I thought it would be interesting to buy one of the digital versions of the 936 soldering stations and compare it to the traditional analogue versions.
UPDATE. Ditch the UK plug, it's got a sleeved earth pin. Put a new one on with a 3A fuse.
If you are having any heating or sensing issues then check out this new video showing the fix for a common issue:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8BGkEnHetI
The case seems to have the same form as the others, but has a transformer with a 24V winding and an extra 10V winding to power the logic.
The main features are the ease of setting a precise temperature with an up/down button arrangement. After setting the temperature it is stored in memory.
To calibrate the unit to an iron, it's best to initially set calibration to zero and then use a 191 soldering thermometer to determine how many degrees and in which direction to adjust between -50C to +50C. Calibration mode is entered by pressing both buttons together and then releasing and immediately adjusting the calibration value up or down. If you pause it will automatically save the new calibration value and go back to temperature setting/display mode.
When the unit is first removed from the packaging there is a very distinctive transformer lacquer smell that was also noticeable in use, but that will probably wear off quickly. The plastic enclosure gets warm to the touch, but not excessively so. The iron supplied has a one metre long silicone-rubber style lead. The iron stand is made of folded metal with a clip-in sponge tray and is a nice loose fit for the iron.
I tested a generic cheapo complete handle with cable, element and bit from eBay and after noting that the tolerance on the plug and socket was not quite perfect it worked fine. Initially there was a bad connection to the cheapo iron's heater so the unit just sat at its lowest reading on the thermo-couple range (which was about 90C due to the range of the thermocouple sensing being optimised for soldering temperatures.)
In summary, the unit is quiet and surprisingly precise when calibrated. It's soldering performance on general DIY project stuff is more than acceptable.
If you enjoy my videos you can support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random Chinese soldering equipment at https://www.patreon.com/bigclive
UPDATE. Ditch the UK plug, it's got a sleeved earth pin. Put a new one on with a 3A fuse.
If you are having any heating or sensing issues then check out this new video showing the fix for a common issue:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8BGkEnHetI
The case seems to have the same form as the others, but has a transformer with a 24V winding and an extra 10V winding to power the logic.
The main features are the ease of setting a precise temperature with an up/down button arrangement. After setting the temperature it is stored in memory.
To calibrate the unit to an iron, it's best to initially set calibration to zero and then use a 191 soldering thermometer to determine how many degrees and in which direction to adjust between -50C to +50C. Calibration mode is entered by pressing both buttons together and then releasing and immediately adjusting the calibration value up or down. If you pause it will automatically save the new calibration value and go back to temperature setting/display mode.
When the unit is first removed from the packaging there is a very distinctive transformer lacquer smell that was also noticeable in use, but that will probably wear off quickly. The plastic enclosure gets warm to the touch, but not excessively so. The iron supplied has a one metre long silicone-rubber style lead. The iron stand is made of folded metal with a clip-in sponge tray and is a nice loose fit for the iron.
I tested a generic cheapo complete handle with cable, element and bit from eBay and after noting that the tolerance on the plug and socket was not quite perfect it worked fine. Initially there was a bad connection to the cheapo iron's heater so the unit just sat at its lowest reading on the thermo-couple range (which was about 90C due to the range of the thermocouple sensing being optimised for soldering temperatures.)
In summary, the unit is quiet and surprisingly precise when calibrated. It's soldering performance on general DIY project stuff is more than acceptable.
If you enjoy my videos you can support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random Chinese soldering equipment at https://www.patreon.com/bigclive
I have a pro's kit ss-207 station. My problem is with the error code S-E or 5-E. I've change the heater with the sensor (9ss-900-ht) and still shows the error. Next I bought a new Iron ( for my station is 5ss-200-iron) still error message S-E. Cable and the jack is ok. So it's not the sensor, what could it be? It's something on the motherbord but I'm not specialist on that stuff and i dont want to buy another station. It's strange because the station is working and heating like normal It shows the error but on every 10 degrease flashing the themperature when its heating (I see error S-E when heats up and not the rising temp.) Anyone with that kind of problem please help. I look online in forums but eveyone says its the thermocouple on the iron. In my case i don't think its the sensor.
The holes are for replacement heaters.
It's been said the truest test of a societies advancement is how intuitive their technology is to use.
I know it's not a man thing, but read the manual 😮🤓
love your video's there fun and educational. keep it up \clive.
i feel like i smell his solder fumes
I bought ten machined rounded pin eight pin sockets and it was eBay where I found them I think they were a couple bucks canadian.
Have you ever used or tested a Hakko FX888 D?
Keep coming back to this, actually bought this iron on the back of watching this video back in the day. Good buy, I think I paid under £20 for it back in 2017.
Many thanks for reviewing cheap Chinese tat over the years. I ordered a Baku 601D station two years ago because of this video during an eBay electronics sale and I've been extremely happy with it.
I believe you say here to watch the plug type you buy if you grab extra irons for the station. Of course like a complete prat I ordered the wrong one, but salvaged it by snipping and splicing the cable of the old one to the new iron.
Still love my odd Californian " Met Cal"..
Ive gone through a few irons in my time including Maplin's crappy "precision gold" .
But the Metcal is soo amazing.
Greetings Clive. After watching this video way back then, I Got one and it has been a faithful iron for years.
But sadly it has died.
I was wondering what soldering iron / station you would recommend in 2022? Kind regards.
You like my old Katsu for an autopsy video?
I watch these old videos and get all excited about upgrading my gear to your old video stuff, then I look and using the exact numbers I come up with 154 bucks for the unit. Then I found that modifying my search to Soldering iron station and I find the cheap ones at around 40 bucks or less. I am just swearing off my purchasing binge blowing some money from mom's house sale as I need to by some new teeth, funny how they all began falling out when my wife got cancer and within 3 months she had passed away and nearly all my upper teeth broke off at the gum line. Not sure how that works but now I am trying to eat with only 6 teeth on top, the bottoms are nearly all intact though for some reason or another.