I have a ZD-915 desoldering station. I paid just about the same for it as yours. It's had it fair share of use and I can't live without it when repairing retro computers.
Something I also recommend doing with the solder receptacle (as recommended in the instructions for Pace desoldering stations): coat the inside with a very light coating of mineral oil. This helps prevent the solder (and moreover, the flux residues) from adhering as tightly. Makes cleanup easier.
Good to see you using the tool in horizontal orientation. Most users do as they do soldering, the pcb horizontal and sucker downward.. Experience shows that is a sure way to having far more blocked nozzle problems. In vertical the liquid solder tends to fall back to the region of internal nozzle tube entry to the catch chamber. Especially with greater number of joints sucked out, and bad when hardening after turn off. There along with small particles tends to block the fine tube. At least this was delivered with some fine needles to push the fine tube clear. As far as catch improving a bit of loose packed stainless steel wool scouring pad minus any soap. It assists very much catching and holding solder sucked in. Cheap to replace after several clean outs. Cheaper even than the brass soldering iron cleaning pad.
I have the station version of this. If you start getting clogs in the heated pipe, check the filter. That helped. Also, I run the vacuum a second longer to ensure that the solder has cleared the pipe.
looks like it works pretty well. I took a long time to decide to get a de-soldering gun I looked at that one and really all of them. I liked the price but in the end i played it safe and bought a Hakko Fr301 it cost me a lot more but what sold me was they had a complete line or replacement parts for it gives me a bit of peace of mind. It makes the work so much more simple and efficient even on hard to get to point to point wired circuits. There is no longer any hesitation. I do not have to apply heat to the solder jouit very long at all very quick.
I have used something similar in the past and they are great. The thing to watch out for with them is that when the nozzle starts to get eaten away it tends to lift the pad rather than desoldering it. This is because they become very sharp at the nozzle end
I second a recommendation to use those things, I have another one, while desoldering was a pain before, it has become a breeze, it is now easier to desolder than to solder. Best investment ever!
Back in the mid 80s I worked for a photocopier repair company back when a solder/ de-solder station was many thousands of dollars, we had a bag of cotton balls to catch the solder....always worried it might catch fire but it never did.
I really enjoyed your review! I truly appreciate being able to see the internals. I’ve been on the fence of buying this tool. The suggested hack was a great tip too! Thank you
I have both a Denon and a Hakko verson of these things, and they make life so much easier desoldering through hole components. You can often desolder multi pin chips, or header pins, and have them fall right out afterwards. knowing how well they work, I'd probably be going after one of these models if I didn't already have the ones I have. so handy.
Ordered one of these ... and thanks for the copper (or brass) wool idea. Should be able to replace the little filters with something as well. All the best ...
I'd suggest getting into the habit of making small circles with your tool while sucking solder, because that will make sure the component lead is not getting stuck to the walls of the through hole and also sucks some of the solder from inside the hole. Also, for older circuit boards spray a bit of flux over the solder (or use some gel flux or even pour a few drops), it helps heat up the existing solder faster and you don't need to keep the tip at such high temperature.
I originally looked at the 998 version of this unit because of the higher suction, but the lack of nozzle sizes and wattage were the main reasons I did not keep mine. Ended up settling for the Hakko FR301.. Because nothing else would single handedly heat up large leaded multilayer appliance and power PCBs.
15:00 a tiny wad of brass wool (we just grab some from old brass wool in the recycling bin) is exactly what we use at my workplace (a vocational training center) on our Pace after students accidentally broke the glass tube when sliding the original aluminum S in.
Great review! I love the sound effects :) When I got my hakko version, I wondered how I lived without it... Although I'd practically pay $99 for that stand that came with yours. Mine is junk.
I have the same one. It's a few years old and still works great. I would be very careful with the copper wool. Any thing that my obstruct the exit of the tip can cause it to clog. There is a short little run of the exit that's not heated well. There is a spring that is made that looks like a bullet. The smaller end has a hole in it that point toward the filter. I have never found a need for it myself but I guess it would be helpful.
good review, I've been needing a de solder and always thought the gun style was cheap or inadequate. I was obviously wrong and great idea with the brass wool inside the chamber...
When I drink beer, I do like it to taste like beer! I would love to have a DS gun like that and may have to get one at some point. I'll have to say that the Eng. SS02 I have now has been working so good though!
