I've had a Weller soldering gun for years, which has never worked properly, even when new. Despite thorough cleaning of the tips and connectors, the gun would only work weakly and intermittently. I replaced the switch, to no avail. This video finally gave me the info necessary to fix the problem, but there's one more step to consider, which was my ultimate solution. The problem is that the aluminum oxide layer on the connectors is a terrific insulator, and difficult to thoroughly get off. I dipped the gun tips and connectors (dismantled) in a dilute 4% sodium hydroxide solution - diluted "Drano", or lye - for about 60-90 seconds, until the aluminum appeared slightly dulled. That removes any anodized surface on the aluminum, and makes for a much better connection. (Of course, be careful with lye - it burns the skin, and can be very dangerous - read the precautions on the can). My gun has worked fine since then...
I have a Weller D550 that I got as a kid in early 80's and recently it's performance has tanked, lights quit working, etc. I even swapped out the tip for a new, old original tip and had the same performance. I didn't notice all my tips were heavily oxidized and a quick clean up with a small file back to shiny copper and viola! My soldering gun is back; even the lights work again! Thank you so much.
I bought a new Weller some months ago and it worked straight out of the box. Today is the second time I needed to use it and it would not heat up. I considered cracking the case and going in, but decided to take a look here on the tubes to see if anyone had a similar problem. Your video directs attention to clean contact with the heating tip. So I took a look and right away discovered the problem. The securing screws were snug enough to keep the tip from pulling out, but not tight enough for a good electrical connection. Thanks for Step 1.
Thanks Bud!! I have been fighting my weller 140/100 for years & finally after i did exactly what you said it works like a dream!! Not to mention the first click is 140 & Mashed to the floor is 100... Thanks again for the Great information
YuDaMan, you are the man!!! I was just about to take apart my Weller 8200 and decided to check RUclips to see what could be the problem. I took of the tip cleaned it and pushed it all the way in and tightened it. Problem solved! So happy! Now i can fix a bunch of stuff that"s been sitting around for awhile...
i don't usually leave comments like this one, but HOT DOG that did it! they were reasonably clean, but ensuring the bends were seated in the holes and that any oxidation was also cleaned out of the receptacle (dowel glued with a bit of 1000 grit sandpaper) really got this free gun burning wood!
I wished I had seen this video before :( I just bought a replacement soldering gun, but my old just needed a new tip. The old tip was rusted inside and I learned from the video how to fix it. I also got in the bad habit of pushing the gun clicker too tight and the gun would not heat enough. This video was a refresher as I had not used the soldering gun for a long time. Bottom line is I have two soldering guns now.
Excellent video. I always thought the trigger arrangement was weird, but maybe the designers noticed that people often tense up doing fine work and tighten their grip. To prevent unconsciously overheating the work, they damped down the voltage on tighter trigger pressure. Presumably the opposite, relaxing the grip, wasn't considered as much a problem given that fatigue is uncommon in soldering. Besides, there are limited options using a trigger mechanism to control voltage.
Tip: If you don’t have a wire brush, you can use a dremel w/ sanding attachment. Just used it to fix my gun from Autozone that I thought was trash. Huge thanks for this video
from one DaMan to another dmann .... glad it worked for you. No worse feeling than borrowing a tool that doesn't work and feeling guilty or uncomfortable when you return it. I'd appreciate a LIKE and a Subscribe. THANKS!!
I just pulled mine out of the bin, making weird noises not getting hot enough. Just poor contacts where the tip goes in. Thank you so much. Should have know this but sometimes I overlook the obvious. Thankyou so much x
Thank you. My father left me a Weller 7200 along with a few other things, but it would take 10 minutes to heat up. Not an exaggeration. I was loathe to throw it away because of whom it came from. I did what you basically show, except with a smooth file. Tip starts smoking almost as soon as I pull the trigger.
Thanks for the excellent suggestions. If you haven't done so in another video, any advice on cleaning up and re-tinning the working end of these tips while you're at it? P.S. For those viewers who work on modern cars, remember the effect of small amounts of corrosion on the power, ground & network connections to and between the numerous electronic devices that control your vehicle. These control circuits typically have a maximum 5 volt power supply(called a reference voltage), and depend on continuous monitoring by various computers of accurate measurements of very, very small variations in voltage to make everything work properly. Corrosion can be caused by weather, water or chemical intrusion(i.e from salt-treated roads), loose connections, ground connections covered by any sealant which can trap water and allow unseen corrosion under the sealant layer, and, surprisingly, by continual vibration of otherwise tight connections (sometimes referred to as "fretting corrosion").
