THE SECRET TO GOOD SOLDERING (for an amateur beginner starting out) The secret to soldering I found after many years of trying and doing nothing but budge jobs, is that you need more than just a soldering iron and solder to do it right. The problem is the hot tip oxides with air really quick and gets a black hard coot on it that prevents the transfer of heat. And it happens pretty fast with just the iron sitting there being hot... The hotter you run the tip, the faster it oxidizes in the air. So that's why you try to run cooler than 400.. 380, 370, 360, etc. So the secret is you need some extra thinks to keep cleaning off that tip constantly while you solder. --a damp sponge to wipe it on --solder cleaning paste (comes in a little can) --tip tinner (comes in a little can) --a brass kitchen scruncy dish scrubber You only need to keep the very tip clean, not the whole length of the iron or the length of the metal rod tip. Just the tip that will make contact with whatever your work is. The other thing you need is flux... or a flux pen. Flux melts, and helps transfer the heat, and also cleans off any oxides preventing a good solder joint. There is a little flux inside the core of most rolls of solder, but not all, and wit things like wire ends and pads it doesn't hurt to ad more, either by dipping the wire end in the flux or putting a little on the pad with a brush or something. Pace World Wide Soldering videos.. watch like the first 30 or so, it will up your soldering game. I need to watch way more of them but there is only so much classroom I can take at one time: th-cam.com/users/paceworldwidevideos?view=0&sort=da&flow=grid Also, your tip matters. The TS100 ext ship with a fine point conical tip, which I found to be mostly useless unless you are doing maybe super tiny PCB stuff. The flathead screwdriver tip I also found to be not so useful, although its suppose to transfer more heat to larger flat areas. The tip I found most useful that I run almost all the time is the 45 angle cut conical tip. A conical tip is useless, but the cut conincal gives you a flat 45 (or whatever degree) angle cut off of it that give syou a flat oval surface to transfer heat to your work or into the solder drop. I'm no expert at soldering at all, but maybe these tips will help someone just starting out who wonders why everything they are doing is turning out bodgy. You need more than a soldering iron and solder to do soldering, that's why! You got to keep that tip clean constantly, use flux, and watch those Pace instructional videos :) When I first started out, I read about keeping the tip clean, and I thought okay, I'll clean it off every couple of years each time before I started a new session. Nope, it don't work that way! You have to clean it off every couple of... minutes! while you are soldering I clean mine off like after tinning 2 or three wires.... that often. Solder, solder, ,clean, solder, solder, clean.
the original stand is meant to be clipped in the space where the tip connects to the body, i keep it there, and leave it upwards and just turn it down when i have to put down the iron on the bench :)
Been using mine for a couple of years now, absolutely love it. You can get adjustable power supplies with a dial and LED screen from Banggood for about £6, goes up to 24v no problem and the cable is flexible if a bit short. I have mine bolted to my bench so the cable length isn't an issue.
Ive used my TS100 for 5 yrs now. I got mine from banggood in 2017 for around $55 usd, it was lower priced shipped from china, though they sent it from US warehouse and i got it in two days. The last 3-4 years its been used almost daily for 4-5 hrs, some days 10-12 hrs but not constantly ON. At first i was only using a 12v 2A PSU and it heated pretty quick, under 1 minute. I recently upgraded to 24v 2.5A and it heats much faster! The handle does get warmer than with using 12v, but its never gotten to hot to hold or worry about, it was designed for 24v. Also been using the shipped pointed tip and its still in great shape! I also built a battery pack using five 18650(18-20v) so i can do work out in the woods if i need to. Lol Overall its saved me time and money! I was prob spending what this unit cost just for tips for my other soldering irons yearly.
I've been using a 24v 6a power brick with mine very happily. I think most people having trouble are using an underpowered supply. I made up a silicone flexible lead for the same reason as you, ps you need long 5.5mm 2.5mm plug. I also changed the firmware as the new one goes up to 450°C from 400°C. Very easy to do. Cheers
Brilliant adaptation of the flimsy stand! I love those binder clips, they are extremely versatile! I use a similar trick to keep my mini weed pipe from falling over when I set it down. ;-] If ever you find that your stand is still too light, you can use a mix of glue and old nuts and bolts (or anything cheap and heavy) to fill up the base. Cheers!
I got mine as a gift around the same time as you and it's been excellent. Still on the same tips, never messed with the firmware and unlike a lot of people I've even got used to the horrible stiff cable. Replacing it with a silicone sleeved one was in my mind but then I've never got round to it.
I've watched a fair few vids on the TS100 and I enjoyed yours the most, I'm a similar lighter user so your info was more relevant and you have a good delivery style without waffling, top video and thanks for sharing.
I´ve had mine for a few years and i have nothing but more positive to ad. In the "field" it shines even brighter. Takes no space. Weighs nothing and i power it with car, MC, LIPO or Makita batteries. It´s brilliant and worth every krona spent.
I just got mine as a kit with the 24v power supply, silicone cable, and BC2 tip. I threw the IronOS firmware on it right away which is just drag and drop. I can't wait to use it.
Have used many types of soldering irons since 1060's. Used some of to popular JBC and similar, but never saw enough advantage over to recent other brands, though the direct tip heating types do have considerable benefit over the indirect changable tips. Also have a TS100 and initially was annoyed, like Brian with stiff leaf, in fact so bad power via 2.5mm dc jack got onterupted. For last 6 months zi have extensively used the TS100 for SMD and through hole work, after making a new flexible lead and firmer fitting 2.5mm DC jack. For most work I grab it over the more space using normal iron. Except on heaviest ground plane or larger wiring , and when using the soldering tweezers I almost exclusively use the TS100 as it is immediately at hand, and heats way faster on 24v. Recommend it as a very practical usable tool at less cost than many medium range alternatives. The possible use in mobile situation off DC power was my original reason to get a TS100, having stopped using a butane fueled solder iron in the field as representing some hazards. While also nice the TS80 fails by limiting at lower wattage, thus only suited to lighter work, meaning more occasions the larger mains powered irons would be needed.
I have the TS80 myself. I don't understand the negativity about it. I am a professional engineer, and yes there are better irons on the market.But also with a much higher price tag. With many years of experience, I can tell that both are fine soldering irons for most of the things people normally are going to solder. For both irons I would highly recommend getting a flexible silicon cable. The only case I wouldn't recommend these little irons, is when you do A LOT of assembly per day. Not a change that these will last in such environment. But for everything except, it will be totally fine. The good thing about the TS80 is mostly the portability (it works on a good powerbank) plus the tip is a lot better.
I know this video is over 2 years old. However the wire stand clips to the iron where the plastic housing meets the tip. The stand stays attached to the iron at all times when in use.
I have a few soldering irons. The TS100 is great for small electronics, not powerful enough (really) for larger stuff like attaching even 9v power cables to jack plugs. It can be done but much easier with a bigger iron. My TS100 OLED display failed after about 4 years. It can still be seen in the dark and the iron still works. I didn't use the iron heavilyat all but apparently the OLEDs just die in time.
I did the same thing with the cable, and agree with you as, it suits my needs perfectly, if mine got lost stolen or broken I would buy another straight away.
My usecase is very similar and after 2 years i'm still very happy with it. My solution for a flexible cable was a cable that tattoo artists use for their tattoo machines. They're also made of very flexible silicone. I can't remember which channel mentioned that recommendation, but i think it was voltlog or so. The only thing i would like to see added is a J-Style tip for the TS100.
It was likely VoltLog. I bought one of those tattoo cables as an experiment but I have to say it wasn't nearly as smooth and flexible as the cable Brian presented. I highly recommend it if you're using the TS100 as your primary soldering iron.
I had been using mine a little, but like you the cable gave it terrible balance, but my new flexible cables arrived last week, so for my last video I made myself use it for all of my soldering, and it was pretty good. I did move it to the Ralim firmware though, but I don't think it made any difference to its performance. I'm definitely more comfortable using it now, though to be 100% honest, it's still not as comfortable to hold as my bench iron.
Great soldering iron, it's my main soldering iron on my home workbench. After 5 years of use, building FPV racing drones, the screen has gotten too dim to be readable. Luckily this is a known issue with the oled screen and replacement screens are available on Ali Express for dirt cheap. Hope I can get another 5 years of use after I replace the screen.
I currently have Velleman VTSS30 - bought for under 50 EUR, which has served me well. However, sometimes I felt a bit clumsy when soldering smaller circuits. Then I bought a cheap USB soldering pen. I did not have any expectations, considering it cost just 5 USD, but I was surprised to discover I enjoyed using it. It's so easy to grab it from a drawer, unlike the Velleman which has to be stored somewhere when I'm not using it. My hand coordination feels so much better with the USB pen. But sometimes it's too weak and I would like to replace it with something small and a bit more powerful. So I hoped something like Pinecil or TS100 would be great... alas, it has a longer and heavier tip, and tips are more expensive than for other soldering irons. Come on, manufacturers, please create a solid portable soldering pen with simple and short and cheap tips.
Great tip about the flexible cable, I'll order one for mine. My daily driver is the TS-80 which comes with a really flexible cable and has a USB-C connector. The tips are twice the price of the TS-100 and not compatible though.
If you solder often enough and have the desk space, I wouldn't recommend it, a proper station is so much nicer to use. I don't have the space and have to take my tools with me sometimes, so this is perfect. Haven't messed with the firmware or anything, it's fine just out of the box. A power supply with a thin cable will make using nicer.
My Ksger stm32 soldering station came with a 5mm wide angled blade tip, which I thought I would never use. But it turned out to be very useful and removing parts. It's so wide that you can unsolder both ends of a 1206 at once and remove the part in one hit. Also the chisel gets under bent-over THT legs to straighten them so you can pull the part from the PCB.
