Any opinions on the AiXun T3A?

[ttodorov]

Hi everyone,

I originally got the Aixun 3A with a 245 JBC handle, then got the T12 handle, because the tips are much cheaper. The JBC would be used for more "fiddly" work with small SMD components, while the T12 is for the "normal" through-hole prototyping.

Anyway, the in-stand detection works just fine with the JBC handle, but I can't make it go into sleep mode when using the T12 handle at all. Does the T12 handle even support in-stand detection and power-down mode? (I used the search function to look through the topic, if anyone else has mentioned that, but it seems nobody has....)

Thanks!

[mastershake]

i will test it on one of ours tomm and see.

[yelkvi]

I had the same situation. The T12 did not go to sleep in any way. I have tried various settings. This includes a timed shutdown. And the next day, C245 stopped going to sleep when installed on a stand. There is currently no sleep mode in operation at the station. (I described this situation above). A new firmware 1.26 has been released. I hoped,
that the firmware will fix my controller. Expectations were not justified.

[mastershake]

i have 2 of the t12 handles one will sleep the other will not. sometime this week will open them both to see if anything is different between them both are actual aixun t12 handles everyone here used the 245 tips mostly so i dont think anyone spent enough time with the t12 before to see the one was not sleeping

[Ungolian]

This sounds like more of a continuity issue than anything else.  I'd check to see if there's continuity between the stand and the jack on the unit, then internally from the jack to to the board, the collar on the handle to whichever pin on the cable it's supposed to be on, and finally, check the pin connector for the handle on the control board.  You can probably do it without taking the front panel off, but you will pretty much have to take the power supply out.

[Ungolian]

Oh!  And the collar and the stand.  Start with that one first!

[yelkvi]

i have 2 of the t12 handles one will sleep the other will not. sometime this week will open them both to see if anything is different between them both are actual aixun t12 handles everyone here used the 245 tips mostly so i dont think anyone spent enough time with the t12 before to see the one was not sleeping

Please show me your sleep settings for T12.

[ttodorov]

On the JBC handle, I know that the handle collar is what makes the electrical contact with the stand, and that's how sleep detection works. But when I checked connectivity between the collar of my T12 handle and all of its pins, there was no electrical connection between them. Does anyone know how the in-stand detection with T12 is supposed to work exactly?

[yelkvi]

Here on the forum they already laid out the scheme of the T12 handle. The controller comes out of sleep by a vibration sensor signal, which is fixed in the handle. This is the closure of pin 1 of the soldering station connector (Shake) to GND. The signal from this pin goes directly to the controller chip. I analyzed the diagram. But it didn't work for me. I tried both this contact and the one that back panel. And then the sleep mode stopped working altogether on the C245.

[SHTechnics]

I checked my T245 and pin 2 is connected to the metal collar of the handle. Bridging pin 2 and the  jack on the back  activates sleep mode.

[ercan1441]

I also saw that the hardware version is now 1.2 instead of 1.1 like the one SteveyG posted.
(Attachment Link)

After reading this great thread decided to order the T3A.
Did you order the v1.2 from Aliexpress? could you please share from which seller you bought it?

[SHTechnics]

Hi Ercan,
I bought mine on AliExpress at the 'easy100fix Store'. They don't mention the version but I presume they just sell the V1.2 now. Better soldering, layout and protection.

[Marc007]

Hello everyone,
Got my T3A recently and overall experience is very good. Station is build well, good quality materials and performs realy good, has some overshoot but mine came 1.25 out of box so I believe is intended to work that way. Will get some jbc tips to see if any difference. I also noticed buzzing sound from station unit, it must be transformer playing while tip heating up. Wondering if that could be muffled by some sticky stuff they use in factories?

[mastershake]

has anyone who is on 110-120v had the buzzing yet? im wondering if its those on 220. i dont have any units that buzz. mine are all the older control board though i kind of wish we waiting a bit for the newer one to come out but so far so good not a bad unit yet minus one meh screen.

[SHTechnics]

Hello everyone,
Got my T3A recently and overall experience is very good. Station is build well, good quality materials and performs realy good, has some overshoot but mine came 1.25 out of box so I believe is intended to work that way. Will get some jbc tips to see if any difference. I also noticed buzzing sound from station unit, it must be transformer playing while tip heating up. Wondering if that could be muffled by some sticky stuff they use in factories?