I have the same 2 Weller units that I just converted to LED lights. I used my Amprobe to measure the tip current. 200A for the 8200 and 300A for the D550.
Great video! I took my top of the line SEARS solder iron apart because the bottom cylinder came off. I could not get it back on, because it was fouled with solder. Took it apart and removed the solder with a solder pen. Now I cant get it back together. Problem is, I don't know how the sequence if the wires to the trigger. There are 3 wires.. red, yellow and black. From top of gun down, hiw should these go? Should of played better attention when taking it apart. Is there a schematic available somewhere that would show how they should go? Sorry for the drawn out messege. Have a safe and Happy week!
This guy modified his gun but the picture might help you. myownelectronictrix.com/mystuff/weller-sgmod/old/d550-240-325w-mod.jpg or this might help ruclips.net/video/ThOzhdJ2jew/видео.html here's pic of another soldering gun switch model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/21415 If this helps you, you can help me with a LIKE and a subscription to my channel. THANKS!
I have a Standard Weller 7200 Soldering gun that I thought wasn't any good any more for all the reasons you've touched on in your video. I have some new tips on the way but, I wanted to ask; when I put my multimeter to it (had it set for amperage) it read .012-.013 amps. It won't read anything if I set my multimeter to volts. Admittedly, I'm not the brightest bulb in the shed when it comes to electrical current. This Soldering gun is rated at 1.0 amps according to the side panel info. I'm not really sure if the designation "7200" denotes that the watts that this Soldering gun runs at is 72 watts but I was hoping you could clue me in on what, (assuming this Soldering Gun does actually work) to expect in the way of output voltage when I put my multimeter to it? I did take it apart to check for broken connections and everything appears to be properly connected with no tell tale signs of short circuit burn marks and such. Hope that makes sense. I'm hoping you're right that all it needs is a properly installed new tip. I was curious about the output amps that my multimeter was giving me.
I recall the current (amperage) is quite small. My irons would work great for a very short time with new tips. A thorough cleaning of all the contact areas on your old tips will give you surprising results!
I bought a new soldering gun recently and when I tried to use it there was smoke coming from the inside, there is yellow-ish paste kind of thing that seems to be melting. Is this normal by any chance?
Tried this with a D550PK kit from Amazon(👎🏻), but it did not work for me. I used the gun ONE TIME soon after I received it - worked great! Then it sat for about a year and a half in the closet. Took it out to solder some speaker wire ends and NOTHING. No feeling of slight vibration when pulling the trigger, no lights, nothing. Of course Amazon only says it's non-returnable because of the length of time that I've had it. The case and gun both look brand new! PLEASE HELP!
Also, the price for this kit on Amazon is nearly half of what it was when I bought it. Appears that they're trying to clear the kit out of their system because of a defect.
**************EDIT************** Switch was compromised! Looked like lots of green oxidation inside. I could not take it apart like I've seen in other videos because the new switches have rivets instead of screws. I sprayed a bunch of Deoxit into it alongside the red plunger and worked the switch quite a bit. That did not work. I let it sit for a while and then sprayed the inside with lots of CRC electronics cleaner. Again, I worked the heck out of the switch and finally it started coming on again when the switch was pulled.
Great video, I have question , just bought a Weller D550 with 2 sleeves to hold the tip, was thinking to get rid of the sleeves , drill and tap two bolts and also drill and tap the gun so I can fit the soldering tip the old fashion way(through the bolts ), do you think it would be a good upgrade or is it even necessary?
What is this gun type called? I’ve never successfully soldered with it. Had it since childhood. 100 watts, I thought Tandy made them for everyone but mine is RadioShack at least. It has a bit long rounded tip, like a full 3/4 inch maybe. What is the purpose of them?
I HIGHLY doubt that would be good for the tips! I would never do that or recommend it. Search for "soldering iron tip refresher". The do a fantastic job of refreshing an oxidized tip. Do NOT file soldering iron tips!
You could tin the the tips connectors so the copper wont oxidize i thought it might get hot enough to solder the tip in the gun but it came right out works perfectly
Does anyone have the trigger wiring diagram for a Radio Shack Dual Heat Soldering Gun CAT.NO.: 64-2187. I searched everywhere and can't find it. Any help would be appreciated greatly.
they are the same a a weller ... if I recall correctly either high or low based on tap of the transformer ... first click is HIGH and fully pulled trigger is LOW ...NOT HIGH!
