OK - As long as we have all this Weller knowledge here, who has the secret
stash of tips for the W200 iron? Yes, they made a 200 watt iron with the
magnetic temperature control, but I have been unable to find parts for many
years. Can't find W200 on the Weller web site.

Thanks in advance.

"G.Beat" wrote in message
news:idDEb.602781$Fm2.547319@attbi_s04...
"Andrew VK3BFA" wrote in message
om...
"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
...

3. LOOK at tip, see if mangnet thingo at bottom has fallen of - if so,
buy new tip (and after all the years youve had it, I wonder if it
could solder anything except 2 wires together, my tips last about 3
months on average, I buy them by the half dozen). If tip defective,
completely dismantle iron and remove magnet from switch assembly.

I have heard this from some other user - but I have tips that last years -
BUT I
only use the 700 degree tips.

4. If tip OK (go on, be a devil, buy a new one anyway....) then switch
faulty. Buy new one.

A spare tip should always be available on the bench. I just repaired an
older WTCPN station
an the college student had placed an "ET" tip (aka tips are all the same
right! - wrong)
from the Weller EC1000/EC2000/WES50/WES51 models.
Glowed cherry red -- changing to the proper tip -- corrected problem.

5. Exception to item 4 - if you have done bugger all maintenance to
your iron, clean the garbage out of the barrel - it is rare for
switches to fail "on" (never had one do it, as a matter of fact, but
have only been using Wellers for 20 years so it COULD happen...) - use
a bamboo satay skewer to clean out the crap, then follow procedure 2.

I saw my first internally shorted SW60 last year (although I think the
user
had wacked it against a hard surface to
cause this type of damage). I also have seen a "kinked" spring -- near as
I
can tell -- originally assembled that way --
over a decade earlier. I never saw a heater fail as shorted (dead short -
but not heating) until last year -- all previous ones
failed as "open". See enough stations and you see many failures, bad
operating practices and unique equipment abuse.

Hope this helps,

de VK3BFA Andrew (at 50, an "official old grump")

On Fri, 19 Dec 2003, G.Beat wrote:
Wow, I didn't think that my question would generate so many responses!
Thanks everyone for your input.

The Red-Glow tells you 2 things:

1. The heater (Weller EC234) is still working (but you are shortening its
life operating in this manner - cherry red)

Well, I don't operate with it cherry red. This is the first time it's done
that--hence my knowing that something is amiss.

2. The WTCP series temperature control (which works with the "PT" tip and
the SW60 switch) is not working properly.

Recommend: Change tips. Improper tips will cause this problem.
Get a Weller PTA7 (which is the standard tip shipped with this iron).
The barrel net (BA-60 may also require replacement.

I'll take a look and see. The station came with two tips, both #7, but in
the 11-odd years I've owned the iron I've never used the second one.

I also have the Weller Tech Sheet for this model -- if you need
a copy. This has part numbers, diagrams and troubleshooting advice (shipped
with every unit new)

Actually, I would like a copy, thank you. Since I got mine at a yard sale
I don't have any documentation. Please e-mail to
, removing the reversed "nospam" first.

-Josh, AE6IQ

On Fri, 19 Dec 2003, G.Beat wrote:
Wow, I didn't think that my question would generate so many responses!
Thanks everyone for your input.

The Red-Glow tells you 2 things:

1. The heater (Weller EC234) is still working (but you are shortening its
life operating in this manner - cherry red)

Well, I don't operate with it cherry red. This is the first time it's done
that--hence my knowing that something is amiss.

2. The WTCP series temperature control (which works with the "PT" tip and
the SW60 switch) is not working properly.

Recommend: Change tips. Improper tips will cause this problem.
Get a Weller PTA7 (which is the standard tip shipped with this iron).
The barrel net (BA-60 may also require replacement.

I'll take a look and see. The station came with two tips, both #7, but in
the 11-odd years I've owned the iron I've never used the second one.

I also have the Weller Tech Sheet for this model -- if you need
a copy. This has part numbers, diagrams and troubleshooting advice (shipped
with every unit new)

Actually, I would like a copy, thank you. Since I got mine at a yard sale
I don't have any documentation. Please e-mail to
, removing the reversed "nospam" first.

