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Homemade 12 volt fast soldering iron detailed steps
**Introduction to Soldering Irons**
A soldering iron is an essential tool used in electronics manufacturing and electrical maintenance. Its primary function is to join components and wires together through the melting of solder. Based on its mechanical design, soldering irons can be categorized into internal-heating and external-heating types. In terms of functionality, they are divided into non-suction and suction types. Additionally, they can be classified by power level into high-power and low-power models, depending on their intended use.
**Structure of a Soldering Iron**
There are two main types of soldering irons: external-heating and internal-heating.
An external-heating soldering iron consists of a tip, heating element, casing, wooden handle, power cord, and plug. The heating element is placed inside the iron body, and the tip is mounted externally. This type typically comes in various wattages such as 25W, 45W, 75W, and 100W. Higher wattage means higher operating temperature.
In contrast, an internal-heating soldering iron has the heating element embedded within the tip itself. This design allows for faster heat-up and better thermal efficiency. Common specifications include 20W and 50W. Due to its efficiency, a 20W internal-heating model performs similarly to a 40W external-heating one. To replace the tip, the spring clip at the back must be removed first, and the tip should be gently pulled out with pliers to avoid damaging the internal structure.
**How to Use a Soldering Iron**
1. Choose the right solder—low-melting-point solder wire is suitable for electronic components.
2. Prepare flux by dissolving rosin in 75% alcohol (by weight).
3. Tin the soldering iron tip before use. Heat it up, apply flux, then spread solder evenly over the tip.
4. Clean the component leads and PCB pads with fine sandpaper, then apply flux. Dip the tip in solder and touch the joint. Once the solder melts, lift the tip slowly along the lead.
5. Keep the soldering time short to avoid damaging components. If needed, use tweezers to help dissipate heat.
6. Ensure the solder joint has a smooth, sinusoidal shape with no sharp spikes and a moderate amount of solder.
7. After soldering, clean any remaining flux with alcohol to prevent corrosion.
8. When working with integrated circuits, ground the soldering iron or use an IC socket to protect sensitive components.
9. Always place the soldering iron on a stand when not in use.
**Thermostatic Soldering Iron Circuit Diagram**
The temperature range of a thermostatic soldering iron is typically between 100°C and 400°C. It features adjustable settings for low, medium, and high temperatures, with a control accuracy of ±5%. A thermocouple sensor is used for temperature detection. The circuit uses AC mains power, which is stepped down, rectified, and regulated to provide stable DC voltage for the control system.
The AC voltage from the mains is reduced via resistor R1, rectified by D1, clipped by D2, and filtered by C1. The signal is compared with a reference voltage at pin 2 of IC-A. Pin 1 outputs the difference, while R5 provides feedback to stabilize the output. When the temperature drops, the output at pin 1 becomes low, causing the output at pin 7 of IC-B to go high. This triggers the triac, allowing current to flow through the heating element, maintaining the desired temperature.
**Steps to Build a 12V Fast Soldering Iron**
**1. Gather Materials**
- One 220V/20W internal heating soldering iron
- One 220V/500W electric iron
- A 12V/10AH battery for power supply
**2. Construction Steps**
1. Remove the 20W soldering iron core carefully. Soak the fine porcelain tube in alcohol for 30 minutes, then remove the heating wire. Handle the porcelain tube with care as it is fragile.
2. Cut the heating wire from the 500W electric iron by 1/14 of its length. Measure the resistance with a multimeter; it should be approximately 7Ω. Wind the wire neatly around the porcelain tube, connect the leads, and insert it back into the original soldering iron. This creates a low-voltage 12V soldering iron.
3. The resulting 12V soldering iron has a power of 20W (calculated as 12² / 7 = 20W) and can be powered by a 12V/10AH battery. The larger the battery capacity, the longer the soldering time.