external Temperature Control for Soldering Iron Q.

[Marek]

Does N E body here know of a project for external temp. control which will allow me to (roughly) set the temperature of my soldering iron.

It should be portable, soldering stations are not what I have in  mind (altho' if you have a nice schemo of the latter I'd like to take a peek).  :-)

I found one in the "Funk Amateur" (aug. '04. ) magazine, with a microcontroller which is switching the soldering iron ON and OFF at a given frequency (which can be adjusted). But somehow I tripped out that this is going to change the power of the soldering iron, not the temperature? Or did I get it wrong?

If you are interested in such a project (it's written in German) I can scan it and post it, it uses a microcontroller for which you need the program written by the same author, anyway...


Greetings,
Marek

[toneman]

if it's an AC driven soldering iron, a triac "speed control" would work.
lots of circuits on the web.   240VAC or 120VAC...woeks on both.
a 555 pulsing a zero-crossing opto that drives a well heat-sinked triac.
staypulsed
tone

[bwanasonic]

Here is a idea from Craig Anderton's EPFM. It's a *standby* switch that keeps your iron at a reduced temp until you need it.




A portable butane iron might suit your needs as well.

Kerry M

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I found one in the "Funk Amateur" (aug. '04. ) magazine, with a microcontroller which is switching the soldering iron ON and OFF at a given frequency (which can be adjusted). But somehow I tripped out that this is going to change the power of the soldering iron, not the temperature? Or did I get it wrong?

You got it right, Marek. (it is probably varying the length of the pulse rather than the frequency though).
To be useful, you really need a senser at the tip of the iron.

There is a "non-station" alternative, though: (quoting from another forum)

"Don't know what's available on your side of the pond,
but in US you can get irons made by Weller and others
that are inexpensive (relatively speaking) and still
temperature controlled. You install different tips
for different temperatures. Works on the Curie
effect: when the tip reaches the designated temperature
(Curie point), a little magnetic core inside it loses its magnetism
and shuttles to the off position until it cools down enough
to re-acquire its magnetism.

These are way cheaper than the "soldering station"
types, especially if you get one that runs straight off
the mains. A little more than a basic simple iron, but
well worth it. "

And I suspect there are some irons with a simple thermostat built into the barrel. Personally I'm sticking to my Hakko station, but I don't have to travel, so...

[sir_modulus]

A friend of mine used a lamp dimmer attached to the wall. It seemed to work ok. Simple and messy, but still DIY.  

Cheers,

Nish

[Marek]

Here is the article which I mentioned before:

http://thor.prohosting.com/diystomp/temp_control.html  

N.B.:  The article and schematic are not enough, you need the programm for the controller, which can be obtained through the author.

If your German vocabulary i not uptodate, go here:

www.leo.org  ( possibly the best ever german - english & french dictionary online... for free... )

Thanks for the input,

Marek

[zachary vex]

hey, since soldering irons are simply resistive (like lamps), and in the same wattage range as a light bulb, i'd say get an in-line dimmer and try it out!  they make in-line dimmers that go to an extension cord end... i've seen ones that can be adjusted with your foot.