Highland Ham wrote:

However for surface mount components you need a micro tip. For this type of
work I use an electric cordless iron powered by 2 pcs 1.2V NiCad batteries.
But after a number of joints the batteries must be charged by placing the
complete iron in a stand . The unit I use is called ISOTIP ,made in USA by
Wahl Clipper Corporation.
The iron was purchased in 1980 and used regularly ,however the charger is
very primative (just a transformer with an embedded diode in the secondary
low voltage winding), resulting in relatively short battery life . I now
use the iron with a homebrew charger permitting 2 selectable charge rates
being 300 and 10 mA , the first used while using the iron , the 10 mA rate
when idle (trickle charging). Now the batteries hold their charge well and
the iron is ready for use at all times . Battery replacement however is
awkward .

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH

That sounds like the one I had in the 80's. It soldered well enough but
didn't have enough gas in the battery tank to do any very serious work.
If it were to be used regularly Frank's comments about a trickle
charger are worth noting.

-Bill

-ex- wrote:

That sounds like the one I had in the 80's. It soldered well enough but
didn't have enough gas in the battery tank to do any very serious work.
If it were to be used regularly Frank's comments about a trickle
charger are worth noting.

-Bill


I had the Wahl orange, eight hour charge version. I added a switch
to the primary of the transformer to turn it off at night. It rarely
ran down in normal, day to day use, and I worked at least 40 hours a
week with it and a couple other irons on my bench.

PS: The first version was gray and took 16 to 24 hours to charge. The
orange model came next, followed by the red, one hour charge model. Of
course, it came out the week after I bought the orange one.

--
Former professional electron wrangler.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Michael A. Terrell wrote:



I had the Wahl orange, eight hour charge version. I added a switch
to the primary of the transformer to turn it off at night. It rarely
ran down in normal, day to day use, and I worked at least 40 hours a
week with it and a couple other irons on my bench.

You should have kept that one.

-Bill

-ex- wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:


I had the Wahl orange, eight hour charge version. I added a switch
to the primary of the transformer to turn it off at night. It rarely
ran down in normal, day to day use, and I worked at least 40 hours a
week with it and a couple other irons on my bench.

You should have kept that one.

-Bill


I did, for about 12 years. Finally, the transformer went bad, and
the third battery pack shorted out. It was starting to develop cracks
in the iron's body, so I reluctantly salvaged the only good parts, the
diode and the bulb.

--
Former professional electron wrangler.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida