Me too. Worked fine .
I use separate flux.
it makes it Much easier to disconnect factory solder wires.
I put flux on the solder joints before applying the soldering iron…
flux cleans the iron and solder, so it will flow easily
Ive torn wires off by pulling too hard, instead of successfully melting the solder…
Flux is the key to my success. I always use it.
I like solder paste for reflows, but it wont help unsolder wires.
Rayfish.
Try to do reflow without dab and blow. For this you got to have syringe applied solder paste and to apply it vertically with very thin layers on 3535 pads.
With dab something shorts beneath 3535 pad. So yes I think it is reflow problem and it has nothing to do with linear driver(amc 7135) or LED.
Also if you can try Old Lumens reflow method where you have MCPCB in benchvise(isolated benchvise) like this: 
And do real regulated reflow with very wide soldering Iron tip(don’t tin the tip so you’ll not mess up mcpcb beneath). Set temperature at 330 C… Type of soldering tip? Take the largest possible like this 900M-T-5C: 
Funny.
I also had curios cases of strange emitter symptoms as well so I knew it is very likely that bad reflow situation happened.
I have some hot plates from ali but they suck! I gave up from them. Well at least until they invent hotplate with MCPCB fixation method. Until then only with Old Lumens method I have full control and fixation of MCPCB, and I don’t have problem even with fitting 3030 emitters to 3535 MCPCB’s. I can’t do that with moving mcpcb on hot plate station.
I yet have to see such fixation idea… I did not seen any kind of fixation method for diy hot plate station here? Or modded cheap ali hot plate station for example?
Yes that would be truly 2 free hand operation. But we need reliable fixation for that.
Guys please show us if you have something like that … I really can’t imagine how. Pic worth more than 1000 words :+1:
Yes! That is very good idea! Actually the first good modded hot plate station I saw on BLF 
Thanks! 
I like my free to move away from the heat after it flows —- with solder paste and a hotplate you have two free hands
I am sure you don’t actually think that holding with small screwdriver is better than 100% PCB fixation?
Why is better? Isn’t that obvious? 
Better control over the work with better centering possibility of emitters(lets say 3030 emitter on 3535 mcpcb), less time on hotplate, more accurate dab or tap move(if someone wants to do that).
Didn’t you had reflow problems recently? Try to eliminate that by fixation method.
I was confused as well. The thought never crossed my mind to clamp down a PCB during reflow because the PCB isn’t being handled during heating and gently tapping the LED doesn’t really move the PCB. Even on larger projects, I’ve never seen anyone clamp down a PCB during reflow. I’d rather the part be free to move when the reflow is done. It wouldn’t be practical with my tiny hot plate anyway.
Hi guys I need your advice.
I have bought that cheap 300W Aluminum Heating plate from Aliexpress for LED reflow.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000582580757.html?spm=a2g0o.9042311.0.0.c4ad4c4dfulzT9
And I have this cheap soldering station: parkside soldering station pls 48 D2.
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Parkside-Adjustable-Soldering-Station-PLS/dp/B07PCRHZ4V
The soldering station doesnt work, probably the heating element is broken. I have measured output to soldering pen with DMM and there is 220V, but it doesnt get warm at all. When I connected desktop lamp with LED bulb instead of soldering pen to the output it was working. Light switched on and with when i was adjusting temperature on solder station the light was flickering with frequency, like PWM on flashlight. I am not electrician, but assume that the soldering station is still working.
Question is, is it possible to connect that aluminium heating plate to the soldering station output instead of soldering pen. Will it work togeather and temperature regulation on station will regulate temperature of heating plate? Can be heating plate damaged by connecting to station?
Thank you
This is the coolest TINY hot plate. I wish I’d gotten in on the pre-order specials when they introduced it, but I just found one with the PD charger, landed for US$93.50. Holiday discounts from Sainsmart…cheapest I could find except for the one without the charger at BG for $75, but buying a 65W charger separately ends up costing the same or more. This would be great if the plate were just a smidgen larger but I can see where the big advantage is for a small size like this. I haven’t had issues with any other methods I’ve used but I like the programmable settings on this and I think maybe it can serve as a pseudo ramp profile which will be nice with UV emitters at least, and I think I’ll appreciate the very tiny footprint on the bench. Maybe someday they’ll put out accessory tops for them in different larger sizes.