A nice follow-up look at your experience with the TS100; it's an impressive little iron, for sure. And the tips are reasonably priced compared to something of that mass from other companies like Hakko. Good stuff.👍
Thanks for your thoughts on this Little Iron. If you want to start out with a hobby may not continue with (see that buy expensive and do nothing) then a cheaper soldering station might be the answer. But this is not a bad product at all. I have a feeling that soldering irons are probably as personal as the car you own and love. Soldering iron = make something. I do own this little iron and does work nicely.
I've used it for a year and I have an overall positive opinion about it. It's small and ofc very portable. I didn't get a power brick with it though so the hassle was to get a good cable with it, since it needs to be flexible. After a while I got myself a KSGER T12 soldering station for around $40 with some T12 tips which was a really good soldering station for its price.
just bought one, and.... it is a nice accessory to carry with you in the "super sack", but it will never replace my desktop soldering iron for many reasons.... first it is to small to hold in hand, also to lite so the softest cable I found is to stiff and it moves the TS100 around the table... and so on...
I've been using it as a portable iron I mainly use when at our summer cottage. For me the biggest issue is the size of the handle and its material. My hands are typically quite dry (and call me weird but I like them as such) so I constantly felt like the handle could slip so that I'd get the hot tip oon my fingers. I solved this with a small but wide rubber band wrapped around the handle. I was not personally interested in the potentially better temp accuracy on the custom firmware but it's user interface felt a lot more intuitive for me (and I also like the typeface much better). It might not make sense to replace it if you're got used for the built in one though. I just flashes mine immediately after trying the original one as I found it limited and somewhat ugly. :)
I was told you can find old laptop chargers and use those to power the soldering iron. Make sure it has a DC5525 tip, and you should be ready to go! Mine has an output voltage of 19V, but I don't have the iron yet xD
I went through two TS-100 irons in as many years. Many others I spoke to had similar reliability issues. These aren't nearly as reliable as the Hakko, JBC, Metcal, or Pace soldering stations. It is actually cheaper to buy a Hakko FX-951 than buy a TS-100 every year and spend extra on a good 24V PSU, silicone cable, and DC5525 jack. I don't understand why Miniware had to use the hard-to-find DC5525 jack that's even harder to find since it is abnormally long. Worse yet, none of the DC5525 jacks available are rated for 3A that this iron requires (2.71A to be precise) at 24V. I had to spend a bomb procuring Connexall DC5525 jacks that meet the spec. After my third TS-100, I just gave up and ponied up the cash for the Hakko FX-951.
Just having purchased the TS100, I have invested in a tattoo clip cord for a softer lead from iron to the power supply, was mentioned on another video or article I read but can't remember the source.
I've got one. To be honest, I've not used it much at all. The reason? I used it with a 19volt 2.5A laptop PSU and like Brian, I took issue with the cable. So. I too went on Aliexpress and bought a silicone cable. But. My silicone cable wasn't anywhere near as flexible as Brian's. So I think I need to look harder for a softer cable.
Can you tell me the best way to take care of the tip so it lasts... How much should you scratch it with the copper scouring pad? Is flux just grease, or is it acidic and cause corrosion? I think it's acidic. If I tin the tip won't that leave flux on there that was inside the solder? Should you ever sandpaper the tip when cool to get the black stuff off? I flashed mine with the custom firmware, piece of cake. Easiest flash I ever done. You can set max temp to 450 then and also the amount of wattage you want it to draw... I used a Dell power brick like yours 18v 2.6amp... so I set mine at 45watts which is about 18x2.6. The main thing I don't like about it so far was the premium cardboard box it came in - you have to break the iron down to store it in it. I'd rather it was a long and thin box. They could of saved the money and given me a second tip, like that conical tip. choppergirl.air-war.org
For power I have 2 things I use one is a laptop power supply with a switch that can go from I think 15v to 24v I generally run it on like 20 or 22v and the other option is my portable setup which is my carrying case for it i put a 5s 2p 18650 battery in and for the silicone wire I found from some comments but it was a wire for a tattoo gun and mad a like 1ft cable that goes from the laptop charger so female 2.1mmX5.5mm to the male 2.5mmX 5.5mm or maybe the male and female are backwards but then a probably like 3 or 4ft cable for my portable setup that is xt60 on one side and the 2.5mm on the other
the xt60 cable that you bought to aliexpress is heat proof ? Do you ever put the cable on test like put the tip of soldering iron on the cable to see if it is damage by the heat.
The stand clips on to the collar of the heads right between the head and body if the iron 😅 I use mine all the time and watched this video just to see what yours was all about and yes I like it but as I use mine in the field and random places there's no point in having a bigger clip like that for me. 🥃cheers🍻
Ps I picked up a few old laptop power supplies from junk stores and also modified one to use a silicon XT60 plug like you have as well! Grate tips and tricks thanks for sharing!
