Voltlog

This is now my favorite T12 soldering station and I will be using it daily from now on because of the advantages it has over the older soldering stations I have. Check-out the links below if you are interested in getting a KSGER T12 soldering station yourself.
They have several different handle options you can choose from and the price will vary depending on which one you choose. I asked the seller which one is best and he recommended this aluminium handle because it’s smooth and light. If you prefer something heavier while solderingyou should try the polished steel handle. The cable attached to the soldering iron handle is silicone insulated so temperature resistant while remaining very flexible.
They’ve also included 3 different T12 tips, which are also branded KSGER. If you remember I did a video where I compared a KSGER branded tip with an original HAKKO and the results were pretty close, I was unable to prove that one is better than the other.
→KSGER STM32 Soldering Station V2.1S voltlog.com/y/d0m4t
→KSGER Metal Stand voltlog.com/y/oim1u
→KSGER T12 Compatible Tips voltlog.com/y/ptv45
→Support the channel via Patreon, Paypal or Bitcoin
www.voltlog.com/donations
→Blog Post
www.voltlog.com/
#VoltLog #KSGER #SolderingStation

[@loteknomad5032]

Enjoying your videos! Glad to see manufacturers and retailers sending you products to review. Your examination and comments are very thorough. :)

[@voltlog]

Thanks!

[@juggalizzle75]

Also, the voltage display and low voltage options are very nice of you install inputs for an external battery to power the unit. I use big lipo batteries to solder in the field when running RC trucks and drones.

[@cajuncoinhunter]

When I get my KSGER in I will test those wires , since mine will have the aluminum case on it , I will have to earth ground the case since that black anodizing acts like an insulator .... There are a few videos out on that issue....

[@dcrickerson7611]

Very nice review! It looks like it is pretty well made.

[@voltlog]

Yup! 👍🏼

[@electronic7979]

Nice and useful product. I liked it.

[@frankhobsonKJ4CDM]

I have been using a metal case model for months. I really have enjoyed iron and I would recommend them.

[@voltlog]

thanks for the feedback!

[@roncooke2188]

Very nice interesting video. i learnt a lot in a short time

[@FlyingShotsman]

The password is almost certainly to protect settings in an assembly line environment, so workers can’t make changes that upset process controls.

[@NiHaoMike64]

I have worked at quite a few labs that ordered some nice Metcal soldering stations for the rework bench because "they worked flawlessly in production environments". Problem is, having to change the tip to change the temperature is good for production environments, but not so good at a rework bench...

[@voltlog]

This makes sense, thanks for sharing!

[@pr0xZen]

Or you have a prorgrammed and calibrated setup for your workflow at your own bench, but there are co-workers who tend to pop in and solder a few joints or wires with your equipment without asking or telling. If you can password protect it to prevent heating the iron at all - that's well suited for eg. child "protection"; especially for kids old enough to be pushing buttons here and there, or possibly even old enough to be allowed to try soldering, but not without supervision.

[@brunoeugene9293]

pro tip: you can watch movies at InstaFlixxer. I've been using them for watching all kinds of movies during the lockdown.

[@tommygraham4727]

@Bruno Eugene Yea, I have been watching on InstaFlixxer for months myself :D

[@frankdaeran352]

Very helpful, thank you! @ 1:30 ... and here I thought that was just the feet mounted upside down :)

[@cajuncoinhunter]

I didn't read all of your 199 comments , but I will add one more .... Those wires you were asking about inside the unit is most likely Teflon whish acts like silicone ..... It is almost burn proof , In my line of electronic work in the 2 way radio business I use 50 OHM coax that has a Teflon insulator over the center conductor wires, the Teflon and the dual shielding really makes that coax very pricey at 4 dollars per foot in some cases...........Hope this helps you out Mon Ami ....

[@nemisis010]

I got myself a TS100 and a quicko for larger soldering and they work really well. This does look like a nice iron though, good review.

[@voltlog]

thank you!

[@hectorpascal]

Putting heatshrink sleeving on the mains/fuse/switch combination socket is all well and good. But the fuse is (quite correctly) inserted in the live connection. So there is STILL a BIG exposed LIVE metal bar waiting to bite inquisitive fingers. And it's still alive when the plug is inserted, even if the switch is off! Always remove the plug completely whenever the cover is off. An L shaped plastic cover over this area is one simple solution.

[@voltlog]

you're right, that metal bar is live, ideally the connector should have that bar hidden inside the connector.

