The principle of operation, the main malfunctions and methods of repairing the soldering iron. All about the rules for operating an electric soldering iron and repairing it with your own hands What can be wound on a soldering iron under a spiral

An electric soldering iron is a well-known heating device designed for joining a wide variety of non-ferrous or ferrous metal parts.

The principle of operation of the tool is based on the effect of heating its working tip (tip), which melts the solder with flux. The resulting liquid mixture fills all the irregularities and voids between the parts and forms a reliable connection after cooling.

But in the process of operation, the tool can break, and this breakdown manifests itself in a variety of forms. That is why self-repair of a soldering iron is a mandatory operation that any craftsman working with it must master.

In order to quickly and efficiently repair an electric soldering iron with your own hands, first of all, you need to familiarize yourself with its design, which includes the following units:

an electric heating element placed on a tubular base made of mica or fiberglass and made in the form of a twisted spiral winding;
handle-holder with holes for tubular base and electric cord;
work tip inserted from the other end of the mica tube.

On top of the nichrome wire, another protective layer of mica or asbestos is made, which reduces heat losses and insulates the spiral from the metal parts of the case.

The ends of the winding are folded in half and are soldered to the copper conductors of the electrical cord with a plug at the mating end. In order for them not to accidentally break, these places are reinforced with aluminum plates crimped under pressure, which remove excess heat from the contact zone.

For better insulation, special tubes (ceramic or made of glass cloth or mica) are put on the sections of the wire connection.

Electrical diagram

To understand the basics of repairing a soldering device, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with its diagram, which consists of a number of series-connected elements. It consists of an electrical plug, a connecting wire (cord) and a nichrome heating winding.

Since the power is supplied from a 220 V variable network, a converter is usually built into the circuit.

Voltage

One of the main technical characteristics taken into account when it is necessary to repair the soldering iron is the voltage applied to the winding. In different device models, it can take the following values:

220 Volts (used in most domestic models);
supply voltages reduced by a transformer from 12 to 42 volts (for hazardous working conditions);
5-volt power supply for, which is not difficult to fix at home.

Reduced voltages are used in conditions called dangerous and especially dangerous (at high levels of humidity or dustiness in the room, for example). The main purpose of reducing this value is to protect the user from electric shock.

Regardless of which of these models is to be repaired, the methods of its restoration are reduced to the simplest working operations.

Power

Electric power is understood as the energy taken from the network by the soldering iron, defined as the product of voltage and current consumption.

This indicator is directly related to the thermal power dissipated on the sting, which determines its operational capabilities. The larger this parameter, the better the soldering iron tip will warm up the soldering point.

The operating power values for various product samples vary over a very wide range (from units to thousands of watts).

That is, there is a choice when soldering devices with low consumption and heat dissipation are preferred for working with small parts. Well, for cases when it is necessary to solder bulky metal products, on the contrary, only "powerful" devices are suitable.

Accounting for this indicator in the simplest case is reduced to replacing the tip with a thicker tip or vice versa. If the heating element fails, the power is taken into account if it is necessary to independently rewind it and select the required number of turns.

Winding calculation

Repairing a soldering iron in most cases comes down to a procedure that allows you to rewind a burned-out nichrome winding. When replacing it, it is important to correctly select the thickness and diameter of the nichrome wire, as well as the number of turns in the spiral, which determines the heat output.

When calculating and choosing the required wire diameter, one proceeds from the resistance value of the heating winding of the soldering iron, which, in turn, is determined by its operating power (supply voltage).

To determine the initial indicator (winding resistance), special tables are used.

Table for determining the resistance of a nichrome spiral depending on the power and supply voltage of electrical devices, Ohm
Power consumption soldering iron, W	Soldering iron supply voltage, V
Power consumption soldering iron, W	12	24	36	127	220
12	12	48,0	108	1344	4033
24	6,0	24,0	54	672	2016
36	4,0	16,0	36	448	1344
42	3,4	13,7	31	384	1152
60	2,4	9,6	22	269	806
75	1.9	7.7	17	215	645
100	1,4	5,7	13	161	484
150	0,96	3,84	8,6	107	332
200	0,72	2,88	6,5	80,6	242
300	0,48	1,92	4,3	53,8	161
400	0,36	1,44	3,2	40,3	121
500	0,29	1,15	2,6	32,3	96,8
700	0,21	0,83	1,85	23,0	69,1
900	0,16	0,64	1,44	17,9	53,8
1000	0,14	0,57	1,30	16,1	48,4
1500	0,10	0,38	0,86	10,8	32,3
2000	0,07	0,29	0,65	8,06	24,2
2500	0,06	0,23	0,52	6,45	19,4
3000	0,05	0,19	0,43	5,38	16,1

Using these tables, it will be possible to check the correctness of the calculation of the winding in order to carry out repairs in the future.

