.aliexpress.com/_mOI7oVU (can also be found on amazon)
New style (6 pin) gun ... www.mpja.com/Desolder-Station...

[@Baubles1337]

Your videos have been extremely valuable to me Lame Gaming. I was able to track down a replacement gun from MPJA as well, it was delivered in about 4 days. Thank you.

[@Stelios.Posantzis]

Great tips. Just the things I wanted to know before getting one of these tools.

[@Erik-bp4vg]

My solution... a resistor with value 100 ohm 5 watt in the red wire of the fan. Fan now runs smoothly on approx 5 volts Greetings Erik ;-)

[@peerlessrecords6236]

pretty useful modifications. I just received mine in the mail today and when I saw that black box I couldn't stop laughing 😅 china at its best. I removed the fan at the back cz the station is gonna be sitting pretty close to the wall behind my workbench. I cut out a circle at the top of the housing and installed a 120mm fan. Unfortunately it wouldn't fit inside of the housing so it's sitting on top of it which doesn't bother me though. running on slow rpm but keeping everything cool and you can't hear it at all (be quiet fan). also removed the shielding from the psu thx to ur video. for the price it's okay, i'm just a bit worried about the quality of the gun so I already ordered a replacement just in case. also installed new filters. quick tip for soldering multiple wires to one joint, drill them together before soldering, makes it much easier ;) ✌🏽

[@nikspanakis]

As crude as it may seem, the resistors in series with the pump serve an important reason. Soft starting for the motor which is crucial for long life in a system made to start-stop all the time, while still allowing enough rpm for the pump. It's probably a 12V motor. Permanent magnet brushed motors are almost a dead short at the moment of starting. As for the fan, you're 100% correct, running it in higher voltage is bad for its life and noise. Cheers.

[@musicstevecom]

Good Point, I know the old sol in cassette decks draw a lot of current at start up and than they kick in a resistor to drop the current down (Voltage) so it does not burn out the coil and that Resister gets hot. So Might be safer to leave it in? if you leave the Resistor in , it should not get that hot since the duty cycle is very low and if it does, You could mount it to the metal frame or even buy a bigger watt resistor.

[@hansu-nihon]

The suction in my ZD-915 is not optimal and could be better, so removing the soft start resistors for this buck converter will give better suction immediately. Right? Even if that means reducing the lifespan of the motor a little or the buck converter. It is all about efficient operation for me.

[@drstefankrank]

I guess I just install a little 12V buck onto the fan supply and hope the air flow of that now correctly driven fan will be still fine. I wonder if they intentionally over voltage the fan to improve airflow.

[@WinrichNaujoks]

Nice video! Doesn't need any music though.

[@leohobbleohobb3781]

Also when taking out the glass tube it should be pushed back after released and lifted up in front. there is a rubber washer in front of the rubber on the glass tube. i place a little ball in the midle of the spring made of ruff steel wool witch stop and catch most tinn before it hit the back plate. drilled 5-6 1mm-- holes in for better suction flow. Each ting i made a change to made it better and better.5 year now and the thin metal tube inside heater broke.Next one will could last longer since i will not have to labor to get the tips of clogging etc. do to 24 volt know and just 18 volt as new. They work fast and loose with data that make these.

[@musicstevecom]

Good Video I use my a lot. My second one just broke like the first one did. the black plastic round heat piece cracked located between the solder steal and gray frame w the 3 bolts Thanks for the link, I just bought some and they also have the dc converter board. I email them They said they will update the photo. Thanks

[@leohobbleohobb3781]

Have a ZD-8915 with 24 volt 90 watt heater in the desolder gun, while 915 have 24 volt 80watt. i see and heard they used the same supply on many models. Heard the heater get only 18 volt do to a resistor on psu. My fan is same size and is 36Volt fan it get 12 or 18, cant remember.. and not 24 volt on heater just 18. best thing forcooling was to put the fan with a 5 mm spacer in one corner on top of psu cut a hole in the metal chield around it. so now it blow down into the psu and since it is lifted 5 mm it also blow on the pump motor sides. A strange phenomen is if the power button is off on the station the display blinks 1time every 5-10 min. Like something discharges to earth?. strange. Also drilled holes down on the side where the psu stands. Tested with DMM K temp probe on power supply heatsink and one aped to another solid state compnent. This got it way cooler. 40 degree C to 50 C on hot days max.

