Weller sells, through distributors, replacement parts. I suggest that
you replace the temp-sensing tip element, as a start.

Kal


On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 08:32:49 -0800, Joshua G Senecal
wrote:

Hi all,

I have a Weller WTCPS soldering station with a 201U power supply and 201P
iron, using a 700 degree F tip. Last night I powered it up in preparation
for soldering some connectors, and a few minutes later I saw that the tip
and metal shaft of the iron were glowing red-hot.

Any ideas as to what is causing this, and will it be cheap to fix? Are
there any checks I can do to diagnose the problem? Or should I just dump
the thing and buy a new one? I bought the station over 11 years ago, in
practically new condition, at a yard sale for $5, so I got my money out
of it, but if a reliable fix is cheaper than purchasing a new soldering
setup I'd rather go that route.

Thanks!

-Josh, AE6IQ

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 11:42:58 -0500 Kalman Rubinson
wrote:

Weller sells, through distributors, replacement parts. I suggest that
you replace the temp-sensing tip element, as a start.

The only heat sensing element in the WTCP? series is the lump of metal
at the tail end of the tip. The correct tips for this iron will have a
separate bit there with a single digit stamped in it. That's normally
a 7, for 700 degrees F.

The alloy of this lump is chosen to have a Curie temp of 700F and it
will never change.

There is a magnet that runs down toward the tip and is attracted to
the tip when the tip is below its Curie point. Once the temp reaches
the Curie temp the lump no longer attracts the magnet and the magnet
is pulled back upwards by a small spring. This opens a switch in the
handle and turns off the heating element.

The usual problems with these are that something gets inside the
sleeve behind the tip and jams the magnet so it can no longer move, or
the switch contacts weld closed.

With the iron off and cold you can remove the tip retaining sleeve.
When you pull the tip out you should feel the pull of the magnet and
then feel the switch and magnet snap back into the barrel once the tip
is too far away to attract the magnet. You should repeat this to
verify that the magnet is free to move.

If you unplug the iron from the base and put an Ohmmeter on the pins
of the iron, you should see the continuity come and go as you take the
pin in and out.

Weller is owned by Cooper Tools and PDF files of replacement parts are
available on their web site.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 11:42:58 -0500 Kalman Rubinson
wrote:

Weller sells, through distributors, replacement parts. I suggest that
you replace the temp-sensing tip element, as a start.

The only heat sensing element in the WTCP? series is the lump of metal
at the tail end of the tip. The correct tips for this iron will have a
separate bit there with a single digit stamped in it. That's normally
a 7, for 700 degrees F.

The alloy of this lump is chosen to have a Curie temp of 700F and it
will never change.

There is a magnet that runs down toward the tip and is attracted to
the tip when the tip is below its Curie point. Once the temp reaches
the Curie temp the lump no longer attracts the magnet and the magnet
is pulled back upwards by a small spring. This opens a switch in the
handle and turns off the heating element.

The usual problems with these are that something gets inside the
sleeve behind the tip and jams the magnet so it can no longer move, or
the switch contacts weld closed.

With the iron off and cold you can remove the tip retaining sleeve.
When you pull the tip out you should feel the pull of the magnet and
then feel the switch and magnet snap back into the barrel once the tip
is too far away to attract the magnet. You should repeat this to
verify that the magnet is free to move.

If you unplug the iron from the base and put an Ohmmeter on the pins
of the iron, you should see the continuity come and go as you take the
pin in and out.

Weller is owned by Cooper Tools and PDF files of replacement parts are
available on their web site.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------