Soldering fume extractor

[experimentalist]

Anyone out there can recommend a good soldering fume extractor?

I was thinking of getting a benchtop one off Amazon like this one:

[simpson]

I just got a 4-AA battery holder with a switch already on it and hot-glued & wired a 5 volt computer fan to it. Not elegant but it works fine and the 5-volt fan doesn't seem to mind the 6 volts from the batteries. I could add some activated charcoal to it but it doesn't really seem necessary to me.

[experimentalist]

I just got a 4-AA battery holder with a switch already on it and hot-glued & wired a 5 volt computer fan to it. Not elegant but it works fine and the 5-volt fan doesn't seem to mind the 6 volts from the batteries. I could add some activated charcoal to it but it doesn't really seem necessary to me.

Thanks, that certainly would be economical, but after just now reading about a non smoker who died of lung cancer from soldering (yes really) I'm not even going to try the one I linked a pic of. I think I'm just going to look for a true hepa filter now.

Edit: found an old HEPA filter of mine that works but needs a new filter which I luckily found on Amazon for $17. Only problem is it vents the exhaust upwards, so I'm going to have to rig up a small duct for it to re-direct the exhaust away from me. That shouldn't be too difficult.

Any other suggestions or comments are still welcome and would be appreciated though.

[GreyWoolfe]

I use the Weller that you have pictured.  It works fairly well.  It does have to be close to your work but does suck up all the fumes.  I picked mine up off of eBay for $35 USD I believe and it was another $7 for 3 replacement filters.

[Psi]

I have the exact one in your picture.

As with most fume extractors it has to be very close to where your soldering to pull the fumes in. You really need to be soldering no further away than 200mm from the fan which is too close for most people.

Usually i just turn it around the other way and let it blow some air across the workbench.
It doesn't "extract" the fumes then (as they dont pass through the filter) but it does stop me breathing the fumes in directly.

I use the Weller that you have pictured.  It works fairly well.  It does have to be close to your work but does suck up all the fumes.  I picked mine up off of eBay for $35 USD I believe and it was another $7 for 3 replacement filters.

It's not a weller, its a generic china one that many companies resell.

[RobertHolcombe]

You can overcome the issue of proximity somewhat by having fans setup on your bench to blow towards the filtered extractor, they can be low RPM and so barely add any noise pollution to your work environment

While not perfect it does make these cheap extractors significantly more effective without the need to move them around your bench

[nanofrog]

It's not a weller, its a generic china one that many companies resell.

FWIW, even Weller sources their WSA350 from Taiwan (COO is listed under the Technical Information tab).

[mij59]

Take a look at Wellers Zero-Smog unit, warning their not cheap.

http://www.wellerzerosmog.com/volume_extraction/wfe2es.cfm

[Wh1sper]

Anyone out there can recommend a good soldering fume extractor?

I'm using such an item.
Modified it with some LED (stripe) I'm fine with it.
http://zockertown.de/s9y/index.php?/archives/1587-Loetrauch-Absauger.html

It is cheap also.

[cjo20]

but after just now reading about a non smoker who died of lung cancer from soldering (yes really) I'm not even going to try the one I linked a pic of.

How did they know it was soldering that caused the cancer?

[Stonent]

I know someone who got lung cancer who never smoked or soldered. I think he was in his late 20s as well.

[VK5RC]

About 5% of lung cancers are non smokers and though not to be due to side stream cigarette smoke either. 

[int0x13]

Hello, i'm also wondering which model to choose for a soldering fume extractor. Seems like there are two main choice:
The ZD-153 and the ZD-153A and the Aoyue 486 and its clones.
The main difference is one is fixed while the other one has an articulated arm that you can direct toward your target fumes.
Which one do you suggest?
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/bk486.html
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/zd-153a.html

Also it worths mention that in my country (FRANCE), the fixed one extractor costs 45 euros (shippings included) and the articulated one costs 60 euros.
Can you suggest me something?

[Alex30]

How necessary are these things anyway? I have always just opened a window and had a fan blowing the smoke away from my face.

[nanofrog]

How necessary are these things anyway? I have always just opened a window and had a fan blowing the smoke away from my face.

That works just fine. 

Unfortunately, not everyone has fresh air access (i.e. no windows or they can't be opened for whatever reason). 

[Psi]

A small tube attached to your iron with a suction system near the tip works really well. Much better than any fan
The hard part is embedding it into the iron so that it doesn't change the ergonomics of it.

[GreyWoolfe]

I don't have a easily accessible window that I could use to exhaust the fumes out so I use the Weller that I have.  I also attached a solder spool holder to it to have the solder easily to hand.  I don't really solder huge amounts but would rather not take the chance on breathing in anything I shouldn't  Before I bought my extractor, I did a bunch of reading and saw some very clever solutions but most of them included a duct system that vented out through an insert in the window frame.  For me, the nearest window frame is off to the side of the workbench which would have the ducting running across the work surface.  It's also far enough away that I doubt that the fans that I saw used would get the air to the outside.  I felt that the Weller was my best option.  I didn't just want to blow it away from me as my dogs are usually out in the office with me and I don't want them breathing the fumes.  The carbon filter seems to absorb the fumes and I do replace them regularly.

[int0x13]

How necessary are these things anyway? I have always just opened a window and had a fan blowing the smoke away from my face.

So you have a fume extractor, it's your fan. So i dont understand the sense of your question?
Btw how do you power supply your fan when you need to do soldering? And which fan

[Alex30]

How necessary are these things anyway? I have always just opened a window and had a fan blowing the smoke away from my face.

So you have a fume extractor, it's your fan. So i dont understand the sense of your question?
Btw how do you power supply your fan when you need to do soldering? And which fan

I literately meant I had a fan like this:


Just open the window and plug it in and face it to blow smoke away from my face and in the general direction of the window.

The reason I was asking is because I haven't come across using filters for solder smoke extraction in a hobbyist setting. What's the point? If you aren't soldering in a broom cupboard why bother using a filter? Even with a normal sized room you'd have to be soldering for quite a while for the fumes to build up you'd think?

[int0x13]

Ok guys, the solution with only a simple ventilator is better than nothing, but i have no ventilator here. And it's not filtering the fumes. After having google about it and after i have watched those video:


I think i will go for the Aoyue 486, it is 33 euros shipping included.

[Rigby]

HEPA filters are cheap.  http://www.amazon.com/Holmes-True-HEPA-Filter-HAPF600D-U2/dp/B000065DKE

Fans are cheap.  http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-Whole-Circulator-Floor-HT-908/dp/B001R1Q0OG/

Cardboard and duct tape are cheap.

And if you have access to a 3D printer or a local hackerspace/makerspace with a 3D printer, then you can ditch the cardboard and most of the tape for next to nothing.

For me, blowing the fumes away isn't enough.  The flux stink builds up pretty quick for my nose.

[dds737]

I know someone who got lung cancer who never smoked or soldered. I think he was in his late 20s as well.

Maybe he was exposed to asbestos without knowing that.

[Rigby]

Cancer is as much luck as anything.  I had testucular cancer when I was 22 and I am pretty sure that thing didn't do any soldering beforehand.

[DanielS]

Unfortunately, not everyone has fresh air access (i.e. no windows or they can't be opened for whatever reason). 

Whatever reasons such as outdoor temperature currently being -30C in my case, not counting wind-chill

[vargoal]

Just an Idea I had but couldn't you just use one of those handheld shop vacs with a HEPA filter inside? Would also double as vacuum to clean workspace. Also fixes problem of suction power and distance from board. They are like under $100 and I don't see why they wouldn't work. With that said I just use a fan because I am not that worried about cancer.