MateoJan 27
AI6YR Ben
Usual for me, but bought a USB powered soldering iron on suggestion of @w6en after one too many failures in the field and no way to solder a connection. Remarkable you can make a soldering iron so small, and powered by USB. 🤔 #electronics #hamradio
Jan 27 at 3:37pmWeb
Show threadbrennenJan 27
@ai6yr @w6en we always relied on those little butane ones, but i suspect making the jump to battery power would make sense at this point...
Show threadTrammell HudsonJan 27
@brennen @ai6yr @w6en after finding these cheap 6 euro USB-A powered irons I would never go back to butane for my portable soldering.
Show threadAI6YR BenJan 27
@th @brennen @w6en 6 euro?!?! Wow
Show threadNathan EngJan 27
@ai6yr @th @brennen I've had one of those for a while. They are really the brute force version of the new one Ben got - no temp control. Def keep a spare tip with the kit as apparently they like to burn themselves out. Otherwise can't argue with the price. The Pine one is a proper tool though.
Show threadRob\Viewdata UKJan 27
@ai6yr @w6en @brennen
Tried using my butane iron a couple of weeks ago. As soon as filled it, gas started pouring out everywhere on it. It IS over 20 years old, though, so I suspect that various gaskets have degraded :(
Can't find any newer ones for sale, so I guess its replacement will be USB/rechargeable.
Show threadFugue State Machine MotoJan 27

@robert @ai6yr @w6en @brennen Yeah. Battery tech must’ve exceeded butane’s effective energy density at some point; I haven’t seen one of those corroded old fossil things in ages.

Never did find a butane iron that could survive more than a few small jobs. Good riddance, say I.

Show threadrandJan 27
@brennen @ai6yr @w6en Butane? For electronics?
Show threadNathan EngJan 27
@brennen @ai6yr the thing that kills those butane ones for me is if the little catalyst mesh gets even a whif of sal ammoniac tip cleaner it goes inert and you need a new tip 🙁. Power is good but temp control is also a bit loose.
Show threadCaryJan 27
@brennen @ai6yr @w6en I use my USB Pinecil for most soldering jobs now. My butane (24 yr old Weller) is mostly used for shrink tubing these days.
Show threadAlessandro Corazza 🇨🇦Jan 27

@ai6yr @w6en

I would never have thought USB provides enough power for that! Very cool.

Show threadMichael K JohnsonJan 27

@ai6yr @w6en I use my USB-C power pinecil a lot. Sometimes for removing surface-mount components, I'll use my bench iron on one side and the pinecil on the other.

I have a 3d printed case for the pinecil that works great. It's a really nice iron and I'm glad I bought it.

Show threadAI6YR BenJan 27
@mcdanlj @w6en What power supply are you guys using for it?
Show threadMichael K JohnsonJan 27
@ai6yr @w6en I use any power supply that could supply a laptop, either a plug-in supply or a power bank. Anything that supports PD with sufficient power. I also bought the silicone USB-C cable that won't melt if I brush it with the tip of the iron.
Show threadAN/CRM-114Jan 27
@mcdanlj @ai6yr @w6en one of these days I’m going to wire up a power cord for mine with a barrel jack on one end and powerpoles on the other
Show threadNathan EngJan 27
@flyingsaceur @mcdanlj @ai6yr Depending on space, you could also pack a fist full of different plug types with loose wire ends and some Wago/lever connectors...then get as get as creative/dangerous as needed with power for quick fixes. 😅
Show threadAI6YR BenJan 27
@w6en @flyingsaceur @mcdanlj Hmm, so you're saying I should not buy a USB power brick, but wire up a barrel connector to 12V power pole!!!
Show threadAN/CRM-114Jan 27
@ai6yr @w6en @mcdanlj
Show threadMichael K JohnsonJan 27

@ai6yr @w6en @flyingsaceur Only if you don't need its full potential power. Just like a typical laptop, you want 20V/3.25A PD, or if you aren't using USB, 24V into a barrel jack. 12V will only work for very light work. Good luck if you are trying to solder anything connected to a significant ground plane.

12V or 13.8V is not actually mentioned in this documentation:

https://pine64.org/documentation/Pinecil/Power_supplies/Watts/

Watts — Pinecil

Generally, a higher power charger is better; a 20V power supply will give better performance than a 15V charger. The Pinecil needs a minimum of 3 amps and will work with higher amps charger. However, do not exceed the volts rating for V1 and V2 models or damage to components could occur (see the side of the Pinecil handle for the maximum volts).

PINE64
Show threadAN/CRM-114Jan 27
@mcdanlj @ai6yr @w6en the barrel jack on mine is labeled for 12-24 V and most of the caveats in the docs seem to be around USB and supplies limited to under 2A. That being said, I probably won’t experiment with my 30A bench supply without an inline fuse and a new pinecil handed off to the local carrier
Show threadMichael K JohnsonJan 27

@flyingsaceur @ai6yr @w6en Well, an 18W or even 23W iron is a limitation.

12V / 8Ω = 1.5A * 12V = 18W
12V / 6.2Ω = 1.94A * 12V = 23.3W

You aren't going to pull 20A through even a 6.2Ω tip at 12V. This is just pure Ohm's law.

Show threadAI6YR BenJan 27
@mcdanlj @w6en Thanks!
Show threadNathan EngJan 27
@ai6yr @mcdanlj Whatever's handy - that's the beauty of it. I have a 60W type C power bank with a decent woven type C cord as a go-to but any of the gazillion 12v-24v dc bricks with 5.5mm barrel jack that's lying around work. It won't let you use less than 5v though so very basic USB A bricks won't quite cut it.
Show threadAMSJan 28
@ai6yr @mcdanlj @w6en Silicone USB-C cable to a 65W PD supply or power bank at home, barrel jack on the end of some random wire hooked to 24V when at work (because I have 24V industrial supplies all over the place).