Reviews of the ZHENGBANG ZB3530HL Reflow Oven? Hot Air Circulation and Power

[magicsmoke]

Can any comment on their experiences with the ZB3530HL (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32830782709.html)? Is it truely IR + Hot air circulation? I need something that can handle ~11" (280 mm) x 11" (280 mm) boards. Has anyone tried the ZB series with large boards?

Also by default rated power for this model is 2400 W. I only have easy access to single phase 110 V and three phase 220 V supplies. It looks like the power connection by default is single phase 220 V. It doesn't seem possible the with a 110 V supply it will be able to hit the rated power. I guess I theoretically could use the line to line connection of two of the phases of the 208 V three phase supply. Has anyone run one of these machines off of 110 V supply?

I am also considering a ControlLeo3 preassembled but it can't really handle the board sizes I need.

[Kean]

Did you end up getting one of these?

I have an ITECH RF-A350 oven coming this week, which is the same unit just under a different brand name from the same company Huaqi Zhengbang.

This larger oven will be used downstairs in my factory alongside my Charmhigh PnP.  I also have a Puhui T962A upstairs in the office alongside my Nedoden desktop PnP.

I bough the T962A about 6 years ago and it mostly works OK for me, but I'm worried it will one day start playing up during an urgent job.  It is quite inconsistent in temperature across the whole drawer so the usable area probably less than 33%.  I also have a few PCB designs that are too big for it even if it was more consistent, which is why I got a larger model this time.  While I considered a Neoden IN-6, I don't really have the space or need for it.

[JURP]

I have an RF-A350, which is the same one, see earlier thread.
So far the largest PCB in the oven have been ~160*270mm.
And all O.K.
Yes it's IR+hot air.
As I wrote earlier, I think this furnace would also benefit greatly from more power.
For me, I would avoid the 110V version if possible.
Look at the design of the limit switch, see photo.
Already for 10A current I have no confidence in the green connector (my own experience-burned me).
In that direction the golden T962A where there is an external 25A SSR.

[Kean]

I have an RF-A350, which is the same one, see earlier thread.

Thanks.  Yes I found your other post.  Glad to hear it has been OK for you, and it was your post and another I saw elsewhere that helped me decide to try it.

My largest PCB is 240x240mm, but is aluminium MCPCB so heat should stay reasonably even.  My FR4 PCBs are generally smaller, even in panels max about 120x120mm.

For me, I would avoid the 110V version if possible.

I am in Australia, so I ordered the 220V model.  We are limited to 10A/2400w on a standard power circuit, so I decided not to get the bigger RF-A500/ZB5040HL @ 3600W.

[Simon1234]

I have an ITECH RF-A350 oven coming this week, which is the same unit just under a different brand name from the same company Huaqi Zhengbang.

Are you satisfied with the oven?
Which soldering paste do you use?

[Kean]

I have an ITECH RF-A350 oven coming this week, which is the same unit just under a different brand name from the same company Huaqi Zhengbang.

Are you satisfied with the oven?
Which soldering paste do you use?

I have actually been so busy that I have not run a PCB through it yet.   
I did some cycles and it didn't fail, so at least that was a good start 

I almost always use GC10 paste.

[asmi]

I have a smaller sibling of this oven (I think it's ZB3520HL, the reason I went for that one is that it can be ran on a 15A circuit without tripping it), and I have been using it for the last couple of years and I'm reasonably happy with it. The GUI definitely takes getting used to, but otherwise it's been very dependable.

[Kean]

The GUI definitely takes getting used to, but otherwise it's been very dependable.

Yes, the menu system and display info on the ZB is very basic compared to my T962A (running the Unified Engineering firmware).

I should get around to running some PCBs through it soon, or maybe a colleague will come by to use it.  I've just had a backlog of other work to get through before I need to assemble another batch of PCBs.

[JURP]

I have an ITECH RF-A350 oven coming this week, which is the same unit just under a different brand name from the same company Huaqi Zhengbang.

Are you satisfied with the oven?
Which soldering paste do you use?

I use Cobar S6M-ZM3S and S62-325GM5 lead pastes.
I am not complaining, the oven works, so far full satisfaction.
The original PC SW, to put it politely, is worth ....
I've been looking at the RS232 protocol as well, to make my own HMI interface, but somehow got lazy. Nakone after debugging the profiles, I work really simply: insert PCB, turn on fume extraction, press on/off, press RUN, press RUN and come back when it does a Beep.
So new SW-asi never.

[asmi]

Yes, the menu system and display info on the ZB is very basic compared to my T962A (running the Unified Engineering firmware).

It's not just display, but also the way they define a soldering profile is very... unorthodox shall I say. Normally you'd specify temps at certain time points, but in that oven you get to set a temperature you need to reach for each stage, and how long do you want this temperature to be held, and oven goes full blast as it transitions between stages. To be fair, my T962 with UE firmware was never able to follow the temp profile I specify exactly and temperature always lagged behind, so in some sense ZB35xxHL's way kind of makes sense.