Looks a lot like the Hakko FR301 I bought 5 years ago. The Hakko was a real game changer for me, especially with point-to-point repair work. As usual the Chinese version is cheaper, but I give odds that the Hakko will last longer.
A desoldering station is a revelation. It’s not just a convenience, it enables you to safely remove components that plain and simply cannot be done without damage otherwise. If you’re patient, set up some eBay or classified ad alerts and find a used one from Pace. Top quality, but not as well known among consumers, so used ones don’t sell for stupid prices like Weller. In Switzerland, where I am, there isn’t much Pace gear so it took 3 years till one came up, but I got one, an ST-75 with SX-90, for $115 (including shipping cost, and it came with around $100 worth of new supplies!) that just needed a fresh rubber seal (a $5 part) to make like new. That station, which you can still buy new today, costs nearly $1000 new. P.S. Pace’s videos on desoldering technique are fantastic. Proper technique makes it far easier and safer to do without damaging anything. (Their soldering tutorials are also second to none, even if they are very old videos.)
This unit seems to be relatively quieter than the Hakko FR-301... For that reason, the cost of the tool itself, the fact that you get a stand included and the replacement tips are much cheaper really poses the question why to even bother with the Hakko model.
I bought the same one about 3 years ago and I've only just had to change the filters. They are realy low maintenance. The only thing is the cool down time is about 30 mins. LOL. Look after those rods, I can't find replacements anywhere. One of mine has a slight kink and won't fit down the barrel anymore.
I have a similar unit - S-997P. My unit has a different type of tips, the ones with a long tube for solder transfer. These devices are two much trouble. If set to anything lower than maximum temperature, they clog quickly and the reason is that the tip shaft is very long and by the time solder reaches the end of the shaft it cools off, as the shaft is not heated evenly. Another big problem is that the tips wear out VERY VERY quickly and finding replacements is an absolute nightmare. The replacements for your unit, I guess, are more readily available. But the ones for S-997P are simply nonexistent. When I bought it, I ordered some replacements, but these are wearing out and are plain impossible to find anymore. So, most of the time, I tend to just grab my Engineer SS-02 sucker. No heat up time, no waiting, no tip wear, works OK, does the job.
$100 is pretty cheap for a powered sucker, and that little pump looked to have a lot of suction - will be interesting to see if it endures regular use. Perhaps you'll share an update after a few sessions with it. I've read that maintaining a light coating of silicone oil inside that chamber will keep the extracted solder falling out easily. Using the brass pubes was a nice touch (sorry, didn't know what else to call that stuff).
You could also consider coating the inside of the glass tube with a thin layer of oil to prevent solder from sticking to it. The same goes for the metal part in the back of the tube.
@@Palmit_ No, it's just a thin film of oil on the inside of the glass. You dont suck anything there. It's a practice we learned when I took my soldering certificate in the Air Force. Also recomended by the manufaturers of the soldering stations we used.
11:00 - NO, that isn't the Australian version. That's a Chinese plug! Also the voltage is wrong for Australia too. Normally, Australia and NZ should buy the 220/230V EU version then change the plug themselves. I have checked and there DOES NOT seem to be a 220/230V version on Banggood.
Not sure if someone else mentioned it as well, but I did mention on the last video that the Aoyue desoldering gun I have uses a spring with a taper at the end. Also using some silicone grease on it helps prevent the solder from sticking firmly to the spring. I have the same gun and the copper scour pad trick really helps extend the life of the filters and is cheap to replace.
i had that Solder sucker.. i had it for 1 week before it when in to runaway. it got so hot it started to melt down and got RED HOT. i sent it back for a Hako
Have another beer, works well with electronics. Lost a friend over that. He was foolish and drinking wound up killing him repairing a tv set. Miss him but should of stop drinking. Great video will buy one..
@@pileofstuff Thank you! I had hoped it would be $10 dollars. $20 was a huge bonus. Thank you. While I'm here, I'll add that I love what you do on RUclips and your affable presentation style.
I have one. Works good at the beginning, but the tip is not very good and for some reason kills heating elements. (I've replaced the heating element 3 times with little use)
I've heard a lot of complaints about these burning through elements. Not sure if it is lack of temperature control or what. If you have a way to check your temperature, I would recommend checking it out to see if it needs calibration. Do you heavily tin your nozzles before you turn off your gun? I've had major degradation issues initially with my knock off work gun, found that tinning helped a bit. The coating is very thin on these, so it doesn't take long to wear these down especially with lead free solders.