Hey Brian and thanks for your thoughts about our beloved ts-100. as you know I bought mine around the same time you got yours. I use it mainly as a in the field iron or if I have something to solder that needs the use of a special tip as I don’t have different tips for my main soldering station at the moment. I used it with a notebook power brick until now but I ordered a usb c trigger cable which will allow me to use it with usb c as this will get the de facto standard for higher powered equipment I believe. Also my notebook is usb c and so I will need to carry only one charger with me. I hope the cable I get is flexible enough. If not I make one myself. If I saw that correctly you got yourself a lab bench supply? I thought you would share this „event“ with us as you did not get one since years and we all suggested it? Which type is it? And are you satisfied with it so far?
honestly it works fine for what it is, though you can probably get way better once i get a proper station ill probably stop using this iron entirely because in my eyes the flaws outweigh the pros imo
Thank you for proposing questions I have one : Why nobody I see using TS100and similar, never connect the earh wire ? I suppose I will get the answer by myself with time but actually I dont. A soldering station have its own mass wire usually, so the iron is grounded. It may be less important than I think but ... ?
I have been using the ts100 without the strap for 3 or 4 years now, I've never seen it cause a real problem, but I don't solder anything sensitive. If I was working on $20 chip or something I would definitely either use a strap or power it from battery
@@BrianLough Thanks for the answer, indeed I did not thought that a battery can solve the issue in case it is mandatory. I received also an answer to use a resistor about 47K between Vpin and earh, on the alimentation, which is supposed to solve the problem 99% of time! (is Vpin the positive output ?^) Best regards
There are many types of Hakko tips. I believe the T12 Hakko tips mechanically and electricly fit, but they are much longer (the hakko iron has a longer sleeve so you can hold it closer to the tip). That would make them too hard to use I think. I stick to the TS100 originals.
Do you ever use the grounding cable/wire that came with the iron? I just got my iron a day ago and all the videos I've watched, no one ever mentions using the cable.
No I never used it. I talk about it a little in my review of the ts80p , there is mains potential on the tip without it, but it probably only impacts for sensitive components
@@BrianLough OK. I had a cheap solder iron before this and the mains power went thru the tip. I got zapped really hard and it fried one of my amp chips. I threw it in the trash and bought this. Thanks!
Hi Brian, Sound was great. I love my ts100, in fact I have 2 of them. I did have issues with stands and have burnt my fingers, desk and floor a couple of times so I bought 2 of these from LCSC lcsc.com/product-detail/Soldering-tools_Guangzhou-Huanghua-Elec-ST-91M_C105273.html, I removed the solder holder from stand one, the iron holder from stand two and added it to stand one giving me a double stand and it works great. The reason for two is I solder from 0402 right up to large through hole battery connectors so it's handy no to have to swap tips. You can see a photo at github.com/the-wal/ESP-NOW-Test/blob/master/20solderstand.jpg
I also use the TS100 and I confirm your review in all points. In respect to the stand, I found this at a german supplier: www.pearl.de/mtrkw-9328-loetkolbenstaender.shtml It works great.
This is my first video with a new microphone and I think I'm still getting used to it, so apologies about any sound inconsistencies!
yup, in same video parts the right channel is lower, i had to touch the right speaker a couple of times to see if it was broken all of the sudden...
THE SECRET TO GOOD SOLDERING (for an amateur beginner starting out)
The secret to soldering I found after many
years of trying and doing nothing but budge
jobs, is that you need more than just a
soldering iron and solder to do it right.
The problem is the hot tip oxides with
air really quick and gets a black hard
coot on it that prevents the transfer
of heat. And it happens pretty fast
with just the iron sitting there being hot...
The hotter you run the tip, the faster
it oxidizes in the air. So that's why
you try to run cooler than 400.. 380,
370, 360, etc.
So the secret is you need some extra
thinks to keep cleaning off that tip
constantly while you solder.
--a damp sponge to wipe it on
--solder cleaning paste (comes in a little can)
--tip tinner (comes in a little can)
--a brass kitchen scruncy dish scrubber
You only need to keep the very tip clean,
not the whole length of the iron or the
length of the metal rod tip. Just the tip
that will make contact with whatever your
work is.
The other thing you need is flux... or a
flux pen. Flux melts, and helps transfer
the heat, and also cleans off any oxides
preventing a good solder joint. There
is a little flux inside the core of most rolls
of solder, but not all, and wit things like
wire ends and pads it doesn't hurt to
ad more, either by dipping the wire end
in the flux or putting a little on the pad with
a brush or something.
Pace World Wide Soldering videos.. watch like the first 30 or so, it will up your soldering game. I need to watch way more of them but there is only so much classroom I can take at one time:
th-cam.com/users/paceworldwidevideos?view=0&sort=da&flow=grid
Also, your tip matters. The TS100 ext ship with a fine point conical tip, which I found to be mostly useless unless you are doing maybe super tiny PCB stuff. The flathead screwdriver tip I also found to be not so useful, although its suppose to transfer more heat to larger flat areas. The tip I found most useful that I run almost all the time is the 45 angle cut conical tip. A conical tip is useless, but the cut conincal gives you a flat 45 (or whatever degree) angle cut off of it that give syou a flat oval surface to transfer heat to your work or into the solder drop.
