HAKKO FR-301 desoldering tool

[0.01C]

But I don’t know if this can increase the heat core power.

[matura713]

@DC1MC

I think best is to watch countless videos of FR-808 and FR-300 (the 2 previous generations) in action on YouTube and make conclusions for yourself about the performance:



Also there are Chinese one that are much cheaper, you can watch Dave's review of such tool on his EEVblog channel:



or this one:



and now there are countless such Chinese in portable or station size.

Honestly, my only motivation to get FR-300 was that Hakko supported FR-808 for over 10 years, while for the Chinese tools it's kind of hard or in some cases even not impossible to get spare parts like nozzles, filters, etc. that needs to be changed frequently.

So, my calculation was that for 10 years FR-300 will paid up. However, you see how Hakko f***ed their FR-300 users, essentially killing the tool only after 3 years. So, if they plan the same life for FR-301, then at this point buying cheap Chinese one that can be used more or less as disposable unit will be I guess better use of your money. Maybe as vacuum and power there are Chinese stations even on par with FR-400 and FR-410...

[matura713]

Could it be that FR-410 has more thermal mass, or is some other difference, why will be suitable more than 301 ?

FR-410 has more suction power than FR-300/FR-301 (11L/min) as well: "Suction flow: 15L/min"

You can increase the ac voltage to 120V for increase the power from 100W to 140W.

I think that will fry the heating element (or significantly shorten its life), because Hakko offer different heating elements for 100V (Japan), 120V (USA), etc. So, I don't believe it's very safe for example to use 100V heating element of the Japan version of the tool with 120V (i.e. USA mains).

[EDIT] actually they have separate heating element even for 127V - I don't know where there is such mains - see the attachment.

[I_Code_4_Hugs]

The Hakko YouTube channel only has < 2k subs but here's the latest video posted today (23-MAR-2018) on the 410, 400, and 301:

https://youtu.be/PxVPZNgoQms

The 301 info starts here:

https://youtu.be/PxVPZNgoQms?t=540

-Hugs

[ajb]

...B5198 ... you may need to get the hard to find parts directly from American Hakko/ Hakko

my point is that exact part is not sold in any online shop of American Hakko/ Hakko (at least at the moment), I already checked them all. so, from my point of view, it's simply not available even directly from Hakko.

Feel free to prove me wrong...

Just because it's not listed doesn't mean it's not available--if anything it just means it's not a commonly replaced part.  The same part for the FR-300 isn't listed anywhere on Hakko's site, but I've actually replaced it on my unit after it got dropped.  I just had to put in a request with a Hakko dealer and wait a few weeks for it to ship from Japan.  Cost me six bucks.

[BravoV]

...B5198 ... you may need to get the hard to find parts directly from American Hakko/ Hakko

my point is that exact part is not sold in any online shop of American Hakko/ Hakko (at least at the moment), I already checked them all. so, from my point of view, it's simply not available even directly from Hakko.

Feel free to prove me wrong...

Just because it's not listed doesn't mean it's not available--if anything it just means it's not a commonly replaced part.  The same part for the FR-300 isn't listed anywhere on Hakko's site, but I've actually replaced it on my unit after it got dropped.  I just had to put in a request with a Hakko dealer and wait a few weeks for it to ship from Japan.  Cost me six bucks.

+1, Hakko is well known to keep producing parts even their products are long discontinued. 


Last year when I bought a NOS "ancient" Hakko 474 (Discussed -> HERE), all parts for that 474 are still available from my local authorized Hakko distributor, of course, sometimes when they run out of stock, all I need is wait for few weeks for them to source it from Japan, thats all.

Decades aged suction valve plate that was disintegrated into this ....


The new replacement valve plate part, watch the datecode.


... and after replaced with above. 



Also bought few parts to refresh the 474 as mine is really old, watch the datecodes too here.

[matura713]

@I_Code_4_Hugs: thank you for the video, but am i the only one who thinks the video is terrible?

@ajb : ok, then, please, let me know, where exactly and how to put request for B5198 part? Or even do it yourself and sell it on profit on eBay or something...

@BravoV : the pictures of the part numbers you posted are available everywhere I checked....so, not only those parts are off-topic for the discussion here (not FR-301 parts), but they obviously are something that could only be called "widely-available" parts and that has to be, simply because they are still used in Hakko products which "support period" is not expired (i.e. they are common parts for several products and at least one of them is still in its "support period").

In FR-300 announcement that is discontinued is clearly stated when exactly Hakko will stop supporting it and produce spare parts for it. Also, FR-808 had over 3 times the support period of FR-300. so, sorry, but i don't really get your point, as i don't see any indication that several years from now FR-300 can be serviced with easily available spare parts. After all it had lifetime over 3 times shorter than FR-808 and when you say ""ancient" Hakko 474" - i don't know when Hakko 474 was released, but I don't think it is older (or much older) than FR-808.

