clh333
Veteran Member
Sorry for asking another dumb question but this is my first time through this problem.
Graduated from the "pencil" soldering iron (Radio Shack special) to a multi-function soldering "station" - Zeny 853D, $70 on eBay - a few years ago. It has been worth the investment but now I find the soldering iron no longer heats. On power up the LED display shows the "preset" or target temperature and then the actual temperature (or what it thinks is the actual) as it heats up. Normally this thing reaches target pretty quickly.
Now, however, the target is displayed and then the actual stays in the range of room temperature (33C) and does not increase unless I add external heat, e.g. hold the tip in a flame. I believe this indicates a fault in the heating element. I took the iron apart far enough to see the ceramic heating element, which is attached to a small circuit board. Two blue wires (thermistor?) from the element measure 58 Ohms across them, two red wires (nichrome?) measure about 35k Ohms. Not an open circuit, but very high resistance; too high for effective use as a heater, is it not?
So I started looking for a replacement. The Zeny unit is still being sold but I couldn't find parts or repair anywhere. I did find that another similar brand, Yihua, offered a similar station and that there were replacement soldering irons available, ostensibly direct replacements. Only they weren't. I ordered a replacement iron, plugged it in to my Zeny and things got strange: the target display didn't show anything and yet the iron began to heat. I aborted further testing.
I have read that the Hakko A1321 heating element is a direct replacement for the Zeny, but before I go that route let me ask please if there is anything else I should be paying attention to. I should mention that all other functions of the unit; hot air gun, DC source and voltmeter, are operating correctly.
Thank you for your suggestions.
-CH-
Graduated from the "pencil" soldering iron (Radio Shack special) to a multi-function soldering "station" - Zeny 853D, $70 on eBay - a few years ago. It has been worth the investment but now I find the soldering iron no longer heats. On power up the LED display shows the "preset" or target temperature and then the actual temperature (or what it thinks is the actual) as it heats up. Normally this thing reaches target pretty quickly.
Now, however, the target is displayed and then the actual stays in the range of room temperature (33C) and does not increase unless I add external heat, e.g. hold the tip in a flame. I believe this indicates a fault in the heating element. I took the iron apart far enough to see the ceramic heating element, which is attached to a small circuit board. Two blue wires (thermistor?) from the element measure 58 Ohms across them, two red wires (nichrome?) measure about 35k Ohms. Not an open circuit, but very high resistance; too high for effective use as a heater, is it not?
So I started looking for a replacement. The Zeny unit is still being sold but I couldn't find parts or repair anywhere. I did find that another similar brand, Yihua, offered a similar station and that there were replacement soldering irons available, ostensibly direct replacements. Only they weren't. I ordered a replacement iron, plugged it in to my Zeny and things got strange: the target display didn't show anything and yet the iron began to heat. I aborted further testing.
I have read that the Hakko A1321 heating element is a direct replacement for the Zeny, but before I go that route let me ask please if there is anything else I should be paying attention to. I should mention that all other functions of the unit; hot air gun, DC source and voltmeter, are operating correctly.
Thank you for your suggestions.
-CH-