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Old February 24th 04, 12:35 PM
Frank Dinger
 
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My all-time favorite soldering tool for small work is the Wahl
cordless gun with the smallest tip they sell. I believe it is called
the Wahl Isotip.

=================
Indeed a very nice handy (cordless) soldering iron I have used regularly
since the mid 1980s
It is powered by 2 NiCad cells (total 2.4 V). and when not in use sits in a
table top charger which is very primitive.
The charger is no more than a tiny transformer with an internal diode.
The problem is that keeping the iron in the powered charger all the time for
readiness , there is no control and after some time the batteries get rather
warm.
I now have modified the charger by removing the transformer ,fixing the unit
on top of a separate plastic box inside which there is a 12 V transformer ,
small bridge rectifier , 1 electrolytic cap. ,a LM317 used as a constant
current device , 2 resistors , 2 LEDs a few diodes and a DPDT front panel
switch.

When not in use the switch is in trickle charge position ( 10 mA) with green
LED ON
When the iron is in use the switch is put in normal charge position (approx
300 mA) with red LED ON

3 small diodes in series are always in circuit causing an approx 1.9 V
voltage differential ,sufficient to light either LED.
This means that either LED is only ON when the iron is placed in its charger
.. Hence when the iron is placed in the charger and none of the LEDs are on
,there is a problem (bad charger contacts or blown fuse wire inside iron ,
the latter an unlikely event since modifying the charger)

I mainly use the fine tip Wahl Clipper Corp. nr 7566 costing US$ 6.75

Over the years I have replaced the batteries twice ( before modifying the
charger a few months ago )

Note : The fine tip is very handy when working with SMD components.

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH





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