That said, attached is the most recent example of a board I reflowed in my oven. Please excuse the quality as lighting conditions were not the best, but hopefully good enough to give you idea of parts used. This is a 10 layer board with a big-ish 1 mm pitch 484 balls BGA (and anothe smaller one for the QSPI flash memory), big connectors (SODIMM DDR3, two ERM5s and ERM8) and a metric ton of smaller parts, so "dynamic range" so to speak is very large.

[48X24X48X]

Yes, the menu system and display info on the ZB is very basic compared to my T962A (running the Unified Engineering firmware).

It's not just display, but also the way they define a soldering profile is very... unorthodox shall I say. Normally you'd specify temps at certain time points, but in that oven you get to set a temperature you need to reach for each stage, and how long do you want this temperature to be held, and oven goes full blast as it transitions between stages. To be fair, my T962 with UE firmware was never able to follow the temp profile I specify exactly and temperature always lagged behind, so in some sense ZB35xxHL's way kind of makes sense.

That said, attached is the most recent example of a board I reflowed in my oven. Please excuse the quality as lighting conditions were not the best, but hopefully good enough to give you idea of parts used. This is a 10 layer board with a big-ish 1 mm pitch 484 balls BGA (and anothe smaller one for the QSPI flash memory), big connectors (SODIMM DDR3, two ERM5s and ERM8) and a metric ton of smaller parts, so "dynamic range" so to speak is very large.

No plastic were harmed in the process? That's the part I hate on my Puhui T937M. I believe the ZB series oven are much better built and designed.

[asmi]

No plastic were harmed in the process? That's the part I hate on my Puhui T937M. I believe the ZB series oven are much better built and designed.

Yes these ovens are much more plastic-friendly. That said, I haven't tried yet reflowing some of connectors which were 100% getting destroyed by T962, to see how they fare, but MiniCircuits modules like ADP-2-1+ became significantly darker after T962, while they look like new after ZB oven. However ERM5 and ERM8 connectors by Samtec were just fine even in T962 - I don't know exactly what kind of plastic they use, but it's very IR-tolerant, unlike the one used in connectors from Molex.
But most importantly, these ZB ovens are ready-to-go out of box, with no tinkering required (unlike T962 family).

[Kean]

However ERM5 and ERM8 connectors by Samtec were just fine even in T962 - I don't know exactly what kind of plastic they use, but it's very IR-tolerant, unlike the one used in connectors from Molex.

Those are made from LCP which is much more heat tolerant than the common Nylon connectors.

[BreakingOhmsLaw]

I've got an ZB2520HL on order, it's the smaller model. Will report once I had a chance to use it in anger.

[asmi]

I've got an ZB2520HL on order, it's the smaller model. Will report once I had a chance to use it in anger.

This is the oven that I have.

[48X24X48X]

If any of you tried with JST PH, XH, HY-2.0, etc connectors and it didn't melt or get pretty brown, do update here. I want to get rid of my Puhui T-937 eventually.

[BreakingOhmsLaw]

If any of you tried with JST PH, XH, HY-2.0, etc connectors and it didn't melt or get pretty brown, do update here. I want to get rid of my Puhui T-937 eventually.

Getting solder temperature ratings from JST is like pulling teeth. No Information in the data sheets, their support isn't helpful either.
JST PH is made of Polyamide 66, which has a melting temperature of 260°C. You need to stay well clear of that to prevent browning.

When I need to use these POS, I use SnBi solder when possible, or give it to an assembly service that uses vapor phase or nitrogen ovens.

Molex provides proper soldering profiles. For Picoblade , it's 40-60 seconds min 220°C, max 245 °C

[48X24X48X]

It melts in IR based oven like my T-937 but not on the hacked toaster oven.

[BreakingOhmsLaw]

Well, I got my ZB2520HL and I'm happy to report that all JST connectors I have put through an out-of-the-box lead-free temperature profile came out just fine without decolorization. Same for crystals and electrolytic caps that sit on a a plastic base.

Now, that said, I have noticed a particular change. The oven now comes with a glass fibre mat that sits in the drawer. My guess is, that the IR now does not reflect from the polished metal, but rather heats up the entire drawer surface, creating a more even heat. Since this oven also has a fan, that yields a very even heat distribution.
I am doing more testing, but so far I can recommend the ZB. It's a significant improvement over the T962. It comes with proper earth connection to the chassis, and does not include materials that try to poison you the first time you fire it up.
The menu is a bit wonky, but usable. There were some minor cosmetic issues. The from decal was loose in a corner and the laser left some sputter that could have been cleaned up. I will start a separate thread with a brief review.