[@roerdomp16e]

thanks for the video. in stead of the copper wool, you can also put a copper coin halfway the spring. Works great for my ZD-8915 which also has a fan, but it is an 18v fan, which is it a lot more quiet.

[@RGBoombox]

Enjoying the videos. How do you get started with recapping PVMs? Thanks

[@LameGaming]

Thanks, I have a video about getting started but in a nutshell its best to have an esr meter, desoldering setup, and the schematics

[@kennethshiro9500]

it's still hard as fuck to take the tube out in the new gun. also the new units no longer have that box in the back with the 2 resistors. The fan still shows 18v, but the vacuum is running at 14v.

[@patkelley8293]

I had issues with the Anesty gun and not getting hot enough. I will check out MPJA. Thanks.

[@LameGaming]

Ive read that from several reviews. I wonder if different production runs didnt have the heating element contacting the inner tube right or something Ive been lucky with mine. 350c has been enough for 95% of components ive removed and have reworked dozens of boards over the years and only had to bump up to 400c for the couple of huge power filter caps ive removed. I did read about how you can coil some copper wire around the inner tube to better insulate and keep the inner tube hotter with that thermal mass but never bothered because mine worked fine but maybe look into the copper wire thermal mass mod or....hell.... For 28 bucks shipped maybe the new style gun would perform better.

[@patkelley8293]

@@LameGaming Yes, I had mine apart and noticed the element stopped short of the tip. I try to run at 350 but it just doesn't take off enough so I turn it up. I saw other channels had it cranked up to 399 c. I'm going to remove some IC today and see how it goes. Good enough for hobby level like myself.

[@emmettturner9452]

Well, maybe I can help: if it’s anything like my Aoyue desoldering gun, and it appears to be, you’re actually removing the collection tube backwards. When you pull the release and the back piece springs back, the plunger at the back is still spring-loaded, separately, meaning you can push the tube into it to get more clearance at the front. You can’t push the plunger back when you lift from the back. Of course, it’s no easier if you lift from the front without pulling the collection tube back so perhaps you tried that first without realizing you had to pull it back more. Logically, you might assume the only spring action back there is the one you released with the switch, but: NOPE. :)

[@LameGaming]

I tried both ways with the old gun, there just wasnt anyway to remove it without feeling like the glass was going to shatter inbetween my fingers. I have an older video that shows the inside locking mechanism and the inner workings. I had to remove the zip tie that was on the vac tubing... It was interfering with the plastic standoff and keeping it from moving back far enough. I also shaved a bit of material off the standoff. I suspect the glass tube length varried over years and production runs, ive seen some people fix the issue with a diamond coated glass sanding block but didnt want to go through all that. On the new gun, your right... Its definitely easier to reinstall with the front rubber grommet end first and maybe the same for removal but I like to remove the back filter end first so I can use my finger to keep the filter/spring in the tube so the solder mess doesnt fall out into the gun and on the bench. It works either way on the new gun but the old one was just bad and why I would suggest anyone to upgrade..... Its a good deal for the upgraded design and/or just as a spare incase the heating element goes bad. Knock on wood, my original heating element is still going strong, only had a bad clog once and that was my fault for accidentally sucking up a bit of left over ic leg 🤣

[@netman69]

I have a zd-915 too and same experience, to get it out you pull the glass thingy backwards and lift the front out instead. I have a video on my channel showing how I repaired the gun on mine after it broke down.

[@Undar8ed03]

I still gotta get me one bro.

[@LameGaming]

It would definitely help with recapping those monitor chassis you got

[@user-ug9nn]

ya replaced one junk with another junk, I modify the first one and I can remove the glass instantly without pushing on anything I intend the second modificatin by moving the all heate assembly back, to cut muximum the internal pipe to prevent clogging at low temp

[@Dragon_Screamer]

Is that Twinkle Star Sprites music at the start?

[@LameGaming]

It is lol

[@stephenwhite506]

I hate mine. The little black clip that holds the glass chamber in the gun is crap. After a while it comes loose. I have tried replacing the spring (very hard to do) without success. This has happened to two extra guns I have subsequently purchased. Unfortunately, the company you linked does not post to countries other than the USA.

[@LameGaming]

I must of been lucky with mine. I havnt had any issues and reworked a ton of boards. I did mod the latching mechanism in mine though and at first I removed too much material but was able to add it back by melting nylon from a ziptie onto the locking lug to add material back to it (kind of like plastic welding) then used a file to reshape..... that might be an option if the issue is that yours isnt locking in the closed position.

