Weller EC2000 Soldering Station Will the new iron work?

I was given a new iron to try with my obsolete station.

[@b.powell3480]

Great video, Dave, hopefully you can get the soldering station working again

[@12voltvids]

Well if I can find a new heater, but I tried that about 15 years ago and was told it was NLA.

[@johncunningham5435]

I agree; the Weller Station was the best. I ran into the same problem with the thermocouple, years ago you could replace the iron for about $90.00 and continue using the same station. But it went through 3 irons with the same issue.

[@eDoc2020]

The new iron handle looks like the one from the new WE1010 station, which is an updated version of the WES51/WESD51.

[@zx8401ztv]

Well it was worth a try, the problem is working out the thermocouple and iron element spec. i would have bolted that iron holder to the side casing of the newer station.

[@jameskrivitsky9715]

As Davie Jones would say " For those of you following along at home, the score is ....Themistor - 4......THERMOCOUPLE - 26 ! " Yes, I watched the video completely TWICE to count with Dave. I still learn ( due to repetition ? ) You'becha boys and girls.

[@chrisd5610]

Ksger T12 for the win. Best irons out there.

[@frankhobsonKJ4CDM]

They do work good.

[@greengrayradio1394]

Hi Dave! I have used the Weller WSP-80 for many years at college, and I must say these irons are in my opinion a disgrace to Weller's good name for soldering stations. The older "click on, click off" WTCP and the newer WECP/EC2002 (thermocouple, reg and SCR in the base) are holding up well. First, the thermocouples in the WSPs have often failed, and the thermal contact between the front piece of the heater and the bit is not good. Well, I have the resistances for a good WSP80 (80 watt) handpiece: The heater has 7 ohms, the TC has 23.5 ohms. This is also a 24V iron. I believe the EC2000 station is for a 50 watt iron, that is the case with my EC2002

[@goodun2974]

I have a WTCP station at work, and another at home. The only thing that ever fails is the three pin connector, so one of mine has the iron hardwired to the base station. Every couple of years I clean the contacts on the little bimetallic switch in the handle. Got plenty of spare tips too.

[@greengrayradio1394]

@@goodun2974 I have found that when the iron doesn't heat you just unscrew the barrel and pull the bit till the bimetallic switch clicks (be prepared to let go as it gets hot)..

[@goodun2974]

@@greengrayradio1394 good to know, thanks. Looking at the EC2000 on Dave's bench here, I see a blob of epoxy potting over an IC; that kind of thing really pisses me off. BTW, I looked online and the tips and replacement heating elements for the original old WTCP Wellers are still available but they can get kind of pricey from some sources.

[@antibrevity]

A US$425 item purchased in 1985 was equivalent to $1,140 in today's dollars. The chassis should have been cast in gold ;).

[@12voltvids]

Well it was Canadian not US. Inflation calculators are useless. You know that right. The reason it was so much money back then was because there were import and excise taxes on products coming in from foreign countries. There was the FST federal sales tax, which was 12% and then import duties of probably something like 17%, and those were applied at the import levels. The retailer then put their markup on. Provincial tax was charged at checkout. Then free trade came along, and the FST went away, as did the excise tax on many things. They were replaced by the GST which was charged on final sale price The equivalent iron today would be less than half that price.

[@bobsoft]

The Weller WES51 I have from RP has a similar iron holder.

[@MartinSBrown-tp9ji]

I have had know luck with Weller soldering stations. I have had three of them. They are not a reliable product. Save your money and look for an other manufacture. I was always fixing my Weller's.

[@johnb5519]

Bringing kids into any workshop, unless they are watched every second, usually ends up with something bad happening.

[@worroSfOretsevraH]

Hi. What is your opinion on those old magnetic tip weller stations? Thanks.

[@12voltvids]

Used one for years. They work.

[@garymetheringham4990]

can you not buy a cheap replacement handle and use the cable just to get it going, prof of concept?

[@EgonSorensen]

If you like the Weller holder better, why not just use the base as a stand for your Thaoxin 936D iron

[@12voltvids]

The center piece is missing.

[@w9gb]

Are you Missing a proper Funnel? Black Plastic or Metal ? I have those, somewhere in my parts inventory.

[@12voltvids]

@@w9gb I have the black plastic one here. It is on my new one.

[@dougturner6907]

There are 4 ec2000 stations on ebay for under $100.00

[@12voltvids]

To me it is worth about 20 bucks.

[@robmadden5243]

This may be the replacement heater you are looking for: amzn.to/3OxFh4j

[@12voltvids]

Now if only I can find the original handle. It is around here somewhere.

[@robmadden5243]

@@12voltvids Hope you can find it.