Hi, I've never heard buzzing in the unit itself but only in the handle when it's heating. I presume the heating element is controlled by a PWM signal which creates the buzzing.

[Marc007]

Heating element or heating core cannot make that sound, unless something inside tip its loose, badly...

Would eletronic potting gel help to make transformer inside station to be more quieter?

[rancor]

The AiXun does use DC and has to switch the tip off with current flowing and that could cause significant ringing. The real JBC stand would do zero crossing switching and wouldn't cause this issue. I get a small amount on my unit from the handle.

 

Hello everyone,
Got my T3A recently and overall experience is very good. Station is build well, good quality materials and performs realy good, has some overshoot but mine came 1.25 out of box so I believe is intended to work that way. Will get some jbc tips to see if any difference. I also noticed buzzing sound from station unit, it must be transformer playing while tip heating up. Wondering if that could be muffled by some sticky stuff they use in factories?

You might want to check that the inductor on the power supply is in one piece, there are a few posters that had broken ones and it could cause buzzing in the power supply.

[SHTechnics]

Heating element or heating core cannot make that sound, unless something inside tip its loose, badly...

Would eletronic potting gel help to make transformer inside station to be more quieter?

And still, most of the time and with lots of people it's the handle that's buzzing. I think I'll get a replacement handle and open it to check it out.

[SHTechnics]

The AiXun does use DC and has to switch the tip off with current flowing and that could cause significant ringing. The real JBC stand would do zero crossing switching and wouldn't cause this issue. I get a small amount on my unit from the handle.

 

Hello everyone,
Got my T3A recently and overall experience is very good. Station is build well, good quality materials and performs realy good, has some overshoot but mine came 1.25 out of box so I believe is intended to work that way. Will get some jbc tips to see if any difference. I also noticed buzzing sound from station unit, it must be transformer playing while tip heating up. Wondering if that could be muffled by some sticky stuff they use in factories?

You might want to check that the inductor on the power supply is in one piece, there are a few posters that had broken ones and it could cause buzzing in the power supply.

Yep, fixating it with hot glue solves that problem.

[Marc007]

Im not sure about hot glue but electronic potting gel is something Im going to try.

[emimad]

I've just received my new T3a station and I must say that the mechanical aspect is absolutely awesome.
The aluminum case is really a high quality one.
Mine has fw v1.25 and out of the box come in Chinese language. Took me few minutes change it to English (turn button needs to be pushed for one second to be detected).
I've seen a little of over temperature in the warm up.
And yes, some coil inside the station makes noise while you're heating something with the tip. I'd like to mute this.

Now one question... Is it possible to connect a T210 handle directly or might the tips will die?
 

[yelkvi]

If I remember correctly, then: 245 - 24V,    210 - 12V
Aixun T3A - Pow Sup 24V

[mastershake]

I've just received my new T3a station and I must say that the mechanical aspect is absolutely awesome.
The aluminum case is really a high quality one.
Mine has fw v1.25 and out of the box come in Chinese language. Took me few minutes change it to English (turn button needs to be pushed for one second to be detected).
I've seen a little of over temperature in the warm up.
And yes, some coil inside the station makes noise while you're heating something with the tip. I'd like to mute this.

Now one question... Is it possible to connect a T210 handle directly or might the tips will die?

no you will need a t3b for the 210

[SHTechnics]

I've just received my new T3a station and I must say that the mechanical aspect is absolutely awesome.
The aluminum case is really a high quality one.
Mine has fw v1.25 and out of the box come in Chinese language. Took me few minutes change it to English (turn button needs to be pushed for one second to be detected).
I've seen a little of over temperature in the warm up.
And yes, some coil inside the station makes noise while you're heating something with the tip. I'd like to mute this.

Now one question... Is it possible to connect a T210 handle directly or might the tips will die?

T3A: T12/T245/936 handle
T3B:  T115/T210 handle

Both work with 24V but uses different PWM.

[emimad]

New report after some test:
The buzzing noise is a bit annoying when you're soldering in the silent of night.
The dormancy works well when using an Aixun tip. If you use an original JBC one, the station is always heating (and buzzing).
With a JBC tip, it enters in dormancy mode when you touch the tip with the metal part of the stand. So it seems to be something different in the connection.
My fw version is 1.25.

Regarding the t3a/t3b... if JBC can manage both types of handles with the same station... why aixun can't?
Have you noticed that the stands aren't the same for both versions? Pay attention to the wire on the back.
T3A:


T3B: