Solder question?

in my humble opinion, I like the T12-type soldering iron. you can purchase them quite cheap on aliexpress, and use real hakko T12 tips with them. For example: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1486111/
These work faster than many Hakko or Weller I have used, please give them try.

Hmm, I still got plenty of this blue stuff that looks like washer-fluid, and is a fluxing-demon. Fizzes away as you’re cooking the joint, even a light dab lets the solder wick its way into the wire and make a nice solid joint.

Fiik what brand/formulation it is, as the place had it in a gallon jug and they let me fill a glass juice-bottle (½pt or so) with it. Still got over half left, as just a teeny drop does the job.

The easiest flux to clean are those water based. Stream of faucet water is all it takes. No rubbing/brushing needed. Generally water based flux are more aggressive/corrosive than oil resin/based. And you have to clean it since it will cause corrosion if left on.
My favourite is Zinc Chloride based flux, makes tinning oxidized traces and wires so much easier.

- Clemence

This is what should be arriving any day now. A STM32 2.1S with 8 different tips to try out.

The driver doesn’t know the load, in this instance. 70.2 works fine.

WTF? Definitively no way:

  • H1-A's open circuit voltage goes stock above 14.5V (tested by myself), yet its boost IC (TPS61088) datasheet lists 12.6V maximum output voltage. It has been tested to drive 3S emitters succesfully, but it is limited to 10A maximum input current.
  • H2-C is set to drive 4S emitters by default (XHP35s and such) and can operate with much more power handling capacity when fed by 2S cells. Its boost IC datasheet specifies up to 17A input current. Can be configured to drive 2S emitters (XHP50s and XHP70s). See Buck and Boost Drivers, Testing, Modding, and Discussion (Pic Heavy).

Cheers

I don’t find extra flux too helpful for new joints, but it makes rework so much easier possible, especially for joints that are a few years old.

I do sometimes use added flux when soldering pre-tinned leads to pre-tinned pads on MCPCBs.

I use a refillable brush pen to apply it.

Electronics grade 99% Isopropanol does a good job of removing rosin flux.

I believe the H1-A and H2-C are only good for up to XHP-50.2.
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The driver doesn’t know the load, in this instance. 70.2 works fine.
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New to me. And all a know or not know is reading the specs on Kaidomain’s or another’s site.

So would I “notice” any difference in performance with the H1-A vs a listed XHP70 driver?

Thanks

In the US it is somewhat hard to find solder with lead or blended.

In the US it is easy to obtain leaded solder.

Only in the state of California. :slight_smile:

Can people in California order it from out of state? Maybe from eBay or an electronics store?

I didn’t even know California banned it. (It is banned) For the rest of the US, you can get top notch Kester from Amazon all day long.

I know some of the higher end solder station makers will have lead-free specific tips due to the more corrosive nature of the lead-free solder.

My bad, my post was complete sarcasm. I’m not sure on their status on it being banned or not. Here in NC, ACE Hardware and many other stores carry the “good” stuff.

Kind of like how everything is “Known to cause cancer in California”, and if that’s case I don’t want to EVER go to California.

Happy Day

It’s the climate there, man. Southern Cal has the low humidity of a desert, but with cool, comfortable temperatures. It makes me want to wake up and go jogging. And I don’t even jog! Outdoor sports, motorcycle riding, surfing. It has a lot going for it. Some bad stuff as well, but nobody is in a rush to abandon the state. They put up with the crap, because the good outweighs the bad. Just my opinion.

I’ve spent plenty of time in California, saw all I need to see to know California isn’t for me.

Funner, the h1-a driver is a 1-cell boost driver (take in about 3.7V from single lithium battery), and output up to 3A at about 6V, so it look to me like constant current boost driver. Because of that, you can drive XHP50 and XHP70 led from Cree, if they are in 6V configuration on pcb. The xhp50 and xhp70 are similar other than xhp50 is a bit smaller and handle less maximum current (4.8A nominal vs 6A), so you will have no difference in performance, other than that a xhp70 driver may be able to output even more power.

Here’s the driver I picked up. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/22mm-6V-4-8A-Booster-Driver-Board-with-Temperature-Control-for-CREE-XHP70-LED-Emitter-1pcs/32940723064.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.56884c4duv6jte

Once I get the Xhp70 LED from Kaidomain, I will know if the driver from Ali is worth anything.

Thoughts on the driver specs etc? Or waste of money?

Looks quite good in my book. Only 48mV sense voltage, should handle a nice deal of extra current output lets hope for a good boost chip inside.

I notice that the mode spacing is pretty wide. From 40 lumen on Low to 1500 lumen on Med. That is a really big jump.

Sorry but that means nothing, that is just a bunch of misleading numbers. The claimed current output could mean something if accurate, which is to be seen if someone tests it. But… lumen output? No need to make me laugh… I'm on it! :-D

Cheers ^:)