Baku 601D hot air reflow station - warning

[legg]

I had a Baku 601D hot air reflow soldering station smoke
on my bench over the weekend, with all switches 'off'.
It's not CSA or UL (or anything else)

It was a transformer failure. None of the front panel
switches actually disconnect the line. Only protection
was an 8A fast blow fuse. It had blown sometime before
the plug was pulled, so I guess it did its job.

The hot air gun is directly live through a triac circuit
at all times that it's plugged in.

I've rewound a new transformer, with a thermal link, higher
temperature bobbin/wire. It will have its own fuse.
Will also repurpose one of the front panel switches to
disconnect the AC line and add a ground wire on the line
cord.

.. . . . of course it's still not CSA or UL.

RL

 

[John Robertson]

On 2020/02/25 7:48 a.m., legg wrote:

I had a Baku 601D hot air reflow soldering station smoke
on my bench over the weekend, with all switches 'off'.
It's not CSA or UL (or anything else)

It was a transformer failure. None of the front panel
switches actually disconnect the line. Only protection
was an 8A fast blow fuse. It had blown sometime before
the plug was pulled, so I guess it did its job.

The hot air gun is directly live through a triac circuit
at all times that it's plugged in.

I've rewound a new transformer, with a thermal link, higher
temperature bobbin/wire. It will have its own fuse.
Will also repurpose one of the front panel switches to
disconnect the AC line and add a ground wire on the line
cord.

.. . . . of course it's still not CSA or UL.

RL

Typical Chinese junk - Amazon or eBay sourced I'm sure. You can't assume
that even if it has a CSA or UL imprint/label that it actually is
electrically safe as many of the labels are faked. Neither Amazon nor
eBay are responsible for the safety of products sold through their
portals, how did that happen?

This is just a (cheap) time bomb waiting to go off - all the countless
Chinese (etc.) made electrical junk.

Back in the late 40s CSA and UL got their main boost from commercial
TVs that exploded into flames.

It shouldn't be too long now before it all starts happening again.
Deregulation at its finest!

John :-#(#

 

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <rdfa5f5259e4gmve33mr8p9f7mmi64ktvp@4ax.com>,
legg@nospam.magma.ca says...

I had a Baku 601D hot air reflow soldering station smoke
on my bench over the weekend, with all switches 'off'.
It's not CSA or UL (or anything else)

It was a transformer failure. None of the front panel
switches actually disconnect the line. Only protection
was an 8A fast blow fuse. It had blown sometime before
the plug was pulled, so I guess it did its job.

The hot air gun is directly live through a triac circuit
at all times that it's plugged in.

I've rewound a new transformer, with a thermal link, higher
temperature bobbin/wire. It will have its own fuse.
Will also repurpose one of the front panel switches to
disconnect the AC line and add a ground wire on the line
cord.

Sounds like a lot of work for a $ 50 device.

I have a 862D that is in the same price range. It does have a switch on
the back that cuts off all the power. They are on ebay for around $ 55
depending on who you buy from.

 

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 2/25/20 9:48 AM, legg wrote:

I had a Baku 601D hot air reflow soldering station smoke
on my bench over the weekend, with all switches 'off'.
It's not CSA or UL (or anything else)

"Pay shit, get shit."


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

[Michael Terrell]

On Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 10:43:19 AM UTC-5, legg wrote:

I had a Baku 601D hot air reflow soldering station smoke
on my bench over the weekend, with all switches 'off'.
It's not CSA or UL (or anything else)

It was a transformer failure. None of the front panel
switches actually disconnect the line. Only protection
was an 8A fast blow fuse. It had blown sometime before
the plug was pulled, so I guess it did its job.

The hot air gun is directly live through a triac circuit
at all times that it's plugged in.

I've rewound a new transformer, with a thermal link, higher
temperature bobbin/wire. It will have its own fuse.
Will also repurpose one of the front panel switches to
disconnect the AC line and add a ground wire on the line
cord.

. . . . of course it's still not CSA or UL.

When I started working in a TV shop in the mid '60s, every bench had a switch to shut off all power. It had two intended uses. A way to kill a bench if someone was being shocked or something was arching, and to turn off everything when the bench wasn't being used. They were mounted on the ends of the benches, where there was nothing to block access. My shop has each light fixture on its own switch, so all the tools and test equipment are powered down when I leave and turn out the lights. All of these are switched by the main door, so they are easy to get to.

