Pace ADS200 soldering station

[Bud]

So how's that innovating in any way... People have been using brass wool for years. Is the innovation in wiping the tip with cloth after tinning? I must be missing something.

[MacMeter]

So how's that innovating in any way... People have been using brass wool for years. Is the innovation in wiping the tip with cloth after tinning? I must be missing something.

The graphic text says it was a “SECRET” method. 

[Dyaxxis]

The videos I posted earlier are NOT mine, but I do find them informative, even if not necessarily viable for everyone.

Now, I like the fact that the ADS200 unit and current tip line are an excellent value, however... I use special tip shapes in my current set that are similar to what is seen in Marc Seigel's Pace video and almost all of them are considerably more expensive than their conventional shaped counterparts. I hope that the AccuDrive special tips would be much cheaper than what's currently available for other irons, but I'll have to wait and see.

Regardless of price, I tried a similar method to what's in the John Gammel video and all of my tips have lasted almost twice as long than before, yet I been able to reduce my tip cleaning consumable use and costs significantly.

Just my experience. 

[Bud]

What exactly is informative in the above video? It shows a tip being wettened and then wiped with some sort of material that the blurry video does not allow to see what the wipe material may be made of. There is no brass wool in the video at all. Unless it was an April fool, i fail to see how one can find it a useful video.

[Dyaxxis]

What exactly is informative in the above video? It shows a tip being wettened and then wiped with some sort of material that the blurry video does not allow to see what the wipe material may be made of. There is no brass wool in the video at all. Unless it was an April fool, i fail to see how one can find it a useful video.

It works well for myself a few others and if it doesn't for you so be it. End of story.

[helius]

The material is a Kimwipe, based on my knowledge of IPC techniques (you can see it used in other videos).
It is recommended to wipe over an empty trash bin as solder may fall down.

[Shock]

The material is a Kimwipe, based on my knowledge of IPC techniques (you can see it used in other videos).
It is recommended to wipe over an empty trash bin as solder may fall down.

Yeah you want to wipe off and away from the tip, same for brass wool. I believe he is just using a dry wipe in this case. I've cleaned cold tips with IPA but I'm not sure how wise it is to do with a hot tip.

[Elasia]

The material is a Kimwipe, based on my knowledge of IPC techniques (you can see it used in other videos).
It is recommended to wipe over an empty trash bin as solder may fall down.

Yeah you want to wipe off and away from the tip, same for brass wool. I believe he is just using a dry wipe in this case. I've cleaned cold tips with IPA but I'm not sure how wise it is to do with a hot tip.

It will auto ignite at around 400C

[Dyaxxis]

I'm not too sure if Aaron from Pace would be able to confirm or not, but since I'm awaiting AccuDrive hot-tweezers and blue series special tips, I'm very curious if one of several future AccuDrive stations would be similar to the ST 115.

[wrinklehead]

Has there been any movement in getting the various issues fixed.  I'm looking for a new soldering station and wondering if this is safe to order yet...

[Alex Eisenhut]

Who knows? I put in an order two months ago with a local supplier and I still don't have anything. PACE hasn't been updating anything here.

[Shock]

Has there been any movement in getting the various issues fixed.  I'm looking for a new soldering station and wondering if this is safe to order yet...

When Tequipment has stock it's a good indicator the ball is rolling again. This second batch should have the first models coming with optional instant setback stands. Worth waiting for in my opinion.

Here is another picture to drool over in the meantime.

[EEVblog]

So I haven't really been following this saga. Did Pace ever say what the problem with the tips was and how they fixed it?

[Shock]

So I haven't really been following this saga. Did Pace ever say what the problem with the tips was and how they fixed it?

Mike from MikesRadioRepair purchased 11 tips with his station and 3 had probs. Pace identified that 2 were from a very early batch that had a known and resolved issue. The other tip had a heating capacity problem and they were going to do failure analysis on it. So it was more like 1 out of 11 tips had to be looked into.

It didn't seem to be the entire range or a design type prob since Mikes tips were replaced the next day. But no they havn't mentioned what it was, it doesn't look too serious though as his replacements seem to work fine.

[labjr]

Not sure about the tips but the Pace rep at Tequipment told me they made a change to the machining of the handpiece. Not sure why the long silence. Maybe they're taking the time to be positive that it's all corrected so they don't have any more issues with the roll-out.  The internet tends to be pretty ruthless when it comes to public relations.

[Elasia]

Not sure about the tips but the Pace rep at Tequipment told me they made a change to the machining of the handpiece. Not sure why the long silence. Maybe they're taking the time to be positive that it's all corrected so they don't have any more issues with the roll-out.  The internet tends to be pretty ruthless when it comes to public relations.

Interesting... wonder if they will send me one once they get it rolling again.. although mine seems fine.  The rep happen to say what they changed with it?

[labjr]

Interesting... wonder if they will send me one once they get it rolling again.. although mine seems fine.  The rep happen to say what they changed with it?

He didn't say. When I asked why their was no ETA, he explained briefly that there were a few minor issues. The hand-piece being one of them. Also firmware changes to the base unit and a small percentage of early production tip cartridges which we already knew about. 

[hrbngr]

So, of the issues I have read about the unit so far, there is the QC on the tips--something that they will probably "iron" out in the manufacturing process.

Secondly, the rubber O-ring/gasket that is friction fit inside the handpiece not staying in position, moving around, etc (first mentioned in post# 266 by Dolivas) -- are thing going to re-design this?

Finally, we have the firmware upgrade to lower the minimum temperatur as well as being able to buy the unit with the instant setback stand--that should just be a matter of time.  Is that about everything?

[labjr]

Perhaps the machining of the handpiece was tweaked because the o-ring seal? Of course I'm speculating.

I think the firmware also had a bug in where the setback function wasn't working properly.

[VK4GHZ]

This extended wait is a killer!

It would be nice if Aaron from Pace could update us.
(Can anyone local in the USA drop in and suggest that?)

But, I appreciate he may not want to get bogged down in answering endless questions on a forum like this, and he may have been directed from above to STFU until it's officially sorted and re-released.

Will have to look at alternatives soon.

[Bud]

They are 4 months late. JBC must be laughing.

[Shock]

They are 4 months late. JBC must be laughing.

Oh look another potential Pace customer unhappy with JBC firmware, tips, design, reliability, price, marketing hype, customer service.

It's actually more like 6 weeks so far. In the USA they weren't going into large scale production and do the instant setback stand until April.

[Alex Eisenhut]

A simple message like "we're redesigning X because we made a mistake" would be a lot better than silence.

[Bud]

They are 4 months late. JBC must be laughing.

Oh look another potential Pace customer unhappy with JBC firmware, tips, design, reliability, price, marketing hype, customer service.

It's actually more like 6 weeks so far. In the USA they weren't going into large scale production and do the instant setback stand until April.

How is it 6 weeks when their ad was saying "available in March" ? We are at mid June today.

[Cliff Matthews]

Maybe he's on early summer holidays? I'll shoot off an email , maybe we'll get better info.. Happy fathers day!! 

FWIW, I too have been waiting to retire some old friends: