WEP 982 III Precision Soldering Station Evaluate: Placing the warmth the place you want it
Discovering the finest soldering iron or soldering station is subjective. I can inform you what I like, level you within the route of a good selection, however in the end it’s the way it feels in your hand that issues. I began soldering professionally with an Antex XS25. This straightforward soldering iron had no temperature management. however it was thermally balanced and a pleasure to solder with. However, it shortly burnt by means of suggestions.
For the reason that Antex XS25 I’ve used a slew of soldering iron, good, dumb, sizzling air, soldering weapons and many others. The most recent to cross my bench is the $99 WEP 982 III. A temperature managed ESD protected soldering station with two soldering iron handles, and a collection of suggestions. The guidelines are “sizzling swappable” (pun supposed) and the compact unit seems to be good, however how does it solder?
To seek out that out I have to put it on the bench and dig out a collection of soldering kits, together with the final of my Maplin kits and a package to stop a Commodore 64 PSU from killing my beloved C64.
Critical word. The primary unit that I acquired for evaluate labored for a number of hours, and I carried out 70% of the evaluate utilizing that unit. Sadly that unit had a fault on its energy circuitry which resulted in deformation of the wire used as a part of the ability swap. The problems manifested themselves as intermittent energy outages which triggered me to open it up and have a look inside. WEP has changed this unit, and I’ve despatched the unique evaluate unit again for inspection.
WEP 982 III Technical Specs
Energy | 40W with C210 (706A) deal with 30W with C115 (106A) deal with |
Temperature Vary | Precision PID 194 to 842F (90 to 450C) |
Soldering Ideas | C210 SK / Okay / I / SI C115 I / SI / Okay |
Energy | Mains voltage (110 to 240V) |
Show | LCD |
Time to Working Temp (350C) | 7.52 seconds |
Dimensions | 180 x 68 x 110 |
WEP 982 III Look and Really feel
A mixture of plastic and metallic, the WEP 982 III is a strong piece of package which sees the soldering iron positioned centrally, above a coloration LCD display and two buttons to increment and decrement your chosen temperature.
The soldering iron connects to the rear of the station by way of a DIN model connector. Proper subsequent to the DIN connector is the ability swap and the mains cable. On the facet of the station is a grub screw, used to safe a “bungee” to the station. This bungee retains the silicone cable out of the way in which. On the entrance of the unit is a vivid and clear coloration display, with two buttons. The buttons are responsive, maybe a bit too responsive when held down. You possibly can simply shoot previous your goal temperature, sure I did, many occasions. Single presses will notch the temperature up/down by a level and the button press may be very clicky and annoying.
Underneath the buttons is a brass “sponge” to scrub the soldering iron tip, there may be additionally a pot for a humid sponge. Your selection between brass and damp sponge for tip cleansing is as much as you. I desire the brass sponge because it doesn’t cool the soldering iron tip.
Soldering with the WEP 982 III
The WEP 982 III is available in a selection of two soldering iron handles. The WEP 706A is a bigger unit and takes the bigger C210 collection suggestions. The smaller WEP 106A takes C115 suggestions. The 2 aren’t interchangeable and within the case of the WEP106A, should you attempt to insert a C210 tip it would break! Just one soldering iron can be utilized at anybody time. I acquired each units of suggestions and handles for this evaluate, however retail items ship together with your most well-liked selection. For this evaluate I used the C210-Okay (knife) tip which has each precision and thermal mass. I additionally acquired the total vary of suggestions, from needle-like tricks to bigger suggestions designed for thermal mass.
Soldering Iron Ideas
C210 | SK |
Row 1 – Cell 0 | Okay: Knife tip |
Row 2 – Cell 0 | I: Needle tip |
Row 3 – Cell 0 | SI: Hooked needle tip |
C115 | I: Needle tip |
Row 5 – Cell 0 | SI: Hooked needle tip |
Row 6 – Cell 0 | Okay: Knife tip |
Each soldering handles are plastic, with a rubber-like cable connecting to the soldering station. The handles have a dense foam grip, a bit like handlebars on a motorcycle. On the finish of the deal with is the place the information are inserted. Each varieties are needle skinny and safe utilizing friction. Of the 2, the 706A handles felt nicer in my hand, and allowed me the precision that I required. The cable from the soldering station to the soldering iron has a “bungee” which helpfully retains the cable out of the way in which. It may be related on the left or proper facet, and I actually prefer it, which is a wierd factor to say.