With a fixed supply voltage U and the resistance of the heating device R measured with a tester, the power consumption P is calculated by the formula P = (UхU) / R.

Possible malfunctions

The most common malfunction of soldering irons (regardless of type and power) is a burnout of the heater winding or a partial turn-to-turn circuit.

It manifests itself in the fact that the soldering iron does not heat up at all, that is, it loses its efficiency.

As a rule, the closure of individual turns over time also leads to the combustion of the entire spiral, when ordinary repairs will no longer help, and the spiral must be completely rewound. Under the most favorable conditions, the lack of heating of the soldering iron may be due to the following reasons:

poor contact at the junction of the voltage supply wire and the ends of the winding (spiral);
malfunction of the mains plug;
breakage of one of the veins in the cord itself.

All these malfunctions are detected by visual inspection, or with the help of a tester included in the "Callback" mode, after which the repair is carried out.

Sequence of work during repair

To eliminate a break in the wires or plug, first, using a multimeter (tester), the exact location of the damage is revealed. And only after that one of the possible ways to repair the soldering iron is selected.

So, if a break is detected in the supply wire or plug, it is easiest to replace these parts entirely with a serviceable product. To do this, it is more convenient to simply build up the intact part by soldering a new power cord to it.

When extending the lead wire, special attention is paid to the insulation of individual cores. The safest way to protect each of them is a PVC tube (cambric).

In the event that the winding of the soldering iron burns out, you will have to open the protective casing (cover) and completely disassemble the heating element by disconnecting it from the supply wires.

When rewinding a spiral, it is necessary to carefully monitor that adjacent turns are located at a distance from one another, and a mica gasket is laid between the rows of winding.

At the end of the winding work, the leads are soldered to the ends of the nichrome wire, and then the lead wires are crimped, after which the protective casing returns to its original place. At this, the repair can be considered complete.

Operating rules

When working with an electric soldering iron, in order to avoid accidental breakdowns of individual parts, you must adhere to the following rules:

During soldering, avoid strong mechanical stress on the cord and the electrical heater of the device.
Do not overheat the spiral of the soldering iron (do not leave it turned on for a long time).
It is necessary to use a power regulator that allows you to select the required mode for heating the tip.

In conclusion, we note that during operation, you need to monitor the condition of the network wire and prevent accidental damage from contact with a sting heated to a high temperature.

If this could not be avoided, the molten place should be carefully insulated by putting a cambric on the damaged core and wrapping it with electrical tape.

A simple repair will help get the soldering iron working again. In general, thanks to a simple device, this tool rarely fails.

An electric soldering iron is a hand-held tool for joining parts. This property is due to the presence of soft solders that heat the material to a liquid consistency and fill all voids. Before buying a soldering iron, you need to read the instructions for its operation in order to understand what to do if it breaks down. This article describes in detail how to properly repair an electric soldering iron.

On the shelves of hardware stores, you can find different models of electric soldering irons that operate on the network - from 12 to 220 W. The process of choosing a tool should take into account the safety of the working foremen, the voltage in the electrical network at the place of work.

Attention

In rooms with high humidity, where grounding is provided, it is permissible to use soldering irons with a capacity of 36 watts, 25 watts and below. In this case, it is necessary to ground the body of the instrument.

If the instrument is made independently, then a thin wire will be required for its correct reconstruction. It will reel in a spiral. The required power is from 12 to 100 W, even more. The spreading of the material over the surface of the plates will occur evenly if the melting temperature exceeds the temperature in the soldering iron itself.

Basic details

The soldering device is made from a copper rod. The nichrome coil heats the device. It is important that the heat is immediately transferred from the heating element to the sting - this is the name for a rod with a wedge-shaped tip. It is inserted into a steel tube that is wrapped in glassy cloth or mica.