This is similar to the General Electric switches we used back in the '60s. They can be padlocked if you don't want anyone to use the bench when you aren't there.

<https://www.homedepot.com/p/Siemens-General-Duty-30-Amp-240-Volt-1-Pole-Fusible-Safety-Switch-with-Neutral-LF111N/205623361?mtc=Shopping-VF-F_D27E-G-D27E-27_8_CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES-Generic-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES&cm_mmc=Shopping-VF-F_D27E-G-D27E-27_8_CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES-Generic-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES-71700000033149223-58700003867184469-92700048703482864&gclid=Cj0KCQiAqNPyBRCjARIsAKA-WFzSjmPf4oH9mo9HqD0H-giB1l_uK4ZN43EVnuJb8xHeTP1UwiYuF7UaArVpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds>

 

[legg]

On Tue, 25 Feb 2020 10:48:15 -0500, legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

I had a Baku 601D hot air reflow soldering station smoke
on my bench over the weekend, with all switches 'off'.
It's not CSA or UL (or anything else)

It was a transformer failure. None of the front panel
switches actually disconnect the line. Only protection
was an 8A fast blow fuse. It had blown sometime before
the plug was pulled, so I guess it did its job.

The hot air gun is directly live through a triac circuit
at all times that it's plugged in.

I've rewound a new transformer, with a thermal link, higher
temperature bobbin/wire. It will have its own fuse.
Will also repurpose one of the front panel switches to
disconnect the AC line and add a ground wire on the line
cord.

. . . . of course it's still not CSA or UL.

RL

The original fault was due to a fan speed control circuit
failure, shorting a low-power secondary transformer winding.

This would have been simply repairable, with a separate
properly-sized primary fuse for the transformer.

It would not have occurred, unattended, with a proper line
power switch.

RL

 

On Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 5:56:29 PM UTC-5, Michael Terrell wrote:

On Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 10:43:19 AM UTC-5, legg wrote:
I had a Baku 601D hot air reflow soldering station smoke
on my bench over the weekend, with all switches 'off'.
It's not CSA or UL (or anything else)

It was a transformer failure. None of the front panel
switches actually disconnect the line. Only protection
was an 8A fast blow fuse. It had blown sometime before
the plug was pulled, so I guess it did its job.

The hot air gun is directly live through a triac circuit
at all times that it's plugged in.

I've rewound a new transformer, with a thermal link, higher
temperature bobbin/wire. It will have its own fuse.
Will also repurpose one of the front panel switches to
disconnect the AC line and add a ground wire on the line
cord.

. . . . of course it's still not CSA or UL.


When I started working in a TV shop in the mid '60s, every bench had a switch to shut off all power. It had two intended uses. A way to kill a bench if someone was being shocked or something was arching, and to turn off everything when the bench wasn't being used. They were mounted on the ends of the benches, where there was nothing to block access. My shop has each light fixture on its own switch, so all the tools and test equipment are powered down when I leave and turn out the lights. All of these are switched by the main door, so they are easy to get to.

This is similar to the General Electric switches we used back in the '60s. They can be padlocked if you don't want anyone to use the bench when you aren't there.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Siemens-General-Duty-30-Amp-240-Volt-1-Pole-Fusible-Safety-Switch-with-Neutral-LF111N/205623361?mtc=Shopping-VF-F_D27E-G-D27E-27_8_CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES-Generic-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES&cm_mmc=Shopping-VF-F_D27E-G-D27E-27_8_CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES-Generic-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES-71700000033149223-58700003867184469-92700048703482864&gclid=Cj0KCQiAqNPyBRCjARIsAKA-WFzSjmPf4oH9mo9HqD0H-giB1l_uK4ZN43EVnuJb8xHeTP1UwiYuF7UaArVpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Yep, this was standard arrangement for my dads shop...Along with a number of isolation transformers as needed.

 

[Phil Allison]

Michael Terrell wrote:

----------------------

This is similar to the General Electric switches we used back in the
'60s. They can be padlocked if you don't want anyone to use the bench
when you aren't there.

-----------------------

** What a bloody great idea !

I certainly needed one of them back in 1980 when I worked for Allen Wright Electronics, in Sydney.

Many times when I arrived, the was somebody at my bench using all my stuff and refusing to leave. We had a physical fight one morning when I had to pull the stubborn idiot out of my seat.

His name was Joe Rasmussen, the boss was Allen Wright.

You can Google their names.

