Hakko FX-888D Woes

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TheTinkerer
 
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Hakko FX-888D Woes

Post by TheTinkerer »

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!

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Franklin97355
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes

Post by Franklin97355 »

Have you pulled the tip out to see if there is any oxidation or other contaminants that might be blocking heat transfer?

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TheTinkerer
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes

Post by TheTinkerer »

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.

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adafruit_support_mike
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes

Post by adafruit_support_mike »

Do you have any way to measure the temperature at the tip?

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TheTinkerer
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes

Post by TheTinkerer »

No, not really, no ir thermometers or tip temp sensors, no.

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TheTinkerer
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes

Post by TheTinkerer »

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... :lol:

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TheTinkerer
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes

Post by TheTinkerer »

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.

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neslekkim
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes

Post by neslekkim »

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.

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

but was hoping it was a way to reset the hakko to factory settings, but it seems it's impossible.
We have asked Hakko about this. There is currently no way to reset to the factory default on these irons.

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Franklin97355
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes

Post by Franklin97355 »

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

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neslekkim
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D Woes

Post by neslekkim »

super!

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