[@borayurt66]

Nice review Florin as usual. That fuse inside IS actually user replaceable to anyone who buys this soldering station instead of a $5 cheapo soldering iron. :-)

[@voltlog]

Thank you!

[@ep_dimi]

Thank you for sharing all these information!! What are the differences between v2.1s and v3.1?

[@elektrobits3408]

Very good review! Interesting, that KSGER now changed to plastic cases. The former aluminium cases - I have one - came without any earth connection! Now the required isolation is there and it should be even cheaper for them to produce. Even if the plastic does not feel as precious, it is a good decision. Btw: The earth in my station is directly connected to the tip and to VSS of the supply output. That's what they call "ESD safe". But it is not really, it discharges existing charges too hard. However, that's how all do it.

[@voltlog]

If you would have asked before receiving this if I think an aluminium case is better I would have said yes but now I have it and it doesn't feel bad in any way, I have no problem with it being made out of ABS plastic. As you mentioned it even solves the isolation problem. And yes the earth is connected straight to the tip and VSS output from the supply.

[@NiHaoMike64]

@@voltlog A good mod is to add a 1M resistor to the tip ground. It would be a good idea to have a second iron for doing that mod, however, because of the mains voltages inside the box.

[@topouzidd]

The battery is there just to keep the time, not the settings. On my device, the battery lasts about 2 weeks! I've changed 4 batteries since I've bought it (I even made a custom battery holder for CR2032 with the same connector, so I can easily place a new CR2032), then I got tired of changing batteries and left the 4th empty battery inside, so the time is reset each time I switch on my KSGER T12 v2.1s.

[@voltlog]

check out my new video on the subject

[@jwrtiger]

I just got one from Banggood and it is the same controller and metal handle but with a separate power supply. Right out of the box it had problems. It gave "ERROR" and sometimes "INVERT" messages and occasionally for a few seconds would start to heat the tip before failing. Also the back panel was installed upside down which was an easy fix. Doing Internet searches and I still have not found out what the "INVERT" means. Had to spend several days going around with Banggood and they would only give a partial refund and I can keep the defective unit. I have disassemble the the soldering handle, checking resistances, and the main enclosure, visual inspection. I also measured the power supply voltage which was correct at 24 volts. A search on the Internet shows some other customers having similar problems. I will spend some more time with the unit but at this time I can not recommend it or the customer service from Banggood. Had to edit because I forgot to mention that you did a nice review.

[@voltlog]

Thanks! Sorry to hear you had so many problems with your unit..

[@leachim66]

I had the exact same problem with the one from Banggood and also got the partial refund. I bought a new handle from a seller on aliexpress and it's been working really well. Annoying, but the new handle is much nicer. www.aliexpress.com/store/product/KSGER-Aluminum-Alloy-9501-907-Soldering-Iron-Handle-For-V2-1S-V2-0-V3-0-Stm32/3661053_32965564853.html

[@almirantecarvalho]

It seems they send only good batches to reviewers and not random units. I also purchased one but from KSEGER store on Aliexpress and I also got the "ERROR" problem. In the end, it was the handle (I had to purchase a new one). In any case, I was only able to get a partial refund as well.

[@thelastofthemartians]

I had exactly the same problem. The solution for me was to use extra force to seat the tip in the handle (using pliers for extra grip). You will feel it kind of click into position. Also my unit had an open circuit Chongx brand 100μF electrolytic which I replaced with a Rubycon. I also trimmed 1mm from the end of the silicone sleeve to make it easier to seat the tip. Now I don't need pliers to change tips.

[@voltlog]

sorry to hear you guys had problems with the units from Banggood. What I would suggest for future purchases, pay with paypal and ask for a full refund when something is not right.

[@AIexanderHartdegen]

The best handle are those one have a rubber for grip. This handle seems to be very nice but I don't think to use it for soldering during long time. If you change the tip I think you don't need to make any calibration, because all those tip are made with a K type temperature sensor.

[@voltlog]

It could be true that a rubber grip is best for long term soldering so those who do long term soldering should consider a rubber grip first. I think there are slight differences between different tips but this got me wondering so i will be testing in a future video to see if there is any change.

[@AIexanderHartdegen]

@@voltlog in fact those tip are a heating element on the chrome alumel wire, in fact they are simply a thermocouple. You can have an ambiant temperature by connecting them to a K type thermometer. Thanks for yours videos

[@geirendre]

I wish they made an unit like this but with dedicated buttons for the most used functions. Like "Sleep", "Boost", "Tip change" etc. When your busy soldering, you shouldn't need to long-press - rotate - press - rotate - press etc. and remember menu structures etc when you'r focused at what your soldering.

