EEVblog

[@Eman2000]

I'm not entirely sure I understand why they are using QC3.0. Since they have USB C it seems like it would make more sense to use USB PD. This would also be a major power advantage given that USB PD can deliver up to 100W (5 amps at 20 volts). Though USB PD is supposed to be a very flexible standard which may be harder to design a soldering iron for.

[@valerionappi7839]

Eman2000 they are using the type c connector with the legacy 2.0 communication protocol i think. Stm32f103 i don't think supports usb 3.1. They would have needed a separate management ic only for the power delivery

[@-Xaverius]

Or QC4.0 as that is also USB PD compliant

[@AmmarAbotouk]

valerio ew USB 3.0 has nothing to do with USB power delivery

[@valerionappi7839]

Ammar Abotouk isn't power delivery contained in usb 3.1? The 3.0 example was just to show that these uC are way behind

[@AmmarAbotouk]

valerio ew no it's not USB 3.0 is just data you can have USB PD without USB 3.0 just like my phone !

[@Hackinside]

Luckily KZbin can not reproduce smoke, otherwise we needed to use a fume extractor to watch it. LOL

[@saxonian]

I've got me a TS100 a few months ago. It is also portable. There is a power cord to hook it up to a lipo. What I do like is the design of the TS80, especially the shorter working distance and the grip.

[@horrovac]

* says how open-sourced firmware would be pointless as the stock one works just fine * proceeds to complain about stock firmware refusing to work without quickcharge power supply

[@SirFrag32]

Plus, on the ts-100, custom firmware gives better displays and enables 450* temp.

[@bryceschug486]

The firmware diddn't crap out with no quick-charge battery bank. The battery bank shut itself off. The iron has no control over that.

[@SirFrag32]

@@bryceschug486 But if they can lower the draw to within spec via firmware it's possible that it could work... probably not very well, though.

[@cristiankyler5228]

instablaster

[@chaos.corner]

Here's an interesting thought (to me). USB QC and PD can deliver up to 20V. This is well above the minimum operating voltage of the TS-100 so it could be converted to be pretty much equivalent with a dongle. Bonus is, you can still use it with a real PSU up to 24V if you'd like.

[@JennyEverywhere]

My TS100 is perfect. I have an Anker power bank that will provide 5, 12, or 19v through a coaxial plug, so I can run the iron off the battery. It's a 20,000mAh battery, so it'll do the job for a while. I use the old stand from my Weller on the bench. It has the little well in it for a sponge, and I keep the little bucket with the gold metal scrubber thingie (like a Chore Boy sink scrubber) next to it. I got a big bag of sponges for the thing for a few bucks from Banggood and it's excellent. I built a couple of radios with the TS100. For the second one, I replaced the standard conical tip with a really long and thin chisel tip. I also have another, longer and thinner conical tip, as the one it comes with is a bit chunky for small parts. I agree with the prevailing sentiment that the use of QC 3.0 was weird.

[@borisjevic6338]

Mostly safety if people loose their cable or need to use a generic USB-C el-cheapo. Higher volts, less amps same watts = less heat / failure on part of the cable.

[@ethanpoole3443]

The “gold metal” is just brass wool (or sponge as they often call it in many electronics listings) that has been washed of all cutting fluids. It’s a byproduct of machining brass on a lathe that just happens to be God’s gift to electronics technicians and hobbyists alike as it works much better than the old dampened sponge, at least in my opinion.

[@JennyEverywhere]

Thanks. I wasn't sure if it was actual brass, or just a colored aluminum, or some other alloy that had a yellowish coating applied. It does work well for a bunch of things, but one thing still requires a sponge: applying Tip Tinner. Using Tip Tin on your iron works really well, but the leftover residue isn't as easily removed with the brass wool as it is by a damp cellulose sponge. I use tip tin on my iron before a new project, after cleaning it thoroughly. This has helped keep my iron's tip in good condition, especially when I use a more reactive flux. Given that a TS100 tip can cost between 15-20 bucks, depending on whose you buy and whether shipping is included, I'd like to keep them in good shape as long as possible. I have four. One is the stock tip, another is a large tip with a flat spot for big jobs, one is a very long, thin conical point for small areas, and the last is a very thin chisel tip, my go-to tip for most jobs. I use both a sponge AND the brass wool, and it seems to work for me. As in all things, YMMV.