With the whole lot setup and able to go, I flicked the swap and the soldering iron heated as much as its default sleep temperature of 200 levels Celsius. This takes round 5 seconds, and the unit will go right into a deep sleep if left for a couple of minutes. Heating as much as 350C (it may attain a most of 450C), my most well-liked working temperature, takes 2.52 seconds! Wow! The WEP 982 III beats the Ifixit Moveable Soldering Station by simply half a second, and over $100! However we now have to do not forget that the WEP 982 III is sure to your desktop, whereas the Ifixit may be taken with you.
The iron detects when it has been lifted by contacts between the metallic collet of the iron and the body of the soldering station breaking contact. I discovered this out as a result of the froth grip was too low on the deal with, inflicting it to not make contact with the body.
Soldering the final of my Maplin kits, an Electronics starter package consisting of a number of completely different circuits, was a pleasure. The lead solder simply flowed to the place it wanted to be. The knife tip was your best option for precision and thermal mass. The soldering iron (WEP 706A deal with) felt comfy and at no time did the wire get in the way in which, because of the “bungee” shifting the wire away.
I additionally examined the WEP 982 III’s efficiency on massive solder joints, particularly these of a 9-pin D-SUB connector from a PIC chip programmer. I needed to go away the tip on the joint for round 5 seconds, however the solder did soften. Bumping the temperature to 400C can be a smart transfer for bigger joints.
After I was finished with the knife tip, I wished to make use of the C210-SI tip. That is an angled tip for precision soldering, like SMD. Altering the tip whereas sizzling is often an enormous no-no, however theWEP 982 III has a metallic information rail which is used to grip and take away the recent suggestions, and to push a brand new tip into place.
Slots and notches lower into the metallic allow the removing and substitute of purple sizzling suggestions. This was very easy to make use of, however you have to at all times take nice care when doing so. Typically eradicating the tip may be difficult, because the metallic has expanded because of the warmth. Utilizing the V-slot, discover the lip on the soldering iron tip and gently pull the soldering iron deal with away from the station. It ought to drop off into the metallic container. Now you possibly can insert the brand new tip utilizing a appropriate notch on the metallic information. Don’t immediately insert the brand new tip together with your fingers! Keep in mind the soldering iron heats as much as 250C in 2.5 seconds, and sure, it does damage, as I came upon!
Utilizing the C210-SI tip I soldered up my C64 Saver PCB and it went collectively superbly. The tip gave me the precision that I wanted for a number of tight solder joints. It additionally gave me some thermal mass to reflow joints after trimming the part legs.
Who’s the WEP 982 III for?
The WEP 982 III is extra for precision initiatives; this isn’t a soldering iron for chunky solder joints. It could possibly do it, however you’re pushing the boundaries. This can be a nice soldering station for makers engaged on floor mount parts, and digital restore.
Backside Line
I discussed that our first unit arrived with a fault that manifested itself after a number of hours soldering. I’m glad to say that this problem didn’t current itself on my second unit, however it does current a fear. Shopping for immediately from WEP offers you a 12-month warranty however you will have to rearrange for any returns to return to China. In my dealings with WEP the customer support crew has been extraordinarily useful.
So it boils all the way down to, would I pay $99 for this soldering iron? Sure, however I might purchase it from a UK reseller (or US if I have been based mostly there) in order that I might return it ought to a difficulty come up. The unit additionally goes by the identify of a Yihua 982 III on Amazon. In reality the unit is made by Yihua, a model that I’ve used for effectively over three years now.
The WEP 982 III is a strong performer, and the tip choice and warmth utility are nice. Swapping recommendations on the fly is an fascinating concept, the applying of which is feasible if a bit of difficult. The soldering iron (706A) is comfy, and the auto-sleep operate retains the iron prepared to be used, with out burning the tip out. This can be a good soldering station for precision electronics initiatives and I’ve loved my time utilizing it.