IMPORTANT UPDATE! Turns out the SS-331H does have a universal switch mode power supply after all. Here's the update video showing this along with a couple mods I made: ruclips.net/video/9eBG7z-2qNE/видео.html
Hey John, in reference to the location of the power switch, it's a European electric code law that states that the on/off switch has to be a set distance from the power source. I learned this from my same question about welding equipment. If I had to guess nobody is going to come into your shop and arrest you for changing it, but in these days you never know LOL
The point of wiggling the tip is to make sure solder is removed from all sides of the pin and barrel. If a pin is not center on the through hole, it's possible for solder to still be stuck to the pin and the barrel of the through hole and may not be visible. So when you go to pull the part out you can damage the pad or the barrel itself. It's to make sure all solder is completely removed to minimize damage to the PCB. That's what we learned in J standard IPC classes.
@@AnnaVannieuwenhuyse Of course the iron leads have coatings and the last is tin. Simply check leads of components that don't have to transfer a lot of heat.
Wiggling also means it may spring back to one side when you remove heat, potentially contacting the other side after everything solidifies. This is very useful for DIPs. If all the pins seem to be touching a certain side then make sure you remove heat while pulling to the opposite side. This provides notably improved results versus random removal while wiggling.
@@AnnaVannieuwenhuyse, Not only is it possible to solder to iron and some forms of steel, but wellmade soldering iron tips s are coated/plated with iron at the pointy end because, unlike copper, the iron can "wet" to the solder but will resist being dissolved and corroded by molten solder and flux. Component leads are often, but not always, attracted to magnets; Most component leads will have a coppery color when you cut them but they may have iron or nickel mixed with them to make them magnetic, Probably so that it's easy for machines to cut and remove excess component leads when the boards are being manufactured. Component leads are also often coated with tin, but tin is not magnetic. (BTW, most grades of stainless steel will not wet with solder and cannot be soldered to).
Thanks for a thorough clear and to the point review. I like your mentioning the manual and what's in it; too many reviewers think they're to good, to smart or just to big to even look at it; a guy like Louis Rossmann roasted a perfectly good machine just because it operated differently from what he was used to and didn't know how it worked. I just like to know if its English, Chinglish, American, Australian, Canadian or whatever, has it error codes, numbers for replacement parts, and some specs, like you did because just advertisements makes things hard to compare. I'll be the judge for what's good for me. And yeah, I hate a power switch on the back plate too but its good to know it has one. Good to say to clean the gun with the rods after use to prevent clogging (its in the manual F......)
John, I literally just received my Pro's Kit "SS-331" from Banggood today. I placed the order last Friday and it arrived today. This unit is quite AWESOME! I did an "un-boxing" video and mentioned your channel and your reviews etc. After spending a fair amount of time over the past year comparing different units etc., I was leaning VERY hard towards the Pro's Kit "SS-331". I have to say this........it was your video review that finalized my decision to get "SS-331". Also, I have been leaning hard towards the KSGER soldering stations over the past year as well. I have been wanting to upgrade to the "direct drive" technology, I can NOT afford Hakko etc prices. Likewise, due to your videos of KSGER products, I will be ordering a new KSGER set-up within a couple of weeks. Thanks for your time and "research" man! Love the humor and sarcasm in your videos BTW! I can VERY much relate......... All the best from Indiana! Patrick
I have watched some reviews in my time...but, holy cra-! You broke this thing down to the basics and the "what really matters" with such detail! I would buy this product knowing how I could modify it to make it more efficient and improve it from and 8 to a 10 easily. I will be watching more of your reviews because of this breakdown review. So very impressed with your method and details.
Thank you. Very helpful especially as my glass tube sprung off and all the bits ended up on the floor, I didn't know where the silicone washer went. I've got a 'Katsu zd8915' which is basically identical. +1 for the tip of using flux especially on multi layered boards.
Sweet ! I paused the video and ordered one. Before i saw the video, I did not even know I wanted one of these ! You're inspirational, John ! ;-) I particularly liked the down-to-earth, value-for money perspective. I detest the snooty "every meter should be fluke & every car a rolls" tone of the well incentivised famous influencers. I do the exact opposite of what they recommend & that works very well for me.
@@Rchelicopterfun I have absolutely no doubt about that ; seeing my experience with the Hantek 5102P is exactly same as yours. But it may have been a bad idea to subscribe. You've already opened my eyes to the TS100, which I neither need nor can afford ...but we all know how this it going to end ! ;-) I mean, there's many a more dangerous/shameful/unhealthy way to go bankrupt than buying tools & parts....
Great video! I've been thinking about buying one of these down the road, but I haven't seen any good North America based videos. As a side note, the technique is to hold the gun on the solder, then shake the gun before pulling the trigger to make sure the solder is molten; do not shake the gun when pulling the trigger. Thank you for video, and let me know if you have any questions!
Excellent video!! i have the same model Dave had in his video, and from the same distributor Rhino Tools here in Australia. Great tip on making sure you keep the tube clean, they can get clogged however if you make a habit of maintaining there shouldn't be issues. For me the i find 350c and using the wiggle technique best. Thanks again for making the video
@@RchelicopterfunHave had my unit for around 6 years now, have been through two guns. Both were damaged due to me not using and maintaining correctly. first gun got clogged, and had to use a thin drill bit to unclog but it was never the same. The second one i had it at 420c and left it running while talking to my neighbour for about 30 or so minutes, the front nozzle detached. My third is going strong for about 1.5 years now, as im correctly maintaining it and operating at a lower temp . Have a spare just incase, as i find it a must having a desoldering station. Also i use a small amount of grease on the seals, just so im getting the best seal and suction.
Thanks for all that great info! It's much appreciated not only for myself, but others thinking of getting one of these units. I take it the 985 version doesn't have the "idle" function where it ramps down to 200C after 10 minutes of no gun movement detection?
The tube probably gets clogged, because one end has lower temperature than the other. I saved mine by pushing a copper wire of nearly equal diameter into it - copper conducts heat well, so it then melts the tin in the colder end of the tube. Also, flux residues together with dirt on some boards help to clog the tube, so I clean the surface before desoldering, and every 20 or so solder joints I push the cleaning 'rod' through the tube, just to make sure, and that works fine.
