The "filling" of modern appliances is becoming more and more complicated every year, and the radio and electrical components are becoming smaller. It is simply impossible to repair such equipment with a conventional classic soldering iron. Currently, both professionals and amateurs use special soldering stations to install or replace various electronic components (microcircuits, chips, processors, SMD elements). Such equipment greatly simplifies the soldering process. The choice of these devices is currently very wide both in price and in purpose and functionality. Which soldering station to choose depends on the complexity of the equipment that you plan to repair with it. Only in this way and nothing else.
Device and advantages of the soldering station
Technologically, any such device consists of two main components:
- devices for heating the soldering place to the desired temperature;
- control unit and adjustment.
The advantages of the station (in comparison with a conventional soldering iron) are:
- Ability to set and control the working temperature of soldering. This minimizes the risk of thermal damage to the mounted part and overheating of adjacent components.
- Full galvanic isolation of the working area from the network (220 volts). This prevents the failure of the mounted elements due to electrical breakdown.
We hope that our review article will help you figure out which soldering station is best and how to choose the fixture that will be most suitable for performing your specific tasks of repairing, servicing or self-manufacturing of various electronic devices.
Varieties
Depending on the design features, all soldering stations are divided into several main types:
- contact (heating the junction of the terminals of the electronic components is carried out by direct contact with them the tip of the soldering iron);
- non-contact: thermoair and infrared (soldering occurs under the influence of a stream of hot air or infrared radiation);
- dismantling or repair (they are equipped with a special suction that removes solder from the junction);
- combined (these are two-in-one or three-in-one devices that allow for various soldering methods).
The answer to the question of which soldering station to choose largely depends on the elements that you need to dismantle with it (or vice versa to solder). To repair entry-level home audio equipment, it will be enough to get a simple contact device. To restore equipment with numerous SMD parts, it is better to use contactless stations.
Key Specifications
The main technical characteristics of modern soldering stations (regardless of variety) include:
- power - from 8 to 3600 W;
- operating temperature range - from 50 to 550 ° C;
- stability of maintaining the set temperature throughout the entire period of work (for top models - plus / minus 1 ° C);
- heating time to maximum temperature (depends on the type of heating element and, as a rule, does not exceed 1 minute).
It is quite difficult to answer the question of which soldering station to choose according to the characteristics indicated above.
On a note! For fine jewelry work, an 8-watt contact station is quite suitable. For soldering using refractory lead-free solders , power is already required in 80-90 W or more.
Contact stations
Contact stations were the first to replace the "archaic" soldering iron. They are, thanks to an affordable price, a wide range of models and the method of soldering familiar to many, have received the greatest distribution as home appliances.
According to the principle of maintaining a constant temperature of the tip of the soldering iron itself, these products are divided into:
- analogue (the supply voltage of the heating element is periodically turned off using an electromagnetic relay);
- digital (constant temperature of the tip is supported by a special electronic controller).
Contact station heaters are:
- nichrome (the cheapest, but due to the short service life and high inertia in modern models are practically not used);
- ceramic;
- induction (sting heating is carried out using high-frequency currents).
To decide which one to choose the best soldering station (contact), you need to read user reviews. And not only about the product itself, but also about its manufacturer.
Popular models of contact soldering stations
Rexant ZD-99 compact contact soldering station with an analog temperature controller (in the range from 100 to 450 degrees), a 48-watt soldering iron (with a ceramic heating element), a convenient holder (with a tip cleaning sponge) costs 1700-1800 today rubles.
The cost of the digital contact station 937D is about 3,000 rubles. In the Russian market, it is known under various brands: Kendal, Element, WEP, Zeny. Of the features, it is worth noting the LED indicator of operating temperature and a set of six interchangeable tips (included in the delivery). Power - 50 W, operating temperature - 200-480 ° C.
Which soldering station to choose - analog or digital? If you want to save money - then the first one, if the accuracy of setting the operating temperature (and as a result the safe installation of the electronic component) is important to you - then the second.
Induction station Quick 202D provides ultra-fast heating of the tip with high-frequency currents (400 kHz). A powerful soldering iron (90 W) and a wide temperature adjustment range (from 80 to 480 ° C) allow this device to be used for soldering a wide variety of elements and parts (including lead-free solders). The temperature sensor mounted in the tip of the tip provides accurate (± 2 ° C) maintenance of the set temperature throughout the soldering process. Adjustable auto shut-off mode (in the range from 1 to 99 min.), A liquid crystal display and an audible alarm (when the temperature deviates from the set values) complement the convenience of use. The cost of such a device is 9500-9700 rubles.
Hot Air Soldering Stations
How does a hot air soldering station work and which one to choose? In such devices, the place of soldering is heated to the required temperature using a stream of hot air. Structurally, such a station consists of:
- devices for supplying hot air (hair dryer);
- heating element;
- discharge pump (turbine or compressor);
- control unit.
There are two varieties of such stations:
- compressor (heating element and pump are installed in the control unit, and hot air is supplied to the hairdryer through a hose);
- turbine (the heating element and the pump are mounted in the hairdryer itself, which is connected to the control unit with an electric cable).
Both varieties have temperature and airflow controls.
Which soldering station with a hairdryer to choose for home: compressor or turbine? The former are equipped with more durable heating elements and pumps, however, when using them, it is necessary to prevent excesses (or clamps) of the air hose. The second is more convenient in operation, and what is important is cheaper. The undoubted advantage of both varieties is the possibility of simultaneous heating of several terminals of any electronic component, regardless of its geometric configuration.