I had the same issue so after looking at the controller board and notice next to no protection to inrush of current to element on startup i added one across the line x2 cap on mains input and on heater element, also added a inductor to heater element side and never had any issues since,
@@jackoneill1070 isnt much to it, just disconnect one of the heater wires to the board, add in series a inductor, one side going to element, other to control board. then across both heater connections add a x2 mains rated capacitor across it,
Shame a selection of tips is not included as the price of spares seems a bit rake, If was the unit with a selection of tips - that as a package would be better. Also, two of each as I like to keep my tips used for lead-based solder separate from those of non-lead variety - just seems to prolong tip life if not mixing I found, though no hard science, just anecdotal. Defo good mod. Question - how well does the suction filter the fumes? Which may explain the extra layers of filter in the unit and if so, how easy to replace (felt pad be easy to get from crafts shops cheap).
Any idea if there's a way to mod it to 230V? The 120V model is about $30 cheaper than the 220-240V model. I'm cheap so if it can be easily changed I rather save a few tenners.
For free that's ok. But seeing how Justin takes all my spare change I still use a soldering Iron and blow the gunk out of the hole with compressed air. I'm not cheap. Just broke. And my bench is full of solder blobs. ( Or is that art ?)
I have really been concerning one.of those I was figuring the one with a separate vacuum pump but I don't know how.much it maters but I tried the promo code and it said expired
Well, that is a tool I'd actually use. My manual solder suckers ... well ... they suck. The task I most dread is removing a precious IC or card that has a row of 20+ pins. Clearing journals of solder on a thru-plated PCB is also a chore. Have you ever abused the pads on a board so much that you burned them completely off, or is it just me?
Easy enough to repair a plated through-hole or via. Strip some fine stranded copper wire to get the individual strands. Poke it through the hole, bend each side to the broken track. Solder it all up.
$ 20 for the tip is a bit of a scam. They just count on the fact that you won't toss out a $ 100 device for that price. I will buy it when they throw in two spare tips. The membrane, that should be available too.
I have a ZD-915 desoldering station. I paid just about the same for it as yours.
It's had it fair share of use and I can't live without it when repairing retro computers.
Something I also recommend doing with the solder receptacle (as recommended in the instructions for Pace desoldering stations): coat the inside with a very light coating of mineral oil. This helps prevent the solder (and moreover, the flux residues) from adhering as tightly. Makes cleanup easier.
Good to see you using the tool in horizontal orientation.
Most users do as they do soldering, the pcb horizontal and sucker downward.. Experience shows that is a sure way to having far more blocked nozzle problems. In vertical the liquid solder tends to fall back to the region of internal nozzle tube entry to the catch chamber. Especially with greater number of joints sucked out, and bad when hardening after turn off.
There along with small particles tends to block the fine tube. At least this was delivered with some fine needles to push the fine tube clear.
As far as catch improving a bit of loose packed stainless steel wool scouring pad minus any soap. It assists very much catching and holding solder sucked in. Cheap to replace after several clean outs. Cheaper even than the brass soldering iron cleaning pad.
I have the station version of this. If you start getting clogs in the heated pipe, check the filter. That helped. Also, I run the vacuum a second longer to ensure that the solder has cleared the pipe.
looks like it works pretty well. I took a long time to decide to get a de-soldering gun I looked at that one and really all of them. I liked the price but in the end i played it safe and bought a Hakko Fr301 it cost me a lot more but what sold me was they had a complete line or replacement parts for it gives me a bit of peace of mind.
It makes the work so much more simple and efficient even on hard to get to point to point wired circuits. There is no longer any hesitation. I do not have to apply heat to the solder jouit very long at all very quick.
This one has a lot of features that look *suspiciously* like the Hakko..
I have used something similar in the past and they are great. The thing to watch out for with them is that when the nozzle starts to get eaten away it tends to lift the pad rather than desoldering it. This is because they become very sharp at the nozzle end
I second a recommendation to use those things, I have another one, while desoldering was a pain before, it has become a breeze, it is now easier to desolder than to solder.