Wiggling it is just to prevent sweat joints. Also a good indicator for when solder is completely molten. Can start vacuum the moment the lead swings freely
Thank you for this review. I have been working though a metre of desoldering wich and a manual desoldering pump during the past week which is not fun and was considering buying a Hakko desoldering gun for 400 USD. Not anymore. This SS-331H I can get from Aliexpress for 112 USD and shipping is 7 USD from Spain (I live in Europe)
I have an Anesty ZD-915... its that things older brother. I've been using mine for about 2 years now. The pump does get gummed up from flux fumes if you use flux with it. If that happens clean the pump out with IPA and it will work good as new. I have been waiting for the whole thing to die so I can upgrade to a used hakko unit but this thing just keeps going so I am sure that will last you years.
Thank you for the tip about the little rubber gasket inside the gun. I was having trouble getting good suction and fixing that did the trick. Have a good one!
Hi John, very exhaustive video, i apreciate it so much! Cause my job, for decades i used (and i still use) top quality brand solder and desoldering workflow station (Weller WMA 1), but untill now i dont have any tool at home, too many hours at work killed my passion for electronics, so at home i only have few screwdrivers :) for only emergency purposes. But now i would like to have a little corner for the necessary to make "first AID" to my old electronics at home. So i was looking around for a good compromise quality/price. Your video is the answere to my questions! Very soon i will take a look for a hot air solder too, may be i will found another good video in your channel!
FYI. Using flux for any desoldering system is a big no-no. It might help a vajaja hair with heat displacement. However, it will do nothing but cause unnecessary clogging of the tip, tube, and filters. Honestly, once you have 100 parts or so under your belt you should be able to use this or any system with ease for the largest of through-hole components without clogging of tip or tube ever! Use the cleaning rod before you shut down daily and before you run your 1st component of the day. Hold tip square to component lead, hold for 2-Mississippi's, before you squeeze trigger, 3-4 on extra-large leads and plains. You should be golden! Thanks for the review! Oh, and wiggling it can cause blindness! JSf
Just a suggestion. DO NOT put any flux before sucking. Little by little, it eats away the tube inside the heating element. It becomes uneven and starts to clog. It is enough just to disolve the pins with additional solder using an iron and then use the gun. Good luck!
What about the flux that is already on the board or in the additional solder? It should also then cause issues. There is no reason whatsoever that electronics safe flux (low activity flux) would ever micro pit the stainless tube.
@@Rchelicopterfun There is a video by someone talking about why his Hakko desoldering gun started to clog up. My experience is the same. Also, by adding additional leaded solder you vapour away the flux. Of course, there will always be sone of it. But better less than more.
A generalization. Again, totally depends on the type of flux used and its level of activity. Use highly active flux, yes it will pit & clog. Use electronics safe low activity flux, should never happen. Yes, that's my anecdotal experience now using this unit for the better part of four years, adding additional low activity flux or quality Kester 44 rosin core solder when required (about 50% of the time) without any clogging issues. To each their own - use what works :) Better safe than sorry I suppose.
Thanks for makin this video. I bought one of these and felt the instructions a bit hard to understand (as is customary with ali express purchases), then found your video.
Hi John, thanks for the video. I have been using a Weller DS102P (look under a long time ago) for years. I put together my own station using the Weller iron and a Gast Vacuum pump. The pump is on a foot switch and develops really good vacuum very quickly for the small size of it (rotary vane pump). Anyway in my experience I give the pins a count of 3 to 5 for a plated through hole and I've also found that if I use flux it will erode the tip more quickly and also leaves a reside that will plug your tip. I strongly recommend frequently poking out the tips to keep then clear. I was eyeballing the Pros'kit but as you mentioned it appears to lean toward the 220vac which is inconvenient. I'm going to check out your video on the ps mod. Thanks again!
If you watched that other video by now, you will see these things have a universal voltage PS and can be run at 120V without modification. You just need to use a standard North American IEC power cord. 🙂
fucking good review !!! even for an old dog like me !!! likes your observations as ESD and the measurements !! this is the way to go !! not just "it is nice !!" ... I liked the review and I buy the idea to get the unit ... !!! subscribed ...!
I have been looking at reviews to make my decision. I have been looking for something to fit in the "advanced hobbyist" niche. I cannot justify a $300 Hakko, but my retiree budget WILL stretch to $100 - $150. Looks like this is the one.
Do you find there is an audible buzzing noise from the handheld gun during heating? I just got one and have this issue. A forum post by someone also mentioned this buzzing.
Great review, thank you. I was thinking of buying it as the hakko models cost way too much ... Now the only thing holding me back is the waiting time for shipping from China.
I'm done with Hakko. Their parts support has proven to be poor. For what most Hakko units cost, one can buy a number of new Chinese knock-offs and insure you have parts. By contrast, we bought AirVac desoldering stations in the early 1980's and can still get every single part and reasonably. The only reason we tried Hakko was for field work. Our AirVac units require a compressor which convert 80psi to 30 inches of vacuum and work VERY well.
Great, now I have another thing on my shopping list. I just barely bought wick after 20 years of trying to use the stupid hand held sucker tube thing that you showed.
@Matt Mead - 🙂 Yep, that' s pretty much the same thing I thought when I saw Dave Jones's review of one of these low cost vacuum pump disordering tools and what ultimately bent my rubber arm to get one as well. The only regret I have is not getting it sooner. It has been working great and I can't believe how many times I find myself using it now - reclaiming parts off old boards for projects & repairs. I no longer fear multi layered boards with plated through holes where it seemed I would generally lift a trace or overheat a component more times than not using wick. We won't even talk about the spring loaded suckers total & pathetic lack of performance on a plated through hole.
Wow... I just got another model, and just checking out the ones I thought of getting over the years... This one, has a loud fan constantly going and the pump is LOUD compared to what I just got. but, as long as it works!
