Weller WTCPN Problems

[Tim Wescott]

Anyone have any experience with the Weller WTCPN soldering station and
TC201 iron? I just blew the fuse in the station -- other than chucking
the tip, is there anything else I need to do? Am I screwed?

Where's the actual heating element in these? I assume the switch is in
the tip.

Thanks.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

 

[John Crighton]

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:38:34 -0800, Tim Wescott
<tim@wescottnospamdesign.com> wrote:

Anyone have any experience with the Weller WTCPN soldering station and
TC201 iron? I just blew the fuse in the station -- other than chucking
the tip, is there anything else I need to do? Am I screwed?

Certainly not. You can fix it.
Unplug or disconnect the soldering pencil TC201 from
the transformer.
Check and test the transformer , 24V 2 amp.
If it is dud, any old tramsformer around 22v to 26V capable
of supplying at least 2 amps will be fine. Find a replacement
transformer from your junk supply. Or power the iron TC201
from a suitable bench DC power supply if you are in a hurry
to do some some sodering.

Check the TC201 soldering pencil/iron.
Do a continuity check. 2 element wires and 1 earth wire.
Look for low resistance.
If open circuit all is not lost.
There is a switch in series with the element.

Have a look here and you will see what I am talking about.
http://www.arcade-electronics.com/cooper/page0071.JPG

Where's the actual heating element in these? I assume the switch is in
the tip.

Look at the diagram and you will see the element and switch assembly.
Undo the three screws that form a triangle and separate the
metalwork from the plastic handle. The fourth screw holds
a small bracket. You can loosen that one later.

Thanks.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

When you open it up you will see the heating element and
a sealed magnetic switch assembly held by a spring resting
on the small bracket.

Be very careful how you handle the fragile wires going to
the heating element. They break off easily and then you
will be kicking yourself when you find out the price of a
replacement element.

The switch should be closed, so check it with
your ohm meter.
If the switch is dodgy and you just want to make a temporary
repair you can carefully drill and cut away some plastic to
expose the switch contacts and then clean them.
Use one of your soldering iron tips to check the action
of the switch. You will feel the magnetism and here a
click. Use your ohm meter on th eswitch contacts.

You will find the fault easily.

Regards,
John Crighton
Sydney

 

[Tim Wescott]

Tim Wescott wrote:

Anyone have any experience with the Weller WTCPN soldering station and
TC201 iron? I just blew the fuse in the station -- other than chucking
the tip, is there anything else I need to do? Am I screwed?

Where's the actual heating element in these? I assume the switch is in
the tip.

Thanks.

Thanks everyone -- you've figured it out for me faster than I could

have. The switch has gone belly up.

One more thing, though: who carries switches?

Thanks again.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

 

[Guy Macon]

Tim Wescott wrote:

Thanks everyone -- you've figured it out for me faster than I could
have. The switch has gone belly up.

One more thing, though: who carries switches?

Here is what i would do;

The people who do extreme case modifications often use aircraft
switches that require you to flip back a cover; this gives
them that "serious hardware" look. If my soldering iron switch
ever goes bad, I will put one of those in just because it's cool.

Then again, I have two outlet strips on my test bench; one for
things that stay on 24/7 and one for things that I turn off when
I leave. Outlet strips are a lot easier to replace than OEM
switches.

 

[Bill Bailley]

"> Thanks everyone -- you've figured it out for me faster than I could

have. The switch has gone belly up.

One more thing, though: who carries switches?

Thanks again.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Tim,
You may find that the switch that will no longer deal with 2 amps, will deal
nicely with the few milliamps required to trigger a triac. The switch in my
pencil fell into that category, and is still working well today. A quick
check with the multimeter will give you some idea if this applies to your
switch.

Luck,
Bill.

 

[Tim Wescott]

Bill Bailley wrote:

"> Thanks everyone -- you've figured it out for me faster than I could

have. The switch has gone belly up.

One more thing, though: who carries switches?

Thanks again.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com


Tim,
You may find that the switch that will no longer deal with 2 amps, will deal
nicely with the few milliamps required to trigger a triac. The switch in my
pencil fell into that category, and is still working well today. A quick
check with the multimeter will give you some idea if this applies to your
switch.

Luck,
Bill.


