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How do solder guns work?

I have two different solder guns (a 100W Radio Shack and a 325W some-other-brand) with the same problem, low heat output. The big one will work properly if held at just the right (fairly verticle) angle, and you can feel something shifting inside as this is attempted. Looks like it has a couple of transformers in it, one of which (standard coil of wire through which the AC current controlled by the switch runs) induces a current in the other (roll of sheet metal electrically connected to the heating element). At least that's what I *think* is happening. Can anyone give a better description of how a solder gun works? I would like to fix them rather than buying new, as I am on disability. I got them each to work briefly for the original projects they were purchased for, but then they each decided they didn't like me

TIA

Dave snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

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Dave
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Resistive heating of the soldering tip. The current flow is impeded by the lousy connection. Tighten well the two bolts the hold the tip.

Regards,

Boris Mohar

Got Knock? - see: Viatrack Printed Circuit Designs

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Boris Mohar

I second that motion. Because you're trying to break through the corrosion at the tip connectors, it's helpful to loosen first, then retighten. It's kind of routine for soldering gun operation.

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John Miller

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John Miller

"Dave" wrote news:cda90d$ snipped-for-privacy@library1.airnews.net...

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Well a solder gun works with a transformer. A large primary coil for the mains and a very thick wire or metal pin going outside where the soldering tip is connected between. The tip heats up by the large current flowing through it. When there is a bad or no electrical contact at all the tip wont heat up. Cleaning the contacts helps allot. Those solder guns are very robust, if you maintain them of course.

Some tip for the tip:) If you don't want to buy those expensive soldering tips just get some copper wire, as thick as possible, and shape it like such solder tip. It works as good as an original one:)

If you would like to know the current that flows through the tip you can measure it with some current transformer around a connection for the solder tip. Once I tried it and measured some 100-150A, no wonder you must make sure that everything makes a good electrical contact.

Al

Reply to
The Al Bundy

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 21:13:56 -0700, Dave wrote (in article ):

You might try removing those two nuts that hold the tip to the gun. Clean the copper tip's ends and re-insert and tighten *with feeling*.

It's a regular maintenance thing. With solder guns, way more frequently than I like. That's one reason I bought a traditional iron.

Good luck,

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Reply to
DaveC

They have a transformer that steps the volts down and current up. The secondary winding has very few turns - perhaps only one.

The tips have a low thermal mass (eg not much metal) so thay they heat up quickly.

They don't work well on larger jobs because the tip does not have enough thermal mass (eg the work piece cools down the iron).

The solution is to use a conventional iron with the right size tip (physical size and thermal mass size).

Reply to
CWatters

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Wow. Thanks to each of you. I'll clean the contact points for the tips. I originally thought it was a bad switch, and replaced same, but got no improvement. Suspected it was a microfracture in the wire leading to the primary transformer, caused by the movement of the same shifting slightly with motion. Was about to unwrap a couple of turns ansd resolder. Mayby not necessary after all.

RE soldering tips having low thermal mass: before I got the 100W model I tried soldering several resistors together for an antenna dummy load, but realized this was hopeless with the 27W iron I was using when the tip FROZE to the project under construction. Eight or ten resistor leads sucked all the heat out of the molten solder as well as the tip it was on. Was I ever disgusted. And that was the final step I needed to complete before screwing the cover down.

Thanks again to all of you for your help.

Dave snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

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Dave

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