Yihua 936 soldering station costs $15.74 ???!!!

[Shock]

Yihua 936 for $15.74 (shipped from Australian warehouse)

Open the webpage and wait a few minutes and you will get offered a discounted price.
Make sure they have stock before you order otherwise it may take a while to ship.

A few months back I brought 4 to have 2 on each workstation as I hate changing tips.
I opened one up to check the workmanship and it was fine.
Tips are Hakko compatible and about $2 on Ebay + you can find free shipping.

Here is a review.

[David_AVD]

I've tried one of the 936 clones before and it was complete shit compared to a real Hakko.

[peter.mitchell]

For $15 you'd be struggling to find a 60w transformer, i'd almost buy it for that alone.

[eevblogfan]

yup the clones are total shit - tried one and decided to get proper hakko one

as for the transformer inside - the price can tell you what it is . as UPS manufacturers like to abuse the transformer inside - so as the chinese market ( I have many UPS's transformers and one of them I took out of 650VA rating UPS , the transformer rating is 100W - 24Hr test plus temp measurement of 70C internal coil's temp -  hence 300% abuse . or 33% of the price of proper transformer of this kind ---> got the idea ?

Cheers

[amyk]

They cost around $10 in China: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=14826570624
...and they're still making a profit on these things

[David_AVD]

I don't know why people buy junk products.  Maybe the price temptation is just too much?  Something as essential as a good soldering iron is not something to skimp on.

[eevblogfan]

dear davide - people only want they're solder to freaking melt . not to have proper temp stability etc etc ...

got the point ? very very bad boys are out there 

[Shock]

I've tried one of the 936 clones before and it was complete shit compared to a real Hakko.

I don't know why people buy junk products.  Maybe the price temptation is just too much?  Something as essential as a good soldering iron is not something to skimp on.

Yeah well you live in a cheap neighborhood and I own a cheap Hakko clone, I guess we are even.
Oh and the Yihua 936 works fine.  You must have been using yours wrong.

[David_AVD]

A Hakko 936 (now FX888) is around $200 here so not a cheap neighborhood.

I guess if you're happy with something that kinda works, then a $15 iron is a perfect fit.   

[amspire]

I don't know why people buy junk products.  Maybe the price temptation is just too much?  Something as essential as a good soldering iron is not something to skimp on.

I have a 936 clone.

I probably paid something like $35-$40 2 years ago but it was better quality then the Hobby King one. The proper Hakko-style front panel plug, cast metal soldering iron base. Iron sits well in the holder just like the Hakko.  Heats up quickly, and it cost under $10 to add a proper Hakko element and tip. I did this as the Hakko parts seem to work better.  Added a green LED power indicator. Very happy with it.

So looking at this review, I can see there is a lot of variation with the build quality of the clones. My controller board is not identical to the Hakko but very similar. Same heatsink as the Hakko, and the POT mount is soldered. My temp controller turns on and off at about the same rate as the Hakko in the video. The transformer hardly warms at all, so I guess they haven't skimped on the transformer in my clone. I calibrated the tip temp at 400 degrees, and the rest of the range was pretty accurate up to 480 degrees. The biggest error was when set to 200 deg, the tip temp was 185, but from 250 deg up, it was within 5 degrees. Soldering quality on the controller board good - looks wave soldered (except for the front panel connector and wires) not hand soldered.

So I guess it is a bit of a lottery, and some of the clones are probably good. Some are probably complete rubbish. If you get a good clone, there is not a huge difference to a geniune Hakko.

Richard

[nukie]

I waited for you to reveal the heating element but it didn't happen. Can you show me a picture of the heating element assembly? Then I'll be able to tell you if its Hakko compatible. Some cheap stations especially the ones with female plug are not the same resistance thermal sensors.

[krivx]

Could everyone state which clones they have experience with? I realise there may be quite a lot re-badging happening but it seems as if not all clones are created equal. The "Huako"936s seem to cost a little more and look like better builds, whereas the Yihua and Atten always seem to cheaper.

[Rick Law]

I don't know why people buy junk products.  Maybe the price temptation is just too much?  Something as essential as a good soldering iron is not something to skimp on.

Mr. David AVD, first, thanks for your suggestions in my other posts.  Your comments were helpful.

I am sure we each have our own reasons, here is mine:

(1)   Just like when I hired a college new grad, I know the girl in the next cubical is 5 years more experience than this guy, can do more than this guy, and likely will make less mistake then this guy who think he will “save the world”.   But I have a job that this guy can do and I know he sure can use a “first-job”.  People have to start somewhere.

(2)   I like to help people put food on the table.  If but for people buying “junk,” I probably would not have even grown up.  Before middle school, I worked at one of those “junk” making place.   If but for piece-work, I would not have food and that is no exaggeration.  (“Piece work” is so alien these days some may not know what it is:  You get from a factory a bunch of unfinished pieces and you do them.  You get paid by the piece.)  Piece work allowed me to grow up, get a college degree, get a graduate degree, and a productive life.  Absent those opportunities, I suppose I could get to know food stamp well, or went into the Pharmaceutical industry at an early age selling $10 bags of "medication" to others.

(3)   That is what fits into my budgets comfortably.  So it is something I would consider.

(4)    Is your car a Sherman tank?  You know your car is unsafe in some ways then.  Is your car a Lamborghini or a Ferrari?  You know your car is not as well designed then.  Comparing to a Sherman, every car on the road today is a death trap.   If every car made is a Rolls Royce, a Bentley or a Maybach, most of us will be walking.  There won’t even be buses.

I have some understanding of how purchasing decisions are made.  Some years ago, I was responsible for procurement for a software development organization with hundreds of developers.  Every purchase came through my desk and requires my signature.  With a few hundred developers, I read a lot of “justifications.”  Then there are the government regulations.

I would also ask you to consider this:  If you are spending your own money, would you make the same choice.  (absent regulatory constrains)

[Rick Law]

Yihua 936 for $15.74 (shipped from Australian warehouse)....

Hey, Shock - thanks for pointing this one out to me!  I like it.

I got something from a dollar store just to finish a job.  (My daughter has a school project requiring me to help her solder a wire before last week end.).

I think I will begin the process of talking myself into an upgrade to this guy.

[David_AVD]

I would also ask you to consider this:  If you are spending your own money, would you make the same choice.  (absent regulatory constrains)

If it were my personal money I would still buy the Hakko instead of the clone.  It really is my money anyway as I own the company!   

[Rick Law]

I would also ask you to consider this:  If you are spending your own money, would you make the same choice.  (absent regulatory constrains)

If it were my personal money I would still buy the Hakko instead of the clone.  It really is my money anyway as I own the company!   

Good job (in your case)!  But I am sure you can imagine those who wouldn't.