[@hillct]

To answer the question you posted, the plastic barrel/sleeve that unscrews at the tip end, is presumably meant to accommodate alternate/replacement grips. It would be a particularly good candidate for 3d printed TPU textured grip. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see a nice silicone grip for sale at some point as well.

[@moox100]

Okay you can't say "they didn't supply a manual" when it has instructions you threw away in the beginning

[@scribblargh]

That was a single sided tiny sheet of safety precautions, not a manual.

[@harshbarj]

Yep, not a manual. At best it's a quick reference sheet. Though I agree with Scribbler and it's likely just a 'don't do dumb shit' sheet.

[@xConundrumx]

Meh if you came for a sensible review this is not the channel I would chose :)

[@xConundrumx]

Marcin Berman you know that's actually a valid point too. In this day and age most of those manuals like you say is a pure waste as they have to be in multiple languages.

[@chaos.corner]

"If you need to read this, you should probably just put it back in the box and never open it again".

[@GadgetReviewVideos]

I believe the third party firmware for the older model was updated to work with this model also. This will give you much more options and better control including temp calibration. I would use that firmware, it has a good reputation. They use the USB programming interface from the STM chip, no need for any separate programming pins.

[@cmj20002]

The TS100 is for those that do a lot of RC stuff in the field, it is well suited for use with a LiPo battery pack. It is a matter of what you need. I have a TS100 that I purchased as a fine work soldering iron and it works well for this task. I have a 24 volt 3 Amp power supply to run it. In the field I use a butane soldering iron and it works really good, no wires at all. As long as you have some butane refills handy it will run as long as you want.

[@unicornflesh5937]

"good grip to tip" thx for the tip dave

[@oscarmarfori613]

TS-100 is great on my test but I’m quite intrigued by this product thanks for an expert review i this 👍

[@Mommotexx]

4x18650 batteries in series would make the TS100 portable too. Have been using a 4s battery pack for a long time

[@ReginatorNet]

I wish we had shit like this in the 80's... back when we had to drag out miles of all-weather extension cords for our irons in the field.

[@rozwell69]

I'm surprised you didn't review TS100 yet? What the heck, Dave?! :O And you should definately try out Ralim custom firmware in both, TS100 and TS80 - it has many improvements and it's pretty much must have to make this iron complete :)

[@martijn3151]

“Soldering iron gets hot, that’s all you need to know” 😂

[@felenov]

That is the king of USB soldering irons. But the TS100 is still the king of portable soldering irons (you can run it from a car battery)

[@mbirth]

You can run this one from a phone power bank (with QC3.0 support).

[@shockwavecity]

But dave will just shit all over the ts100 because an "entry level" 250 dollar station is "better" somehow, despite having never tried the ts100.

[@frostiimoon]

I used a type c PD to dc board to use it with my TS100 works well with a USB PD power bank

[@ASJC27]

I agree. I have the TS100 and absolutely love it. There is no substitute for power so I won't be getting a TS80. I power the TS100 from either a laptop power brick or a 25V lipo battery. Works great and it's a super fast 70W.

[@borisjevic6338]

@ Markus Birth and QC 2.0 ;-) Or theoretically you should be able to.

[@psten94]

Really like the idea of the TS80, but wouldn't change my TS100 for it. A TS100 v2 (or TS180?) with Type C USB PD in addition to the barrel jack would be very nice. Still don't get why they limit the TS80 to Qualcomm Quick Charge. Yes, right now it has a greater adoption by powerbanks and chargers, but every 2018 ultrabook / MacBook comes with a USB PD charger. Google recommends phone makers to ditch proprietary charging standards like QC in favour of USB PD, as it is part of the official USB spec.

[@Darieee]

All the best stuff uses alan xD I went to buy one .. however, as of late feb 2019 .. there only seem to be 2 tips: the one dave uses, big chisel or the super fine needle type ... no smaller chisel or something else ... probably going for the ts100 ... way better tip assortment available

[@ChadForquer]

I use the 100 for all my kit building. Love it.

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

Couple of things about this iron. Get yourself a quality QC3 battery (Anker or Omnicharge) and you have yourself a really nice portable iron. There's custom firmware on the same GitHub as the TS100, so if you're not into the default firmware, you can get the open-source one with some better features. A few months ago they finally released a line of different tips, so you're not stuck between a conical tip or a chunky screwdriver tip. I got the TS-BC02 which is a hoof tip. It took forever to get here because China and COVID-19. They're nowhere near as varied as Hakko or Weller RT tips, but there's more than enough for most hobbyists.

[@xblackdog]

After a bunch of videos on soldering irons, this video made me realize. The real way to a man's heart is a silicon USB-C cable.

[@nikolailian6718]

I think the reason for the plastic ring on the handle and the metal shroud on the tip being threaded is that you can screw both nearer to the tip and lock them into that position to get the distance from the tip to where you hold it to be shorter.

[@AlienRelics]

I noticed quite a while ago that most soldering irons waste most of their heat by radiating it away from a long heating element. Way back in the dark mists of time, when Heathkit was still a going business and they had a store in the Phoenix area.... I bought a tiny 12W soldering iron from them. It had a very thin heating element. The tip fit over it like a split sleeve with a spring steel ring holding it tight. It soldered at least as well or better than my 35W soldering iron. And it was much more comfortable to use, as the 12W iron didn't have as much heat radiating away from it.

[@robertw1871]

Have to admit I laughed when I saw this at first, I’m a bit shocked it worked that well, I honestly thought it would be a joke.

[@martinda7446]

Great review. Looks like a lovely object. My only gripe about irons in general...I used both an 18W and a 25W Antex iron for twenty years, and they were brilliant. No temperature control or fancy knobs, just a quality standard iron. In 1990 ish I did get a better iron...Yet I still have those ancient Antex irons and they still work.

[@magnets1000]

Martin D A the antex run at 400+ degrees and take 5 minutes to heat up but are reliable

[@johncoops6897]

One Antex tip costs more than many of the complete Chinese irons.

[@chaos.corner]

Definitely the best dumb iron that I have used. Properly grounded too.

[@vwestlife]

I misread the title as TRS-80!

[@AnneJan]

You and me both . .

[@brendondrew1691]

I have been using one of these in the field doing wire joints in the feild, usualy run it at 250*C joining 14/0.20 cables and is absolutly excelent. The screwing collar is good for getting the tips out when it is hot (the newer TS80P has a spring loded thing). I run it with a 10Ah QC3.0 power bank and get days and days out of it with intermited use. I found being 'cheaper' the cable it comes with is a bit on the thin side. I use an 'armored' cable from jaycar and have gotten higher power. Its a great feild iron but not something i use on the bench

[@Malainor]

Nice utility and size, perfect to replace my stationary. If I need to save space or fix something in the car.

[@stevenspmd]

This will iron be next on my list!! I just got a KSGER station from Amazon and its pure awesome for the price. My weller wes station has now been relocated to the parts bin.

[@Ihavetruth22]

DAVE! Please do a review of some cordless butane soldering irons. I'm interested in those.

[@cmj20002]

I have a butane soldering iron that I picked up at Radio Shack many years ago and I can say they work well, at least mine does and it is the only way you will get a truly cordless soldering iron.

[@joansparky4439]

Years ago, the ones I had were oxidizing the lead as the flame was relatively close to the tip. I've been used to soldering with a Weller up to that point. And in high wind (remember, we're talking field here, right?) they are useless. Also needs a butane cartridge with you. As I still needed field ability and the butane crap didn't work, I got me a Hakko-clone from ebay and one of those drivers that someone was selling on ebay for them and attached a li-ion battery and have never looked back. Only came across the TS100 about a week ago and the two I ordered are on the post for a week now, should be with me in two more weeks. Can then completely forget about the controller board and just use a smart battery (smart=over-discharge protection).

[@johncoops6897]

Butane soldering irons are like SOoooo 1980's. I've had a few of them over the years, and found that they are useless. OK, that is a bit unfair... sometimes they work, but not when you actually need them. However I do like the butane hot air blowers with the little catalyst disc inside them... at least until they start spluttering and farting due to some microscopic impurity blocking the tip.

[@jensharbers6702]

I used one a while back, and they aren't any sort of temperature controlled. To solder two wires together, ecxactly what you need, for everything more? Meh.

[@jusaca01]

I just don't understand why people buy these shitty USB powerd irons...For the "field work" I have a gas powered one and it has SO much more power, that little ground plane would just be a joke xD And I just fill it up at home and never have to worry about a power bank or anything. And I can get new gas at every garage, if needed.

[@dukeeod1650]

I have had my TS80 for a few weeks and I think it rocks! the only down side is wht you mentioned about not working with power pack.

