Pace ADS200 soldering station

[neo_]

I purchased an ADS200, MBT350, and various hand pieces.

I'm curious of the technical differences for MBT350 firmware versions 2.6 and lower vs 2.7 and higher? Wish there was a change log available publicly for firmware revisions for all base stations.

P.S. Glad the old site is back - the new site was severely limiting, I couldn't find anything on it.

[Shock]

I purchased an ADS200, MBT350, and various hand pieces.

Congrats, what ended up happening to the MBT301?

[neo_]

I purchased an ADS200, MBT350, and various hand pieces.

Congrats, what ended up happening to the MBT301?

Found a great deal on a MBT350 I couldn't avoid. The MBT301 found a loving new home with a friend.
Thanks again for the help you provided earlier

[PACE-Worldwide]

I'm curious of the technical differences for MBT350 firmware versions 2.6 and lower vs 2.7 and higher? Wish there was a change log available publicly for firmware revisions for all base stations.

P.S. Glad the old site is back - the new site was severely limiting, I couldn't find anything on it.

Hi Neo,

We have both versions 2.6 & and 2.7 set-up in our classroom which features 12 MBT 350s. I'll have to confirm this with Engineering, but I believe the main difference in the firmware is that Rev 2.7 allows you to set the individual temperature range limits on each channel. On Rev 2.6, you can only set a general temperature range for all 3 channels. Thus in Rev 2.7, you might set Channel 1 for a range of 500°-900°F (to accommodate the TJ-70 ThermoJet Hot Air Handpiece, which requires 900°F to work properly); Channel 2 for 500°-750°F (for the TD-100 Soldering Iron, to ensure you don't overheat components or damage sensitive substrates); and set Channel 3 to 500°-800° (for use with the SX-100 Sodr-X-Tractor Desoldering Iron). In Rev 2.6, you can only set the overall temperatures for all 3 channels. Thus if you set a temperature range from 600°-800°F, all 3 channels will have this temperature range.

It's probably been 9 years since this last MBT 350 firmware change occurred. It is unusual for us to issue firmware revisions unless customers come to PACE with software glitches, which often occur at the very beginning of the products life-cycle -- witness the rapid succession of firmware revisions on the ADS200. When first launched, the ADS200 required a host of little improvements, many suggested by members of EEVBlog. When customers come to us with comments and suggestions that improve a feature or make the unit easier to use, that may spur a revision. But once the firmware is tweaked and perfected, you get to point where firmware changes stop occurring.

Aaron

[Shock]

Yes looking at the two different manuals, the later firmware has channel selectable low/high limits. The other thing added to the newer manual looks like an option to config block the user changing offsets.

https://draftable.com/compare/YRwvnPKSUdMX

[neo_]

Thanks for the answers Shock and PACE-Worldwide. Unfortunately my MBT350 is on firmware 2.4 without the added bells and whistles.

My order for a new style SX stand and tip holder came in today from tequipment, luckily I got the last in stock. But, I am disappointed by the QC. Not sure if this is worth the hassles of exchanging, especially when there is no current stock available. The SX/TJ stands come new disassembled in box, by the location of paint chip damage and how this heavy stand is packaged it's evident the disassembled pieces were striking each other in transit, especially with very minimal internal shipping padding present to preventing this inside the product box itself (not tequipment shipping box, they used generous padding). If I'm not mistaken, this looks like high temperature paint. I would suggest this an ideal use case for a a powder coating paint process, a superbly durable finish.

[Shock]

Those two firmware features are more for use in a production environment where people soldering way under temp or over temp is a problem, I never use them.

The stand will eventually get wear anyway so it's not so much a big deal, could always touch it up with some paint if you have some handy. Both spots will be obscured from vision most of the time. The stands have a kind of a futuristic utilitarian vibe anyway, a bit of wear doesn't look out of place.

[neo_]

I know what you mean, but on the other hand opening a brand new box of $75 stand with missing paint doesn't necessarily make me think it's "a bit of wear that won't look out of place"
I tend to take care of my tools, call me pedantic but this is the type of stuff that remains in the back of head even if it's not facing me.

[PACE-Worldwide]

I know what you mean, but on the other hand opening a brand new box of $75 stand with missing paint doesn't necessarily make me think it's "a bit of wear that won't look out of place"
I tend to take care of my tools, call me pedantic but this is the type of stuff that remains in the back of head even if it's not facing me.

Hi Neo,

Send me your mailing address by EEVBlog message (or you can contact me directly at acaplan [AT] paceworldwide [DOT] com) and I'll have a new one shipped to you. It's very unusual for those chips in the Tool Stand to occur, since we use a powder coating process, so this will be reported to our QA personnel.

Aaron

[neo_]

Thanks for that, I genuinely appreciate it.

With a replacement arriving shortly, I'd like to keep the positivity flowing. First EEVBLOG member that wants this Pace SX/TJ stand, send me a photo of your Pace equipment and I'll mail it out to you, USA only please.

[neo_]

The replacement arrived successfully the other day, and I sincerely wanted to thank Aaron @ Pace-Worldwide for going above the expected service he provides.

