Useful Tips

HOW TO CHOOSE A SOLDERING IRON - how to choose a soldering iron for plastic pipes, which is better for microcircuits

When choosing a soldering iron for polypropylene, evaluate it by 8 points:

  1. There is an electronic temperature controller and a temperature display.

    This is the most important condition for a quality pipe connection.

    Therefore, the soldering iron must automatically and accurately withstand the optimum operating temperature of up to 260 degrees. Mechanical relays cannot provide this.

  2. Good Teflon coating on the heads.

    The plastic will not stick to the head and will form a better connection.

  3. A set of heads for pipes with a diameter of 16 to 110 mm.

    Most often you have to work with pipes with a diameter of 25-50 mm, but you will be prepared for the unexpected.

  4. Convenient head position.

    The head should be on the tip of the heating element. If the top of the element protrudes, it will prevent you from working close to the floor or wall.

  5. Heating time to operating temperature ≈ 5 minutes.
  6. Clear instructions.

    For work, the table compiled by the manufacturer is very important, which indicates the heating time of pipes of different diameters, the time of their connection and the cooling time.

  7. Narrow heating element.
  8. Convenient stand.

Which soldering iron to choose for soldering

Types of soldering irons"Pros"

"Minuses"

Induction

  • Automatically maintain the required temperature
  • Economical
  • Heat up evenly
  • High price
  • For each temperature, you need to install the corresponding sting
Pulse

  • Heat only at the touch of a button, do it instantly
  • Good for both soldering wires and working with microcircuits
Not suitable for long-term work

Ceramic

  • Durable
  • Powerful
  • Heat up quickly
  • Maintain working temperature well
  • Resistant to burnout
  • Many fakes, real ones are expensive
  • Fragile heating element
  • You can install only native "stings"
Nichrome

  • Most affordable
  • Reliable
  • Suitable for repair
  • Heating coil burns out over time
  • Take a long time to heat up

Soldering iron for microcircuits: which is better

To decide which soldering iron is best, correlate your tasks with the design features of each type of soldering iron. Then check the selected fixture against the following criteria:

  1. The optimal power for microcircuits is 10 W, and for especially small parts - 4 W.
  2. The tip should be tapered, no thicker than 1 mm.
  3. A thermostat is needed for a constant temperature.
  4. The anti-static coating of the handle protects the microcircuit from damage from electric shock.
  5. It will also be protected by the built-in power adapter, which reduces the voltage to 36 or 12 V.

Interesting article: "How to choose a thermal gun"

Watch the video life hack how to economically clean the soldering iron tip

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