[@bluedrew]

Check out new model 80P. USB C PD 30 Watt. More options. Trying to decide between this, TS 100, and KSGER T12. To me the only downside to this now is more expensive tips...how often to change? What do u think?

[@Herby-1620]

Excellent review. At the moment I don't know if I'd buy one, but this review does give me a starting point.

[@scottwolf9914]

I was on the fence about the TS80, but now I'll have to get one for my field kit.

[@ASJC27]

You should also consider the TS100. Much more powerful (70W @25V) and can be powered from either a laptop power brick or a lipo battery.

[@CliveTrezona]

I totally agree.

[@almosthuman4457]

The barrel jack version is better for most (away from bench) service applications. It can be run from many different power sources such as tool batteries or automotive accessory plug.

[@timmgiles]

Another great video Dave - thanks! Looks like I need to add one of these to my Christmas wish list - makes a great second iron I can keep on the desk and fire up for through hole, keeping my Hakko for all the smd. No more changing bits!

[@1tesla]

Hi Dave, great review! The product banggod site says: " Power Input: 3.6V-6.5V/3A, or 6.5V-9V/2A, or 9V-12V/1.5A ~ (QC 3.0) " . In your video at 11:24 the OffVolt was set to 10 Volts. Maybe if you lowering it, than the iron will work at 5 volts. Or just your powerbank doesn't provide enought power (3A needed at 5 Volts)

[@LydellAaron]

Beautiful board design.

[@IIGrayfoxII]

The icon is the heating symbol. Those waves mean the iron is heating up.

[@MBrulla]

Love to see him review both irons with Ralim.

[@djmatty987]

Ds

[@ralfbaechle]

For future tests I suggest something like soldering a coaxial connector to a RG-213 cable and desoldering it again. Some irons like all soldering guns I ever tried, even with 100W and more failed that test horribly while a 50W Weller does pretty well.

[@needforsuv]

If you are going to need QC 3.0 might as well get a proper pluged iron

[@PicaDelphon]

Nice little Bugger, good unit for the Tool box..

[@GodzillaGoesGaga]

If that had a battery in it, it would be well worth having. Charge with USB and also allow it to be used off USB. Means you could use it like a normal iron and then in-plug and continue to work in those hard to get places.

[@ezg8448]

9 Volts 2 amps is quick charge 2.0 standard. 12 volts 1.5 amps is quick charge 3.0 Slightly more efficient but not a whole lot different energy-wise.

[@DrewLittleFPV]

Check out the ts100, On 24v it pulls about 100-110w and on 12v it does about 30w. Pretty nice iron tbh. Louis rossman compared it to his hakko and was impressed.

[@ElmerFuddGun]

Correction at 1:29 - _"After continuous use... the handle surface temperature will reach 50-60°C_ *_because we didn't learn anything from the TS100 and haven't provided any heat insulation._*

[@nukularpictures]

Nah it is just not possible with a metal frame. I mean either compact and have that "problem" or you have to build it up bulky and heavy. Not ideal for a mobile application but it is still ok.

[@ElmerFuddGun]

My Hakko still has a thin grip even with the protective "foam". They definitely could have provided something but chose not to. Choosing to go with a "modern" tech look instead of practical and safe.

[@captiveimage]

I like using gas-powered soldering irons for out-in-the-field. No power socket required. I use it at home too; swap out the tip and use it as a hot air tool. That's useful for heat-shrink sleeve shrinking. This TS80 looks like a pretty good tool though. I wonder if they'll start selling it as a kit with multiple tips and a proper stand like the TS100?

[@onlyrgu]

TS 80 Finally....I was waiting for you to review and rant about TS 100 for ages (which I am an happy user of)

[@dragonhunter2475]

the front grip piece screws off because they will sell a carbon fiber grip and hopefully also a silicone grip piece

[@ethanpoole3443]

DragonHunter247 At least one hopes, silicon grips are so much better, not only a softer yet positive grip surface but also insulates the user from the heat quite effectively.

[@sourekpetr]

40 minutes results in 50-60 degrees celsius in the handle is in the manual. Used it for 2 hours, but it was Ok. Wondering what was ment by it. And yes it didn’t went to sleep mode.

[@MazeFrame]

Not a bad. Not bad at all! Just needs a small base station that then does temp controll and it makes for a nice "secondary iron" Might buy it just for the silicone USB C cable...

[@Jpilgrim30]

That’s why I prefer the Ts100. It’s so much easier to use different power supplies or a Lipo battery from one of my RC craft.

