Could not find a home foor this question, so I put it here.
Pretty simple or so I thought. I have new pretty decent iron with adjustable temperature. I wanted to try a lesser expensive one before spending more for a quality work station.
Bottom line is I need to check the temperature accuracy
Of course the setting dial is C and not F. That part is simple. But nothing I have tried will give me a current tip temperature. I even bought one of those stupid point and shoot temperature guns but it still is not even close. Ot works great on large objects but can't read even the largest tip. Best reading was 210 degreea F which had to be wrong, the solder I was testing with it melted instantly and it's melting point was mucn higher
I think you're going to need a thermocouple in as solid of a contact as possible with the tip. I might look for some kind of high temperature thermally conductive paste, like heat sink paste, but I'm not sure it's thermally conductive enough: it's meant to be applied thin. Maybe some household material would do. Maybe you can hold the thermocouple directly in a wet solder blob on the tip.
That's just and expensive k-type thermocouple that can't be used for much else. Maybe it has some corrections programmed in to make up for effects like heat coupling to an averaged shape tip and heat dissipation on that big metal plate etc. That would be the advantage of it.
I learned something new lol. Didn’t know anyone made those. Neither did any so called expert and every hardware and electronics store on a 30 mile radius.
Im going to try a couple of thing’s tonight to give the infrared thermometer a larger heat signature to hit.
Trying to make spending money again a last resort. Those of you that have wives I’m sure can relate to that. Lol in 4 days I have ordered and purchased a decent amount. But, if my efforts fail I now know they is a device jist for that.
A simple k type thermocouple is $4 on aliexpress. Then the cheapest thermal paste you can find. It will probbaly do better than that $20 thing, and it can measure other stuff too.
Correct, made to divert as little heat as possible while measuring the tip temperature and it does also include a temperature meter.
It is a convenient package if you need to keep track of tip temperatures.
I think I have away.... Turns out that one of my multimeters has a theromalcouple attachment that is rated up to 785 degrees F.
I knew it had the thermocouple attachment but never though it was heat rated that high... I should have some decent results.
If this does not work then I have all you have posted to fallback on.
Thanks for jumping right in guys... I have lights and boards ordered and I have t be sure of this irons accuracy before even getting close to new parts...
Thanks for the help and letting me know the devices out there to do this.
My multi meter worked. I set the iron at it's lowest setting which is 200 C do the math and that should be 392 F The highest my meter read was 474 F and I will add a picture I took while measuring the temp to send to Amazon. Needless to say, it will solder and has some tips sized just about perfect for what I like doing. But, no real temp control at all. LOL I set it at 350 C and had to pull my thermocouple lead off when it hit 740 F my meter tops out at 795. It should have been around 662 to maybe 665. We have one at work that is never dead on but, never off by 100 degrees.
Just going to have to save my money and buy one that is dependable.
im not going to post all of the pictures I took there are too many. Amazon will get the rest. No need to worry aboutthe temperature now. It melted into 2 pieces, damn lucky I didn't get burned. The picutre with the heat gun that is after I unplugged it. The red dot is where it is reading from. Just got lucky
I am about to call Amazon right now. I started another thread with a Weller that might work. Have a look please. I will be on the phone with Amazon for a bit.
Price is all relative to what you're doing. $20 isn't cheap for a one off test of a cheap iron. I wouldn't be surprised if the hakko's are expensive in part because they are calibrated for various hakko irons. A $4 thermocouple meter and a more direct thermal connection doesn't need great calibration. It's just not as convenient for every day use. Sure the $20 one could be a great compromise if you have the $20 and if it's something you'll worry about checking often. I think most people are fine so long as their iron is consistent. You turn it up or down a bit if it's too hot or too cold and based on experience with different situations.
Maybe I'm just not pro enough. My iron has no temperature control. It gets hotter if I hold it in the air awhile and cooler if I set it on some metal. I measure temperature by how long it's been since the solder started to melt and when it starts getting really hot, by how warm it feels near my face. My units are "too hot" and "not hot enough". It's worked pretty well for me. If I did a bunch of soldering I'd want better.