A wire is wound around the mica, which serves as a heating element. To reduce heat loss, nichrome wire is wrapped with asbestos. The ends of the nichrome spiral are attached to the conductors of the electrical cord. To ensure reliability and preservation of the generated heat, the spirals are bent and folded in half at the point of connection with the copper wire. Additionally pinched at the point of engagement.

The listed elements are located in a metal case. It can be made in two ways: welded from two pieces or constructed from two pieces of metal.

Cover rings are used to fix the housing on a metal tube... After the electric current is applied, it is distributed from the nichrome to the spiral, and after that the heat is supplied to the tip.

For rations of low-power diodes, experts advise using an electric current with a power of up to 12 W. Large parts and thick connecting wires need to be soldered with more powerful devices. A soldering iron with a power of 40 to 60 watts is suitable. Parts that are complex in design and heat permeability are soldered with devices with a power of 100 watts or more.

Electrical diagram

Power

The electrical power of a soldering iron is the amount of electricity that the device is able to take from the network. The value can be determined by multiplying the voltage by the current consumed. This number shows the thermal power dissipated on the tip and determines the operational capabilities of the device.

The higher the power, the better the soldering iron tip will act on the place where the parts are joined by heating them up. The value of the operating power may vary depending on the manufacturer and the specified parameters for soldering elements. Power can be measured from a few units to thousands of watts.

The choice of power depends on the planned operation of the tool.

When soldering small parts within a house, garden or garage, a low-power soldering iron is enough.
For bulky materials, the most powerful tools are suitable, which consume the maximum amount of energy to cope with melting and soldering.

To change the charge of electricity to the required one, it is enough to replace the sting with a thicker tip.

If the heating element fails, the power is taken into account if it is necessary to independently rewind it and select the number of turns.

Voltage

An important characteristic when repairing a soldering iron in the event of a breakdown is the voltage applied to the winding. Depending on the manufactured model, the indicator can take the following values:

220 volt... Typical for domestic production.
12-42 volts... Reduced by a transformer for safety reasons, but emit increased power for soldering complex parts in hazardous working conditions.
5 volts... The manufacture of such soldering irons is possible on your own. These are miniature tools for performing simple tasks at home and in small-scale production.

Undervoltage conditions are important for hazardous environments. For example, with high room humidity, high smoke or dirt. The purpose of voltage reduction is to ensure safety at work, to prevent accidents from possible electric shock.

Possible causes of breakdown

Open in wiring

A break in the electrical network is the most common cause of device breakdown. If the fault is in the electrical cord, then you can correct the situation yourself. It is enough to replace the cord or plug, depending on where the break in the wiring occurred.

If the nichrome winding breaks, then the repair is performed in more complex stages, but it is also possible to fix it yourself. To determine the breakage and repair of the winding, a special device called a multimeter is used. Its use depends on the power, which is indicated on the body of the soldering iron or in the passport.

The fixing rings move apart, the protective case of the soldering iron winding is removed. The casing for protection is made in two types:

A metal tube is attached to the pin with a winding, which rests against the handle and is fastened with a clamping ring in the place where the sting is located.
The protective case consists of two longitudinal halves of the tube, the edges of which are noticeably reduced in diameter. The two component parts are fixed with clamping rings.

To insulate the edges of the winding, you need asbestos gaskets, heat-resistant fiberglass or mica tubes (plates).

Burnout

The bending area during the work of the soldering iron is the most vulnerable to burnout of parts. Where the wire enters the soldering iron itself, and you need to repair it. Having disassembled the tool, you need to ring the wires coming from the plug, and then cut off a small piece (no more than 15 cm) from the side of the entrance to the soldering iron. If there is no contact during this action, then the piece is cut off from the side of the fork.

In many cases, it is not possible to repair a burnt-out part on its own and to renew contact. In this case, you need to replace the wire with a new one, having done all the above steps. If the heating tool itself burns out inside the soldering iron, then this is much more difficult, but it is possible to eliminate it. They are repaired in one of the following ways:

The heating coil is rewound if the soldering iron was rated for a power of no more than 36 volts. The supply voltage of 220 volts complicates the task. A thin long wire is wound around the base of the heater. In this case, the forks must not have direct contact.
The entire burned-out heating element is changed, which is fixed with one screw, the shortest in length. The sting is fixed with a genuine screw.