I'm no expert at soldering at all, but maybe these tips will help someone just starting out who wonders why everything they are doing is turning out bodgy. You need more than a soldering iron and solder to do soldering, that's why! You got to keep that tip clean constantly, use flux, and watch those Pace instructional videos :)
When I first started out, I read about keeping the tip clean, and I thought okay, I'll clean it off every couple of years each time before I started a new session. Nope, it don't work that way! You have to clean it off every couple of... minutes! while you are soldering I clean mine off like after tinning 2 or three wires.... that often. Solder, solder, ,clean, solder, solder, clean.
Thank hon for THE info! Gonna check out the link!
Great link for a beginner.
I will learn a lot .. thanks
the original stand is meant to be clipped in the space where the tip connects to the body, i keep it there, and leave it upwards and just turn it down when i have to put down the iron on the bench :)
I lost my TS-100 at home. So I ordered a SQ-001. I am hoping that one day I could see my TS-100 somewhere again.
Been using mine for a couple of years now, absolutely love it. You can get adjustable power supplies with a dial and LED screen from Banggood for about £6, goes up to 24v no problem and the cable is flexible if a bit short. I have mine bolted to my bench so the cable length isn't an issue.
Ive used my TS100 for 5 yrs now. I got mine from banggood in 2017 for around $55 usd, it was lower priced shipped from china, though they sent it from US warehouse and i got it in two days. The last 3-4 years its been used almost daily for 4-5 hrs, some days 10-12 hrs but not constantly ON.
At first i was only using a 12v 2A PSU and it heated pretty quick, under 1 minute. I recently upgraded to 24v 2.5A and it heats much faster! The handle does get warmer than with using 12v, but its never gotten to hot to hold or worry about, it was designed for 24v. Also been using the shipped pointed tip and its still in great shape! I also built a battery pack using five 18650(18-20v) so i can do work out in the woods if i need to. Lol
Overall its saved me time and money! I was prob spending what this unit cost just for tips for my other soldering irons yearly.
I've been using a 24v 6a power brick with mine very happily. I think most people having trouble are using an underpowered supply. I made up a silicone flexible lead for the same reason as you, ps you need long 5.5mm 2.5mm plug. I also changed the firmware as the new one goes up to 450°C from 400°C. Very easy to do. Cheers
Brilliant adaptation of the flimsy stand! I love those binder clips, they are extremely versatile!
I use a similar trick to keep my mini weed pipe from falling over when I set it down. ;-]
If ever you find that your stand is still too light, you can use a mix of glue and old nuts and bolts (or anything cheap and heavy) to fill up the base. Cheers!
I got mine as a gift around the same time as you and it's been excellent. Still on the same tips, never messed with the firmware and unlike a lot of people I've even got used to the horrible stiff cable. Replacing it with a silicone sleeved one was in my mind but then I've never got round to it.
I've watched a fair few vids on the TS100 and I enjoyed yours the most, I'm a similar lighter user so your info was more relevant and you have a good delivery style without waffling, top video and thanks for sharing.
I´ve had mine for a few years and i have nothing but more positive to ad.
In the "field" it shines even brighter. Takes no space. Weighs nothing and i power it with car, MC, LIPO or Makita batteries. It´s brilliant and worth every krona spent.
I just got mine as a kit with the 24v power supply, silicone cable, and BC2 tip. I threw the IronOS firmware on it right away which is just drag and drop. I can't wait to use it.
Have used many types of soldering irons since 1060's. Used some of to popular JBC and similar, but never saw enough advantage over to recent other brands, though the direct tip heating types do have considerable benefit over the indirect changable tips. Also have a TS100 and initially was annoyed, like Brian with stiff leaf, in fact so bad power via 2.5mm dc jack got onterupted. For last 6 months zi have extensively used the TS100 for SMD and through hole work, after making a new flexible lead and firmer fitting 2.5mm DC jack. For most work I grab it over the more space using normal iron. Except on heaviest ground plane or larger wiring , and when using the soldering tweezers I almost exclusively use the TS100 as it is immediately at hand, and heats way faster on 24v. Recommend it as a very practical usable tool at less cost than many medium range alternatives. The possible use in mobile situation off DC power was my original reason to get a TS100, having stopped using a butane fueled solder iron in the field as representing some hazards.
While also nice the TS80 fails by limiting at lower wattage, thus only suited to lighter work, meaning more occasions the larger mains powered irons would be needed.
I have the TS80 myself. I don't understand the negativity about it.
I am a professional engineer, and yes there are better irons on the market.But also with a much higher price tag.
With many years of experience, I can tell that both are fine soldering irons for most of the things people normally are going to solder.
For both irons I would highly recommend getting a flexible silicon cable.
The only case I wouldn't recommend these little irons, is when you do A LOT of assembly per day.
Not a change that these will last in such environment. But for everything except, it will be totally fine.
The good thing about the TS80 is mostly the portability (it works on a good powerbank) plus the tip is a lot better.
I know this video is over 2 years old. However the wire stand clips to the iron where the plastic housing meets the tip. The stand stays attached to the iron at all times when in use.
Mine has arrived! I haven't had time to unbox and starting to use it. Thanks for the video and I hope I will still be using mine in 2022 :)
I have a few soldering irons. The TS100 is great for small electronics, not powerful enough (really) for larger stuff like attaching even 9v power cables to jack plugs. It can be done but much easier with a bigger iron. My TS100 OLED display failed after about 4 years. It can still be seen in the dark and the iron still works. I didn't use the iron heavilyat all but apparently the OLEDs just die in time.
I did the same thing with the cable, and agree with you as, it suits my needs perfectly, if mine got lost stolen or broken I would buy another straight away.
My usecase is very similar and after 2 years i'm still very happy with it. My solution for a flexible cable was a cable that tattoo artists use for their tattoo machines. They're also made of very flexible silicone. I can't remember which channel mentioned that recommendation, but i think it was voltlog or so. The only thing i would like to see added is a J-Style tip for the TS100.
It was likely VoltLog. I bought one of those tattoo cables as an experiment but I have to say it wasn't nearly as smooth and flexible as the cable Brian presented. I highly recommend it if you're using the TS100 as your primary soldering iron.
+1 for the tattoo cables. I have 1 on my AC power supply and 1 on an adapter for my drill batteries.
I had been using mine a little, but like you the cable gave it terrible balance, but my new flexible cables arrived last week, so for my last video I made myself use it for all of my soldering, and it was pretty good. I did move it to the Ralim firmware though, but I don't think it made any difference to its performance. I'm definitely more comfortable using it now, though to be 100% honest, it's still not as comfortable to hold as my bench iron.
Great soldering iron, it's my main soldering iron on my home workbench. After 5 years of use, building FPV racing drones, the screen has gotten too dim to be readable. Luckily this is a known issue with the oled screen and replacement screens are available on Ali Express for dirt cheap. Hope I can get another 5 years of use after I replace the screen.
I currently have Velleman VTSS30 - bought for under 50 EUR, which has served me well. However, sometimes I felt a bit clumsy when soldering smaller circuits.
Then I bought a cheap USB soldering pen. I did not have any expectations, considering it cost just 5 USD, but I was surprised to discover I enjoyed using it. It's so easy to grab it from a drawer, unlike the Velleman which has to be stored somewhere when I'm not using it. My hand coordination feels so much better with the USB pen.
But sometimes it's too weak and I would like to replace it with something small and a bit more powerful. So I hoped something like Pinecil or TS100 would be great... alas, it has a longer and heavier tip, and tips are more expensive than for other soldering irons.
Come on, manufacturers, please create a solid portable soldering pen with simple and short and cheap tips.
Great tip about the flexible cable, I'll order one for mine. My daily driver is the TS-80 which comes with a really flexible cable and has a USB-C connector. The tips are twice the price of the TS-100 and not compatible though.
If you solder often enough and have the desk space, I wouldn't recommend it, a proper station is so much nicer to use. I don't have the space and have to take my tools with me sometimes, so this is perfect. Haven't messed with the firmware or anything, it's fine just out of the box. A power supply with a thin cable will make using nicer.
My Ksger stm32 soldering station came with a 5mm wide angled blade tip, which I thought I would never use. But it turned out to be very useful and removing parts. It's so wide that you can unsolder both ends of a 1206 at once and remove the part in one hit. Also the chisel gets under bent-over THT legs to straighten them so you can pull the part from the PCB.
My left ear loved this video
A nice follow-up look at your experience with the TS100; it's an impressive little iron, for sure. And the tips are reasonably priced compared to something of that mass from other companies like Hakko. Good stuff.👍
Thanks for your thoughts on this Little Iron. If you want to start out with a hobby may not continue with (see that buy expensive and do nothing) then a cheaper soldering station might be the answer. But this is not a bad product at all. I have a feeling that soldering irons are probably as personal as the car you own and love. Soldering iron = make something. I do own this little iron and does work nicely.
The solder cleaner at 7:30 looks more like brass wool. The difference is that steel wool is a bit more agressive (and of a different color).
I've used it for a year and I have an overall positive opinion about it.
It's small and ofc very portable. I didn't get a power brick with it though so the hassle was to get a good cable with it, since it needs to be flexible.
After a while I got myself a KSGER T12 soldering station for around $40 with some T12 tips which was a really good soldering station for its price.
just bought one, and.... it is a nice accessory to carry with you in the "super sack", but it will never replace my desktop soldering iron for many reasons.... first it is to small to hold in hand, also to lite so the softest cable I found is to stiff and it moves the TS100 around the table... and so on...
I've been using it as a portable iron I mainly use when at our summer cottage. For me the biggest issue is the size of the handle and its material. My hands are typically quite dry (and call me weird but I like them as such) so I constantly felt like the handle could slip so that I'd get the hot tip oon my fingers. I solved this with a small but wide rubber band wrapped around the handle.
I was not personally interested in the potentially better temp accuracy on the custom firmware but it's user interface felt a lot more intuitive for me (and I also like the typeface much better). It might not make sense to replace it if you're got used for the built in one though. I just flashes mine immediately after trying the original one as I found it limited and somewhat ugly. :)
I was told you can find old laptop chargers and use those to power the soldering iron. Make sure it has a DC5525 tip, and you should be ready to go! Mine has an output voltage of 19V, but I don't have the iron yet xD
I went through two TS-100 irons in as many years. Many others I spoke to had similar reliability issues. These aren't nearly as reliable as the Hakko, JBC, Metcal, or Pace soldering stations.
It is actually cheaper to buy a Hakko FX-951 than buy a TS-100 every year and spend extra on a good 24V PSU, silicone cable, and DC5525 jack. I don't understand why Miniware had to use the hard-to-find DC5525 jack that's even harder to find since it is abnormally long. Worse yet, none of the DC5525 jacks available are rated for 3A that this iron requires (2.71A to be precise) at 24V. I had to spend a bomb procuring Connexall DC5525 jacks that meet the spec.
After my third TS-100, I just gave up and ponied up the cash for the Hakko FX-951.
Just having purchased the TS100, I have invested in a tattoo clip cord for a softer lead from iron to the power supply, was mentioned on another video or article I read but can't remember the source.
I've got one.
To be honest, I've not used it much at all.
The reason?
I used it with a 19volt 2.5A laptop PSU and like Brian, I took issue with the cable.
So. I too went on Aliexpress and bought a silicone cable.
But. My silicone cable wasn't anywhere near as flexible as Brian's.
So I think I need to look harder for a softer cable.
I linked to the exact one I bought in the description , hopefully it's still flexible like mine!
Can you tell me the best way to take care of the tip so it lasts...
How much should you scratch it with the copper scouring pad?
Is flux just grease, or is it acidic and cause corrosion? I think it's acidic.
If I tin the tip won't that leave flux on there that was inside the solder?
Should you ever sandpaper the tip when cool to get the black stuff off?
I flashed mine with the custom firmware, piece of cake. Easiest flash I ever done. You can set max temp to 450 then and also the amount of wattage you want it to draw... I used a Dell power brick like yours 18v 2.6amp... so I set mine at 45watts which is about 18x2.6.
The main thing I don't like about it so far was the premium cardboard box it came in - you have to break the iron down to store it in it. I'd rather it was a long and thin box. They could of saved the money and given me a second tip, like that conical tip.
choppergirl.air-war.org
Excellent and well presented. Thanks a mill. Steven.
I had to replace the oled display on mine. Other than that, very happy with it.
For power I have 2 things I use one is a laptop power supply with a switch that can go from I think 15v to 24v I generally run it on like 20 or 22v and the other option is my portable setup which is my carrying case for it i put a 5s 2p 18650 battery in and for the silicone wire I found from some comments but it was a wire for a tattoo gun and mad a like 1ft cable that goes from the laptop charger so female 2.1mmX5.5mm to the male 2.5mmX 5.5mm or maybe the male and female are backwards but then a probably like 3 or 4ft cable for my portable setup that is xt60 on one side and the 2.5mm on the other
Happy as it is was. Was what I was looking for, thank you.
Have you thought of using a usb 3 to barrel jack cable. The jack is 5.5mm X 2.5mm and output 20v
If your talking about usb-c, Yes, I've tested it and it works fine once you use a 50w or bigger power supply
the xt60 cable that you bought to aliexpress is heat proof ? Do you ever put the cable on test like put the tip of soldering iron on the cable to see if it is damage by the heat.
The stand clicks onto the fat part of the tip and stays on while you solder, (not sure if someone told you already OK)
The TS100 Soldering Iron - My Thoughts and Tips
There was me thinking, a soldering iron wouldn't be much use without tips ;)
Where can i get one of these stand's you are using for the TS100 ??? I looked up binder clips but there to small.
The stand clips on to the collar of the heads right between the head and body if the iron 😅 I use mine all the time and watched this video just to see what yours was all about and yes I like it but as I use mine in the field and random places there's no point in having a bigger clip like that for me.
🥃cheers🍻
Ps I picked up a few old laptop power supplies from junk stores and also modified one to use a silicon XT60 plug like you have as well! Grate tips and tricks thanks for sharing!
Great video as always. Did I miss a video, when did you get a bench power supply?
Awesome video man, i want to try get one myself.