Best investment ever!
Perfect for parts salvaging, looks really satisfying to use
Back in the mid 80s I worked for a photocopier repair company back when a solder/ de-solder station was many thousands of dollars, we had a bag of cotton balls to catch the solder....always worried it might catch fire but it never did.
I really enjoyed your review! I truly appreciate being able to see the internals. I’ve been on the fence of buying this tool. The suggested hack was a great tip too! Thank you
I have both a Denon and a Hakko verson of these things, and they make life so much easier desoldering through hole components. You can often desolder multi pin chips, or header pins, and have them fall right out afterwards.
knowing how well they work, I'd probably be going after one of these models if I didn't already have the ones I have. so handy.
Ordered one of these ... and thanks for the copper (or brass) wool idea. Should be able to replace the little filters with something as well. All the best ...
I'd suggest getting into the habit of making small circles with your tool while sucking solder, because that will make sure the component lead is not getting stuck to the walls of the through hole and also sucks some of the solder from inside the hole. Also, for older circuit boards spray a bit of flux over the solder (or use some gel flux or even pour a few drops), it helps heat up the existing solder faster and you don't need to keep the tip at such high temperature.
I have a similar type but mine has a manual pop up spring loaded pump. Such a game changer especially when removing chips.
I originally looked at the 998 version of this unit because of the higher suction, but the lack of nozzle sizes and wattage were the main reasons I did not keep mine.
Ended up settling for the Hakko FR301.. Because nothing else would single handedly heat up large leaded multilayer appliance and power PCBs.
Looks like a clone of the Hakko FR301 I have. Don't know how I lived without one! Much easier than the hand sucker and solder braid.
15:00 a tiny wad of brass wool (we just grab some from old brass wool in the recycling bin) is exactly what we use at my workplace (a vocational training center) on our Pace after students accidentally broke the glass tube when sliding the original aluminum S in.
Impressive; I was surprised how easily that worked on removing the heatsink
I know. I thought that would be the hardest test, but it handled it like a champ.
Great review! I love the sound effects :) When I got my hakko version, I wondered how I lived without it... Although I'd practically pay $99 for that stand that came with yours. Mine is junk.
@AnotherMaker I've been using a Hakko 633-01 stand for my Hakko desoldering pump, it's like US$25 on Amazon.
I have the same one. It's a few years old and still works great. I would be very careful with the copper wool. Any thing that my obstruct the exit of the tip can cause it to clog. There is a short little run of the exit that's not heated well.
There is a spring that is made that looks like a bullet. The smaller end has a hole in it that point toward the filter. I have never found a need for it myself but I guess it would be helpful.
good review, I've been needing a de solder and always thought the gun style was cheap or inadequate. I was obviously wrong and great idea with the brass wool inside the chamber...
When I drink beer, I do like it to taste like beer! I would love to have a DS gun like that and may have to get one at some point. I'll have to say that the Eng. SS02 I have now has been working so good though!
Looks a lot like the Hakko FR301 I bought 5 years ago. The Hakko was a real game changer for me, especially with point-to-point repair work. As usual the Chinese version is cheaper, but I give odds that the Hakko will last longer.
Yes, it does look *suspiciously* like the Hakko...
The Hakko is probably less dangerous too! I'm not sure I trust tools like this bought directly from China.
I always wanted one of these because desoldering often is a drag.
Too bad they're pretty expensive though.
A desoldering station is a revelation. It’s not just a convenience, it enables you to safely remove components that plain and simply cannot be done without damage otherwise.
If you’re patient, set up some eBay or classified ad alerts and find a used one from Pace. Top quality, but not as well known among consumers, so used ones don’t sell for stupid prices like Weller. In Switzerland, where I am, there isn’t much Pace gear so it took 3 years till one came up, but I got one, an ST-75 with SX-90, for $115 (including shipping cost, and it came with around $100 worth of new supplies!) that just needed a fresh rubber seal (a $5 part) to make like new. That station, which you can still buy new today, costs nearly $1000 new.
P.S. Pace’s videos on desoldering technique are fantastic. Proper technique makes it far easier and safer to do without damaging anything. (Their soldering tutorials are also second to none, even if they are very old videos.)
I like it. II got one in november. It does make things a little easier even if you are removing lots of stuff. It sure does save some time.