I've had a Weller soldering gun for years, which has never worked properly, even when new. Despite thorough cleaning of the tips and connectors, the gun would only work weakly and intermittently. I replaced the switch, to no avail. This video finally gave me the info necessary to fix the problem, but there's one more step to consider, which was my ultimate solution. The problem is that the aluminum oxide layer on the connectors is a terrific insulator, and difficult to thoroughly get off. I dipped the gun tips and connectors (dismantled) in a dilute 4% sodium hydroxide solution - diluted "Drano", or lye - for about 60-90 seconds, until the aluminum appeared slightly dulled. That removes any anodized surface on the aluminum, and makes for a much better connection. (Of course, be careful with lye - it burns the skin, and can be very dangerous - read the precautions on the can). My gun has worked fine since then...
I have a Weller D550 that I got as a kid in early 80's and recently it's performance has tanked, lights quit working, etc. I even swapped out the tip for a new, old original tip and had the same performance. I didn't notice all my tips were heavily oxidized and a quick clean up with a small file back to shiny copper and viola! My soldering gun is back; even the lights work again! Thank you so much.
I bought a new Weller some months ago and it worked straight out of the box. Today is the second time I needed to use it and it would not heat up. I considered cracking the case and going in, but decided to take a look here on the tubes to see if anyone had a similar problem. Your video directs attention to clean contact with the heating tip. So I took a look and right away discovered the problem. The securing screws were snug enough to keep the tip from pulling out, but not tight enough for a good electrical connection. Thanks for Step 1.
Thanks Bud!! I have been fighting my weller 140/100 for years & finally after i did exactly what you said it works like a dream!! Not to mention the first click is 140 & Mashed to the floor is 100... Thanks again for the Great information
YuDaMan, you are the man!!! I was just about to take apart my Weller 8200 and decided to check RUclips to see what could be the problem. I took of the tip cleaned it and pushed it all the way in and tightened it. Problem solved! So happy! Now i can fix a bunch of stuff that"s been sitting around for awhile...
Thank you ! You were right on the mark. I wire brushed the solder gun tip and it worked again.
i don't usually leave comments like this one, but HOT DOG that did it! they were reasonably clean, but ensuring the bends were seated in the holes and that any oxidation was also cleaned out of the receptacle (dowel glued with a bit of 1000 grit sandpaper) really got this free gun burning wood!
I hope I've earned your rare LIKE and SUBSCRIBE! It would really help me. THANKS!
I wished I had seen this video before :( I just bought a replacement soldering gun, but my old just needed a new tip. The old tip was rusted inside and I learned from the video how to fix it. I also got in the bad habit of pushing the gun clicker too tight and the gun would not heat enough. This video was a refresher as I had not used the soldering gun for a long time. Bottom line is I have two soldering guns now.
Good information, wire brushing the connection on the tip worked perfectly for me. Thanks.
My goodness, thank you so much! Without you i would not have been able to finish my christmas gift project!!!
Glad my video helped you. Be sure to LIKE and subscribe. THAT would really help me! THANKS!!!
My old weller d550 240/325 was not getting hot at all and I cleaned the tips as you show and tightened them and it worked great. Thanks!
Thank you Sir! This video got my Weller up and running again!
Thank you for relieving me of my ignorance!
Thanks got me back in the game with the first tip! Many thanks!
Excellent video.
I always thought the trigger arrangement was weird, but maybe the designers noticed that people often tense up doing fine work and tighten their grip. To prevent unconsciously overheating the work, they damped down the voltage on tighter trigger pressure. Presumably the opposite, relaxing the grip, wasn't considered as much a problem given that fatigue is uncommon in soldering. Besides, there are limited options using a trigger mechanism to control voltage.
Tip: If you don’t have a wire brush, you can use a dremel w/ sanding attachment. Just used it to fix my gun from Autozone that I thought was trash. Huge thanks for this video
Jeez you just fixed my soldering gun. Thanks a million🙏
Glad it helped you. Be sure to LIKE and subscribe. That will really help me. THANKS!!!!
This fixed my problem I was experiencing with a borrowed Weller. Thank you!
from one DaMan to another dmann .... glad it worked for you. No worse feeling than borrowing a tool that doesn't work and feeling guilty or uncomfortable when you return it. I'd appreciate a LIKE and a Subscribe. THANKS!!
I just pulled mine out of the bin, making weird noises not getting hot enough. Just poor contacts where the tip goes in. Thank you so much. Should have know this but sometimes I overlook the obvious.
Thankyou so much x
Very, very helpful. Thank you. Solved my problem and also taught me a couple of valuable things.
Thanks for the feedback. Be sure to give me a LIKE and SUBSCRIBE. That will help me!! Thanks.