We offer you to watch a video on how to repair a burnt-out soldering iron:

Bad contacts

In many cases, if the connection is poor, it is necessary to check the voltage supply to the mains. If the power of the electric current is correct, then the following may be the cause of poor contact:

Incorrect tip position... It is enough to insert it a little deeper into the body and fix it. If the rod is short, replace it with a suitable one.
Dross on the sting... It can be removed with a simple emery paper or a file. The heated tip is dipped in rosin and the tip is rubbed on a braid with solder. When a thin and even layer of solder forms on the tip, the scale is completely removed.
Attention
The procedure for descaling the tip is carried out throughout the entire operation of the soldering iron as the tip of the tip blackens.
High lead solder. The power of the instrument must be adjusted to avoid excessive lead release.
Incorrect sharpening of the tip of the soldering iron. You need to sharpen it in the form of an oval bevel. This shape will provide efficient heat dissipation.

Step-by-step instructions on how to repair yourself

Soldering iron repair begins with calculating the resistance of the heating element or winding. The voltage and resistance values of the electrical appliance allow you to calculate its power consumption. For example, the resistance in the winding of a soldering iron with a power of 60 W and powered by a 36 V network should be equal to or slightly more than 22 Ohms.

For repair, you need to prepare the following tools:

pliers;
sharp knife;
ceramic resistance "PEV-10";
the thread is asbestos.

A ceramic resistor is pre-prepared. The power supply wires must go to its base to check the electronic power and heat dissipation.

You need to have a nichrome wire on hand, its diameter must correspond to the parameters of the winding. The coils are stacked close. When heated, the surface of the nichrome wire will oxidize, creating an insulating layer. The wound layer, which according to the rules should not fit in the first row, is covered with mica and placed in the second row.

Before repairing a soldering iron, it is advisable to have its diagram on hand. You can draw it by reading the instructions or by disassembling the tool into its component parts.

To successfully fix email. do it yourself soldering iron, you need to do it as the experts advise:

When rewinding a spiral, you must carefully ensure that adjacent turns are located at a distance from one another. A mica gasket must be placed between the rows of winding.
When soldering deformed or defective parts, mechanical stress on the cord must be avoided. This will preserve the electric heater for a long time.
Do not leave the soldering iron spiral turned on for a long time in order to avoid shorting the electrical wiring in the event of a malfunction of the parts included in it.
When repairing, you need to use a power regulator to select a safe mode for heating the tip.
If it was not possible to avoid overheating of the device and safe use of the tip, then the melted place is carefully insulated. Perform with electrical tape and cambric, put on the damaged sting.

It is easy to repair the soldering iron with your own hands. To do this, you need to understand the causes of the malfunction, correctly calculate the power of the electrical network for operation.

An electric soldering iron is a hand-held equipment that allows you to connect parts together using soft solders, heating the solder to a liquid consistency, filling the voids between the elements to be connected with it. Before buying a tool, you must familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics of the device, the rules of operation and how to repair the soldering iron.

A soldering iron is a tool needed to carry out minor repairs to electronic devices.

Operating conditions

There are models on the market that are suitable for operation from a network with a voltage of 12 to 220 V. In the process of choosing a tool, the need to ensure the safety of the craftsmen working with it and the voltage in the electrical network at the place of work are taken into account.

In rooms with a high level of humidity and grounded devices, it is permissible to use a soldering iron with a voltage of up to 36 V and an obligatory grounding of the soldering iron body. Tool repairs are not required if these requirements are met.

When making a soldering iron yourself, a thin wire is used to wind the spiral. The supply and instrument voltages must match. The power of such units reaches from 12 to 100 W and more, because it is possible to ensure uniform spreading of the solder over the surface of the connected elements if they are heated above its melting point. Heat from the tip is transferred to the parts upon contact, which causes the temperature of the tip to decrease.

Insufficient power of the heating coil or small diameter of the rod can prevent the tip from heating to the required temperature, which does not allow soldering. Powerful soldering irons can connect small parts, but due to the size of the device, access to the elements to be soldered is limited. Experts recommend winding a copper wire with a diameter of 1 mm around the sting. The high power of such devices allows you to quickly warm up the elements, and most small radio components, transistors, diodes, microcircuits cannot withstand temperatures exceeding 70 ° C. The soldering time is reduced to 3 seconds. Before fixing the device in question, you will need to find out its design features.