Any thoughts about using it to remove solder bridges between the legs of an SMD IC. When I get a bridge I find wick difficult and with a manual sucker as you really need three hands. Dave
For bridging between close leads like that, I find just using an ample amount of good flux cures all. The solder bridging just magically flows away when it's nice and "wet". As for this type of vacuum desoldering station for that; it's not really the intended use and I doubt it would work that well. They are meant for through hole components so the molten solder itself seals the tip to the PCB as you pull vacuum through the hole. There is no sealing round the tip when not held in pool of molten solder so you likely wouldn't get much suction if held against several IC legs with air being pulled in from all around.
I bought the Yihua 948, works very well, I like the short of the barrel, do not clogged. Gun of the SS-331 desoldering looks very well made. Best Regards.
New sub, this was a good review I had one of the Ungars at work but now I am retired and still dabble in this stuff, I like the desolder station. I will buy the step up also. Nice job
Thanks for the sub, but you don't need to waste your $ on a step-up transformer! I have another video I made shortly after this one, showing these things are indeed universal voltage (pinned comment, in the description, and a popup card in this video). Here's the link to that update video: ruclips.net/video/9eBG7z-2qNE/видео.html
They really should give you a little more room when removing the glass tube. My first time taking the tube out the rubber gasket that goes around the hollow element tube was stuck to the main rubber seal for the glass tube and so I had to remove the glass tube filter side first. I don't think I damaged anything, but now I can put in and remove the glass tube correctly.
It’s not actually that bad once you know that the part that plugs the back of the tube is still compressible/spring-loaded even after you release the back. You pull the tube back while lifting the front out. Plenty of room once you know the trick.
I think the 24 volt supply that's inside the unit can be switched from 110 to 220. It may even be that the power supply inside accepts 95 to 230 volts or something like that. I'm not sure about the rating of the connector at the rear but a few minutes of investigation should tell you that.
Hi viewers, and John. my experience with one of those is relatively good. and I have been using this for a view years now. some advice for better usage... in the beginning if the pump sounds a bit slow and you do not get enough suction. it helps to get the motor some run time, those dc motors will be quicker if you let them run in. in the collecting tube , I have add a small piece of sponge(the one with the rough patch on one side). the sponge can help with suction power and filter conservation, also is very cheap. and for the heat pipe that could get cloged, you have those stupid rake things that brake or get stuck.. i just take out the heat pipe and heat it with one of those little gas burners, and when it is hot I quickly blow it out with a can of compressed air. be careful tho because there will be hot solder flying out from the other end. this procedure has helped me a lot with the problems I had.
These are fantastic devices.......when they work! I have a very similar piece of chinesium equipment. Aoyue 474A. Im constantly having to dissemble and clean the gun part. Dont know if the more expensive name brand ones are any better. If so it would worth the extra expense to me.
Hmm, no such issues with the SS-331 with many cycles now. It has (anecdotally) never clogged once while in operation and I have yet to have it get plugged after usage once cooled down; admittedly, I always run a cleaning rod through it before I power it down and pull vacuum the entire time while doing so. Guess they are all different?
@@Rchelicopterfun The only difference is the shape of the case and the metal spring in mine is a stubby tightly wound cone shape and yours resembles one found in old style spring loaded ink pens.
I’m done with Hakko as well. They did end of life and I can’t buy an element for the previous gun and the price of the tips/Nozzles are ridiculous.. and the nozzles/tips are not great, they don’t last.
Hi i have the same or better both, the old Zd9.. had 80W and it was boring to wait whilee heat up. I had a new one in exact the same Casing like yours but in different collors. It is also Blak with with blue Grips. I had very much Spareparts from the ZD9xx but ithis Station have to much Power and the Thermocouple is differnt. My is Labeld with 200W yours with 140W i think is both the same. My the 140W on yours sre realistik for accumulate over the Time usage (i find not the correckt word in english=) on my the 200W will be Peak Power when it ist switchinh on. Nice Station my old M9xx one i had vor over 15 Jears. The new is aklso fine an heat very much faster so work temp. Maybee when i polished it with Snakeoil it well realy bring the 200W to the Nozzel =) I wish you a lot of fun with the Desolderinh gun and i hope the new will also work in more than 10 Jears. Have a nice Day Best Regards from Germany
I already corrected that in the description, in a card link within the video, and in the pinned comment - all of those linking to the universal voltage update video I did: ruclips.net/video/9eBG7z-2qNE/видео.html
Looks like I'm having an issue with the delivery on this. The tracking has stalled at July 1st with the message: "HGH-Hand over to airline failure:Magnetic:马达" Those Chinese characters translate to "Electric motor" so it seems like the airline rejected the package due to the magnets in the motor. All I can do is wait but it doesn't look good.
Finally got mine after 7 weeks! It was shipped again with DHL and arrived in a few days. Initially I had a lot of trouble getting anything off but I got some flux and tried again today. It made things so much easier. Well worth it, thanks again for the review.
Excellent, thank you. Unfortunately, FedEx delivered mine in Thailand with the tip broken off the plastic piece that looks like a soda bottle top that attaches to the unit for the vacuum line.
So, make a FedEx claim to get a replacement. Or fix the broken nipple, or get a screw on 1/4" drip irrigation cap to work. Lots of ways I can think of to fix something so simple.
@@Rchelicopterfun That's a lot of work for a $5 part. The packaging is poor and that plastic screw-on connector with the tip for the vacuum line is overly fragile. I suspect a lot of people will break them by accident.
@@Rchelicopterfun Thanks I have superglued it and ordered a new part from China. Thanks for the great video and again I apologize if I said anything excessive. Best wishes.
That unit is designed for international markets so they design it to comply in an international market, hence the location of the power switch. I it's a C-13 power input so it could have any plug on the other end of the cord.
It's Chinese standard, which happens to be similar enough to the Antipodean plugs that they are sort-of interoperable. The latter have thicker blades, for one thing.
@@Rchelicopterfun I did not understand sorry, I'm Italian, I use Google translate, could you write in more detail? so that the translation is understood. thanks dear.
Perhaps not using it at high enough temp or filters clogged (not enough vacuum). I've never had clogging issues - it's working great going on 18 months now.
Never mentioned dimensions, but they are shown in the instructions at 10:47 (172Hx135Wx190L). I specifically & only wanted a bench top vacuum desoldering tool so never even looked twice at the hand held ones.
Been looking at desoldering tools. You have convinced me! There seem to be a lot of these under different badges so time to make a choice. Katsu make some good tools so may go for their version...