[@SERKAN_HOT34]

Hello You have installed the Xl4015 5A 75W Dc/Dc Voltage Reducer on the ZD-915 vacuum pump and set the output voltage to a very nice 13.50 volts, I'm wondering what difference does this make to the vacuum performance, will there be a problem and malfunction in short and long-term use if it stays in its original state? I'm very curious about this.

[@LameGaming]

Ive noticed it clears vias of solder much quicker and easier now, also hasnt clogged once but have only recapped one board since the mod. In the stock form ive gotten alot of use out of it, dozens of boards and hundreds of caps removed. Not sure what longevity would be stock vs this configuration though... Time will tell but usually the heating element in the gun is whats a common failure point in these units.

[@SERKAN_HOT34]

@@LameGaming Yes, if it was useful in the way you did, it will last a long time, as far as I usually see from youtube videos, the pistol part is deteriorating, the room is in the form of a complete pistol, there is a price of $ 35-$40 in Turkey, In another youtube video, he uses the fan by entering 18v into a single LM7812 voltage regulator and getting a 12 volt output, this is a slightly cheaper way, of course kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKvVYWxtmrKZnJI I 'm thinking of doing the same with the Xl4015 5A 75W Dc/Dc Voltage Reducer, but first I need to order 1 Xl4015 5A 75W Dc/Dc Voltage Reducer👍🙂

[@LameGaming]

@@SERKAN_HOT34 I got lucky and amazon sent me a free new style gun after I messaged the seller. I also found them for sale cheap so grabbed a 2nd gun. I wanted to have a couple incase I couldnt find parts in the future but it would probably be just as wise to just keep a couple extra heating elements instead of the whole spare gun, maybe you can find the heating elements cheaper. Good luck with your modding, its been a great tool.

[@SERKAN_HOT34]

@@LameGaming Bravo, you're lucky it's good, I'll do it the same way soon 🙂👍

[@anthonyaviles8665]

I have 2 of them i need to do this mod to it

[@LameGaming]

Maybe just mod one and alternate between using the stock and modded one on jobs/projects.... That would be the best test for this mod. Would love to hear a real world comparison like that and see how long the stock vs modded holds up.

[@anthonyaviles8665]

Hows has it been working

[@LameGaming]

@@anthonyaviles8665 Better than stock for sure

[@dromedar63]

Hi, I bought a ZD-915 spare desoldering gun for my mechanically defect AGT brand gun (same as Toolcraft TO-7863102 ?). Same look, other color. But the AGT has between Pin 1 and Pin 2 a measurable resistance of 47 Ohm (increasing with temperature increasing). What can you measure at your gun at room temperature. My ZD-915 spare gun is near 0 Ohm. Is a digital sensor in it or is the spare defect???

[@LameGaming]

I have my original gun and 2 spares of the newer style. Are the pins labeled or are you just looking at the connector of the gun and calling top left to right-1,2,..... Ill measure my resistance but want to make sure we are on same page with the pinout

[@dromedar63]

@@LameGaming Thank you for fast answering. When I look at the cable connector, there is a notch at the top. At the top right and bottom right are the designations 1 and 2. Here I measure 47 ohms with the old pistol and about 1.5 ohms with the new pistol. When I connect the new pistol to the old device, "error" is displayed.

[@LameGaming]

@@dromedar63 Cool, I didnt know the pins were labeled, never paid attention before. My old style zd915 gun reads .9 ohm across 1 and 2, both my new style replacement guns read the same. Im not familiar with your unit, is it possible it just uses the same connector as the zd915 but the pinout and wiring are different?

[@knucklestheechidna5718]

I can't find this thing really anywhere except Amazon where it's kind of overpriced. I found the pros kit version which apparently is the newer 7 pin version I'm assuming it's basically the same thing but with a sleep function.

[@LameGaming]

Yup, its the same thing but with the 7th pin 👍

[@Jvavolerpareil]

Man, your background music is too loud !

[@LameGaming]

Ill lower it 5dB next time 👍

[@jameshamilton6643]

Hello All. I'd like to try this mod but being a VERY amateur with electronics, could somebody out there give me "monkey see, monkey do" instructions, please? Wiring up the fan is straightforward, but not the rest. Many thanks.