Both were Scientologist - I was not.

Explains a great deal ...



..... Phil

 

[legg]

On Tue, 25 Feb 2020 14:56:26 -0800 (PST), Michael Terrell
<terrell.michael.a@gmail.com> wrote:

On Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 10:43:19 AM UTC-5, legg wrote:
I had a Baku 601D hot air reflow soldering station smoke
on my bench over the weekend, with all switches 'off'.
It's not CSA or UL (or anything else)

It was a transformer failure. None of the front panel
switches actually disconnect the line. Only protection
was an 8A fast blow fuse. It had blown sometime before
the plug was pulled, so I guess it did its job.

The hot air gun is directly live through a triac circuit
at all times that it's plugged in.

I've rewound a new transformer, with a thermal link, higher
temperature bobbin/wire. It will have its own fuse.
Will also repurpose one of the front panel switches to
disconnect the AC line and add a ground wire on the line
cord.

. . . . of course it's still not CSA or UL.


When I started working in a TV shop in the mid '60s, every bench had a switch to shut off all power. It had two intended uses. A way to kill a bench if someone was being shocked or something was arching, and to turn off everything when the bench wasn't being used. They were mounted on the ends of the benches, where there was nothing to block access. My shop has each light fixture on its own switch, so all the tools and test equipment are powered down when I leave and turn out the lights. All of these are switched by the main door, so they are easy to get to.

This is similar to the General Electric switches we used back in the '60s. They can be padlocked if you don't want anyone to use the bench when you aren't there.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Siemens-General-Duty-30-Amp-240-Volt-1-Pole-Fusible-Safety-Switch-with-Neutral-LF111N/205623361?mtc=Shopping-VF-F_D27E-G-D27E-27_8_CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES-Generic-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES&cm_mmc=Shopping-VF-F_D27E-G-D27E-27_8_CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES-Generic-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-CIRCUIT_PROTECT_DEVICES-71700000033149223-58700003867184469-92700048703482864&gclid=Cj0KCQiAqNPyBRCjARIsAKA-WFzSjmPf4oH9mo9HqD0H-giB1l_uK4ZN43EVnuJb8xHeTP1UwiYuF7UaArVpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

This bench HAS a power switch. Unfortunately, it has to
be on, to run anything.

You can't shut it off as a prevention for a soldering
station to spontaneously go up in smoke. You CAN turn
it off, if there's something burning on the bench.

This is also hooked up to a dead man harness. . . . but
then that's probably too late. Power labs are advisedly
no-lone-operator environments.

Best to restrict line-powered tools to those with safety
approvals.

RL

 

[Michael Terrell]

On Monday, March 16, 2020 at 1:56:28 PM UTC-4, legg wrote:

This bench HAS a power switch. Unfortunately, it has to
be on, to run anything.

You can't shut it off as a prevention for a soldering
station to spontaneously go up in smoke. You CAN turn
it off, if there's something burning on the bench.

This is also hooked up to a dead man harness. . . . but
then that's probably too late. Power labs are advisedly
no-lone-operator environments.

Best to restrict line-powered tools to those with safety
approvals.

Or at least make sure they are properly fused. I bought one of those heat sealers for plastic bags last year. It didn't work, so I opened it up Both wires to the spring loaded power switch had cold solder joints and one had cracked off in shipping. I always look into the design of imported equipment to look for safety hazards. Just because a case has some safety stick on it doesn't mean that it was properly built in a foreign factory.

We had a new employee miswire the IEC power connector on a chassis. She had the AC line connected to the chassis, and the ground wire connected wrong as well. The tech who knew better plugged it in without looking at the wiring. When it didn't turn on, He leaned over to look into the chassis as he touched the chassis and a grounded piece of test equipment. H got a really nasty shock that he could have avoided. If it hadn't knocked him on his ass, it could have killed him.

 

[Michael Terrell]

On Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 7:17:12 PM UTC-4, legg wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:53:24 -0700 (PDT), Michael Terrell wrote:

On Monday, March 16, 2020 at 1:56:28 PM UTC-4, legg wrote:

This bench HAS a power switch. Unfortunately, it has to
be on, to run anything.

You can't shut it off as a prevention for a soldering
station to spontaneously go up in smoke. You CAN turn
it off, if there's something burning on the bench.

This is also hooked up to a dead man harness. . . . but
then that's probably too late. Power labs are advisedly
no-lone-operator environments.