John, I just purchased one of these units, the 1.0mm nozzle that was on the handle appeared to be defective, but the other 2 were fine, I'm wondering if they had a few bad runs on them. Regardless, I purchased another set of SS-331H specific nozzles from Ali. Do you think the tips from the Hakko or the ZD-985 clones are interchangable?
Congratulations on the video...Do you know how to inform us, what is the AC or DC voltage applied to the ceramic heating element? And what is the temperature sensor?
Heater is 80W, 24VDC. I don't understand what you are asking about the temp sensor. If you are asking what type it is, I have no idea. The sensor is encapsulated in the ceramic core of the heating element so I would presume it's a standard thermocouple like most soldering tools with temp feedback - but that is just an educated guess.
@Roger G. Rodrigues - yep, sorry, I'm not sure if it's a positive or negative TC. I've never probed it to find out if resistance increases or decreases with temp rise - all I know is it works 🙂
Lead free solder doesn't flow well and may need more flux added or resoldering with some leaded solder first before using the desoldering tool. In short, yes it will work but it all comes down to practice and technique.
It's Banggood's tub of "Yellow Paste": www.banggood.com/custlink/3vmmn3G82h Lot's of folks seem to like it. I just started using it last year and have been happy with its performance as well. I will melt some of it in the tub, draw it into a syringe, let it cool & solidify. That is what was used in the video & how it was applied.
I've found you usually you don't, but if there is lots of oxidation on the tip, it will certainly help by wetting it. Keeping it clean using the cleaning sponge also helps. It's also solder dependent & at what temp you use it at. In short, you will come up with your own tip maintenance procedures based on working experience with the tool.
do you find that using flux helps lots when using the gun. Does flux get in the gun and make it difficult to clean? I bought this one since it had a switching power supply since I need 110v , thank to you update video
Depends on solder quality - unleaded is a bugger without additional flux, or applying some leaded first. No issues with it if Flux is used, filters just need replacing more often.
IMPORTANT UPDATE! Turns out the SS-331H does have a universal switch mode power supply after all. Here's the update video showing this along with a couple mods I made: ruclips.net/video/9eBG7z-2qNE/видео.html
Is this station doing its job well as time goes by? A lot of Chinese stuff die early.
Hey John, in reference to the location of the power switch, it's a European electric code law that states that the on/off switch has to be a set distance from the power source. I learned this from my same question about welding equipment. If I had to guess nobody is going to come into your shop and arrest you for changing it, but in these days you never know LOL
@Gassan Ali working great still December 2020
@@ronaldcaflisch2031 Or, just mount another switch, in series, with the "master" switch on the front. :|
@@gassanali8667 Desoldering can be a pita and if your bad at it (like me) this can actually save you some money.
Even though the video is 4 year old, I enjoyed the breakdown, the review, and the hints that were said during the video. Well done.
The point of wiggling the tip is to make sure solder is removed from all sides of the pin and barrel. If a pin is not center on the through hole, it's possible for solder to still be stuck to the pin and the barrel of the through hole and may not be visible. So when you go to pull the part out you can damage the pad or the barrel itself. It's to make sure all solder is completely removed to minimize damage to the PCB. That's what we learned in J standard IPC classes.
Right, but wiggling shortens the tip life as many components leads are made out of IRON.
@@paulcohen1555 No? Component leads are not iron cause you can't solder to those. :p
@@AnnaVannieuwenhuyse Of course the iron leads have coatings and the last is tin.
Simply check leads of components that don't have to transfer a lot of heat.
Wiggling also means it may spring back to one side when you remove heat, potentially contacting the other side after everything solidifies. This is very useful for DIPs. If all the pins seem to be touching a certain side then make sure you remove heat while pulling to the opposite side. This provides notably improved results versus random removal while wiggling.
@@AnnaVannieuwenhuyse, Not only is it possible to solder to iron and some forms of steel, but wellmade soldering iron tips s are coated/plated with iron at the pointy end because, unlike copper, the iron can "wet" to the solder but will resist being dissolved and corroded by molten solder and flux. Component leads are often, but not always, attracted to magnets; Most component leads will have a coppery color when you cut them but they may have iron or nickel mixed with them to make them magnetic, Probably so that it's easy for machines to cut and remove excess component leads when the boards are being manufactured. Component leads are also often coated with tin, but tin is not magnetic. (BTW, most grades of stainless steel will not wet with solder and cannot be soldered to).
Thanks for a thorough clear and to the point review. I like your mentioning the manual and what's in it; too many reviewers think they're to good, to smart or just to big to even look at it; a guy like Louis Rossmann roasted a perfectly good machine just because it operated differently from what he was used to and didn't know how it worked. I just like to know if its English, Chinglish, American, Australian, Canadian or whatever, has it error codes, numbers for replacement parts, and some specs, like you did because just advertisements makes things hard to compare. I'll be the judge for what's good for me. And yeah, I hate a power switch on the back plate too but its good to know it has one. Good to say to clean the gun with the rods after use to prevent clogging (its in the manual F......)
John,
I literally just received my Pro's Kit "SS-331" from Banggood today. I placed the order last Friday and it arrived today. This unit is quite AWESOME! I did an "un-boxing" video and mentioned your channel and your reviews etc.
After spending a fair amount of time over the past year comparing different units etc., I was leaning VERY hard towards the Pro's Kit "SS-331". I have to say this........it was your video review that finalized my decision to get "SS-331".
Also, I have been leaning hard towards the KSGER soldering stations over the past year as well. I have been wanting to upgrade to the "direct drive" technology, I can NOT afford Hakko etc prices. Likewise, due to your videos of KSGER products, I will be ordering a new KSGER set-up within a couple of weeks.
Thanks for your time and "research" man! Love the humor and sarcasm in your videos BTW! I can VERY much relate.........
All the best from Indiana!
Patrick
Thanks for the comments & hope you enjoy your 331 disordering station as much as I've been enjoying mine. 👍
I have watched some reviews in my time...but, holy cra-! You broke this thing down to the basics and the "what really matters" with such detail! I would buy this product knowing how I could modify it to make it more efficient and improve it from and 8 to a 10 easily. I will be watching more of your reviews because of this breakdown review. So very impressed with your method and details.