[@leachim66]

While in theory I agree with you, in practice, the amount of settings you can fine tune really makes it a set-it-and-forget it type operation. I configured my standby and sleep times as well as several other parameters to make it feel natural, I hardly ever have to touch the station when I'm soldering.

[@voltlog]

I can see what you mean, it's a matter of preference, some people like and prefer shortcut buttons and I understand that but for me that is not an issue with this station and my work flow

[@geirendre]

Regarding the internal fuse, I bet that if you check the traces on the PCB, that you'll find that it's not in use. There are unused L, N and SW soldering pads on the PCB. The fuse is probably used if mains is connected trough those pads.

[@voltlog]

Thanks! Will open it up again to check this.

[@felixgamingvlog6702]

@@voltlog did you know it have 2 fuse one in pcb and in the power socket beter than weller lol

[@brainndamage]

A fail on the power supply isolation. The output diode heatsink goes over the isolation barrier and comes within less than a millimetre of a primary side trace.

[@voltlog]

Thanks! I'll open it up again to check this.

[@GpanosXP]

Indeed, they go through the truble of routing an air gap for isolation only to bypass it with a big chunk of metal over it.

[@Sedokun]

Air gaps are made for "carbonization" prevention (when arc goes inside the pcb and burn it). Airborne arcs are not that dangerous. Esp since there are no high voltage sources (kilovolts). You may just scrape the solder mask to increase its isolation. More info here: www.digikey.com/en/ptm/j/johanson-dielectrics/high-voltage-pcb-design-for-arc-prevention/tutorial

[@Glasrandkante]

Thank you very much! You are completely right, that is a massive No-Go. I have one of these KSGER Stations with Aluminum case on the way and I will modify the heatsink so that it doesn't go over to the primary side. There should be plenty of place to slide the heatsink to the front

[@benbaselet2026]

Also the solder connection from the power connector to the PCB is just going to crack when the connector moves. And check the underside of the board for waaay too long leads from the factory. They might be right up the case.

[@juggalizzle75]

My ksger unit had a handle that was was too sensitive to be used for shake to wake. The unit also failed after about 20 minutes. It was hardware version 2.09. The replacement also had the 9501 handle but it's shake sensor didn't work at all. I did discover why the first unit failed and the replacement almost did. There was a hard short in one of the tips. Apparently there is no short protection. Regardless, ksger told me their unit is intended to be woken up from standby by pressing the button. Even though the software defaults to shake to awake from standby and the handle has a movement sensor. So the moral of the story is to check your t12 tips for shorts before use.

[@Hassla]

Are there any handles, that are a bit less monstrosous? The FX-951 handles are slimer but realy long compared to my Weller MLR 20. Did anyone tested the desoldering feature from the V2.1?

[@nitrogen730]

Have you measured ac voltage across the solder tip? Concerned about the ESD safety of these units but i like the stm32 based irons. Probably stick with my ts100

[@shine9001]

tvs diode

[@rondlh20]

The battery is used for the realtime clock

[@joshm264]

I have one with the aluminum station case and I love it! Also, Ksger is pronounced Kess-jur

[@alejandroperez5368]

And who determines how things are pronounced?

[@za_ozero]

You were ok with heatsinks crossing mains separation gap?

[@vegtersbaas]

#easylab4kids also bought a KSGER station. Very happy with it.

[@Sedokun]

4:19 I don't like the way switch is connected. It would be nice to have 4-terminal one, cause you never know where the hot/line wire is (in some countries you do). 8:52 It's a RTC battery, not backup.

[@0M42]

Hi, Will the warm-up time be faster if we increase the voltage of the smps source inside the soldering iron?

[@hadiffnazhan862]

I dont know why you would want to do that, the warmup time is below 10 seconds, and below 20 seconds for max temp (480° C), which i think is fast enougg

[@GutiBarreto]

my battery came with problems, it has only 1.8v; This does not allow the station to save the time on the RTC, let alone the fact that the cable came with two inverted wires, preventing the motion sensor from detecting the movements.

[@umbratherios5614]

That's basically like a ts100 but in a bigger body... honestly, it looks quite nice, I guess I can recommend it to a friend of mine.

[@voltlog]

to me they are in a different category: portable vs bench and I think both are great just for slightly different use case.

[@umbratherios5614]

@@voltlog Ah that is true.