Best to restrict line-powered tools to those with safety
approvals.


Or at least make sure they are properly fused. I bought one of those heat sealers for plastic bags last year. It didn't work, so I opened it up Both wires to the spring loaded power switch had cold solder joints and one had cracked off in shipping. I always look into the design of imported equipment to look for safety hazards. Just because a case has some safety stick on it doesn't mean that it was properly built in a foreign factory.

We had a new employee miswire the IEC power connector on a chassis. She had the AC line connected to the chassis, and the ground wire connected wrong as well. The tech who knew better plugged it in without looking at the wiring. When it didn't turn on, He leaned over to look into the chassis as he touched the chassis and a grounded piece of test equipment. H got a really nasty shock that he could have avoided. If it hadn't knocked him on his ass, it could have killed him.

I notice that newer versions of the 601D are provided with
a 3-wire line cord.

That might be a good start, if they could only remember to
stick the fuse in the color-coded live wire, not the neutral.

It could be a good product as, when reconfigured, it still does
the job. As is, it's just dangerous.

Then fix it!

 

[legg]

On Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:53:24 -0700 (PDT), Michael Terrell
<terrell.michael.a@gmail.com> wrote:

On Monday, March 16, 2020 at 1:56:28 PM UTC-4, legg wrote:

This bench HAS a power switch. Unfortunately, it has to
be on, to run anything.

You can't shut it off as a prevention for a soldering
station to spontaneously go up in smoke. You CAN turn
it off, if there's something burning on the bench.

This is also hooked up to a dead man harness. . . . but
then that's probably too late. Power labs are advisedly
no-lone-operator environments.

Best to restrict line-powered tools to those with safety
approvals.


Or at least make sure they are properly fused. I bought one of those heat sealers for plastic bags last year. It didn't work, so I opened it up Both wires to the spring loaded power switch had cold solder joints and one had cracked off in shipping. I always look into the design of imported equipment to look for safety hazards. Just because a case has some safety stick on it doesn't mean that it was properly built in a foreign factory.

We had a new employee miswire the IEC power connector on a chassis. She had the AC line connected to the chassis, and the ground wire connected wrong as well. The tech who knew better plugged it in without looking at the wiring. When it didn't turn on, He leaned over to look into the chassis as he touched the chassis and a grounded piece of test equipment. H got a really nasty shock that he could have avoided. If it hadn't knocked him on his ass, it could have killed him.

I notice that newer versions of the 601D are provided with
a 3-wire line cord.

That might be a good start, if they could only remember to
stick the fuse in the color-coded live wire, not the neutral.

It could be a good product as, when reconfigured, it still does
the job. As is, it's just dangerous.

RL

 

[legg]

On Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:33:02 -0700 (PDT), Michael Terrell
<terrell.michael.a@gmail.com> wrote:

On Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 7:17:12 PM UTC-4, legg wrote:
On Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:53:24 -0700 (PDT), Michael Terrell wrote:

On Monday, March 16, 2020 at 1:56:28 PM UTC-4, legg wrote:

This bench HAS a power switch. Unfortunately, it has to
be on, to run anything.

You can't shut it off as a prevention for a soldering
station to spontaneously go up in smoke. You CAN turn
it off, if there's something burning on the bench.

This is also hooked up to a dead man harness. . . . but
then that's probably too late. Power labs are advisedly
no-lone-operator environments.

Best to restrict line-powered tools to those with safety
approvals.


Or at least make sure they are properly fused. I bought one of those heat sealers for plastic bags last year. It didn't work, so I opened it up Both wires to the spring loaded power switch had cold solder joints and one had cracked off in shipping. I always look into the design of imported equipment to look for safety hazards. Just because a case has some safety stick on it doesn't mean that it was properly built in a foreign factory.

We had a new employee miswire the IEC power connector on a chassis. She had the AC line connected to the chassis, and the ground wire connected wrong as well. The tech who knew better plugged it in without looking at the wiring. When it didn't turn on, He leaned over to look into the chassis as he touched the chassis and a grounded piece of test equipment. H got a really nasty shock that he could have avoided. If it hadn't knocked him on his ass, it could have killed him.

I notice that newer versions of the 601D are provided with
a 3-wire line cord.

That might be a good start, if they could only remember to
stick the fuse in the color-coded live wire, not the neutral.

It could be a good product as, when reconfigured, it still does
the job. As is, it's just dangerous.


Then fix it!

See OP.

RL