🙂
Thank you for this review and teardown. Been on the seat about ordering this station.
Did you order it Jimbo?
Thank you for the review! It had all I needed and wasn't included in my instruction manual. Cheers!
Enjoy your SS-331 station; mine has been working so well. 👍
Thank you.
Very helpful especially as my glass tube sprung off and all the bits ended up on the floor, I didn't know where the silicone washer went.
I've got a 'Katsu zd8915' which is basically identical.
+1 for the tip of using flux especially on multi layered boards.
Sweet ! I paused the video and ordered one. Before i saw the video, I did not even know I wanted one of these ! You're inspirational, John ! ;-)
I particularly liked the down-to-earth, value-for money perspective.
I detest the snooty "every meter should be fluke & every car a rolls" tone of the well incentivised famous influencers.
I do the exact opposite of what they recommend & that works very well for me.
Thanks for the kind feedback. Hope you enjoy your vacuum desoldering station as much as I've been enjoying mine.
@@Rchelicopterfun I have absolutely no doubt about that ; seeing my experience with the Hantek 5102P is exactly same as yours.
But it may have been a bad idea to subscribe. You've already opened my eyes to the TS100, which I neither need nor can afford ...but we all know how this it going to end ! ;-)
I mean, there's many a more dangerous/shameful/unhealthy way to go bankrupt than buying tools & parts....
Soooooo Truuuuuue. 😀
Great video! I've been thinking about buying one of these down the road, but I haven't seen any good North America based videos. As a side note, the technique is to hold the gun on the solder, then shake the gun before pulling the trigger to make sure the solder is molten; do not shake the gun when pulling the trigger. Thank you for video, and let me know if you have any questions!
Thanks for the additional "technique" tips.
thanks for this! In mine there are no actual assembly instructions at all, so this video filled the gap
What a beautiful demonstration . Loved it to the core. Thanks a lot for making this informative video . Cheers !!
Thanks - Glad you liked it
Excellent video!! i have the same model Dave had in his video, and from the same distributor Rhino Tools here in Australia. Great tip on making sure you keep the tube clean, they can get clogged however if you make a habit of maintaining there shouldn't be issues. For me the i find 350c and using the wiggle technique best.
Thanks again for making the video
Thanks for the "wiggle" works best along with 350C. Can I ask how long you have had yours now and how it's holding up?
@@RchelicopterfunHave had my unit for around 6 years now, have been through two guns. Both were damaged due to me not using and maintaining correctly. first gun got clogged, and had to use a thin drill bit to unclog but it was never the same. The second one i had it at 420c and left it running while talking to my neighbour for about 30 or so minutes, the front nozzle detached. My third is going strong for about 1.5 years now, as im correctly maintaining it and operating at a lower temp . Have a spare just incase, as i find it a must having a desoldering station. Also i use a small amount of grease on the seals, just so im getting the best seal and suction.
Thanks for all that great info! It's much appreciated not only for myself, but others thinking of getting one of these units. I take it the 985 version doesn't have the "idle" function where it ramps down to 200C after 10 minutes of no gun movement detection?
@@Rchelicopterfun Not that i have seen, i tend to manually lower the temp to 160c.
The tube probably gets clogged, because one end has lower temperature than the other. I saved mine by pushing a copper wire of nearly equal diameter into it - copper conducts heat well, so it then melts the tin in the colder end of the tube.
Also, flux residues together with dirt on some boards help to clog the tube, so I clean the surface before desoldering, and every 20 or so solder joints I push the cleaning 'rod' through the tube, just to make sure, and that works fine.
Excellent review. I have one still in the box. The idea of moving the main switch to the front is great idea. Thanks again.
Thanks for watching
Wiggling it is just to prevent sweat joints. Also a good indicator for when solder is completely molten. Can start vacuum the moment the lead swings freely
Thank you for this review. I have been working though a metre of desoldering wich and a manual desoldering pump during the past week which is not fun and was considering buying a Hakko desoldering gun for 400 USD. Not anymore. This SS-331H I can get from Aliexpress for 112 USD and shipping is 7 USD from Spain (I live in Europe)
I have an Anesty ZD-915... its that things older brother. I've been using mine for about 2 years now. The pump does get gummed up from flux fumes if you use flux with it. If that happens clean the pump out with IPA and it will work good as new. I have been waiting for the whole thing to die so I can upgrade to a used hakko unit but this thing just keeps going so I am sure that will last you years.
Thanks for the feedback on your 915 - much appreciated! 👍
Thank you for the review. I have thought about the compact but now I have decided on stationery like this.
Glad it was helpful
Thank you for the tip about the little rubber gasket inside the gun. I was having trouble getting good suction and fixing that did the trick. Have a good one!
Glad it helped 👍
Hi John, very exhaustive video, i apreciate it so much!
Cause my job, for decades i used (and i still use) top quality brand solder and desoldering workflow station (Weller WMA 1), but untill now i dont have any tool at home, too many hours at work killed my passion for electronics, so at home i only have few screwdrivers :) for only emergency purposes.
But now i would like to have a little corner for the necessary to make "first AID" to my old electronics at home.
So i was looking around for a good compromise quality/price.
Your video is the answere to my questions!
Very soon i will take a look for a hot air solder too, may be i will found another good video in your channel!
Wow excellent video love it I knew nothing about these two hours ago you are a very good teacher very well done @
Glad you enjoyed it
FYI. Using flux for any desoldering system is a big no-no. It might help a vajaja hair with heat displacement. However, it will do nothing but cause unnecessary clogging of the tip, tube, and filters.
Honestly, once you have 100 parts or so under your belt you should be able to use this or any system with ease for the largest of through-hole components without clogging of tip or tube ever! Use the cleaning rod before you shut down daily and before you run your 1st component of the day. Hold tip square to component lead, hold for 2-Mississippi's, before you squeeze trigger, 3-4 on extra-large leads and plains. You should be golden! Thanks for the review! Oh, and wiggling it can cause blindness! JSf
Good to know, thanks for the tips. As you said, once you do more, it gets easier & more effective. I too have found flux is generally not necessary.