-Josh, AE6IQ

I have picked up a number of NOS Weller items (no longer in production) this
past year (from a number of sources) --
due to the relocation of the Weller production facilities in the Carolinas
to Mexico.

You can call Weller (North Carolina) and ask for Mr. Larry Smith (who is
Weller's product line manager and engineering support)
IF Weller is no longer making the part, Mr. Smith or "Dino" who leads the
repair center -- was know of a source !

Greg


"BFoelsch" wrote in message
...
OK - As long as we have all this Weller knowledge here, who has the secret
stash of tips for the W200 iron? Yes, they made a 200 watt iron with the
magnetic temperature control, but I have been unable to find parts for
many
years. Can't find W200 on the Weller web site.

Thanks in advance.

"G.Beat" wrote in message
news:idDEb.602781$Fm2.547319@attbi_s04...
"Andrew VK3BFA" wrote in message
om...
"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
...

3. LOOK at tip, see if mangnet thingo at bottom has fallen of - if so,
buy new tip (and after all the years youve had it, I wonder if it
could solder anything except 2 wires together, my tips last about 3
months on average, I buy them by the half dozen). If tip defective,
completely dismantle iron and remove magnet from switch assembly.

I have heard this from some other user - but I have tips that last
years -
BUT I
only use the 700 degree tips.

4. If tip OK (go on, be a devil, buy a new one anyway....) then switch
faulty. Buy new one.

A spare tip should always be available on the bench. I just repaired an
older WTCPN station
an the college student had placed an "ET" tip (aka tips are all the same
right! - wrong)
from the Weller EC1000/EC2000/WES50/WES51 models.
Glowed cherry red -- changing to the proper tip -- corrected problem.

5. Exception to item 4 - if you have done bugger all maintenance to
your iron, clean the garbage out of the barrel - it is rare for
switches to fail "on" (never had one do it, as a matter of fact, but
have only been using Wellers for 20 years so it COULD happen...) - use
a bamboo satay skewer to clean out the crap, then follow procedure 2.

I saw my first internally shorted SW60 last year (although I think the
user
had wacked it against a hard surface to
cause this type of damage). I also have seen a "kinked" spring -- near
as
I
can tell -- originally assembled that way --
over a decade earlier. I never saw a heater fail as shorted (dead
short -
but not heating) until last year -- all previous ones
failed as "open". See enough stations and you see many failures, bad
operating practices and unique equipment abuse.

Hope this helps,

de VK3BFA Andrew (at 50, an "official old grump")

I have picked up a number of NOS Weller items (no longer in production) this
past year (from a number of sources) --
due to the relocation of the Weller production facilities in the Carolinas
to Mexico.

You can call Weller (North Carolina) and ask for Mr. Larry Smith (who is
Weller's product line manager and engineering support)
IF Weller is no longer making the part, Mr. Smith or "Dino" who leads the
repair center -- was know of a source !

Greg


"BFoelsch" wrote in message
...
OK - As long as we have all this Weller knowledge here, who has the secret
stash of tips for the W200 iron? Yes, they made a 200 watt iron with the
magnetic temperature control, but I have been unable to find parts for
many
years. Can't find W200 on the Weller web site.

Thanks in advance.

"G.Beat" wrote in message
news:idDEb.602781$Fm2.547319@attbi_s04...
"Andrew VK3BFA" wrote in message
om...
"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
...

3. LOOK at tip, see if mangnet thingo at bottom has fallen of - if so,
buy new tip (and after all the years youve had it, I wonder if it
could solder anything except 2 wires together, my tips last about 3
months on average, I buy them by the half dozen). If tip defective,
completely dismantle iron and remove magnet from switch assembly.

I have heard this from some other user - but I have tips that last
years -
BUT I
only use the 700 degree tips.

4. If tip OK (go on, be a devil, buy a new one anyway....) then switch
faulty. Buy new one.

A spare tip should always be available on the bench. I just repaired an
older WTCPN station
an the college student had placed an "ET" tip (aka tips are all the same
right! - wrong)
from the Weller EC1000/EC2000/WES50/WES51 models.
Glowed cherry red -- changing to the proper tip -- corrected problem.