Hey Brian and thanks for your thoughts about our beloved ts-100. as you know I bought mine around the same time you got yours. I use it mainly as a in the field iron or if I have something to solder that needs the use of a special tip as I don’t have different tips for my main soldering station at the moment. I used it with a notebook power brick until now but I ordered a usb c trigger cable which will allow me to use it with usb c as this will get the de facto standard for higher powered equipment I believe. Also my notebook is usb c and so I will need to carry only one charger with me. I hope the cable I get is flexible enough. If not I make one myself. If I saw that correctly you got yourself a lab bench supply? I thought you would share this „event“ with us as you did not get one since years and we all suggested it? Which type is it? And are you satisfied with it so far?
Thanks for sharing, was interesting.
hello! i need some help on my ts-100! its showing Sen-err when i pluck my power supply in. do you know what's the issue ?
great review, thanks!
honestly it works fine for what it is, though you can probably get way better
once i get a proper station ill probably stop using this iron entirely because in my eyes the flaws outweigh the pros imo
I've got one, i just haven't got around to using it yet.
Thank you for proposing questions I have one : Why nobody I see using TS100and similar, never connect the earh wire ? I suppose I will get the answer by myself with time but actually I dont. A soldering station have its own mass wire usually, so the iron is grounded. It may be less important than I think but ... ?
I have been using the ts100 without the strap for 3 or 4 years now, I've never seen it cause a real problem, but I don't solder anything sensitive. If I was working on $20 chip or something I would definitely either use a strap or power it from battery
@@BrianLough Thanks for the answer, indeed I did not thought that a battery can solve the issue in case it is mandatory. I received also an answer to use a resistor about 47K between Vpin and earh, on the alimentation, which is supposed to solve the problem 99% of time! (is Vpin the positive output ?^) Best regards
@@BrianLough "for regular work don't worry about that earth wire, just put a 10k-47k between V- and EARTH and you're done."
Ya I bought a cheap stand off ebay and it wasn't very heavy on the bottom so I superglued a bunch of pennies to it and that works for.me
Very helpful - thank you.
Perfect review - I'm a maker wannabe (i'm not so bad) i'm gonna try one
hey can you use Hakko tips on the TS100?
There are many types of Hakko tips. I believe the T12 Hakko tips mechanically and electricly fit, but they are much longer (the hakko iron has a longer sleeve so you can hold it closer to the tip). That would make them too hard to use I think. I stick to the TS100 originals.
Thanks for sharing the info👍
Dude, you need to flash IronOS open source fw.
Do you ever use the grounding cable/wire that came with the iron? I just got my iron a day ago and all the videos I've watched, no one ever mentions using the cable.
No I never used it. I talk about it a little in my review of the ts80p , there is mains potential on the tip without it, but it probably only impacts for sensitive components
@@BrianLough OK. I had a cheap solder iron before this and the mains power went thru the tip. I got zapped really hard and it fried one of my amp chips. I threw it in the trash and bought this. Thanks!
You'll definitely not get zapped like that anyway! I did see some leds turning on when I was soldering but that is the only thing I ever noticed
@@BrianLough Good to Know! Thanks!
I was looking for a quick stand or holder for mine. Do you think the hakko 633-01 iron holder will be a good fit?
It looks like it, but I can't say for sure!
nice video!
I use a usb-c cable and my macbook power supply :D works great.
Nice one :)
thanks
hi, does this iron come with power supply?
By default no, but a lot of vendors bundle it with one
I like the stand ;)
Cool name
Hi Brian, Sound was great.
I love my ts100, in fact I have 2 of them.
I did have issues with stands and have burnt my fingers, desk and floor a couple of times so I bought 2 of these from LCSC lcsc.com/product-detail/Soldering-tools_Guangzhou-Huanghua-Elec-ST-91M_C105273.html, I removed the solder holder from stand one, the iron holder from stand two and added it to stand one giving me a double stand and it works great.
The reason for two is I solder from 0402 right up to large through hole battery connectors so it's handy no to have to swap tips.
You can see a photo at github.com/the-wal/ESP-NOW-Test/blob/master/20solderstand.jpg
Who makes this? I'm finding a number of products from different companies with the names TS80, TS80P, and the TS100.
Miniware
Thanks. I prefer to not buy Chinese.
They are all made by miniware and branded differently on Amazon
Famous Russian TH-camr Alex Gyver is a big fan of this iron
I also use the TS100 and I confirm your review in all points.
In respect to the stand, I found this at a german supplier:
www.pearl.de/mtrkw-9328-loetkolbenstaender.shtml
It works great.
Install RalimOs !!!
do yourself a favor and use the Custom firmware here: github.com/Ralim/ts100/wiki it is so much better, incense the menu by 300%. you will love it !
Is "amn't" a valid contraction for "am not"? 6:14 Sounds wacky :)
Apparently it's an Irish thing!
Stand in for Ben affleck😃
Also, stay AWAY from Handskit, might look like a TS80/100 but its a knockoff POS....