Hakko FX-888D First Use

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jaggedtoaster
 
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Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:10 pm

Hakko FX-888D First Use

Post by jaggedtoaster »

So I was lucky enough to be able to get a Hakko FX-888D. Just did a little kit soldering with it and I used the default 750 temp. I'm not sure I was able to prep the tip correctly though. Solder didn't melt easily and the tip never did get very shiny.

Should I be doing kit soldering at a lower temp? I tried to tin it with my regular solder but it didn't seem to take. I also have some tip tinner and cleaner. That seemed to help a little, but I still have what looks like some oxidation/burn junk on a part of the tip. Have I ruined it and just need to start with a new tip, or is there a way to clean this up and prep the tip properly?

Thanks for any advice!

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adafruit_support_mike
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D First Use

Post by adafruit_support_mike »

750 degrees is hotter than you need.

Most DIYers use 60-40 tin/lead solder, which melts at 370 F. The parts you're trying to solder will cool the iron a bit as they absorb heat, so you want to run a bit hotter. The exact value is kind of a personal choice.. some people prefer to stay as close to 370 as they can, others like to run hot so they can make joints quickly and reduce the heat lost to conduction through the leads. Start at about 400, then try 390 and 410. See which direction is most comfortable for you.

WRT the tip, it sounds like you're seeing the classic symptoms of oxidation. The oxide layer doesn't conduct heat well at all, so while the tip may be good and hot, very little of that heat is flowing to the solder.

You can probably get the tip working again with a good cleaning. Heat it to 375 and plunge about 1/2" of the tip into a tin of flux. Start with non-corrosive electrical flux and see if that does any good, and if it doesn't try plumber's 'active' flux. Electrical flux is basically rosin, which is a mild acid until it reaches about 350 degrees, then becomes aggressive enough to dissolve metal oxides. Plumber's flux contains zinc chloride, which is caustic at any temperature. Dip the tip in the flux for a while, pull it out, wipe it on a wet sponge, and try to melt solder onto it ('tinning' the iron). With any luck, you'll be able to get a coat of solder onto the iron after a few passes through the cycle.

If that doesn't work, hit your local Radio Shack for a tin of tip cleaner. That's made from ammonium chloride with small particles of solder mixed in. Ammonium chloride is even more aggressive than zinc chloride, and having particles of solder right up against the tip as the flux is molten and active gives the best chance of making the iron accept a coat of tin.

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skr0d
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D First Use

Post by skr0d »

I just got one last week and have been very impressed by it. The tin of flux works very well. I'm going to try some cooler temps now too. 750 is very quick to heat, and quick to solder, but if I don't need the heat, why produce it?

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Franklin97355
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D First Use

Post by Franklin97355 »

sKrOd, also the lower the temperature the longer your tips will last.

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adafruit_support_mike
 
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Re: Hakko FX-888D First Use

Post by adafruit_support_mike »

Yep.. the basic problem is that copper dissolves in tin.

Most tips have a core made of copper because copper transmits heat really well. Like I said though, a few hours of heat and solder will melt away a good chunk of your tip.

To prevent that, manufacturers plate the tip with iron, which doesn't dissolve in tin. Iron doesn't transmit heat as well as copper, but a layer a few mils thick doesn't make any thermal difference. It does act as a protective shield for the copper though, so the tip lasts much longer.

The next problem is that iron rusts when it gets hot. Iron oxide *sucks* for thermal conductivity, and the chunks of oxide pull away from the bulk. That exposes more iron to oxygen, so the oxidiation cuts a hole through the layer of plating pretty quickly. Once the hole cuts through to the copper, the copper starts dissolving under the hole.

So.. to protect the iron, manufacturers plate on a layer of nickel. Nickel oxidizes like aluminum.. the oxide forms a smooth layer that protects the metal underneath.. and nickel doesn't dissolve in tin either. It costs a lot more than iron does though, so manufacturers use iron for the bulk of the protective layer, then put an even thinner layer of nickel on top of that.

The Nickel layer will burn away over time though, and the hotter you run your iron, the faster that will happen.

BTW - the protective layers are why you never want to 'clean' a tip by sanding or filing it. That cuts straight through the nickel and iron, and reduces the tip's lifespan to about 6 hours.

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