This unit seems to be relatively quieter than the Hakko FR-301... For that reason, the cost of the tool itself, the fact that you get a stand included and the replacement tips are much cheaper really poses the question why to even bother with the Hakko model.
I would have tried it before dissemble, but a good revue never the less.
I bought the same one about 3 years ago and I've only just had to change the filters. They are realy low maintenance. The only thing is the cool down time is about 30 mins. LOL.
Look after those rods, I can't find replacements anywhere. One of mine has a slight kink and won't fit down the barrel anymore.
Looks like they're using the heating element as a series resistor to run the motor, much like in a hair dryer. Neat. :)
I have a similar unit - S-997P. My unit has a different type of tips, the ones with a long tube for solder transfer. These devices are two much trouble. If set to anything lower than maximum temperature, they clog quickly and the reason is that the tip shaft is very long and by the time solder reaches the end of the shaft it cools off, as the shaft is not heated evenly. Another big problem is that the tips wear out VERY VERY quickly and finding replacements is an absolute nightmare. The replacements for your unit, I guess, are more readily available. But the ones for S-997P are simply nonexistent. When I bought it, I ordered some replacements, but these are wearing out and are plain impossible to find anymore. So, most of the time, I tend to just grab my Engineer SS-02 sucker. No heat up time, no waiting, no tip wear, works OK, does the job.
Would love to hear an update after two years of use!
It's still working just fine. The only maintenance I have had to do was routine cleaning.
$100 is pretty cheap for a powered sucker, and that little pump looked to have a lot of suction - will be interesting to see if it endures regular use. Perhaps you'll share an update after a few sessions with it. I've read that maintaining a light coating of silicone oil inside that chamber will keep the extracted solder falling out easily. Using the brass pubes was a nice touch (sorry, didn't know what else to call that stuff).
You could also consider coating the inside of the glass tube with a thin layer of oil to prevent solder from sticking to it.
The same goes for the metal part in the back of the tube.
i'd advise against that. sucking oil needs even more filtering of itself.
You could coat the glass in silicone oil, perhaps. But don't put anything on the filters.
@@Palmit_ No, it's just a thin film of oil on the inside of the glass. You dont suck anything there. It's a practice we learned when I took my soldering certificate in the Air Force. Also recomended by the manufaturers of the soldering stations we used.
You can place a small amount of teased out steel wool in the glass tube - filter lasts a lot longer.
11:00 - NO, that isn't the Australian version. That's a Chinese plug! Also the voltage is wrong for Australia too.
Normally, Australia and NZ should buy the 220/230V EU version then change the plug themselves.
I have checked and there DOES NOT seem to be a 220/230V version on Banggood.
Not sure if someone else mentioned it as well, but I did mention on the last video that the Aoyue desoldering gun I have uses a spring with a taper at the end. Also using some silicone grease on it helps prevent the solder from sticking firmly to the spring. I have the same gun and the copper scour pad trick really helps extend the life of the filters and is cheap to replace.
It was you!
Your mention of that spring is what made me think of using the scrubber in the reservoir.
Thanks
Does it handle plated through hole components well? That would would be a real plus!
I haven't used it on many yet, but it pulled the hole clean.
Great review of a handy tool. 👍😀
i had that Solder sucker.. i had it for 1 week before it when in to runaway. it got so hot it started to melt down and got RED HOT.
i sent it back for a Hako
Have another beer, works well with electronics. Lost a friend over that. He was foolish and drinking wound up killing him repairing a tv set. Miss him but should of stop drinking. Great video will buy one..
FYI, when I went to buy the coupon has already expired.
Thanks for letting me know.
You're not the first one to encounter that. I have already e-mailed my contact at banggood.
Banggood sent me an updated code. See if this one works: BG77ae76
@@pileofstuff Thank you! I had hoped it would be $10 dollars. $20 was a huge bonus. Thank you.
While I'm here, I'll add that I love what you do on RUclips and your affable presentation style.
Nice piece of equipment 👍👍👍
Mine got clogged. The long rod doesn't go all the way through. Any idea?
I've also used a piece of guitar string to clean out things like this in the past.
Hi... How about using the desoldering iron on a double sided PCB instead of the single sided board?
Where to get a replacement glass tube though?