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Components

The considered device is made of a copper rod, which is heated to the melting point of the solder using a nichrome spiral. When soldering parts, make sure that heat is quickly transferred from the heating element to the tip.

The sting is the working part of the tool, a rod with a wedge-shaped tip. It is inserted into a steel tube wrapped in fiberglass cloth or mica, around which is wound a wire that acts as a heating element. Nichrome wire is wrapped with asbestos, which helps to reduce heat loss. The ends of a nichrome spiral are attached to the conductors of an electrical cord with a plug, which are bent and folded in half to ensure greater reliability and reduce the heating temperature at the points of connection with the copper wire. The connection is additionally crimped with a metal plate.

The nickel-chromium alloy spiral and the copper tip are housed in a metal housing, which can be made from a solid piece of metal or welded in 2 pieces. On a metal tube, the body is fixed by means of overhead rings. The electric current, after inserting the plug of the device into the outlet, enters the nichrome spiral, which, after heating, transfers heat to the sting.

Experts recommend using equipment with a capacity of no more than 12 watts for rations of low-power diodes. Thick wires, bulky parts and small powerful parts must be soldered using 40 and 60 W devices. Large parts are soldered with units of 100 watts or more.

The quality of work cannot be guaranteed by selecting the right power tool. Incorrect operation of the unit leads to breakdown and the need to repair the soldering iron.

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Step-by-step instruction

Independent manufacture or repair of heating devices is carried out taking into account the calculation of the resistance of the heating element or winding. Knowing the voltage and resistance values of an electrical appliance allows you to calculate its power that it consumes. The resistance in the winding of a 60 W soldering iron powered from a 36 V network should reach 22 ohms. The correct selection of power and voltage helps to avoid breakdown and the need to repair the device in question.

Soldering iron tip temperature control circuits.

Then it is required to select the diameter of the nichrome wire, comparable to the dimensions of the winding. The winding of a spiral with a resistance of 806 ohms is performed using 5.75 m of wire with a diameter of 0.1 mm (the resistance value is divided by 140) or 25.4 m of wire - 0.2 mm. Coils must be stacked closely. The surface of the nichrome wire will oxidize when heated, creating an insulating surface. The wound layer that does not fit in the first row is covered with mica. The second row is wound. High-quality assembly allows you to operate the tool for a long time without breakdowns and repairs.

Heat and electrical insulation in the winding is provided by a coating of fiberglass, mica or asbestos. The advantage of asbestos over other compositions is that it can be soaked with water, creating the required shape, and after drying, the material has a sufficiently high strength.

The main cause of a malfunctioning soldering iron is a breakdown of the heating element.

A simple repair helps to restore its performance. To repair a soldering iron, you need the following tools:

pliers;
sharp knife;
ceramic resistance "PEV-10";
the thread is asbestos.

Repair of an electric soldering iron is carried out in several stages. A 1-1.5 ohm ceramic resistor is preliminarily prepared. In its central part there is a hole that allows you to pass the soldering iron rod without additional adjustment.

The faulty heating element is then removed. A prepared ceramic resistor is placed in the resulting socket. The next step is to connect the power supply wires to the resistor. For this it is recommended to use the channels in the handle of the device. The wires must be laid so that they do not come into contact with the body, and the leads must be insulated with asbestos thread. Upon completion of the repair work, it will be necessary to assemble the components of the soldering iron in reverse order. To repair the soldering iron yourself, you will need its circuit.

Soldering devices of various types are widely used at industrial facilities, in workshops for the repair of radio equipment and household appliances, in domestic conditions. There are many types of soldering equipment depending on the operating conditions and purpose.

Spiral Heating Soldering Iron

Application and types

The AC coiled-core electric soldering iron operates on a standard 220V 50-60Hz electrical power supply for household equipment.
The rechargeable electric soldering iron is used for desoldering wires and other small-sized elements, where high power up to 15 W is not required;
There are varieties of gas soldering irons that are used for strong heating of metal elements and refractory alloys;
To work with low-melting tin during the installation and repair of radio equipment, pistol-type soldering irons with a pulsed voltage supply are widely used. When the trigger is pressed, the tip of the soldering iron heats up, after the end of the soldering, the trigger is released and the heating element cools down;
Soldering irons with ceramic rods have a long service life, allow you to select the desired temperature and power consumption;

Soldering iron with ceramic rod tips

Induction soldering irons are widely used. An inductive coil creates a magnetic field on the ferromagnetic tip, which heats up the core. With the loss of the magnetic properties of the core, heating stops, this is a significant drawback of such models.