5. Exception to item 4 - if you have done bugger all maintenance to
your iron, clean the garbage out of the barrel - it is rare for
switches to fail "on" (never had one do it, as a matter of fact, but
have only been using Wellers for 20 years so it COULD happen...) - use
a bamboo satay skewer to clean out the crap, then follow procedure 2.

I saw my first internally shorted SW60 last year (although I think the
user
had wacked it against a hard surface to
cause this type of damage). I also have seen a "kinked" spring -- near
as
I
can tell -- originally assembled that way --
over a decade earlier. I never saw a heater fail as shorted (dead
short -
but not heating) until last year -- all previous ones
failed as "open". See enough stations and you see many failures, bad
operating practices and unique equipment abuse.

Hope this helps,

de VK3BFA Andrew (at 50, an "official old grump")

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
...
Andrew VK3BFA wrote:
The Weller WTCP must be one of the simplest decent temperature
controlled irons on the market, mine runs 15hrs/day and does so year
in / year out. Sometimes more when I forget to turn it off - the new
ones don't have the neon in the mains switch so it does happen - I have
2 of them now, one on each bench...

Actually Collins radio used the original TCP stations (black bakelite) on
their productions lines and for repair in the 1950s and 1960s
(5 of these from Collins surplus were the first ones that I repaired in
1975 - as I started college)

The original ones did not have the switch OR neon bulb ... and they ran 24
hours/day at Collins.

The Weller stations were banned from the production line because of a
surge in leakage current when the thermostat tripped in the heating
element, and we were required to use irons with grounded tips that could
reliably measure under three ohms from the hot tip to the electrical
ground on the bench. They were replaced with Ungar "Loner" irons with
electronic temperature control.

Darn shame, but components have changed as well as their tolerance to ESD.

I have five dead Weller soldering stations I picked up that will need
new irons, after someone tried to "Fix" them, and left the irons in
pieces.

I assume the later WTCPS and WTCPT models? In addition to the ESD
requirement, "T" model changed the 3 amp fuse
on the transformer's secondary (to protect transformer from a heater short)
to a 6/10 amp fuse on the transformer primary
(and an MOV across primary on some models).

Greg
w9gb

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
...
Andrew VK3BFA wrote:
The Weller WTCP must be one of the simplest decent temperature
controlled irons on the market, mine runs 15hrs/day and does so year
in / year out. Sometimes more when I forget to turn it off - the new
ones don't have the neon in the mains switch so it does happen - I have
2 of them now, one on each bench...

Actually Collins radio used the original TCP stations (black bakelite) on
their productions lines and for repair in the 1950s and 1960s
(5 of these from Collins surplus were the first ones that I repaired in
1975 - as I started college)

The original ones did not have the switch OR neon bulb ... and they ran 24
hours/day at Collins.

The Weller stations were banned from the production line because of a
surge in leakage current when the thermostat tripped in the heating
element, and we were required to use irons with grounded tips that could
reliably measure under three ohms from the hot tip to the electrical
ground on the bench. They were replaced with Ungar "Loner" irons with
electronic temperature control.

Darn shame, but components have changed as well as their tolerance to ESD.

I have five dead Weller soldering stations I picked up that will need
new irons, after someone tried to "Fix" them, and left the irons in
pieces.

I assume the later WTCPS and WTCPT models? In addition to the ESD
requirement, "T" model changed the 3 amp fuse
on the transformer's secondary (to protect transformer from a heater short)
to a 6/10 amp fuse on the transformer primary
(and an MOV across primary on some models).

Greg
w9gb

"G.Beat" wrote:

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
...
Andrew VK3BFA wrote:
The Weller WTCP must be one of the simplest decent temperature
controlled irons on the market, mine runs 15hrs/day and does so year
in / year out. Sometimes more when I forget to turn it off - the new
ones don't have the neon in the mains switch so it does happen - I have
2 of them now, one on each bench...

Actually Collins radio used the original TCP stations (black bakelite) on
their productions lines and for repair in the 1950s and 1960s
(5 of these from Collins surplus were the first ones that I repaired in
1975 - as I started college)

The original ones did not have the switch OR neon bulb ... and they ran 24
hours/day at Collins.