On a note! For motorists, the answer to the question of which soldering station to choose for bumpers (repairs of cracks and chips that have to be done quite often) is unequivocal - thermal air. After all, as a solder, you can easily pick up a piece of plastic (similar to the material from which the bumper fairing of your car is made).
Hot Air Station Models
Numerous owners of game consoles who have some knowledge of radio electronics and are used to restoring their home appliances with their own hands, the question arises of which soldering station with a hairdryer to choose to repair PS3, PC4 and the like. There is no definite answer, however, according to user reviews, we can recommend the two most popular models in terms of price / quality ratio.
The Yihua 850 hot air compressor station currently costs 3400-3500 rubles. The temperature of the hot air stream is adjustable between 200-480 ° C. The hair dryer is connected to the control unit by a flexible hose made of heat-resistant silicone, about 1 meter long.
The price of a more compact turbine model SumSor 858D is 2400-2500 rubles. The temperature adjustment range is 100-450 ° C. The length of the electric cord from the hair dryer to the control unit is 1 meter.
Both stations come with 3 hair dryer nozzles of various diameters.
Combo devices
If you are in doubt and cannot decide which soldering station to choose for repairing cell phones, then you should consider purchasing a universal two-in-one device. It combines all the advantages of contact and hot air soldering stations. For example, you can use a soldering iron with success to replace the charger connector or battery contacts. But for installing surface mount elements it is better to use a hairdryer. The correct choice of method and soldering temperature will allow you to successfully repair a mobile gadget.
Universal station “2 in 1” Lukey 702 with a 50-watt soldering iron with a 750-watt hairdryer costs 4200-4500 rubles. Independent temperature controllers for both heating elements and two separate temperature indicators allow you to use both parts of the station (contact and hot air) at the same time. The compact size (300x250x140 mm) and light weight (about 1 kg) facilitate the storage and transportation of the device.
Which soldering station to choose - highly specialized or combined - depends, of course, on personal preferences and financial capabilities. However, the versatility of universal devices contributes to their growing popularity among people with "skillful hands."
Features of using infrared soldering stations
Classical microcircuits or chips, in which the contacts are located around the perimeter of the case in the form of metal "antennae", can be successfully soldered / soldered using a heat gun (and in some cases even using a conventional contact station). Chips widely used in modern computer technology in the BGA package have a characteristic technological feature: the contacts are located on the bottom of the case and are miniature metal pads, so mounting / disassembling such elements is not possible using standard soldering methods.
If you do not know which soldering station to choose for repairing laptops and phones (as well as various game consoles), where BGA chips are used quite widely, pay attention to a special high-tech device with an infrared heat radiator operating in the range from 2 to 10 microns.
In the design of such devices, two heating elements are installed: upper and lower. The first evenly heats the contacts of the chip. Moreover, to prevent overheating of neighboring parts, special focusing templates are used, the sizes of which correspond to the dimensions of the element being replaced. The second warms the board from the bottom (at the place of installation of the chip), which greatly facilitates the soldering process and prevents temperature distortion of the PCB.
The answer to the question of which infrared soldering station to choose depends on how often and for what purposes you plan to use it. If your hobby is repairing laptops for friends and acquaintances, then it is advisable to purchase first the simplest kit, consisting only of an infrared gun emitter and a control unit. After practicing on motherboards intended for discharge and purchasing additional accessories (exclusively in your opinion) accessories (for example, a tripod and a bottom heater), in a very short time you will be able to appreciate the advantages of IR soldering devices. If in the process of professional activity you have to deal with the restoration of the working capacity of motherboards not only laptops, but also servers, various game consoles and other modern digital electronics, then you cannot do without a multifunctional IR station equipped with a special editing table and equipped with all the necessary devices.
Models of soldering stations with IR heaters
The simplest model Tornado Infra Station with a manual ceramic heating element (gun), a maximum heating zone with a diameter of 50 mm, a temperature range from 130 to 520 ° C, a digital control unit and a 4-digit liquid crystal display currently costs about 14,000 rubles. The temperature in the working area is controlled using a special remote thermometer (which is included in the delivery). Naturally, to work effectively with such a tool, it will take some time to conduct training (trial) dismantling / installation operations.
To the question "which infrared soldering station to choose for professional repair of computer equipment of any complexity" (including for the dismantling / mounting of microcircuits in the BGA case), many experts give a definite answer - the repair complex Jovy Systems RE-8500. And although the price today is about 92,000 rubles, its use for specialized service centers is economically justified. The characteristics and functionality of this device are impressive:
- maximum component size (for mounting / dismounting) - 60x120 mm;
- total power of heating elements - 3600 W (upper - 600 W; three lower - 1000 W each);
- convenient mounting table for fixing motherboards;
- monitoring the workflow using a computer via the built-in USB port;
- a set of reflectors for the upper heating element (for different chip sizes);
- dismantled chip vacuum lift (weighing up to 200 g);
- saving settings for frequently repeated processes in the device’s memory.
The high performance of such a product allows its use even in small factories specializing in the design and manufacture of electronics for various purposes.
Finally
We hope that the above information will help you answer the question of which soldering station to choose for the home. In any case, even the simplest analog contact device in use will be much more effective than the old soldering iron.