"Cold-soldering" soldering iron?

[Bad Halen]

Anyone ever used one of these on any audio projects?

My girlfriend ordered me one off of some infomercial and they sent me two.

I'm thinking of building a preamp (I'm a newbie) and am wondering if this thing will cut the mustard.

Thanks!

[Professor]

I've certainly seen the commercials but I'm a little dubious about how they might achieve the rapid heating/cooling action there and what effect that might have on more sensitive electronics. They seem like they'd be alright for jewellery, and the occasinoal connectors or something, but you should probably read all the instructions and warnings before digging into transistors, opamps or small capacitors.
Someone else might be able to confirm or correct me on this, but I seems to recall that a regular 35-watt iron only heats up to between 500-600? which is enough for the 480? melting point of 60/40 solder, and not so much that jeopardizes smaller semiconductors - though it's still best to use a heat sink.

On the other hand, if the manual says it's cool and the thing works well for you, let us all know.

-J

[Zeppelin4Life]

My tech teacher had one. Its amazing. I have no idea how it works. I am clueless. but it DOES do as advertised. I grabbed it a few seconds later...it was really not hot. I was kindof stunned. they do work.

[jspartz]

My wife wants to get one for me. I think she was sold on the advertising. I am not so sure about it myself. I have yet to use one.

Jason

[parlormusic]

They actually call it "cold heat". Cold solder is something else (NOT a good thing to have).

[Don Shumai]

those ads always kill me, because an old roommate of mine knew a guy in high school who once claimed the heater was "putting out cold heat." It was an air conditioner.

[workshed]

For those of you who are clueless, like myself, here is a link to the web site for these things. It claims the iron reaches 800 degrees "instantly" and cools down instantly.

https://www.asseenontvnetwork.com/vcc/c ... at/115785/

[Professor]

For those of you who are clueless, like myself, here is a link to the web site for these things. It claims the iron reaches 800 degrees "instantly" and cools down instantly.

Indeed, that is the claim they make, and I'm sure it's true. And either they are using a really fancy ceramic heating element or they are creating a spark. Or something else, I suppose, but then if it were common knowledge, there would be competition.

Question is, if you leave it pressed against a large mass of connector and wire, like trying to solder 12AWG speaker wire to the sleeve on a 1/4" connector, will it stay at 800? until it is pulled away?

-Jeremy

[leigh]

My tech teacher had one. Its amazing. I have no idea how it works. I am clueless. but it DOES do as advertised. I grabbed it a few seconds later...it was really not hot. I was kindof stunned. they do work.

Given the "instant" heating/cooling, I'd guess they have a very small heating element right at the tip of the thing, so that the hot tip actually has current running through it (though it's electrically insulated from contact). Contrast with a traditional iron, where the heating element is spread out over the shaft of the iron, and transfers the heat by conductance down a solid inner core of the shaft, to the tip.

This thing could be great for circuit board work, but given the small mass of its heating element, I bet it would choke on heavier work, like thick cables or the solder "cups" of an XLR connector. Plus there's the "4 AA battery" thing.

Leigh

[brandonpost]

I have two of them. They DO work as advertised and seem to use an arc-welding type of principal.

I would NOT use them on printed circuit boards or other components but I DO use them to make and repair cables and such.

Jim

[workshed]

This thing could be great for circuit board work, but given the small mass of its heating element, I bet it would choke on heavier work, like thick cables or the solder "cups" of an XLR connector. Plus there's the "4 AA battery" thing.

I found a FAQ hidden in their site that addresses the technical stuff:

https://www.asseenontvnetwork.com/vcc/c ... aq/115785/

Looks like they have a Pro model coming out to address larger jobs.

[leigh]

I have two of them. They DO work as advertised and seem to use an arc-welding type of principal.

I would NOT use them on printed circuit boards or other components but I DO use them to make and repair cables and such.

Jim

OK, well, so much for my rampant speculation.

Can you see a spark or anything coming from the tip?

Leigh

[thunderboy]

Bunk. Using a spark plug to solder electronic components is not a very smart idea.
HERE is a thread on another board regarding this.

jt

[workshed]

I found a FAQ hidden in their site that addresses the technical stuff:

Whoops, that was the wrong link. Here it is:

https://www.asseenontvnetwork.com/vcc/c ... aq/121315/

[space_ryerson]

I would keep the thing away from FET's and IC's, etc. Having an arc near one of those would be pretty bad. I have seen on the diystompboxes forum a thread from a guy who is building pedals with one; so it seems as though it could potentially work.