Just a suggestion. DO NOT put any flux before sucking. Little by little, it eats away the tube inside the heating element. It becomes uneven and starts to clog. It is enough just to disolve the pins with additional solder using an iron and then use the gun. Good luck!
What about the flux that is already on the board or in the additional solder? It should also then cause issues. There is no reason whatsoever that electronics safe flux (low activity flux) would ever micro pit the stainless tube.
@@Rchelicopterfun There is a video by someone talking about why his Hakko desoldering gun started to clog up. My experience is the same. Also, by adding additional leaded solder you vapour away the flux. Of course, there will always be sone of it. But better less than more.
A generalization. Again, totally depends on the type of flux used and its level of activity. Use highly active flux, yes it will pit & clog. Use electronics safe low activity flux, should never happen. Yes, that's my anecdotal experience now using this unit for the better part of four years, adding additional low activity flux or quality Kester 44 rosin core solder when required (about 50% of the time) without any clogging issues. To each their own - use what works :) Better safe than sorry I suppose.
Excellent review. I found a Anesty, a rebranded Pro… on Amazon (USA) with the 110v power supply. Thanks for the info!👍
I just noticed the Anesty as well, identical to this except coloration. How has it been working for you in these past 9 months?
21:27 Seems so easy, yet soooo hard in real life. The level of frustration that I have right now cannot be described with words.
Thanks for makin this video. I bought one of these and felt the instructions a bit hard to understand (as is customary with ali express purchases), then found your video.
Thanks for watching & glad it helped.
Great ,detailed review mate!
I have some other tools from Pros'kit and they are all very reliable and cheap in comparison with branded ones.
Thanks and good to know that you've had positive experiences as well with other tools from Pro's kit.
Hi John, thanks for the video. I have been using a Weller DS102P (look under a long time ago) for years. I put together my own station using the Weller iron and a Gast Vacuum pump. The pump is on a foot switch and develops really good vacuum very quickly for the small size of it (rotary vane pump). Anyway in my experience I give the pins a count of 3 to 5 for a plated through hole and I've also found that if I use flux it will erode the tip more quickly and also leaves a reside that will plug your tip. I strongly recommend frequently poking out the tips to keep then clear. I was eyeballing the Pros'kit but as you mentioned it appears to lean toward the 220vac which is inconvenient. I'm going to check out your video on the ps mod. Thanks again!
If you watched that other video by now, you will see these things have a universal voltage PS and can be run at 120V without modification. You just need to use a standard North American IEC power cord. 🙂
Awesome review! covers everything I want to know. Thanks.
Stick a bit of stainless steel wool in front of the filter to protect it works well for me
fucking good review !!! even for an old dog like me !!! likes your observations as ESD and the measurements !! this is the way to go !! not just "it is nice !!" ...
I liked the review and I buy the idea to get the unit ... !!! subscribed ...!
I have been looking at reviews to make my decision. I have been looking for something to fit in the "advanced hobbyist" niche. I cannot justify a $300 Hakko, but my retiree budget WILL stretch to $100 - $150. Looks like this is the one.
Excellent video, good quality review! I also watched the update on the power supply. I have this on my wish list as well. Good information!
Glad it was helpful!
Great job! it made my decision easier. I just purchase the station through your link. Thanks again for your nice review.
Hope you enjoy yours too.
Very good review Sir. I have just bought one.😊
Nice - hope you enjoy yours too. Mine is still working great! 🙂
Do you find there is an audible buzzing noise from the handheld gun during heating? I just got one and have this issue. A forum post by someone also mentioned this buzzing.
Not an issue - normal operation noise of the heating element frequency (pulse rate of the MOSFET).
I thought it was part of the motion sensing part of the handle and was giving audio feedback. I don't know. Either way mine does that too.
Good comprehensive review John. The plug on that lead is Australian btw.
Thanks for the plug type correction.
@@Rchelicopterfun yup Aussie new Zealand and believe it or not Chinese plug type
Also used here in Argentina but live and neutral swapped from Australia. Thanks for the great video!
You can put small piece of Brillo for easy cleaning of the old solder
Great review, thank you.
I was thinking of buying it as the hakko models cost way too much ... Now the only thing holding me back is the waiting time for shipping from China.
I'm done with Hakko. Their parts support has proven to be poor. For what most Hakko units cost, one can buy a number of new Chinese knock-offs and insure you have parts. By contrast, we bought AirVac desoldering stations in the early 1980's and can still get every single part and reasonably. The only reason we tried Hakko was for field work. Our AirVac units require a compressor which convert 80psi to 30 inches of vacuum and work VERY well.
Thank you very much for your explanatory video, very useful.
Glad it was helpful
The best review All in One 👍
Thanks - Glad you found it useful 🙂
I've seen the Yihua 948 station on Amazon, and I'm wondering if they're as good as this.
I'm looking at a desoldering station. I'm trying to learn to fix radios. I am an Extra Class ham operator and trying to teach myself repair.
Great, now I have another thing on my shopping list. I just barely bought wick after 20 years of trying to use the stupid hand held sucker tube thing that you showed.
@Matt Mead - 🙂 Yep, that' s pretty much the same thing I thought when I saw Dave Jones's review of one of these low cost vacuum pump disordering tools and what ultimately bent my rubber arm to get one as well. The only regret I have is not getting it sooner. It has been working great and I can't believe how many times I find myself using it now - reclaiming parts off old boards for projects & repairs. I no longer fear multi layered boards with plated through holes where it seemed I would generally lift a trace or overheat a component more times than not using wick. We won't even talk about the spring loaded suckers total & pathetic lack of performance on a plated through hole.
Wow... I just got another model, and just checking out the ones I thought of getting over the years... This one, has a loud fan constantly going and the pump is LOUD compared to what I just got. but, as long as it works!
Any thoughts about using it to remove solder bridges between the legs of an SMD IC.
When I get a bridge I find wick difficult and with a manual sucker as you really need three hands.
Dave
For bridging between close leads like that, I find just using an ample amount of good flux cures all. The solder bridging just magically flows away when it's nice and "wet".