The electric soldering iron is used as a hand tool. With its help, the solder is melted to a liquid state, which fills the cracks and irregularities of the heated metal elements at the joints, for which alloys of low-melting metals are used:

tin;
lead;
zinc;
nickel;
copper and others.

The melting temperature of the solders should be less than the melting temperature of the metal elements to be joined.

The industry produces different types of soldering irons. The most commonly used in industry and at the household level are spiral soldering irons, which are worth describing in more detail.

Soldering iron device and principle of operation

One of the main elements of a soldering iron is a heating rod, on which a nichrome wire is wound with a spiral. In order to keep the heat longer, the rod is inserted into a steel cylinder, which is insulated with heat-resistant fiberglass, mica or an asbestos layer. A nichrome wire winding is wound on this dielectric layer. These measures eliminate short circuits between the turns.

Depending on the power of the soldering iron, the winding can be multilayer: fiberglass - winding - fiberglass - continuation of the spiral.

The higher the power of the soldering iron, the more turns of the spiral, the thinner the diameter of the wire. For high thermal conductivity of the rod, red copper is used, thus a quick warm-up is achieved, and heat transfer to the soldering iron tip.

Diagram of a spiral soldering iron device

List of main elements:

plug and cord for connecting to the power supply;
holder;
wooden handle, can be made of heat-resistant plastic;
copper rod;
dielectric spacers;
heating coil;
spiral guard with retaining rings.

The electrical circuit of the soldering iron is simple, it consists of three elements:

source of power;
plug with wire;
wire spiral heating.

Soldering iron wiring diagram

An electric current passing along a spiral of a nichrome wire heats up the winding, heat is transferred to the core and tip of the soldering iron.

Malfunctions and their elimination

In soldering irons of this model, the most common malfunction is an open circuit. If there is a break in the section of the electrical cord, repairing the soldering iron is simple - it is replacing the cord or plug. In the event of a break in the nichrome winding, the repair is more complicated, but possible with your own hands.

Nichrome Winding Electric Soldering Iron

To determine the breakage and repair the winding, it is easiest to use a multimeter, taking into account the winding resistance, which depends on the power and is indicated on the soldering iron body or in the product passport.

It is necessary to spread the locking rings and remove the protective housing of the soldering iron winding. There are two options for the protection cover. A metal tube, which is put on a pin with a winding and abuts against the handle, is fastened with a clamping ring from the side of the tip. The second option is when the protective body consists of two longitudinal halves of a tube with a decreasing diameter at the edges, where the two component parts are fixed by clamping rings.

When repairing with their own hands, some amateur craftsmen, removing the protective casing and the upper layer of insulation of the winding, having discovered an open circuit, do not bother with laborious replacement of the wire of the entire winding. Disconnect the end from the terminal on the power cord, and wind the wire from the outside of the winding until it breaks. Then they make a neat twist at the burnout point, wind the wire, connect it back to the power cord terminal, and attach the outer layer of insulation. They put on a protective case, the soldering iron is plugged in and it works properly.

This method of DIY repair is possible, but not recommended. The disadvantage of this method is that in the place of twisting, the heating of the nichrome wire will be greater than in the rest of the chain. Ultimately, the operation of such a soldering iron will be short-lived. The winding will burn out in the same place. For reliable operation, you will have to rewind the entire reel.

If it is necessary to achieve the same heating power, wind a new coil with the same wire, with the same number of turns in each layer.

Different materials are used to insulate the layers of the winding:

asbestos gaskets;
heat-resistant fiberglass;
mica tubes or plates.

Asbestos is considered the most practical, the plate can be soaked with water, after which it becomes elastic and takes any shape that is molded with your own hands. The first layer of the spiral is wound on the dried coating, then the second layer of asbestos and the continuation of the winding, so on until the end of the wire.

The number of turns in each layer and the thickness of the insulation should be approximately the same. This condition ensures uniform heating. The remaining ends of the winding are connected to the power cord.

Connecting the winding to the power cord

To repair the insulating layer of the winding, mica tubes and plates are used, which have high thermal conductivity and are a reliable dielectric. The disadvantage of this material in its fragility is that it is difficult to stack, sometimes mica crumbles right in the hands.

