Hakko FX-888D Woes
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Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
- TheTinkerer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 5:41 pm
Hakko FX-888D Woes
Hi everyone! I got an FX-888D a few months ago and love it, it's awesome! I have had 0 problems with it up until a few days ago. I was putting together a MENTA kit, and it got harder and harder to melt the solder. After a few minutes, it became impossible, so I bumped up the temperature from 500F to 750F, and it would barely melt and wouldn't heat up joints. I tested it again just now in different conditions on a clear bench, and still nothing. I consulted the HAKKO troubleshooting guide, and tested the resistance between the pins of the iron. All of them checked out, except the one that should be less than 2 ohms between the lowest pin of the 6 and the tip, which was more like 15-20. Between the pin and the sheath or tightening bolt though is 1.5 ohms, perfect. What's going on? I would like to get back to soldering ASAP!
- Franklin97355
- Posts: 23910
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:33 pm
Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes
Have you pulled the tip out to see if there is any oxidation or other contaminants that might be blocking heat transfer?
- TheTinkerer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 5:41 pm
Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes
I've been through the manual's troubleshooting procedures, and sanded all the points specified, and now that resistance is close to 0, or perfect. As of now, all 3 checking tests pass, but it still doesn't melt solder with any tip I have.
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67446
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes
Do you have any way to measure the temperature at the tip?
- TheTinkerer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 5:41 pm
Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes
No, not really, no ir thermometers or tip temp sensors, no.
- TheTinkerer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 5:41 pm
Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes
Breakthrough! I've figured out I held in the up key to set the temperature once which puts it in calibration mode, and swings the temp readings off by a mile. Finding a way to get the tip temperature now to fix the problem...
- TheTinkerer
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 5:41 pm
Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes
Problem Solved! I had held the up button and recalibrated to the higher temp I wanted, which told the iron the temp I was on was this much higher one, so it ran cold. Using the melting point of the solder I use, I laid a measured length on the tip for a set time, and incremented the temperature up eventually to 511F when the solder melted at it's 361F melting point. Recalibrated to 361, and bingo.
- neslekkim
- Posts: 61
- Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2012 4:20 am
Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes
I did this very early myself, had to get something to measure the tip temp to change it again, but was hoping it was a way to reset the hakko to factory settings, but it seems it's impossible.
- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88090
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes
We have asked Hakko about this. There is currently no way to reset to the factory default on these irons.but was hoping it was a way to reset the hakko to factory settings, but it seems it's impossible.
- Franklin97355
- Posts: 23910
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:33 pm
Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes
Just saw this on another post here and thought someone with a Hakko might find it useful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecH4c6NdBuo Posted by Jaydekay
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.