As for this type of vacuum desoldering station for that; it's not really the intended use and I doubt it would work that well. They are meant for through hole components so the molten solder itself seals the tip to the PCB as you pull vacuum through the hole. There is no sealing round the tip when not held in pool of molten solder so you likely wouldn't get much suction if held against several IC legs with air being pulled in from all around.
excellent review, thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching.
If u are into electronics now is a good time to born
I bought the Yihua 948, works very well, I like the short of the barrel, do not clogged.
Gun of the SS-331 desoldering looks very well made.
Best Regards.
New sub, this was a good review I had one of the Ungars at work but now I am retired and still dabble in this stuff, I like the desolder station. I will buy the step up also. Nice job
Thanks for the sub, but you don't need to waste your $ on a step-up transformer! I have another video I made shortly after this one, showing these things are indeed universal voltage (pinned comment, in the description, and a popup card in this video). Here's the link to that update video: ruclips.net/video/9eBG7z-2qNE/видео.html
@@Rchelicopterfun Excellent, thank you for the link
Hi! Could you please confirm if sensor is PTC thermistor or Thermocouple?? Thanks in advance
Muy bueno el video, se ve que es una herramienta util para desoldar más rapido
I think the best way to put low melting solder then use the flux and gun
I bought this and it is OK, problem is only it has powers switch on behind
Excellent review. Thanks for that job ! Greetings from 230V country lol ;)
Thanks for watching
They really should give you a little more room when removing the glass tube. My first time taking the tube out the rubber gasket that goes around the hollow element tube was stuck to the main rubber seal for the glass tube and so I had to remove the glass tube filter side first. I don't think I damaged anything, but now I can put in and remove the glass tube correctly.
It’s not actually that bad once you know that the part that plugs the back of the tube is still compressible/spring-loaded even after you release the back. You pull the tube back while lifting the front out. Plenty of room once you know the trick.
I think the 24 volt supply that's inside the unit can be switched from 110 to 220. It may even be that the power supply inside accepts 95 to 230 volts or something like that. I'm not sure about the rating of the connector at the rear but a few minutes of investigation should tell you that.
Yes, it's universal voltage as per first pinned comment. See update video: ruclips.net/video/9eBG7z-2qNE/видео.html
Hi viewers, and John. my experience with one of those is relatively good. and I have been using this for a view years now. some advice for better usage...
in the beginning if the pump sounds a bit slow and you do not get enough suction. it helps to get the motor some run time, those dc motors will be quicker if you let them run in. in the collecting tube , I have add a small piece of sponge(the one with the rough patch on one side). the sponge can help with suction power and filter conservation,
also is very cheap.
and for the heat pipe that could get cloged, you have those stupid rake things that brake or get stuck.. i just take out the heat pipe and heat it with one of those little gas burners, and when it is hot I quickly blow it out with a can of compressed air. be careful tho because there will be hot solder flying out from the other end.
this procedure has helped me a lot with the problems I had.
These are fantastic devices.......when they work!
I have a very similar piece of chinesium equipment. Aoyue 474A. Im constantly having to dissemble and clean the gun part.
Dont know if the more expensive name brand ones are any better. If so it would worth the extra expense to me.
Hmm, no such issues with the SS-331 with many cycles now. It has (anecdotally) never clogged once while in operation and I have yet to have it get plugged after usage once cooled down; admittedly, I always run a cleaning rod through it before I power it down and pull vacuum the entire time while doing so. Guess they are all different?
@@Rchelicopterfun The only difference is the shape of the case and the metal spring in mine is a stubby tightly wound cone shape and yours resembles one found in old style spring loaded ink pens.
I’m done with Hakko as well. They did end of life and I can’t buy an element for the previous gun and the price of the tips/Nozzles are ridiculous.. and the nozzles/tips are not great, they don’t last.
Hi i have the same or better both, the old Zd9.. had 80W and it was boring to wait whilee heat up. I had a new one in exact the same Casing like yours but in different collors.
It is also Blak with with blue Grips. I had very much Spareparts from the ZD9xx but ithis Station have to much Power and the Thermocouple is differnt.
My is Labeld with 200W yours with 140W i think is both the same.
My the 140W on yours sre realistik for accumulate over the Time usage (i find not the correckt word in english=) on my the 200W will be Peak Power when it ist switchinh on.
Nice Station my old M9xx one i had vor over 15 Jears. The new is aklso fine an heat very much faster so work temp.
Maybee when i polished it with Snakeoil it well realy bring the 200W to the Nozzel =)
I wish you a lot of fun with the Desolderinh gun and i hope the new will also work in more than 10 Jears. Have a nice Day Best Regards from Germany
Thanks for the info.
Awesome REVIEW !!! THANKS !!!
Thanks - Glad you liked it
Bought this and also ordered the Hakko and decided to return this.
Yeah but the Hakko is 600 dolars.
Hi, thanks for your time doing this review, looking for a de solder gun/station very nice easy to follow video. :)
Thanks for watching!
Fantastic!
молодец мужик!!!! 👍 Очень понравилось полное описание!
Thank you!
Thanks back for watching 🙂
Brilliant review, wonder if the din pins can allow it to double up as a soldering station by fitting with a soldering pen
I have same one. Not used to it yet so used the soldering iron and solder sucker. I call it the Moo Cow cos it sounds like a Cow Mooing. 19:01
What is the name of this three volt prong? I.e. NEMA style etc..
@John Salt Have u used any of the desoldering guns from WEP or Yihua?
Many thanks for the review John! A quick question about the board you used for the desoldering demo - was it a lead-free soldering?
Lead free.
18:58 what's the name of the device you using to measure it's vacuuming strength??
Automotive vacuum gauge.
I'm told the Power Supply is a universal 100 - 240VAC. Try using a standard US power cable.
I already corrected that in the description, in a card link within the video, and in the pinned comment - all of those linking to the universal voltage update video I did: ruclips.net/video/9eBG7z-2qNE/видео.html
Looks like I'm having an issue with the delivery on this. The tracking has stalled at July 1st with the message: "HGH-Hand over to airline failure:Magnetic:马达" Those Chinese characters translate to "Electric motor" so it seems like the airline rejected the package due to the magnets in the motor. All I can do is wait but it doesn't look good.