[@PerBuch]

I am one of the TS100 fans :-) Often carrying an 4-6S lipo. But for the most i am just using my pc powersuppy. Ts80 looks tempting :-)

[@decee1157]

The thing that screws off at the top of the device, I'd take a guess that it is to "screw off" the tip so you also can replace the tip while using the iron but your guess is as good as mine

[@Buizie]

The TS 100 is more inclined on RC Hobbyists since the cable that comes with it has an XT60 on the other end which is connected to the LiPo batt

[@Ziptietechnician]

4:14 wonder if you can remove that ring to allow use of weller tips

[@brandonlu4068]

Actually, the manufacturer released their own firmware as open-sourced before the community came up with its firmware. We never needed to hack it ;)

[@KhalilEstell]

This is freaking awesome! I think I might pick one up!!

[@irawarnaca8133]

Impressive, thanks Dave.

[@WhiskeyX42]

you can unscrew the black finger thing to remove a tip thats hot and put a new one in, i think... makes sense though!

[@picoampere1206]

I like the TS100 more. For me its much more universal, plus it has more power.

[@RobertSzasz]

Would buy it in a second if it were PD.

[@FnordOok]

Yeah... the ability to plug in any old USB-PD 9v/2a capable power brick? donesky.

[@RobertSzasz]

FnordOok not sure if it would take 15v, but the power bank I recently got for a trip will give 1.6 amps at 15 volts PD. (Powercore speed 20000 pd) 72Wh.... Bit scary when you think about it

[@maxkinzius1451]

I recently got this Iron and I do like it a lot. However there is one major drawback compared to the TS100 - although it seems there are plenty tips available for it from the miniware website I cannot seem to find a place that sells them (yet) - If you want a new tip all I can find to do is get a new iron - TS100 tips are sold on every store on the web it seems... - hope they stock some for the TS80 soon !

[@ミエーラ]

Thanks Dave for testing out things so most of us don`t have to ! TS80 is a very nice and slick tool for soldering. I bought it, used it and I think temperature setting is a very useful feature giving control over a certain range of materials,especially plastics.I was looking for a soldering tool since my soldering pistol from the 80`s stopped working at the end of last year.Searching the internet I saw a recording of Rossmann L. using the TS100 , that stirred my interest.Then I discovered the TS80 and your review and i thought that a small tool like that,since I learned to like small things from a certain asian culture, for an amateur at soldering like me, would be more than enough.Now I am, writing back ,supporting your opinion on TS80.Thank you for reviewing this useful product ! And for all soldering enthusiasts out there : Take your soldering pen and start writing your stories in metal and transistors !

[@AshkanKiani]

With USB-PD, you can buy/make usb-c dongles that only negotiate a single voltage by fixing some resistors in there. I have an adapter from usb-c to DC barrel jack from amazon that tries to negotiate 20V, and somehow manages to fall back to 12V. Could be useful for the ts100 instead of faffing with potential incompatibility if you know your power bank can handle it and don't need to support random voltages.

[@nem81]

Its perfectly normal what you are seeing with the temperature offset before adjusting it. After tuning it, it should be good tho :) (You will see the same on more known brands like Weller as well, when they are new)

[@RedPillQuants]

The most in-depth review I've ever watched :-)

[@MichaelOfRohan]

Seen a lotta 5v portable soldering iron teardowns have you?..

[@stationplaza4631]

I think I may treat myself to an early Christmas present.

[@ondra30]

Does it work with QC2.0 powerbanks? The specs for 9V/2A are the same. QC3.0 just adds 0.2V increments, but running at 9V, it should work, or not?

[@WacKEDmaN]

quite more impressive than that $5 job...but requiring QC3 is a PITA

[@mbirth]

There are power banks with QC3 support for like $20 available.

[@harshbarj]

There may be Markus, but it's not something people commonly have. The point of something like this is convenience. If I have to buy a bunch of extra stuff, I may as well pack a 15w pencil from radioshack.

[@TOO2150]

harshbarj many people already carry a QC3 charger for their phone.

[@Ismsanmar]

Your comment i'ts funny because you need to order this soldering iron from China. So, one advice, buy the PB at the same time....

