Just my f***ing luck, Weller WX1 firmware update gone bad

[thm_w]

If the serial number is the same as the one you sent: wow, they hire some terrible repair techs.

If the serial number is NOT the one you sent: then likely they just grabbed whatever was working off the shelf and shipped it, to reduce turnaround time. Probably even the person that received your unit is not the same person that shipped one out. If I got a thank you note I'd send you the best looking station and some free tips or something.

[Solderingtechnician1]

That's actually the first thing I checked. It turns out, the serial is the same, or at least on the bottom casing that is.

I'm kind of conflicted on the situation.

On one hand, they were very courteous to lend a hand and technically did do the repairs..

But on the other, it was kind of a terrible job on something that shouldn't have needed to be sent in for repairs in the first place..

Will post some pictures once I get back from work tonight and gather some more thoughts.

Thanks,

[Solderingtechnician1]

The station was brand new when I sent it in. No marks or scratches, heck it never even had a chance to work before being bricked by the update.

In hindsight I should've taken more pictures of the station before I sent it in. That being said, I was never expecting THIS.

Alright, starting off with the obvious, the din connector looks beat up. I've put it side by side to the original picture I've posted.





The latches that hold the station together are quite worn out and don't have much tension left.







And lastly, the two halves comes apart easy as a lunchbox (video link to imgur)


https://i.imgur.com/RZtI2cI.mp4

[Kjelt]

That din connector can never be damaged like that in a couple of hours repair.
It looks like they swapped the pcb.
That said if that is all I would let it pass or if it really bothers you replace the connector with a new one.

[drhex]

Would be more concerned about the housing - they damaged it and should put it back to the state they received it in. I'd send them a mail with the pics attached and politely ask to make it right.

[Twoflower]

Can you check if you can read the date-codes on the chips in your pictures? If so, compare them with the one you have now.

I don't think that you received the station you send in.

[Audiorepair]

That's not the same board, is it.

The connector socket pins have the splits in different positions.

[Solderingtechnician1]

Turns out, it's the same station with a different board. They probably cracked it open in the crudest way possible, swapped the board and called it a day.

[Twoflower]

Sure that the housing is the same? On the first post, there's a discoloration in the lower left side (left of the springy thing that holds the PCB). If that's not a shadow you might compare that. Also the lower left corner show some, probably unique, marks in the plastics.

But that will probably be hard to argue with Weller that these are indicators of a complete swap. From my point of view even a full swap might be acceptable in such cases as long as the replacement matches the original unit. As there's nothing really that show wear problems (except dummies that rotate the plug while try to force it into the socket...). But I'm on your side that the replacement you received is questionable.

If I'm allowed to make a guess: I think Weller has a pile of replacement stations ready to ship. And the send-in units will end up on a "To be repaired" pile. And every now and then someone gets the task to fix them. I don't think that Weller don't know how to open the cases without leaving marks. My assumption is that the former owner tried the same like you (open and try to fix a problem) and was not very carefully (probably the same person that ruined that connector). He failed to fix it and send the unit to Weller.

[Audiorepair]

If the housing is also the same as that sent in, then I am a pigs bottom.

[Paceguy]

If the case is opened by removing screws, then there is no excuse. If, like most electronic devices today, there are little to no screws, instead, the manufacturer uses internal plastic clips with pressure points to open the unit, then I'm not surprised that the case was damaged when the tech attempted opening it up to change the board. I hate this way of having to open things, these plastic pins and clips usually break off no matter how careful one is.

[Kjelt]

If, like most electronic devices today, there are little to no screws, instead, the manufacturer uses internal plastic clips with pressure points to open the unit, then I'm not surprised that the case was damaged

Nowadays it is even worse, no servicability so high frequency melting of two plastick parts together or glueing