[EDIT] Actually, when Hakko released FR-300 they even effectively extended the support for the old FR-808 in terms of "nozzle tips", because new nozzles for FR-300 are compatible with FR-808. So, maybe, FR-300 is Hakko product with the shortest lifetime.

[BravoV]

After all it had lifetime over 3 times shorter than FR-808 and when you say ""ancient" Hakko 474" - i don't know when Hakko 474 was released, but I don't think it is older (or much older) than FR-808.

When you see Hakko naming scheme, if it has alphabet prefixes, like FR,FX,FM,FE and etc, means they're quite recent, "ancient" ones have plain numeric numbers only, e.g: 936, 850 and etc.

Fyi, few "ancient" legendary Hakko products like 936, 850 and 470 are heavily cloned until today.

Also recent rising Chinese brands like Quick, Aoyue etc, these companies are basically started their business by cloning Hakko products back in early 2000, the popular 936 for example. And others too designed most of their popular products by copying Hakko's designs namely hot air and desoldering gun.

Btw, the word "ancient" I mean here is probably these were 1st introduced at early 90s.

[ajb]

@ajb : ok, then, please, let me know, where exactly and how to put request for B5198 part? Or even do it yourself and sell it on profit on eBay or something...

I don't know why you're so hung up on this, but I bought it from TEquipment.net.  I don't remember if I used their quote request form or just sent them an email, but it really wasn't hard.  I'm sure any authorized Hakko dealer can get it for you, although the ones that regularly sell parts will probably be the most helpful.  If you really can't be bothered to email a dealer yourself I'll gladly sell you one for US$106 (shipping extra).

[gongstudios]

Could be interested in a 220 V edition - located in EU.

[agmbass]

Hi everybody !
I made a video of the FR 300 and the FR 301 ... just a quick look.

https://youtu.be/qiCTP9Nq2bI

[hrbngr]

agmbass,

thanks for the video. what is your opinion of the 301 so far? Any improvement over the 300?

[matura713]

I made a video of the FR 300 and the FR 301 ... just a quick look.

Please, could you measure the thickness of the black piece of plastic at the front of the gun, the so-called "flange" that is different between FR-300 and FR-301 and post the result here.

Also, any chance in the spirit of EEVBlog "don't turn it on, take it apart" to open it and make pictures of the board inside like the previous posts for FR-300 here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/hakko-fr-300-05-desoldering-iron-120v-gt-240v/msg1309916/#msg1309916

and the following one that shows how it's opened in an easy way:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/hakko-fr-300-desoldering-gun-teardown/

thank you!

[agmbass]

Pictures of the 300 and 301 flange

[matura713]

Pictures of the 300 and 301 flange

thank you!! so, it's only 4.72mm difference - it shouldn't be that difficult to be able to use fr300 flange and compensate that difference with washers/spacers, etc.

at least for me the last open question is: how fr301 temperature control is done - with LM2903 dual comparator (or similar simple solution) like fr300 is doing it or something else.

[Ray.B]

Hi Guys

    Ray.B here, I found on the Hakko website a picture of the old FR-300 and the new FR-301 circuit boards (PWB).  I attached the pictures of the b5011 for the FR-300 and the B5189 for the FR-301.  The pictures look almost the same except for the silk screening of the
name FR-300 and FR-301 on the board.  When the person that was commenting on the temperature adjustment wasn't visable in the adjustment hole.  I believe that they were looking at the pictures on the website, and the lighting wasn't good to see in the hole clearly. 
    Well on the circuit board differences, I think their are not very or any changes on the boards except the names.  You may be able to go on the Hakko website and get a magnified picture of the boards.

[matura713]

I think they are not very or any changes on the boards except the names.

based on the pictures, I think the same, i.e. that there is no any (significant) change except the name on the silk-screen.

actually, no change in the *motor power supply* circuit makes perfect sense, because in FR300 the *capacitor dropper* for voltage adjustment is mounted on the FR300 motor itself, not on the PCB. so,the line voltage direct drive motor in FR301 requires no any change on the PCB.

I had doubts about the *temperature control* circuit, because one of the new FR301 features stated is "High-Precision Temperature Control", which could be due to better heating element (e.g. better sensor in it, the new nozzles, etc) or some change on the PCB. apparently, from the picture it's the same good old *LM2903 dual comparator* circuit.

That's all more than a good news: conversion from FR300 to FR301 is not only possible, but without any loss of features. It also will be very easy to be done if the B5189 flange is easily available for purchase, if not then FR300 flange needs to be used with some spacer/washers and longer screws based on the 2 posts above yours.

[matura713]

just for completeness:

* good resolution pictures of FR-300 PCB are here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/hakko-fr-300-05-desoldering-iron-120v-gt-240v/msg1309916/#msg1309916

* best available resolution picture of FR-301 PCB is attached (in fact good enough that's possible to read "2903" on the dual comparator chip, i.e. same as FR-300)

[Sam44492]

Hi, the soldering process it's actually not known to me, I just have to deal with the end result, I wanted a tool that was having enough oompph to dislodge pins connected to copper planes, even if the examples were a bit to the max , but for example I have a standard 14 DIP package with 2-3 consecutive pins connected to a large ground plane, what about this situation, will 301 be able to suck them clean ? Or really we need a more powerful tool ?

 Cheers and thanks for the answer,
 DC1MC

Hello. I am new to this forum and wanted to see reviews of this new tool.
But while I was browsing, I discovered this helpful community, and a discount code.
Thank you all for links to the videos and the specs.

According to this video from 1982, you just need 1 hand to hold your tool, your 2nd hand to hold your iron on the other side, and your 3rd and 4th hands to hold your board up.

https://youtu.be/e8KRPFOD1RE?t=6m4s

[matura713]

[REQUEST]:

Anyone with FR-301, please, measure the diameter of, how to call it, "the hole in the barrel" of your FR-301.

I am attaching such picture of FR-300 to make it clear what i mean. Thank you!

[agmbass]

Do you mean this ?

[matura713]

Do you mean this ?

yes, thank you!!  There is typing error in English version of the PDF manual for FR301, where for housing same B5021 part as for FR300 is listed. However, in the Japanese version of the PDF the correct part number B5196 is listed. So, that hole is the only significant difference I can identify between the 2. Basically, FR300 housing should be convertable to FR301 one with extending this hole. IMHO, 13.5mm is unnecessarily big, everything over 12mm should work, because such size will allow part A5030 (the "front holder") to fit  - the diameter of the front part of the "front holder" is 12mm. So, for making FR300 housing compatible with FR301, I would go for something like a little over 12mm (e.g. 12.5mm) that way FR300 housing should be still usable for FR300 and at the same time compatible with FR301 - it becomes 2 in 1. BTW, the hole is 10mm on FR300 housing.

[matura713]

I want to report that I successfully converted my FR-300 to FR-301, as per all the information that was discussed here, i.e. with keeping the FR-300 flange and extend it with brass spacers and metal washers.

My biggest surprise was how easy and straight-forward it was - it took me less than 15 minutes of work, but that's just due to the long discussion here and as result of that I was very well prepared.

Costs are tremendous though: 150 USD for the parts, which is over 50% of brand new FR-301 in the USA.

So, IMHO one of the few scenarios in which it's not pointless (from financial point) to do it, is if your FR-300 heating element has failed - then investing in new FR-300 heating element would be waste of money and it's better to buy FR-301 heating element and do the conversion.

Also, if you want FR-301 and you're in places like the USA or Japan, it's better to sell your FR-300, add some money and buy brand new FR-301 instead pay 150 USD and do all the work involved in converting your old FR-300.

In my case it has more value in doing the conversion, because first of all it was cool project, second of all in Europe, FR-301 is very expensive - the only realistic way to buy it, is from USA or Japan (some eBay sellers), but then the custom duties come in place. So, with buying parts - no custom duties and relatively low shipping costs as the parts are small and not heavy. Another reason is that all my FR-300 nozzles were worn out and I did not want to invest in buying more legacy nozzles.

[Ray.B]

To ajb

ajb : I would suggest that you put request for B5198 part. I'm sure any authorized Hakko dealer can get it for you.  I have bought the newer FR-301 from American Hakko and a bunch of soldering tips,  in

California.  The people that man the phones are very helpfull in ordering parts, these are the actual Hakko company stores, not the online stores like TEquipment.net.  I was wondering if you were in the UK,

that people were having problems dealing with in Hakko dealer in England, I would suggest the one in Ireland.  Like matura713 said that it might take a few weeks to get the B5198, the screws were listed in

the parts list that is for the FR-301.  With the forces that are put on the Flange B5198, I would strongly suggest that you replace the FR-300 Flange with the FR-301 Flange.  Especially if you are using a

soldering iron holder, or doing lots of desoldering.  The Flange would be supported all around the back of the hot heating element, not just the four screws which could pull out of the case, opps.  The screws

with washers would be OK until the new Flange got there.  The screws and washers are a very weak spot, use what the engineers designed, it shouldn't cost that much its plastic. Later Ray.B

[okney1lz]

Was looking a 204/205, but went with the new 301.

Are we guessing that the 204/205 will get the newer nozzle design sooner than later?

My thought was, better to have something of a newer design,  that will be supported for longer. That and the 301 nozzles ar a bit cheaper.