[@MrMega200]

Lassi: $20 for a power bank is VERY inexpensive if it has Quickcharge 3. The bigger name brand kind of power banks cost normally $40-$60 for a quality product. I would be very happy to haul this thing around with me with a huge power bank with QC 3.0. I am very tempted to buy the iron now tbh

[@jetjazz05]

I bought the YiHUA 936 2in1 110V ESD Adjustable Temperature Soldering Iron last year, I only solder on occasion to repair cracked solder joints in relays for cars and similar such things... I was using it about 8 months ago and the tip started glowing red hot. Should've not wasted my 35 bucks and gotten a real Hakko.

[@andremeissner9886]

There might be another reason why this black part screws off: Both the Weller tips and these have this metal cylinder on which the 3,5 connector is mounted. The Weller ones are shorter and therefore may not fit on the TS80. I assume this is to overcome patent issues with Weller. But what if you just screwed off this black bottom part? Does that make it compatible with Weller tips?

[@va-josefranciscomontoya866]

Any chance somebody would mistake this for a Parker pen? :) Thanks for the video, Dave!

[@XSpImmaLion]

This is pretty awesome... but like a transitional upgrade. When 3.1 full spec becomes a de facto standard everywhere, if it ever happens, then there'll be plenty of power to do anything without needing to rely on QC3 specifically. In fact, USB 3.1 should be able to produce a whole ton of portable devices, with external batteries to match and whatnot. Power of standards.

[@boogerking7411]

Do you know how that anodized aluminum case is manufactured? Do they pour molten aluminum into a mold or was it cnc milled from an aluminum stock?

[@abeleski]

Dave, would be good to do a comparison of the TS100 vs the TS80. Even though the TS80 is only 18W I think it will perform just as well as the more powerful TS100 due to a better design. Would be interesting to see. See you at the Sydney show in Sept.

[@BillAnt]

It would be a great project for Dave to modify the iron internally to be backwards compatible with the non-Quick-Charger standard. I would imagine a couple of cut and jumpered traces might actually do the job. ;)

[@RyanBissell]

4:13 I wonder if, by removing that part, you could then use Weller's TRS tips?

[@electronic7979]

Excellent item

[@coolciaran69]

I think I'm picking this up because I need something smaller to take with me to and from UNI everyday. For little bits and bobs. Sick of carrying a large solder station.

[@nickrider815]

I'm a couple of years late. I got one of those $5 usb irons and I was really pleased with the results on the first few uses. But it died after 5 uses. I guess you could buy one to chuck in a glove box. For $80 I would want something that lasts a few years with mild use.

[@avejst]

Thanks for sharing, Nice Iron :-)

[@Seegalgalguntijak]

The German KZbinr "Zerobrain" has made a video testing these USB power meters. Unfortunately it is in Geman, so you won't understand much of it, but basically the result was that these things do restrict the current flow, so that iron will probably draw the whole 2A once it's connected directly. He cut open a USB lead and measured it with a clamp meter in comparison, and there was considerably more current flowing without one of these USB meters. Of course, the cheaper the meter the worse the power drop was. And then there was one fancy shmancy high brow USB meter in a metal casing that had almost no current draw, but I think it was 80 bucks or so, so yeah...

[@ethanpoole3443]

Seegal Galguntijak Any current shunt type meter will inherently drop the output voltage a bit under load as it is a series resistor, so that pretty much goes without saying (though it certainly never hurts to remind people). What usually matters more is the displayed output voltage and current, from those two numbers you can determine the equivalent impedance (some units also display the real-time impedance in ohms) and, assuming it behaves as a linear resistive load, you can do the math to determine if the couple tenths of a volt difference under a heavy load would have made the difference. The only way to measure the current without adding further voltage drop is either to measure the voltage drop at each end of the power cord, using the power cord as a shunt of known resistance (but that only works with a known cord) - there will still be voltage drop, but no more than there was already going to be since the power cord is required - or you can use a clamp-on Hall effect style current probe to measure the current draw without significantly altering the performance of the circuit you are trying to measure.

[@RonLaws]

A FOS Firmware hack may be able to add USB2/3 Fallback, since the decision not to operate at this voltage seems determined by the firmware. Albeit the fallback would need to enforce a lower wattage limit in this operation. so maybe at power-up it tries standard power negotiation to get the max Amperes available from the source and sets the limit accordingly to prevent current overdraw from the supply.