I' m 58 and till now, I ignored the correct operation of that switch . Thanks a lot !!!
haha .... I'm sorry to admit I'm almost a decade OLDER than you and I just recently figured it out!
@@YuDaMan I'm the same age and have used these off and on since I was a teen, I had no idea the switch worked like that, damn!
@@NoGoodPig I guess we are NOT too old to still learn something!
Damn that makes real good sense, 74 and just learned TOO! Getting stupid/educated every day! Thanks a bunch! Oh, and I subbed too!
thanks for ths subscription. I appreciate it
Oh my! Thx for the school! I was soooo mad. You solved my problem immediately. Also didn’t know about the trigger being backwards. I owe ya.
great to hear your story. Be sure to LIKE and subscribe. THAT will really help me. THANKS!!
Thank you. My father left me a Weller 7200 along with a few other things, but it would take 10 minutes to heat up. Not an exaggeration. I was loathe to throw it away because of whom it came from.
I did what you basically show, except with a smooth file. Tip starts smoking almost as soon as I pull the trigger.
Heh. 4y later, & you are still saving people's tools. If I could do more than like & subscribe, I would. TY, sir!
Thanks for the excellent suggestions. If you haven't done so in another video, any advice on cleaning up and re-tinning the working end of these tips while you're at it?
P.S. For those viewers who work on modern cars, remember the effect of small amounts of corrosion on the power, ground & network connections to and between the numerous electronic devices that control your vehicle. These control circuits typically have a maximum 5 volt power supply(called a reference voltage), and depend on continuous monitoring by various computers of accurate measurements of very, very small variations in voltage to make everything work properly. Corrosion can be caused by weather, water or chemical intrusion(i.e from salt-treated roads), loose connections, ground connections covered by any sealant which can trap water and allow unseen corrosion under the sealant layer, and, surprisingly, by continual vibration of otherwise tight connections (sometimes referred to as "fretting corrosion").
Thank you, that worked on an old wen 100 that had belonged to my Dad.
I have the same 2 Weller units that I just converted to LED lights. I used my Amprobe to measure the tip current. 200A for the 8200 and 300A for the D550.
Excellent you saved my soldering gun!!! TY!!
YDM, thank you for your answer, it makes perfect sense to leave the gun the way it is until it starts to act up.
Man I almost threw it in the trash thank you much for the enlightenment
Thanks! My Weller now works perfectly! I was just about to throw it away.
GREAT. Be sure to give me a LIKE and subscribe. That will really help me. THANKS!
Yo are right 💯, I was about to throw away mi “weller” …put a new tip and it’s a brand new gun !!!😃thanks !
Doofus! Lol my Weller was acting sketchy... Didn't even clean the contacts. The grub screws had wiggled loose! Thanks!
Great advice.....worked perfectly!!!
Awesome ‘tips’ & tricks Thank you 🙏
Thanks! Mine wasnt doing anything and now it works well.
GREAT! Be sure to give me a LIKE and SUBSCRIBE. That will help me!! Thanks.
Exactly what was wrong with my 8200. Works great now!
God, I've had the same tip since 1989
Thanks man. Just a dirty tip on mine
cool! that saved me a lot of work!
Well done simple and to the point
I appreciate you taking the time for the nice feedback. I would REALLY appreciate a subscription. THANK YOU!
Worked on my weller 7200. Thank you
really helpful, thank you!
Glad you like it. I'd appreciate a LIKE and a SUBSCRIBE. Thanks!
Great video! I took my top of the line SEARS solder iron apart because the bottom cylinder came off. I could not get it back on, because it was fouled with solder. Took it apart and removed the solder with a solder pen. Now I cant get it back together. Problem is, I don't know how the sequence if the wires to the trigger. There are 3 wires.. red, yellow and black. From top of gun down, hiw should these go? Should of played better attention when taking it apart. Is there a schematic available somewhere that would show how they should go? Sorry for the drawn out messege. Have a safe and Happy week!
This guy modified his gun but the picture might help you. myownelectronictrix.com/mystuff/weller-sgmod/old/d550-240-325w-mod.jpg
or this might help
ruclips.net/video/ThOzhdJ2jew/видео.html
here's pic of another soldering gun switch
model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/21415
If this helps you, you can help me with a LIKE and a subscription to my channel. THANKS!
Hi, can you rewire the switch so that the low position comes first and then the high position. Hope to hear from you soon, many thanks in advance
Maybe you can but I wouldn't... the manufacturer designed it that way for a reason.
@@YuDaMan Ok, but what do you think the reason is?
