[Lil_JV]

I am going to be getting a new soldering iron. All I can find locally is a 35 watt weller. Will this get too hot for soldering on circuit boards? Will it damage op amps?

Thanks in advance.

-JV

EDIT: I found a 25W as well. Which would be best?

 

[was ist los?]

I would go with the 25w.

 

[Ajit]

In general, the 25W would be better. However, what really matters is tip temperature. Is the 25W iron you found the Weller WP25 or the Weller SP23L ? The WP25 is a nice iron and maintains 700-750F. The SP23L I find not to be very well regulated and can tend to run hot. Over the 700-750F mark, the irons sometimes tend to lift the pads off the PCBs and also can damage components if one is not careful. The Weller WM120 iron is rated at only 12W but maintains a tip temperature of 800F according to the specs.

Weller double coated iron tips are well made and with care will last for a long, long time. If a cheaper iron is all you can find, you can make a cheapo regulator by putting a switch in line with a diode across it such that when the switch is off, the power flows through the diode to the iron making it run cooler. When you want more heat, just turn the switch on, so all the power goes through the switch rather than the diode.

Hope this helps..

 

[peranders]

I use 80 W(!) Weller WSP80, size like a big pensil! The important thing is a not too hot iron. If your soldering iron has temp control you should have >25 W.

 

[Lil_JV]

Thanks guys! I am going to get the WP25.

JV.