Finally got mine after 7 weeks! It was shipped again with DHL and arrived in a few days. Initially I had a lot of trouble getting anything off but I got some flux and tried again today. It made things so much easier. Well worth it, thanks again for the review.
Can you push that cleaning wire till to the metal spring?
Does it also beep every 5 minutes while off?
Excellent, thank you. Unfortunately, FedEx delivered mine in Thailand with the tip broken off the plastic piece that looks like a soda bottle top that attaches to the unit for the vacuum line.
So, make a FedEx claim to get a replacement. Or fix the broken nipple, or get a screw on 1/4" drip irrigation cap to work. Lots of ways I can think of to fix something so simple.
@@Rchelicopterfun That's a lot of work for a $5 part. The packaging is poor and that plastic screw-on connector with the tip for the vacuum line is overly fragile. I suspect a lot of people will break them by accident.
As I said, lots of ways to fix it.
@@Rchelicopterfun Thanks I have superglued it and ordered a new part from China. Thanks for the great video and again I apologize if I said anything excessive. Best wishes.
Glad you figured out an easy fix to get it working until the new part arrives. Have fun 🙂
nice and useful tool! I bought a cheaper one and I use it a lot
They sure are. 👍
That's not a european plug, it's Australian.
That unit is designed for international markets so they design it to comply in an international market, hence the location of the power switch. I it's a C-13 power input so it could have any plug on the other end of the cord.
It's Chinese standard, which happens to be similar enough to the Antipodean plugs that they are sort-of interoperable. The latter have thicker blades, for one thing.
The item says it is not available when I click the link
The Banggood link works fine when I just tried it.
hello friend, do you think it's a good buy on 100 dollars, including all the kit etc ??? would you recommend this purchase to me? thank you.
It's your call if you feel it's a tool worth purchasing.
@@Rchelicopterfun I did not understand sorry, I'm Italian, I use Google translate, could you write in more detail? so that the translation is understood. thanks dear.
Review starts at 18:00
Там есть переключатель с 220В на 110В откройте корпус и найдёте в нижнем части блока питания.
Always get clogged even after cleaning it
How can solve this problem
Please help
Perhaps not using it at high enough temp or filters clogged (not enough vacuum). I've never had clogging issues - it's working great going on 18 months now.
It starts you off at such a low temperature that my guess would be that. Increase it to at least 350C and see if it still clogs on you.
Great review! Though I am not sure if you mentioned the dimension. Is the size almost similar to computer AVR? What do you think about the S-993A?
Never mentioned dimensions, but they are shown in the instructions at 10:47 (172Hx135Wx190L). I specifically & only wanted a bench top vacuum desoldering tool so never even looked twice at the hand held ones.
@@Rchelicopterfun thanks
Been looking at desoldering tools. You have convinced me! There seem to be a lot of these under different badges so time to make a choice. Katsu make some good tools so may go for their version...
John, I just purchased one of these units, the 1.0mm nozzle that was on the handle appeared to be defective, but the other 2 were fine, I'm wondering if they had a few bad runs on them. Regardless, I purchased another set of SS-331H specific nozzles from Ali. Do you think the tips from the Hakko or the ZD-985 clones are interchangable?
No idea on if the Hakko tips would fit. I've seen all the same replacement tips however listed for all of these clones (ZD-915, ZD-985, ZD-987 etc).
Congratulations on the video...Do you know how to inform us, what is the AC or DC voltage applied to the ceramic heating element? And what is the temperature sensor?
Heater is 80W, 24VDC. I don't understand what you are asking about the temp sensor. If you are asking what type it is, I have no idea. The sensor is encapsulated in the ceramic core of the heating element so I would presume it's a standard thermocouple like most soldering tools with temp feedback - but that is just an educated guess.
@@Rchelicopterfun I was in doubt if it is NTC or PTC, this was the reason for my question. Thank you very much for the quick reply.
@Roger G. Rodrigues - yep, sorry, I'm not sure if it's a positive or negative TC. I've never probed it to find out if resistance increases or decreases with temp rise - all I know is it works 🙂
Does anyone know if you can buy nozzles for this smaller than 1mm diameter?
Is this helpfull for Lead Free Soldered pins?
Lead free solder doesn't flow well and may need more flux added or resoldering with some leaded solder first before using the desoldering tool. In short, yes it will work but it all comes down to practice and technique.
Nice video ! thank you !
by the way, what is the brand of your flux ??
It's Banggood's tub of "Yellow Paste": www.banggood.com/custlink/3vmmn3G82h
Lot's of folks seem to like it. I just started using it last year and have been happy with its performance as well. I will melt some of it in the tub, draw it into a syringe, let it cool & solidify. That is what was used in the video & how it was applied.
@@Rchelicopterfun Thank you very much for the information ! :-)
hello i bought today i wanted to ask how does automatic sleep work, thank you
I cover sleep @ time index 10:53
@@Rchelicopterfun thanx
Thanks! I've always wondered why some parts or boards are impossible to desolder. Because they're dual layer!
Many computer mother boards are four layer and I have seen military boards with 6 and 8 layers.
do you need to 'wet' the guns 'tip' with solder, like you do with soldering irons ?
I've found you usually you don't, but if there is lots of oxidation on the tip, it will certainly help by wetting it. Keeping it clean using the cleaning sponge also helps. It's also solder dependent & at what temp you use it at. In short, you will come up with your own tip maintenance procedures based on working experience with the tool.
AHHH, good video, now i need to order one of these ! Say goodbye to Wick :P Thanks ! Liked & Subscribed !
Thanks for the sub & thumb-up :)
@@Rchelicopterfun N.p :P thanks for the good content and returned favor :P
do you find that using flux helps lots when using the gun. Does flux get in the gun and make it difficult to clean? I bought this one since it had a switching power supply since I need 110v , thank to you update video
Depends on solder quality - unleaded is a bugger without additional flux, or applying some leaded first. No issues with it if Flux is used, filters just need replacing more often.
@@Rchelicopterfun Thanks I will try it out. I use flux with the manual suction pumps. So far I am impressed with this machine, thanks
They all work on 120 VAC as well...auto switching
Yep, already did a video on that fact as per the first pinned comment, card link in video, and description link.
How cost is this,&where is available