Nope. I checked after reading your other post.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

 

[Tim Wescott]

Guy Macon wrote:

Tim Wescott wrote:


Thanks everyone -- you've figured it out for me faster than I could
have. The switch has gone belly up.

One more thing, though: who carries switches?


Here is what i would do;

The people who do extreme case modifications often use aircraft
switches that require you to flip back a cover; this gives
them that "serious hardware" look. If my soldering iron switch
ever goes bad, I will put one of those in just because it's cool.

Then again, I have two outlet strips on my test bench; one for
things that stay on 24/7 and one for things that I turn off when
I leave. Outlet strips are a lot easier to replace than OEM
switches.


It's the temperature control switch inside the pencil handle that I need.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

 

[Tim Wescott]

Frank Bemelman wrote:

"Tim Wescott" <tim@wescottnospamdesign.com> schreef in bericht
news:10vcv6d81chn48a@corp.supernews.com...

Guy Macon wrote:


Tim Wescott wrote:



Thanks everyone -- you've figured it out for me faster than I could
have. The switch has gone belly up.

One more thing, though: who carries switches?


Here is what i would do;

The people who do extreme case modifications often use aircraft
switches that require you to flip back a cover; this gives
them that "serious hardware" look. If my soldering iron switch
ever goes bad, I will put one of those in just because it's cool.

Then again, I have two outlet strips on my test bench; one for
things that stay on 24/7 and one for things that I turn off when
I leave. Outlet strips are a lot easier to replace than OEM
switches.



It's the temperature control switch inside the pencil handle that I need.


Google for WTCP switch or something. While waiting for the new
one, you could take the plastic cover off and sand the contacts,
if that's the problem.

I still don't understand why the fuse blew... if the switch hangs,
the iron just get bloody hot and even hotter than that. I know,
because that happens after sanding the contacts for the second
time

At the point that I realized I had spent enough time to buy 1-1/2

handles I stopped and ordered a handle -- but I'll try sanding the
contacts when I get into a slack period, and enjoy my nice new handle in
the mean time!

I suspect that something touched that shouldn't and took out the switch
and fuse both. The thing was used when I got it over 10 years ago and
I've been using it off and on since then, so it's not surprising that
odd things should happen.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

 

[Rich Grise]

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 17:53:31 -0800, Tim Wescott wrote:

Spehro Pefhany wrote:

On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 01:09:53 GMT, the renowned "Nicholas O. Lindan"
see@sig.com> wrote:


"Tim Wescott" <tim@wescottnospamdesign.com> wrote


Anyone have any experience with the Weller WTCPN soldering station and
TC201 iron? I just blew the fuse in the station -- other than chucking
the tip, is there anything else I need to do? Am I screwed?

Is this the one with the magnetic tip? If so, there is not much that
can go wrong.

Does it blow a new fuse? The base is just a transformer and on-off
switch. I would ohm the transformer primary and secondary and the
heater handle.


I bet it's either a bad fuse or a bad heater. New heater is around
fifteen bucks US, no big deal.


For the young-uns:

The handle contains heater and a magnetic switch. The tips have a slug
in them. The slugs are made from various alloys that loose there
magnetic properties at some temperature, this turns off the heater till
the magnet cools down and again attracts the switch to turn the iron on.
Tips come with different slugs with different curie temperatures. Not a
uP to be seen _any where_.


The fuse is fine -- it did it's job. The base now has a natty fuse block
with fuse #3 in it. It appears that the heater is, indeed, bad and I've
ordered heating element #2. If I get time I'll dink with the heater
element per Ross's comments, to see if I can get it going for the next few
days.

Thanks guys. Sphero, if a heater doesn't fix it I'll whine at _you_, OK?

Before you do anything drastic, does the fuse _not_ blow when the cord is
unplugged from the base? That would eliminate some hidden problem in the
base.

Good Luck!
Rich

 

[Guy Macon]

For the young-uns:

The handle contains heater and a magnetic switch. The tips have a slug
in them. The slugs are made from various alloys that loose there
magnetic properties at some temperature, this turns off the heater till
the magnet cools down and again attracts the switch to turn the iron on.
Tips come with different slugs with different curie temperatures. Not a
uP to be seen _any where_.