The Weller stations were banned from the production line because of a
surge in leakage current when the thermostat tripped in the heating
element, and we were required to use irons with grounded tips that could
reliably measure under three ohms from the hot tip to the electrical
ground on the bench. They were replaced with Ungar "Loner" irons with
electronic temperature control.

Darn shame, but components have changed as well as their tolerance to ESD.

I have five dead Weller soldering stations I picked up that will need
new irons, after someone tried to "Fix" them, and left the irons in
pieces.

I assume the later WTCPS and WTCPT models? In addition to the ESD
requirement, "T" model changed the 3 amp fuse
on the transformer's secondary (to protect transformer from a heater short)
to a 6/10 amp fuse on the transformer primary
(and an MOV across primary on some models).

Greg
w9gb

I don't know which model they were using. They were pulled from the
production floor a year before I was hired. They were in storage in a
separate building, and I was never able to get my hands on them They
were probably destroyed last year when the plant was closed and moved to
Pennsylvania. I kept hearing the old timers complain about the new irons
because they had used the Wellers for years, and didn't like to do the
extra maintenance on their "Loner" irons.
--
4 days!


Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

"G.Beat" wrote:

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
...
Andrew VK3BFA wrote:
The Weller WTCP must be one of the simplest decent temperature
controlled irons on the market, mine runs 15hrs/day and does so year
in / year out. Sometimes more when I forget to turn it off - the new
ones don't have the neon in the mains switch so it does happen - I have
2 of them now, one on each bench...

Actually Collins radio used the original TCP stations (black bakelite) on
their productions lines and for repair in the 1950s and 1960s
(5 of these from Collins surplus were the first ones that I repaired in
1975 - as I started college)

The original ones did not have the switch OR neon bulb ... and they ran 24
hours/day at Collins.

The Weller stations were banned from the production line because of a
surge in leakage current when the thermostat tripped in the heating
element, and we were required to use irons with grounded tips that could
reliably measure under three ohms from the hot tip to the electrical
ground on the bench. They were replaced with Ungar "Loner" irons with
electronic temperature control.

Darn shame, but components have changed as well as their tolerance to ESD.

I have five dead Weller soldering stations I picked up that will need
new irons, after someone tried to "Fix" them, and left the irons in
pieces.

I assume the later WTCPS and WTCPT models? In addition to the ESD
requirement, "T" model changed the 3 amp fuse
on the transformer's secondary (to protect transformer from a heater short)
to a 6/10 amp fuse on the transformer primary
(and an MOV across primary on some models).

Greg
w9gb

I don't know which model they were using. They were pulled from the
production floor a year before I was hired. They were in storage in a
separate building, and I was never able to get my hands on them They
were probably destroyed last year when the plant was closed and moved to
Pennsylvania. I kept hearing the old timers complain about the new irons
because they had used the Wellers for years, and didn't like to do the
extra maintenance on their "Loner" irons.
--
4 days!


Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

While you're at it, check one more thing! If the problem turns out to be
welded contacts on the thermostat switch, check that the MOV across the
secondary of the transformer is still good. I had one that repeatedly
welded the contacts till I replaced the MOV and has worked for 5 years
now without a problem.

Joshua G Senecal wrote:

On Fri, 19 Dec 2003, G.Beat wrote:
Wow, I didn't think that my question would generate so many responses!
Thanks everyone for your input.


The Red-Glow tells you 2 things:

1. The heater (Weller EC234) is still working (but you are shortening its
life operating in this manner - cherry red)


Well, I don't operate with it cherry red. This is the first time it's done
that--hence my knowing that something is amiss.


2. The WTCP series temperature control (which works with the "PT" tip and
the SW60 switch) is not working properly.


Recommend: Change tips. Improper tips will cause this problem.
Get a Weller PTA7 (which is the standard tip shipped with this iron).
The barrel net (BA-60 may also require replacement.


I'll take a look and see. The station came with two tips, both #7, but in
the 11-odd years I've owned the iron I've never used the second one.


I also have the Weller Tech Sheet for this model -- if you need
a copy. This has part numbers, diagrams and troubleshooting advice (shipped
with every unit new)


Actually, I would like a copy, thank you. Since I got mine at a yard sale
I don't have any documentation. Please e-mail to
, removing the reversed "nospam" first.

-Josh, AE6IQ