Great video and great tips, although the red colored table was a bit distracting.
red background is intentional to provide contrast and improve visibility of small details :)
Thanks YuDaMan!!
WHAT ABOUT FIGURING WHERE WHAT WIRE GOES WHERE WHEN THEY BREAK & ARE DISCONNECTED INSIDE?
VEEEEEry Helpful Thank you!!
glad to hear that. Be sure to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE. That will really help me. THANKS!!!!!
Tearing down a solder gun that has some age on it, just to clean everything and make sure it doesn't have anything that can catch on fire.
I have a Standard Weller 7200 Soldering gun that I thought wasn't any good any more for all the reasons you've touched on in your video. I have some new tips on the way but, I wanted to ask; when I put my multimeter to it (had it set for amperage) it read .012-.013 amps.
It won't read anything if I set my multimeter to volts. Admittedly, I'm not the brightest bulb in the shed when it comes to electrical current. This Soldering gun is rated at 1.0 amps according to the side panel info. I'm not really sure if the designation "7200" denotes that the watts that this Soldering gun runs at is 72 watts but I was hoping you could clue me in on what, (assuming this Soldering Gun does actually work) to expect in the way of output voltage when I put my multimeter to it?
I did take it apart to check for broken connections and everything appears to be properly connected with no tell tale signs of short circuit burn marks and such. Hope that makes sense.
I'm hoping you're right that all it needs is a properly installed new tip. I was curious about the output amps that my multimeter was giving me.
I recall the current (amperage) is quite small. My irons would work great for a very short time with new tips. A thorough cleaning of all the contact areas on your old tips will give you surprising results!
I bought a new soldering gun recently and when I tried to use it there was smoke coming from the inside, there is yellow-ish paste kind of thing that seems to be melting. Is this normal by any chance?
Tried this with a D550PK kit from Amazon(👎🏻), but it did not work for me. I used the gun ONE TIME soon after I received it - worked great! Then it sat for about a year and a half in the closet. Took it out to solder some speaker wire ends and NOTHING. No feeling of slight vibration when pulling the trigger, no lights, nothing. Of course Amazon only says it's non-returnable because of the length of time that I've had it. The case and gun both look brand new! PLEASE HELP!
Also, the price for this kit on Amazon is nearly half of what it was when I bought it. Appears that they're trying to clear the kit out of their system because of a defect.
**************EDIT************** Switch was compromised! Looked like lots of green oxidation inside. I could not take it apart like I've seen in other videos because the new switches have rivets instead of screws. I sprayed a bunch of Deoxit into it alongside the red plunger and worked the switch quite a bit. That did not work. I let it sit for a while and then sprayed the inside with lots of CRC electronics cleaner. Again, I worked the heck out of the switch and finally it started coming on again when the switch was pulled.
Great video, I have question , just bought a Weller D550 with 2 sleeves to hold the tip, was thinking to get rid of the sleeves , drill and tap two bolts and also drill and tap the gun so I can fit the soldering tip the old fashion way(through the bolts ), do you think it would be a good upgrade or is it even necessary?
I personally would not do it if the gun is working well. But perhaps others can opine. Thanks for your subscription. I appreciate it!
What is this gun type called? I’ve never successfully soldered with it. Had it since childhood. 100 watts, I thought Tandy made them for everyone but mine is RadioShack at least.
It has a bit long rounded tip, like a full 3/4 inch maybe. What is the purpose of them?
Disclaimer I’ve never really soldered anything well with any gun so it’s definitely a PEBCAK situation
I believe the flat rounded tip is for cutting synthetic rope ... cut by melting and fusing the ends together so they don't unravel.
Would dielectric grease be good after the tips are cleaned to keep them from tarnishing?
I HIGHLY doubt that would be good for the tips! I would never do that or recommend it. Search for "soldering iron tip refresher". The do a fantastic job of refreshing an oxidized tip. Do NOT file soldering iron tips!
Thank you!!
You could tin the the tips connectors so the copper wont oxidize i thought it might get hot enough to solder the tip in the gun but it came right out works perfectly
For sale?
Next video tell us about your new video camera.........Please.
Does anyone have the trigger wiring diagram for a Radio Shack Dual Heat Soldering Gun CAT.NO.: 64-2187. I searched everywhere and can't find it. Any help would be appreciated greatly.
they are the same a a weller ... if I recall correctly either high or low based on tap of the transformer ... first click is HIGH and fully pulled trigger is LOW ...NOT HIGH!
DO, take it apart. It IS the switch.
Some guns are low temp and high temp like mine us 100 and 140
For sale
not for sale