[@simon2823]

Thanks for the review. the 2.1S seems to be the one to go for, however there seems to be a newer 3.1 version that the seller has now. do we know anything thing about the newer version?

[@voltlog]

I don't know anything about the new version.

[@pr0xZen]

I believe there is russian language, and bigger font/numbers on the display layout for the current live temperature. I heard they dropped storage of per-tip calibration though, so only one temp calibration can be stored, verus the V2.x ones.

[@wi_zeus6798]

The STM32 can emulate EEPROM using the program memory I think. It's erased each time the chip is re-programmed

[@voltlog]

Yes but that would raise the wear level on the flash memory.

[@wi_zeus6798]

@@voltlog Yes it does but that's true for EEPROM too. Certain techniques can be followed to mitigate these effects as much as possible. On top of that settings aren't changed that often

[@superdau]

@@voltlog The flash memory in STM32 is specified for 10 000 reliable erase cycles. Unless they wrote something stupid (totally possible ;) ) that writes to the flash on its own all the time, and only write anything when the user changes a setting, it should be fine. For flash usually a whole page has to be erased even if just a single byte is changed, while with EEPROM, depending on implementation, it can go down to really only erasing and writing a single byte.

[@academiereparation3662]

What does mean "cold junction temperature"?

[@kriswillems5661]

I don't understand the grounding of the tip. There are only 2 wires going from the power supply to the tip. The minus of the tip heater is grounded via a capacitor to the mains ground connection (according to you), but the ground is not grounded? Or are ground and minus linked together is the power supply?

[@davadoff]

Your confusion is understandable. Designed by amateurs. Yet another disappointing station. The PSU output appears to be floating. Bottom left blue capacitor (noise suppression) & bottom right electrolytic at 5:12 are connected to earth (electrolytic’s positive side connected to PSU output negative). I can’t see anything else connected to earth apart from the 3 pin mains input connector. The fat trace snaking round the very top of the board at 5:15 is earth. So the PSU is not like a double insulated one with a class y suppression capacitor across the transformer. I originally thought it was. So earth doesn’t appear to me to be connected to anything at all except one side of two capacitors. Also that 2 pin output connector is 2A max I think. So it’s an inappropriate choice.

[@mimeanalytics4331]

Is that still your preferred station or you shifted to c245?

[@akierum]

Do you still like carbon handle? is it working OK? Does not get too hot to hold?

[@akierum]

No reply after a year?

[@LEO-xo9cz]

Does it come with that handle? There are no pictures of the handle in the advert.

[@voltlog]

you can choose from a selection of different handles.

[@mstefangabriel]

Have you managed to find a better stand for this station ? Thanks !

[@voltlog]

Still using the one shown in the video myself but there are a couple of newer models on aliexpress if you would like to try.

[@elmono8894]

I bought one of this and it works like a charm, the only problem that I have (I am a beginner) its that sometimes the display doesnt turn on, the temperature does. I have to switch the power on and off like 2 or 3 times until the displays shows off. Any suggestion?

[@voltlog]

do you have the same revision as I showed in the video? Could be several issues: bad display, bad connection to display, firmware bug.

[@elmono8894]

@@voltlog yep it's the same, sometimes the display doesn't turn on, the iron does rise the temperature dough. Thanks for the quick reply

[@FixDaily]

Hi, are you also having issues with Aliexpress purchases? I've lost half of it at this point. They have never arrived since almost of the beginning of this year

[@jwrtiger]

Funny I have only had two problems over the last few years and both were in the last few weeks. One from Banggood and one from AliExpress. I ordered a 3D printer build sheet from a vendor on AliExpress that was suppose to arrive in less than 60 days. After 85 days and dealing with the vendor (not AliExpress) I opened a dispute claim online with documentation. AliExpress responded in about 4 minutes (probably automated response) and stated I had a valid complaint and they would give me a full refund in, I think they stated 3 to 7 days. Next day the refund showed up in my account. So you might want to investigate opening a dispute. Best of Luck!

[@FixDaily]

Hi@@jwrtiger, thank you for your feedback. I don't have those problems, my problem was about the shipping, a lot of things are missing and i'm not quite sure if it is a problem from my contry's post system or from china.

[@voltlog]

I've had packages who were returned to sender by the Chinese customs, but you can usually spot those on the online tracking because they never leave China and I've also had packages go missing after they left China, in either way if you closely monitor your orders and open a dispute you will be refunded.