In case of mechanical shock to the protective case of the winding, the mica plates can be destroyed, which will lead to an inter-turn closure in the spiral.

The soldering iron tip is sharpened under the cone for convenient soldering of small elements. During operation, it requires periodic file dressing.

Electric soldering iron tip shape

When winding a new coil at the calculated power, there is no absolute certainty that the rod will heat up the elements to be soldered and the solder to a liquid state. It depends on the tip, the new one is larger, as it is used it decreases. Solders also have different melting points.

All these factors affect the time and temperature of heating to achieve the desired parameters of power consumption and temperature. The soldering iron is switched on through a thyristor power regulator. This device allows you to automatically maintain the desired temperature of the rod.

Calculation of the required parameters

In order to repair a broken soldering iron, you can change its parameters, taking into account the intended purpose, i.e. what do you use a soldering iron for (soldering a pan or a microcircuit). In this case, special tables are used, where the following values are set for selection:

electrical power consumption of the soldering iron;
supply voltage;
resistance of nichrome wire.

The required resistance of the spiral for various values of power and voltage is calculated in advance and tabulated.

The choice of the resistance of the spiral (nichrome wire) according to the power and voltage of the soldering iron Ohm

Power, watts	Voltage, Volts
	12	24	36	127	220
12	12	48,0	108	1344	4033
24	6,0	24,0	54	672	2016
36	4,0	16,0	36	448	1344
42	3,4	13,7	31	384	1152
60	2,4	9,6	22	269	806
75	1,9	7,7	17	215	645
100	1,4	5,7	13	161	484

To rewind a 36 W soldering iron with a supply voltage of 220 V, it can be seen from the table that the winding resistance should be 1344 Ohm. Then you can take the existing wire, attach the Ohmmeter terminal to the end, move the second terminal along the unwound wire until the readings of 1334 Ohm. At this mark, cut off the measured section and wind it on the coil of the soldering iron.

Resistance of a meter wire of nichrome to the value of its diameter

Dia- meter, mm	1,0	0,9	0,8	0,7	0,6	0,5	0,4	0,3	0,2	0,1	0,08	0,07
Ohm / m	1,4	1,7	2,2	2,89	3,93	5,6	8,75	15,7	34,6	137	208	280

You can use the above table. Measure the wire diameter with a micrometer and use the table to determine the required wire length in the coil. So, if the wire diameter is 0.08 mm, the resistance per meter will be 208 ohms. The required resistance is 1334 Ohm / 208 Ohm = 6.4 m. It turns out the length of the wire, which should be wound on the coil.

The turns on the winding are stacked close, heating red-hot, the scale of the nichrome coating forms an insulating inter-turn layer. When the coil is not long enough, an insulating layer, fiberglass, asbestos or mica is applied and a second layer is wound. Almost every coil is made up of multiple layers , it is very important that it fits in a protective casing.

Repair video

How the soldering iron is repaired and rewound to 12 Volts is described in the video below.

From the above information, it follows that having certain skills, tools, materials and knowledge in electrical engineering, it is not a big problem to repair a soldering iron with your own hands.

The soldering iron device allows for the bonding of metal components using solder. Solder is a metal or alloy that has a lower melting point than metals that are joined together using solder. For soldering, tin-based alloys are used; in addition, the alloy includes lead, copper, nickel and some other metals. The alloy heated to the melting temperature fills the gaps between the workpieces, and after solidification, the alloy holds the parts to be soldered together.

Using a soldering iron, you can fasten metal parts.

Types of equipment for soldering

There are several different types of tools available for the soldering process. The most common types of devices are as follows:

instruments equipped with a nichrome heater;
a tool with a ceramic heater;
devices with an induction heater;
tool with impulse heater;
gas tools;
battery powered devices;
hot air and infrared soldering machines.

A soldering iron with a ceramic heater has a faster heating.

Devices with heaters made of nichrome wire operate with AC or DC current. This type of soldering iron, as a rule, does not have heating controls. The exception is a small number of models equipped with sensors for heating control. A thermocouple is used as a temperature sensor.

A tool with a ceramic heater is distinguished by the fact that heating is carried out by supplying power to the contacts of a heater made of conductive special ceramics. Such devices are more modern and have a number of advantages, the main ones being the heating rate of the working element of the device and a long service life. In addition, devices that have a ceramic heating element are equipped with temperature and power controls, which have a wide range of adjustments.