[mcconkeyb]

Just got my new ADS200 station and completed doing a set-up on it. All seems to work good. I've had Wellers at home for years, and have used JBC's at work for years. With only a couple of solder joints made so far, it looks like this new iron is closer to the JBC than it is to the Weller in performance, and closer to the Weller than the JBC in price. Well done PACE!
One thing that is not in the manual is that the power supply start up temp is the same as it was at last power down.

[Bud]

I have a couple observations to share:

1. Occasionally on power on the station goes into the Setup  mode. Perhaps  turning the power on may produce glitches on the power bus that kick the micro into the Setup mode. Would be good if Pace looked into it.

2. The iron goes to standby on me while i am actively soldering. Seems the configured standby timeout activates regardless of if the iron is in the caddy inactive or is being used. That is annoying. I'd think detection of variations in the tip temperature could be used to sense activity and reset the timeout.

[Black Phoenix]

Well been interested in this soldering station. I like the extruded aluminium ridges on top and bottom that look like you can make a plastic insert that you can slot, locking stacked items in place against movement. The design is simple yet functional, although the blue faceplate is a little tacky, I would prefer a neutral black or grey like the other models on the website. But it's true that makes the product be noticed between all the others that you can have on a table.

My simple question (sorry if someone already asked) is that in Hong Kong or China what is the authorized reseller for your products? Not that I have any problem buying from any company who can send to HK (no customs added) but I would like to prevent the case of being lost in transit. Plus in Europe and other sites were I looked the price is way more than the US$200.

[EEVblog]

Well been interested in this soldering station. I like the extruded aluminium ridges on top and bottom that look like you can make a plastic insert that you can slot, locking stacked items in place against movement

I still think they should come standard with some T beam angle brackets for under bench mounting.

[Shock]

My simple question (sorry if someone already asked) is that in Hong Kong or China what is the authorized reseller for your products?

https://www.paceworldwide.com/where-to-buy/reps-and-distributors/asia#CHINA

I like the extruded aluminum ridges on top and bottom that look like you can make a plastic insert that you can slot, locking stacked items in place against movement.

There is a mounting bracket option 1321-0609-P1. The handpiece stands come with a couple of hex bolts that can be used as mounting hardware, or you can also use them to bolt two stands together.

[Shock]

With only a couple of solder joints made so far, it looks like this new iron is closer to the JBC than it is to the Weller in performance, and closer to the Weller than the JBC in price. Well done PACE! One thing that is not in the manual is that the power supply start up temp is the same as it was at last power down.

Congrats, and yes... remembers the temperature it does.

[tooki]

One thing that is not in the manual is that the power supply start up temp is the same as it was at last power down.

But... isn't that the only thing one would reasonably expect to happen?

[mcconkeyb]

Just watched a video that claimed that PACE was working on a set of tweezers for the ADS200 power supply. But other than the video I've not seen anything else about this. Does anyone have information about the possibility of tweezers for the ADS200?

[mcconkeyb]

The manual without being explicit implies that it will go to the factory set start up temp. So the manual is correct, in that when you first power the unit on (from the factory) you get the factory start up temp. I was initially thinking that it would go to the factory start up temp, every time you turned it on. But I was wrong, it only goes to the factory set start temp the first time you start it up, after that it goes to the last used temp at power off.

Once you know about this it makes sense, but until you do know about it, you will be wondering how to change the factory start up temp, which doesn't have a setting in the programming mode. Thus this is just a public service announcement for those who ponder over these types of things.

[Cliff Matthews]

Quote from: mcconkeyb on Today at 10:23:59 pm

Just watched a video that claimed that PACE was working on a set of tweezers for the ADS200 power supply. But other than the video I've not seen anything else about this. Does anyone have information about the possibility of tweezers for the ADS200?

Pace regularly posts updates on EEVblog. See last paragraph here.

[dkggpeters]

Quote from: mcconkeyb on Today at 10:23:59 pm

Just watched a video that claimed that PACE was working on a set of tweezers for the ADS200 power supply. But other than the video I've not seen anything else about this. Does anyone have information about the possibility of tweezers for the ADS200?

Pace regularly posts updates on EEVblog. See last paragraph here.

January is what we were informed.

[Cliff Matthews]

Splurged $1 and moved mine under the bench.. soft rubber grommet soften's cable tugs from damaging plastic front connector. Guess I can live without auto setback for a week (or two, three, maybe even New Years..) 

[Shock]

The manual without being explicit implies that it will go to the factory set start up temp.

From what I can tell it just pulls up the first preset temp the first time you use it. The last time I checked the manual that was 343C/650F. So by hitting the preset (program) button once you can get it back to that temp anytime, that is until you change the presets.

[Shock]

Splurged $1 and moved mine under the bench.. soft rubber grommet soften's cable tugs from damaging plastic front connector. Guess I can live without auto setback for a week (or two, three, maybe even New Years..) 

Time to move the ISB connector to the back of a box again.

Should be dead easy to extend the ISB cable though. I'd disconnect it at the switch end on the stand remove that end and feed a new cable in. Then add the new male/female connector between your existing and new cable.