[@FixDaily]

@@voltlog Thanks for the tip and time :)

[@Jay-fp8iy]

I don't buy from banggood or Aliexpress because of the amount of missing/damaged packages. One time I ordered something they never wrapped it in a protective layer so the item was just in a really thin plastic bag and was broken and scratched up when it arrived. Also, had a few DOA items such as bluetooth headphones.

[@thelastofthemartians]

Apparently the (0) after the tip name on the display e.g. J02(0) means that it is calibrated and (*) means it is not calibrated. Maybe the seller calibrated it for you before shipping. I'm sure others would find a calibration video useful though.

[@voltlog]

I will take a look at this in a future video, I will also try another tip to see if the accuracy is maintained.

[@TheDefpom]

That unit looks different to the one I reviewed, that’s not a fake one is it? Nice dig at Weller, I made a similar comment. That handle is similar to the one I recommend for it, my preferred one is a bit thicker, it doesn’t seem to get hot in my normal usage.

[@voltlog]

Different in what way? Do you have the same hw/sw revision?

[@acoustic61]

How can you have a fake T12 station? They're all fakes!

[@TheDefpom]

acoustic61 - I was referring to a fake KSGER branding, it could just be due to the different case, but that made me think it was a clone of the one I have, which seems to be of better construction.

[@DoctorThe113]

I want a good iron that can hold it's stability for altleast 4 year. For that reason is ts100 better than this ksger?

[@pr0xZen]

These units should be good for a while, the only part I see potentially failing in the vety long run could be the PSU. So if that is a worry, you can buy these for even cheaper as models without internal PSU, and supply your own 4+A 24VDC (or any 12-24VDC, 24V is optimal) quality power supply. Like for example a 24V laptop power brick. And it will be easy to swap if it should fail. The downside to the TS100, is that you still need an external power supply, the tips are proprietary so quite expensive (T12 copy tips are cheap and many good ones are available), and they nowhere near as easily available ad T12 tips are. And finally, as the handle of the TS-100 (and TS-80) "IS the station", you cannot swap the hand piece for something else, no matter how much you are willing to pay. And at least from my own personal experience, neither TS 80 or 100 are particularly comfortable in the hand. This last bit is very subjective of course. With one of these stations like the one in this video, or similar ones, you can buy a wide variety of different handles for as low as 2-3 bucks, up to 25-30 for the really fancy ones. And just unplug one, plug in the other. Buy a V2.1S station like this (with internal or separate PSU), a couple of different handles, a 10+ pack of good clone T12 tips and a stand/holder for the handle - and you'll still have money left over versus a baseline TS-100 kit.

[@itluis2009]

Don’t know how did you get all of that for less that I paid for my ts100 AliExpress when you select all of that you pay way above 100$ If you go to RDQ.com you can get ts100 for 49$ and tips are only 9$ Any laptop power supply of 24v or less will do the power or use a dewalt or Milwaukee battery with a DC5525 connectors and you good to go up to 450c with the ralim firmware

[@MarksGoneWicked]

I need one of those tip thermometers.

[@voltlog]

They're cheap, order one fg100 👍🏼

[@DaruoshAghajaney]

The battery is for keeping the clock.

[@acoustic61]

Nice review! I service audio equipment, PA equipment, old tube amplifiers with through hole PCB and point to point wiring. I'm looking for a new soldering station. Been using a couple of Weller irons for 30 years. I'm wondering how well these Chinese stations hold up for every day use? What is attractive is the low cost of consumables like inexpensive generic tips. But it would depend how well they hold up? I'm also considering the Pace ADS200 because it seems like a workhorse. Would be cool if generic tips were available for Pace. Perhaps there willl be, as the ADS200 becomes more popular. Desoldering point to point wiring tends to be hard on tips because of the abrasion.

[@acoustic61]

Not sure which tips you're referring to. But I consider all these T-12 compatible tips that aren't genuine Hakko, to be generic clones. They seem to cost $2-3 each. Would be nice if they held up like genuine Hakko, but I suspect they don't. When I work on old radios and tube amplifiers etc., I sometimes use the tip of the iron to pry wires and component leads loose and unwrap them from terminal strips and tube socket terminals while heating them at the same time. I don't always have the time or the patience to reach for tools. So I'm a bit rough with them. It's not like soldering and desoldering on PCBs. Old Weller tips hold up pretty well that way. Been using them for decades.

[@voltlog]

I've also seen some Black XA-Grade T12 tips being sold on aliexpress, I've not researched those so far but I think they might be better because they claim the coating is harder on those.

