Review of the YiHUA 8786D Rework and Soldering Station - Courtesy of Tmart USA

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

Hello,

Tmart sent me a YiHUA 8786D Hot air and soldering station for review. My first video is just a quick summary. I will do at least two more videos on the use of the unit and a tear down of it.

www.youtube.com/embed/wNIhRPZILRI

http://www.tmart.com/YiHUA-8786D-2-in-1-110V-Soldering-Station-Hot-Fire-Gun-Soldering-Iron-Kit-US-Standard-Black_p265435.html

OK, all three videos are up now. The unit is grounded. All 110/120v is grounded.

New Video on my first try at reflow

Thanks to Tmart for supplying this unit for review.

It looks like there is a replacement soldering iron at Tmart.

http://www.tmart.com/Atten-Soldring-Station-Iron-Handle-907-For-AT938-938D_p170452.html

Also, the "Prokit" tips look to be the same. I did not see heater elements there for the hot air or soldering guns, so that might be a negative. Probably hard to get.

EDIT: I wanted to add something here. I did some testing with both the hot air gun and the soldering iron. I wanted to try reflowing a led on a star. I normally use my cheapo soldering gun and never have a problem.

I had a big problem with this unit. Turned up all the way, neither the soldering gun, or the hot air gun, would get the copper hot enough to melt regular solder. NO, I did not have solder paste, but as far as I am concerned, if that soldering gun will not heat enough to melt 60/40, the heck with it. I won't use it.

I will try to use solder paste when it comes in, and I know it would work with tiny parts, but for bigger stuff, it's just now powerful enough to do much. After all, it's a unit designed for "SMD", which denotes small electronics, sp it's not designed for what I want.

2

If you do SMD soldering…this thing is night and day from hand soldering :smiley:

Definitely waiting for the review OL

If you are a custom driver builder…you really will kick yourself for not getting one sooner…ask me how I know :stuck_out_tongue:

3

Hakko tips are suppose to be compatible. The dial suppose to control the hot air fan instead of the heat to the iron. I been eyeing this for a while but there is many complaints on the internet about this station being a fire and safety hazard. Hopefully they have those issues ironed out at this point. I know one complaint was the heat gun would randomly turn on even with the switch off. Another was the heat gun was not properly earthed. I will have to look around to find some links and maybe you could check to see if those issues are resolved. I would like to have a combo unit.

This is one video of the hot air gun having a safety problem on a very similar yihua combo, likely the same board since they market these under a ton of different names and models. http://youtu.be/E7uoLxUhwlQ

4

Looking forward to the review OL. I just bought a hot air gun and I will not be using she soldering iron any more for reflowing of leds.

A warning for the kiddies out there and the sillier older members that should know better. Do not ever ever check the temp of a soldering iron with your fingers like OL. OL has asbestos fingers and has been practicing this stunt for the last 60 years. He is a tough old coot.

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A soldering iron is refreshing during a summer's day in Texas.

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Part 2 is now uploaded

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[quote=MRsDNF] A warning for the kiddies out there and the sillier older members that should know better. Do not ever ever check the temp of a soldering iron with your fingers like OL. OL has asbestos fingers and has been practicing this stunt for the last 60 years. He is a tough old coot.

[/quote]

Found that out on accident the first and second time I ever used mine. Who'da thought 450* is hot?

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OK, all three videos are up now. The unit is grounded. All 110/120v is grounded.

9

Ha, ha, ha… Really, it’s true, don’t touch the hot end of the soldering iron unless you want to be burned. I like being burned! Yes, my fingers have hardly any feeling in them. It’s from 26+ years working in Injection Molding and handling hot plastic over and over again. Burns? Oh man, those are some bad ones! When that hot plastic gets all over your hand/arm… It’s the screaming, go to the hospilal kind of burn.

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Thanks for the reviews OL. Im not positive but that board looks like a different one from the units Ive seen torn down and inspected which had problems. I will have to get on the pc with a big monitor and compare them. Anyway, I hope it is and all the safety problems are resolved because I like this unit. I think that “set” button will lock the temp for which ever gun you are using at the time, that way it will keep it in memory when the switch is off and you dont have to keep adjusting all the time, which is good for people that like keeping things at one temp for most of their work. Thanks again for the review.

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I will have to try that with the set button. The manual is not very good. Of course, they never are when translated.

12

Justin, I have a YIHUA rework station and I'll tell you right now, don't place the hot air gun in the holder with the nozzle pointing down or you'll start your table cloth on fire or burn your hand.

I know the picture that comes with it shows it like that, but I think that is just for display purposes, or the photographer had no idea which way it should go.

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It came assembled already and that was the way it was. I guess it could burn something flamable.

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Just set the gun in the holder with the nozzle facing up. That thing is blasting some pretty hot air while it’s winding down.

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heggood, THANK YOU For comparing the boards. I know some earlier reviews I saw elsewhere mentioned safety problems that needed to be fixed — it’d be good to know if there is some kind of version number or revision number on the board or case or both.

16

I can confirm the board is different on this newer model. Hopefully that means its better. The problems I have read about in the earlier models were that they were not properly earthed, had very poor if any heat sinking, poor quality fuse housing and fused to the wrong wire, heat gun randomly turning on even when switch is off. Anyway, I can’t find much info or reviews on this model, very glad OL has gotten one to review and give us input on it. Personally, I’m leaning toward ponying up the dough and buying a Hakko 888 for soldering and going the el cheapo route on the hot air station. If either has problems I will be able to work on it with the other. But I’m still pondering the idea of buying this unit also.

17

I got the YiHUA 858D the stand alone (doesn’t have soldering iron)

Works like a champ!

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Thanks for the strip down review OL. Looks like a terrific tool as a new addition to your collection. Hmm, OL custom drivers etc, I cant wait. Can I put my request in now?

It states on the website that it is 110 volt/220 volt. Is it suitable for 220 volts and if so I assume you have to use an adapter plug with it as I cant see any other versions on the website.

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I wanted to add something here. I did some testing with both the hot air gun and the soldering iron. I wanted to try reflowing a led on a star. I normally use my cheapo soldering gun and never have a problem.

I had a big problem with this unit. Turned up all the way, neither the soldering gun, or the hot air gun, would get the copper hot enough to melt regular solder. NO, I did not have solder paste, but as far as I am concerned, if that soldering gun will not heat enough to melt 60/40, the heck with it. I won't use it.

I will try to use solder paste when it comes in, and I know it would work with tiny parts, but for bigger stuff, it's just now powerful enough to do much. After all, it's a unit designed for "SMD", which denotes small electronics, sp it's not designed for what I want.

20

Mine reflows LEDs almost instantly. I’ve even used it to solder large copper discs as heat sinks to the bottom of pills. Solder paste or 60/40, it doesn’t matter. What temperature are you using? Are you using the small nozzle?
Make sure your hand isn’t covering the air intake at the rear of the handle. I was having problems reflowing once, and that was the problem.