....unless you buy the model with the temperature control and the
digital display. No switch in the handle to go bad, just a
temperature sensor. Of course itvwouldn't be a WTCPN. It would be
a WSD81

BTW, an new switch costs $32.29 here:
http://www.rpelectronics.com/English/Content/Items/SW60.asp
or $28.82 here:
http://www.action-electronics.com/westations.htm#Wtcpt



While looking for the switch, I ran across these gems:

http://www.action-electronics.com/wedesolder.htm

WRS4000
300 WATTS OF POWER!
Self Contained Air
WTA50 Thermal Tweezers
DSV80 De-Solder Pencil-De-Solder Tips
WSP80 Soldering Pencil - Solder Tips
HAP1 Hot Air Pencil
Digital-Microprocessor Controlled
List: $2,399.00


WHP3000 Digital Preheating Plate, 600 W, 120V
Enables electronic assemblies to be preheated from the bottom
The unit slides easily below the WBH3000S PCB holder
The heating plate heats up the component from below to the correct temp.
Equipped with 3 infrared lamps for fast and accurate heat-up
Precise temperature control is achieved with the digital electronics
The unit is equipped with Auto-Off and Standby features
Read and set temperatures are indicated digitally
A RS 232 interface allows control by the WHA3000P Hot Air Station
Temperature can be regulated with the use of an optional external sensor
List.$799.00

If anyone here wishes to buy me a Christmas present...

 

[Yukio]

Now how do we solder up this Triac circuit with a dead Soldering Iron !!

Yukio YANO

Seriously, Do you use the original cord ?, I can't visualize how you could
do that without compromising the green grounding lead , As I recall, there
are only three wires in the factory Cable, and three pins in the connector!.

 

[Bill Bailley]

"Yukio" <yano@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:XGFJd.174826$8l.31612@pd7tw1no...

Now how do we solder up this Triac circuit with a dead Soldering Iron !!

Yukio YANO

Seriously, Do you use the original cord ?, I can't visualize how you
could do that without compromising the green grounding lead , As I
recall, there are only three wires in the factory Cable, and three pins in
the connector!.


I did use the original cord, and as far as I remember I kept the barrel of

the pencil at ground potential. It is quite while back now but I remember
having some anxieties over grounding issues. I must have resolved them to my
satisfaction, so I am fairly sure this design group can do a similar or
better job. The station and pencil are quite a few thousand clicks away, and
I am not quite done with my holiday yet. It seems as though you may have to
re-visit that problem.

I did make an ass of myself when I came to wire my creation together and
reached for the soldering iron. oops!!!


Added:-
From the dregs of my shaky old memory I recall a 680R for the trigger and a
daisy chain of 3 x 33K for the ground link.

Bill.

 

[Guy Macon]

Bill Bailley wrote:

I did make an ass of myself when I came to wire my creation together and
reached for the soldering iron. oops!!!

I just love the mental picture of having yiur soldering iron apart
and needing to solder a connection inside of it. Sort of like
soldering 32 XLR connectors to the end of an audio snake and then
realizing that you didn't slip the parrels over the wires first.

 

[budgie]

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 08:31:58 +0000, Guy Macon
<_see.web.page_@_www.guymacon.com_> wrote:

Bill Bailley wrote:

I did make an ass of myself when I came to wire my creation together and
reached for the soldering iron. oops!!!

I just love the mental picture of having yiur soldering iron apart
and needing to solder a connection inside of it. Sort of like
soldering 32 XLR connectors to the end of an audio snake and then
realizing that you didn't slip the parrels over the wires first.

or trying to fault-find your (only) oscilloscope. The first tool you reach for
(after the screwdriver) is ... your oscilloscope.

 

[Rich Grise]

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 21:02:32 +0800, budgie wrote:

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 08:31:58 +0000, Guy Macon
_see.web.page_@_www.guymacon.com_> wrote:


Bill Bailley wrote:

I did make an ass of myself when I came to wire my creation together and
reached for the soldering iron. oops!!!

I just love the mental picture of having yiur soldering iron apart
and needing to solder a connection inside of it. Sort of like
soldering 32 XLR connectors to the end of an audio snake and then
realizing that you didn't slip the parrels over the wires first.

or trying to fault-find your (only) oscilloscope. The first tool you reach for
(after the screwdriver) is ... your oscilloscope.

Yeah, but at least you could solder! ;-)

Cheers!
Rich