I have one. Works good at the beginning, but the tip is not very good and for some reason kills heating elements. (I've replaced the heating element 3 times with little use)
I'll have to keep an eye on that. Thanks.
I've heard a lot of complaints about these burning through elements. Not sure if it is lack of temperature control or what. If you have a way to check your temperature, I would recommend checking it out to see if it needs calibration.
Do you heavily tin your nozzles before you turn off your gun?
I've had major degradation issues initially with my knock off work gun, found that tinning helped a bit.
The coating is very thin on these, so it doesn't take long to wear these down especially with lead free solders.
I had the same issue so after looking at the controller board and notice next to no protection to inrush of current to element on startup i added one across the line x2 cap on mains input and on heater element, also added a inductor to heater element side and never had any issues since,
@@Mazwreck Can you somehow post the schematic of your modification with component values?
@@jackoneill1070 isnt much to it, just disconnect one of the heater wires to the board, add in series a inductor, one side going to element, other to control board. then across both heater connections add a x2 mains rated capacitor across it,
Shame a selection of tips is not included as the price of spares seems a bit rake, If was the unit with a selection of tips - that as a package would be better. Also, two of each as I like to keep my tips used for lead-based solder separate from those of non-lead variety - just seems to prolong tip life if not mixing I found, though no hard science, just anecdotal.
Defo good mod.
Question - how well does the suction filter the fumes? Which may explain the extra layers of filter in the unit and if so, how easy to replace (felt pad be easy to get from crafts shops cheap).
I didn't notice any fumes during my tests, but I did also have my usual fan (out of view on the right side) blowing air across my workspace.
Any idea if there's a way to mod it to 230V? The 120V model is about $30 cheaper than the 220-240V model.
I'm cheap so if it can be easily changed I rather save a few tenners.
Not sure. You would probably have to mess with the controller board a bit.
Its not something i considered when i had it apart.
Is the tip replaceable?
Yes, it just screws out.
There's a link in the description to replacements and different size tps.
For free that's ok. But seeing how Justin takes all my spare change I still use a soldering Iron and blow the gunk out of the hole with compressed air. I'm not cheap. Just broke. And my bench is full of solder blobs. ( Or is that art ?)
I have really been concerning one.of those I was figuring the one with a separate vacuum pump but I don't know how.much it maters but I tried the promo code and it said expired
Hmmm.. The Banggood rep e-mailed me that code last night. I'll check with them.
Which code did you use (US warehouse or China warehouse)?
@@pileofstuff us I'm pretty sure
@@james10739 Ok, I'll see what they say.
Thanks for letting me know.
Banggood sent me an updated code. See if this one works: BG77ae76
thank you 👍
Скажите это может высосать припой из металлизированного двухстороннего отверстия ?
Yes, it works well with plated-thru holes.
Single sided boards are generally easy, even with manual suckers. The real test would be a multi-sided board
Good deal.
A beer you can eat with a fork...
Why haven't you tried it on a double sided board?
not capable of desoldering double-sided plates?
I did and it works fine for doublesided boards. The video of that part was out of focus, so I couldn't include it.
the price tag is too expensive. also, i am worried, if the nozzle gets burnt over time.
A filter made of felt is known as a felter (ducking)
And the under-feathers of a Duck is called "down".
Well, that is a tool I'd actually use. My manual solder suckers ... well ... they suck.
The task I most dread is removing a precious IC or card that has a row of 20+ pins.
Clearing journals of solder on a thru-plated PCB is also a chore.
Have you ever abused the pads on a board so much that you burned them completely off, or is it just me?
Oh yeah. I've destroyed many pads and tracks over the decades.
Which gave me the "opportunity" to learn how to bodge around that kind of faults...
Easy enough to repair a plated through-hole or via. Strip some fine stranded copper wire to get the individual strands. Poke it through the hole, bend each side to the broken track. Solder it all up.
That gun really sucks ;-)
I'm a sucker for a new tool.
The S993-A on Amazon is sell at 275$ ???? WTF ????
The banggood link seems to have been removed, but the same one is still available on Ebay: www.ebay.ca/itm/145572073884
$ 20 for the tip is a bit of a scam. They just count on the fact that you won't toss out a $ 100 device for that price.
I will buy it when they throw in two spare tips.
The membrane, that should be available too.
👌👍
Why do they give beers such silly names over there?
🎉
😒😒😒