[@acoustic61]

@@voltlog I saw those tips but I wondered why a reputable company wouldn't have developed a more durable tip if it was possible. Chinese aren't exactly known for advancing technology. And the black area of the tip is not the surface that touches the solder?

[@voltlog]

@@acoustic61 reputable companies have developed more durable tips, it's just not in their advantage to do so. While the Chinese might not be advancing the soldering tips technology it's not hard to imagine they could increase the thickness of the coating on these tips to make them more durable. I have no problem with standard T12 tips though, I still have the very first T12 tip I ever got and it's in perfect condition, don't know if it's a clone or an original but still working fine after years of moderate usage.

[@cheetahkid]

I built mine and getting parts from different sources was easy, right down to soldering iron parts. (all from ebays)

[@Jay-fp8iy]

@cheetahkod Were did you get the instructions from?

[@chefbink61]

HEHEHE poor Weber!!! I have a few KSGER and they are pretty good and they have good support as they have answered a few questions I had in the past. Battery is for the clock if you need that. KSGER also make a 2n1 (Solder/hotair) 3n1 (Solder/Hotair/De-solder). When you cal your tips they are very close to their set temps. I also have a real Hakko FX-951 and the KSGER works just as well and the user interface is much better the the Hakko! For the money they really are the best buy and I find it very hard to recommend a Hakko FX anything over a KSGER. Also KSGER has a Emulator Downloader Programmer ST-Link so you can flash the ST-32 with new firmware.

[@voltlog]

Is their firmware open source or at least they share the hex files with their customers?

[@chefbink61]

@@voltlog I saw the on the web but can't remember where I saw it. I will email the seller and see if they have it. I would think that it's available somewhere if they offer the link to flash it.

[@voltlog]

@@chefbink61 Thanks, that's good to know.

[@chefbink61]

@@voltlog Link for the programmer www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Emulator-Downloader-Programmer-ST-Link-V2-STM8-STM32-OLED-DIY-Kits-T12-Electronic-Welding-Iron-Tips/1486111_32820881304.html?spm=a2g1y.12024536.productList_1293866.subject_9

[@produccionesonuba]

Hello, KSGER have much chinese imitations. Is the station you show the original? Thanks.

[@joop2295]

KSGER is probably just as Chinese as its imitations, with its shortcomings, concerning safety and the total lack of safety approvals. Probably the "imitations" are just re-labeled products.

[@AtlantaTerry]

OK, there are 2 large heat sinks on the power supply board. That implies a significant amount of heat is going to be generated. Then everything is enclosed in an air tight box. So where is the heat supposed to go? No fan. No air vents. Nothing to release the hot air! Back when it was first built using an aluminum case, they probably assumed the heat would be passed off by the case. Plastic is an insulator! Didn't they think this through?

[@Boz1211111]

Barely heats up, i have quicko unit and gets just warm after hour use

[@TV-fg3kd]

Soldering Station 의 메뉴별 각 기능을 설명해주었더라면 더 좋을뻔 했습니다. 팁을 설정해주는 메뉴라던지요.

[@bwselectronic]

Maybe the idea of the password is to keep little exploring hands from turning it on and getting burned. Only reason I can think of for a password lockout

[@Hinoserm]

I think this is useful for example in an assembly plant, where you don't want employees tampering with the settings.

[@bwselectronic]

@@Hinoserm I can see that with some of the people I've worked with over the years. 🙂

[@bobkeller8383]

I cant find that handle. I want one

[@voltlog]

Follow the links in the description, you will find the handle on aliexpress.

[@DeeegerD]

I really don't get the hype on these T12 soldering irons. They are far more expensive than a typical iron (ie: Hakko clone) and the tips are far more expensive?

[@voltlog]

T12 tips are superior to the older tips where the heater element was separated from the tip. Also the discrepancy between genuine and clone t12 tips is much smaller now to the point where you might not even find a difference. (there could also be bad fakes out there but the ones I got we're very good)

[@yuxianwang3238]

looks like ptfe insulation on wires

[@keithcoltron3171]

I don't know anything about this unit but I'll tell you all about it!?!?! The backup battery is for the RTC oh dear

[@superdau]

*All that isolation is made pointless by the huge heat sink of the secondary side diode.* Its solder points are very close to pads of the primary and secondary side and on the top the fins are very close to components. The worst thing is one of the fins seems to be touching a primary side track only separated by the solder mask and maybe silk screen, while on the secondary side the heat sink is right on top of tracks. So that's all your isolation: 2x solder mask. If that's version 2.04 already I don't want to know how previous versions look. Also having a direct ground connection to the tip is a bad idea for the same reason that ESD mats and wrist bands aren't a dead short to ground.