Any quirks or complaints with yours?
I haven’t had any issues. Once you have configured the profiles and settings how you want, it’s as simple as plugging it in and pressing a button. I appreciate the LED color changes to indicate the approximate temperature. It makes it easy to tell at a glance when its safe to grab the PCB after it ramps down. It’s even got a tilt sensor that will turn it off if it tips over. Great little device!
I think I paid a little more for mine bundled with the 65W PD charger. $93 is a good deal!
Ha, a funny coincidence. I just ordered an MHP30 from Banggood yesterday (67€ without power supply, which is great because I have a suitable one here).
I’m looking forward to my first “reflow” experiences, now I just have to find a source for decent solder paste in Germany.
I did see some comments about not heating properly, which was fixed by turning off the tilt sensor…kinda wonder if they just had the wrong power supply, though. Looking forward to getting this in hand.
Paste is definitely easier but you can make do with good wire and some paste flux, too.
I ordered and tried 2 types of Ali Express hot plates:
1. MHP 30 (self regulation)
2. RELIFE RL-067A (Soldering Iron controlled one)
Hoped for faster, easier, more accurate job since I do lot of emitter reflow.
So I played with them (15 emitters). They both act pretty much the same. I am glad that I ordered them because now I see what I could use them for… I will surely use them for some projects like stenciled drivers(Texax Avenger as an example) and other PCB boards. They will find their use but not for emitter reflowing!
Why they suck for my emitter reflowing needs:
When I do reflow I usually do 20-50 pcs, and I like to do that fast and accurate with tap locked emitter! Proper tap for me is when I squeeze al recessive solder beneath soldering pads and when emitter cools(solidify) in that position(tap locked emitter position).
“Tap” where you tap emitter and then remove board from hot plate is not proper tap IMHO. Yes emitter will work and it is better than no tap but tap locked emitter will work better.
Could I do tap locked emitter with hot plate? Yes I could but I got to wait whole eternity for cool-down time since plate has thermal mass that does not cool down fast. I don’t have time to wait for this. I need to do job fast and accurate.
Could I fast remove MCPCB from plate and then do tap lock on emitter? Less likely! Especially if you got to re flow something like 3030 on 3535 board size. Moment when you remove dtp board from hot plate to solder solidifying is approximately 3 seconds, and even less with lead free solder!
2 free hands? If you got to hold DTP board on plate with one hand than you really have only one free hand for emitter centering.
OL benchvise method:
- Place DTP board on isolated benchvise
- Put suitable tip beneath DTP board
- One hand is always free while emitter is firmly secured in benchvise; other hand holds soldering Iron
- Wait couple of seconds until reflow happens and then center(if you need to center) & tap press emitter —— remove soldering Iron tip and wait for emitter tap lock which will happen in about 3 seconds with lead solder paste and about second earlier with lead free solder paste.
Don’t get me wrong. Hot plate method is not bad method since it works and it is probably the most preferred one among most modders so if you like it just use it…
But not for me… I can do everything better, faster and more accurately with OL method.
OL video: How to reflow a led onto a star - YouTube
I do modified OL method with soldering paste, wider soldering tip, and I don’t do tip pre tinning( 100% clean job) and I just can’t believe how good it works for me. It works so good that I don’t want to use more sophisticated hot plates
Nice review, and reminder about OL, sure miss his hand-made projects.
I just use solder paste — did one yesterday in the vice with my broad tip soldering iron underneath (didn’t feel like setting up hotplate for one LED )
The only emitter I’ve ever had trouble with was a 50.2 on a stock Eagtac board
Was looking at these, but one thing that worries me is the relatively low temperature when using lead free solder. The description says “Setting temperature: 260℃±10”. Way too low when using an iron, but for a hot plate it might be fine. Any good experiences?
While cleaning up I ran into a piece aluminum that might work as a hotplate. Trim off the thin sides, drill a hole, and stick a regular iron without tip in there. Seems like a good idea, but not all ideas always work out as you’d think.
Lots more surface area, would likely radiate more heat to the outside world just by that surface area to maybe not even get up to temp.
Really have to just try it, and keep sensing the temp.