[@lostngone2007]

I just got my TS80 in the mail yesterday. The power adapter was DOA out of the box. After opening it up I am glad it is dead, the thing is scary inside. Bad solder joints, bridged connections/pads with solder some appear deliberate others clearly not. The iron looks nice but I don't have anything to power it with(without splicing cables). I will disagree about the USB-C connection being a good thing, with my TS100 I carry a 6-cell Lipo and a lead with alligator clips. Even if I lose both I can always scrounge a AC to DC wall-wart for power or parts. Good luck finding a quick charge usb power bank(or even a USB-C cable) for this thing in the middle of no-where. For now I will stick with my TS100 as my travel iron.

[@guspaz]

Forty bucks US gets you an Anker PowerCore Speed 10000, which weighs 198g and is rated to deliver a bit more power than this soldering iron needs (2.4A@8-10v, 2.0A at 10-12v). Combined together, or with any other similar powerbank, that gets you a remarkably compact and portable on-the-go solution.

[@KidCe.]

I wanna buy a new iron soon. But the TS80 does only come with the big tip when you buy the kit version. And I didn't find where I can buy different tips for the TS80 yet :/ For the ts100 there are many tips to choose from

[@therealb888]

Is this the first time Mr.Dave is soldering a 15 AWG / thick wire on the channel?

[@FerralVideo]

My comparisons between this and the TS-100: The TS-80 has a better UI. It displays input voltage while in soldering mode (which seems to sag pretty severely) and clearly notes that you can press the upper button to access the menu (something the 100 doesn't tell you, it just says "Press to begin soldering"). That said, the TS-100's barrel jack is infinitely more useful to me, as I consider these connectors truly universal. I have a battery pack meant for laptops that'll power the iron up at 19v, giving me what I expect to be 50w of power. They also sell an adapter to use it on my XT-60 drone batteries, which while not as powerful as 19v due to the lower voltage, it's still plenty (and vastly more than 18w!). I'm going to agree with the prevailing discussion and suggest that this could have been better had they gone with PD and enabled higher power operation modes, or even just the higher voltages that QC supports... Footnote, the icons beside the tip symbol indicate what the iron's doing. The vertical chevrons tell you that it's heating towards setpoint. The wavey lines say that it's at setpoint. "OffVolt" is meant for the TS-100. If voltage (from, say, a battery) falls below that, it dumps you back to the home screen where it's flashing "Heating/Settings".

[@jabinstateresa]

The TS100 can display input voltage, but you have to install Ralim firmware on it. Don't know how reliable the TS80 is for extended periods of soldering. I heavily use my TS100 as a bench iron and it just takes it like a champ for 3 years strong now. I really hope that if ever my TS100 gives up the ghost the TS80 will be at least as good as the TS100

[@RFC3514]

4:13 - Does that tighten around the tip and prevent it from spinning? Or is there some other mechanism for that? I imagine it could be a bit annoying if a chiseled the tip spun when you press it down.

[@synoptica]

At around 12:00 you talk about short grip-to-tip; is there any sort of sheath you can screw on that will allow you to hold it closer to the tip?

[@JerryWalker001]

10 times as expensive and better quality, what a surprise.

[@BenjaminGoose]

Real shame it doesn't have a lower power mode for non-QC3 sources.

[@Kezat]

Would have preferred the cable to be hard wired directly to the soldering iron, would have made it smaller and perhaps more robust.

[@nneeerrrd]

19:24 ...and the instruction manual says pretty clear "don't change the tip while plugged in" LOL

[@alejandroperez5368]

To avoid getting burned...

[@xXXx-nl7eq]

can I use a 3.5mm extension cable, then use weller RT tips into the extension?

[@magnets1000]

You can make a DIY version using a T12 clone kit (quicko on AliExpress Do a variety) and a qc3.0 trigger/tester dongle to get your 12v from a QC adapter or power bank. Not quite as portable but much more flexible and around 1/3 the price

[@Electheo]

So this is a good portable iron. Which DESK soldering iron would be on the same price/performance level as this one?

[@lauabby2336]

Our des68 soldering iron!!!

[@Electheo]

@@lauabby2336 hehe! I got the hakko fx888d 😉

[@lauabby2336]

@@Electheo Ｈｏｗ　ａｂｏｕｔ　ｉｔ？

[@Electheo]

@@lauabby2336 it’s amazing 🤩

[@IAdryan]

When i've heard USB-C i've thought it woud be at least 50W. Kind of dissapointed...

[@Alex4n3r]

Yeah. There are many positive reviews out there. But actually only the tip is shorter by at most a cm. TS100 sleep mode is achieved via alternate firmware. Grip and alu body are better but IMO not worth the power downgrade.