[@voltlog]

Will look closer at this in a future video, thanks!

[@Jay-fp8iy]

@superdau can you please explain why it is bad going directly to ground?

[@QrchackOfficial]

@@Jay-fp8iy Imagine what happens when you're trying to desolder a power supply capacitor that still has high voltage on it, with a tip that goes directly to ground with no resistor that would limit the current going through the very thing that's in your hands

[@Ratzfaz]

unlike a well known manufacturer... hmm :-)

[@shkhamd]

Weller 1010NA, WD1000, these two I used, none of them had any fuse!

[@FullFledged2010]

Not that many to chose from. hako, weller and maybe jbc 😏

[@RicardoCooper]

Can you open the handle and post pictures of it?

[@voltlog]

Sure, will try to do this and post an update

[@RicardoCooper]

@@voltlog I don't see the KSGER post you are referring to in the video, latest blog post is #231

[@voltlog]

Ricardo Cooper sorry, will be available tomorrow.

[@voltlog]

www.voltlog.com/voltlog-232-my-new-prefered-t12-soldering-station-ksger-v2-1s/

[@jwrtiger]

Mike in a post here has a link that shows several of their handles with pictures of the inside with the main parts labeled. www.aliexpress.com/store/product/KSGER-Aluminum-Alloy-9501-907-Soldering-Iron-Handle-For-V2-1S-V2-0-V3-0-Stm32/3661053_32965564853.html

[@MrBrymstond]

I've been clocking that station, but it's not 100watts even. That's been holding me up.

[@voltlog]

If you really need 100w or more you will probably have better luck with something from jbc or Weller, but it will come with a heavy price tag.

[@MrBrymstond]

@@voltlog This one is 75w correct? They should and I was hoping they would have considered a 36v model. Soon I hope.

[@voltlog]

It's not about the power supply it's about the tip, search for hakko T12

[@MrBrymstond]

@@voltlog I thought voltage times amperage = wattage. 37v x 2.71amps puts us just over 100 watt. If it's not about the power supply, why not make 12v so we could use a car battery to achieve 200 watt? How does original Hakko tips not work up to par when this soldering station has a STM32 chip controlling that tip when the Hakko doesn't? I'm not dis agreeing, just understanding. Thanks

[@voltlog]

MrBrymstond the t12 tip is spec'ed for a certain power.

[@demofilm]

Hi , i have a question . Does the unit gets hot? Do you feel that the enclosure should be ventilated

[@voltlog]

It does get warm but I wouldn't say hot. If you feel like it's too hot you might drill some ventilation holes yourself.

[@demofilm]

@@voltlog thanks i think i will make some small holes just for some airflow. cool electronics are happy electronics right? :) keep up the good vids

[@JUANKERR2000]

5:00 - CROSS-LINKED POLYETHYLENE?

[@voltlog]

I couldn't confirm or infirm because I don't know but thanks for the hint 👍

[@dgedi78]

100w power supply in a plastic case without any ventilation? I keep my aluminium model.

[@voltlog]

dgedi78 there are laptop power bricks rated for 120w packed in smaller sealed enclosures

[@dgedi78]

You're right, it's "safe enough" but still, I prefer aluminum model, they are not more expensive.

[@flyingpeter]

can you connect a hakko iron to the station?

[@brandonkick]

Doesn't seem like it, but dont know why youd want too. This accepts genuine hakko T12 tips.

[@flyingpeter]

@@brandonkick well, the hakko iron is not as expensive as the whole station and it has a nice quality feel to it, would be a nice upgrade over the chinesium iron this station comes with

[@mikesummerside1278]

The password and clock

[@circuitdotlt]

After trying VLK, TS100 and TS80, I see absolutely no reason for these stations.

[@originalmianos]

I have the TS100. I love it. I got one of these.with the blade shaped tip for soldering AWG 12 for ESCs etc. This is *much* better when you need to solder larger parts.

[@sourekpetr]

I made TS80 as my main soldering iron. But the lack of soldering tips is drawback... But I am able to handle 90% of my soldering jobs pretty good. And of course I like the portability. Into one pocket I get the powerbank, soldering iron and I am good to go for whole day of soldering outside without electricity...