Induction devices differ in that an inductor coil is used to warm up the tool. The tip of the device has a ferromagnetic coating in which the coil creates a magnetic field with an induced current. The tip is heated by currents induced in the magnetic field. By changing the properties of the ferromagnetic coating, the degree of heating of the instrument tip is controlled.

Impulse soldering irons are a category of tools, the tip of which is heated by exposure to a short current pulse, after pressing the start button. These devices are characterized by particularly fast heating of the tool tip.

Hot air and infrared soldering stations are specific equipment that is used only by specialists.

The device and principle of operation of the soldering iron

The most common types of soldering iron among the population are devices with a nichrome or ceramic heater.

These devices operate on electric current from a household network with a voltage of 220 V. Devices can have different powers depending on the field of application.

The device of a soldering iron made by different manufacturers may have slight differences. The main structural elements of any electrical soldering device, the operation of which is based on the use of a heating element, are:

kernel;
a heating element;
the sting;
holder;
electrical cord for powering from a household electrical outlet.

A rod made of red copper is heated using a heater made of nichrome wire of a certain section or conductive special ceramics. If a nichrome heater is used in the soldering iron device, then the diameter of the wire from which it is made depends on the power of the device. The rod is heated up to the melting point of the solder. Copper is used in the manufacture of the heating element rod due to its high thermal conductivity. The heating element transfers heat to the tip of the tool.

The rod end of the soldering iron is the working part of the tool, as a rule, the end of the rod is wedge-shaped. For this reason, this end of the rod is called sting.

The soldering iron rod is fixed in a metal tube. To ensure its isolation from the heating element, the plug-in end is wrapped in an insulating material. Such material used in the soldering iron device can be glass cloth or mica. Nichrome thread is wound over the current-insulating material.

The soldering iron holder has a channel in its design, through which the power cord passes, which supplies voltage to the heating tool. The soldering iron holder can be made of wood or heat-resistant plastic.

The most common breakdowns of soldering fixtures

Before starting the repair of the soldering iron, the type of malfunction of the device is determined.

The most common malfunction encountered when using a tool equipped with a nichrome or ceramic heating element is the lack of heating of the copper rod of the device. There may be several reasons for such a malfunction. The lack of heating of the copper rod may be due to:

failure of the electrical plug of the device;
failure of the network cable that supplies electricity to the device;
violation of contact between the power cable of the device and its heating element;
failure of the heating element, which provides heating of the copper rod of the soldering iron.

In order to repair the soldering device, you will need to have an ordinary household ammeter at hand, which will allow you to determine the type of malfunction that has arisen in the soldering iron device.

If a breakdown of the power cord plug is detected, it will have to be replaced. Most often, manufacturers equip devices designed for soldering with electric solid plastic plugs, which cannot be repaired, since they are non-separable. To replace such a plug, cut it off from the power cord and install a new collapsible structure in its place.

To detect a failure of the power cord, its integrity follows with the help of an ampere-voltmeter.In case of violation of the integrity of the current-carrying element of the cord, such a power cord must be replaced.

If the operation of the device is associated with a breakdown in the contact between the heating element and the power cord, then the soldering iron should be disassembled and its operability restored by restoring the electrical contact between these structural elements of the device.

In case of failure of the heating element of the device, it must be replaced. A malfunction of a heating element can be detected in two ways: by using an ampere-voltmeter and empirically, with the exclusion of all other types of device breakdowns.

Choosing a type of soldering iron for soldering products

The choice of the type of tool depends entirely on its power and temperature characteristics and is determined by the operating conditions of the tool. In addition, the choice of the type of instrument is influenced by the personal preferences of the person who plans to work with this instrument. If you plan to use the device in the absence of electricity, then you should purchase stand-alone models of the tool. These models are batteries or gas powered devices. Hot air and infrared soldering stations should be purchased if you plan to perform work on soldering electronic boards.

The purchase of a pulse soldering iron is justified in cases where you need to save time and do not want to wait until a conventional soldering iron with a heating element warms up to operating temperature.

The power of the purchased tool should be selected depending on the work performed. So, for example, a tool with a power of about 25 W is best suited to perform work related to the soldering of electronic circuit board components. A more powerful tool should be used when carrying out more voluminous metal work associated with the soldering process.