[@voltlog]

The ts100 or ts80 have some advantages like portability and cost. But a proper station has the advantage of built-in power supply which is ready to start soldering with the flick of a switch. There are also many compatible tips available and a bunch of options which you can use to configure the station. Whether or not this is necessary is up to you.

[@itluis2009]

@@voltlog don’t know why can’t you do the same with the ts100 Just plug power and 10sec later you on and does wake fast also

[@vincent82228]

Plastic are safer

[@CliveChamberlain946]

No big step up to stay on wimpy T12 systems. @120 watts, get a $200 Pace ADS-200 and buy hot tweezers later. A cool all day handle and huge tip ecosystem won't cost a arm and a leg and with top-tier iron plating it outlasts KSGER tips by 10-to-1. Just saying 😉 (made in USA, it's has a big indestructible transformer inside to run a DPS5005, for a low-cost 0-40v bench power supply)

[@voltlog]

Yup I forgot about the Pace, really nice soldering stations they make. However most people starting out with electronics will resist spending that much. Even though I agree the price is very good for what it offers.

[@acoustic61]

I may get the Pace. But I like do the idea of cheap tips because I do repairs on old tube amplifiers and the tips get rough treatment. Reliability for everyday use is questionable with Chinese stuff. Maybe there will eventually be Chinese tips for Pace. BTW, I'm wondering how the tip longevity actually compares? Has anyone done a comparison? And you can use genuine Hakko tips with the KSGER station.

[@CliveChamberlain946]

@@acoustic61 Let's face it: What comes from China (especially long after product launch date), rarely has any commitment to quality and tip life is all about the plating. If a premium product from a local company you can visit says it's a production-grade product, their own words become _the kiss of death_ should they fail. I don't see a future in China making tips for Pace or JBC, since they would be admitting better products exist, and as Bob Newhart used to say "we don't go there" As for doing tip life comparison's. it's damn near impossible. Besides the aggressive resin's in no-lead solder, if anything relates to poor tip life, it's a poor temperature control loop. If a tip is going through wild heat swings because the controller is barely keeping track, the base metal (copper) and its bond point with the tip plating (iron) will prematurely fail. Look at it like a graph: The down slopes are quickly caused (say by soldering a wire to a metal chassis), and the up slopes slowly recover the heat loss with a dinky 50w heater. So the controller must keep applying the heat until an upswing is detected, but by then, it has severely overshot the regulation temperature.. Presto! All the time you use a 50w iron, the huge temperature swings are killing its own plating. With Pace, Ersa, JBC etc.. the upswings are faster because the power is there, and in the case of Pace, they use a 17-bit ADC to *keep the control loop as tight as possible* I guess you could say, "they figured-out how protect their own tips" ha ha! 😜 Chinese companies have no interest in tip preservation.

[@jwrtiger]

@@CliveChamberlain946 I was surprised they used a 17-bit ADC, that's 131,072 levels! I checked their site and read about the Accudrive system but could not find any information on the ADC. I would like to learn more so could you provide a link to the 17-bit ADC? Thanks.

[@CliveChamberlain946]

​@@jwrtiger Search YT for a video *Unisolder or Pace ADS200* by Marco Reps (at ~11 min) the shot's are clear enough to see the ADC is a TC500ACOE. Also, if you go to EEVblog forum search that part number and you'll see where we start to understand how it works (one member totally reverse engineered the board and provided a PDF..) I'm not too sure if Pace were happy, but their Rep on the forum never said a word.. I guess they know the customer is king! FWIW, TEquipment gives a 6% discount to EEVblog members, so if you haven'y joined that a good reason.

[@qwaqwa1960]

You're trying to pronounce the name?!?!? Ha! Half these Chinese companies just throw together random letter strings. Note they've registered the name so no other company uses the same random string...

[@voltlog]

Yup, I feel that way sometimes 😊

[@zxrjimmy1]

Just buy hakko , enough said

[@davadoff]

Yet another disappointing station. The PSU output appears to be floating. Bottom left blue capacitor (noise suppression) & bottom right electrolytic at 5:12 are connected to earth (electrolytic’s positive side connected to PSU output negative). I can’t see anything else connected to earth apart from the 3 pin mains input connector. The fat trace snaking round the very top of the board at 5:15 is earth. So the PSU is not like a double insulated one with a class y suppression capacitor across the transformer. I originally thought it was. Earth doesn’t appear to me to be connected to anything at all except one side of two capacitors. So the tip isn’t earthed then? Also that 2 pin output connector is 2A max I think. So it’s an inappropriate choice.

[@vadegdadeg]

Ты русский что ли?