Talk to me about JBC irons

[Rufus]

  About 10% of the energy supplied by the controller gets dissipated in that skinny cable  

If that was the case, you'd expect the cable to be warm, especially on our 250W units, but they sure don't (just rechecked).
Has anyone done an IR drop to confirm?

A T245 hand piece measures 250m ohm round trip. 245 cartridges that I have measure 2.2 to 2.6 ohms.

Keeping a 245 cartridge at 300C takes less than 5% of maximum power, so unless you are continuously soldering copper pipes the cable of your 250W iron is dissipating 10% of a lot less than 250W.

edit: A while ago I considered getting some JBC cartridges and hand piece (because they are what make the iron) and adapting a cheaper controller to drive them. I ended up buying a whole iron but carried on with a DIY controller design for fun when I have spare time. For that reason I have looked closely at the cartridges and hand piece.

[John Coloccia]

OK, I think I'm convinced.  I would love to get the modular ones but for what I'm doing at the moment, it's a bit out of my price range.  I will regret this decision when I decide I need a desolder station too, and I'll kick myself for not having the dual option....but when I get to that point, I won't care about the price.  $400 for the JBC compact unit is about right for me.  I think that the compact has the same power and controls as the higher end units, right?  I really hate that it's an all in one unit, but I'll live

Thanks for the input, everyone.

[digsys]

I will regret this decision when I decide I need a desolder station too, and I'll kick myself for not having the dual option . 

There's a reasonable range of tips for the T210 station, 2 irons, 1 micro tweezer and solder feeder.
You can simply buy the tools and NOT worry about the holder part. They work fine. Just means they won't sit perfect in the holder,
but that's ALL ! Actually, I've swapped the metal end part of the holder around and it's FINE. So all you really need to do is make
your own top metal piece and connect the E wire.
The Compacts don't have as much power as the modular line, but I rarely notice any difference when I switch constantly between irons.
Right now I suggest you DON'T worry about the de-soldering part !! I have a review coming up, it's not kind AT ALL.

[stormbr]

I have a review coming that compares the JBC desoldering station against the Hakko FM204 (sames as FM203) and 474.
MY results are surprising !!!!!

Great job, i'm waiting for good news.

[John Coloccia]

I will regret this decision when I decide I need a desolder station too, and I'll kick myself for not having the dual option . 

There's a reasonable range of tips for the T210 station, 2 irons, 1 micro tweezer and solder feeder.
You can simply buy the tools and NOT worry about the holder part. They work fine. Just means they won't sit perfect in the holder,
but that's ALL ! Actually, I've swapped the metal end part of the holder around and it's FINE. So all you really need to do is make
your own top metal piece and connect the E wire.
The Compacts don't have as much power as the modular line, but I rarely notice any difference when I switch constantly between irons.
Right now I suggest you DON'T worry about the de-soldering part !! I have a review coming up, it's not kind AT ALL.

I thought they were all 130W.  I intended on getting the T245 handpiece.  I know the T210 is limited to 40W, I think.

re: desoldering
It's not like I need it.  I mean, I never make mistakes so what's the point?

 

[Corporate666]

  About 10% of the energy supplied by the controller gets dissipated in that skinny cable  

If that was the case, you'd expect the cable to be warm, especially on our 250W units, but they sure don't (just rechecked).
Has anyone done an IR drop to confirm?

A T245 hand piece measures 250m ohm round trip. 245 cartridges that I have measure 2.2 to 2.6 ohms.

Keeping a 245 cartridge at 300C takes less than 5% of maximum power, so unless you are continuously soldering copper pipes the cable of your 250W iron is dissipating 10% of a lot less than 250W.

edit: A while ago I considered getting some JBC cartridges and hand piece (because they are what make the iron) and adapting a cheaper controller to drive them. I ended up buying a whole iron but carried on with a DIY controller design for fun when I have spare time. For that reason I have looked closely at the cartridges and hand piece.

As an aside, what sort of power does the base unit put out?  volts/amps?  DC I'm sure... just a straight signal or some sort of  PWM?

[digsys]

I thought they were all 130W.  I intended on getting the T245 handpiece.  I know the T210 is limited to 40W, I think. 

It's a bit confusing - what is in the specs and what I can SET isn't always the same. Luckily, what I can set is always higher.
PLUS, I have units from different batches, and they differ 10-20W, but again always higher.
I'm not at the workshop, but I'm almost 100% certain, the lowest I've seen is 80W (definitely not less), on the smallest iron.
120-150W is the average.

[digsys]

As an aside, what sort of power does the base unit put out?  volts/amps?  DC I'm sure... just a straight signal or some sort of  PWM? 

That would be a question for Rufo. I have a feeling, either he or someone else, has published those specs in these forums (forii ?sp)

[mikgntl-2013]

According to published specs, the output peak power is 130W (23.5V) for both the compact series (CD-2BX) and the single-tool modular unit (DI-2B).

[Rufus]

As an aside, what sort of power does the base unit put out?  volts/amps?  DC I'm sure... just a straight signal or some sort of  PWM?

The output is complete half mains cycles with very close to zero volt switching.

Power rating is a little vague, it is just a transformer and so is capable of substantial short term overload.

The CD and DIT single controllers are specified at 75W 'normal' and 140W 'peak'. The transformer is more 75VA size than 140VA. I have seen a CD controller pull more than 170W from the mains while warming up.

[John Coloccia]

Well, Janel has $500 of my hard earned dollars.  I'll report back when I take it for a spin.  They're right in New Jersey, I think.  I should have the iron by the end of the week at the latest....probably Weds. or so if they ship today.

[John Coloccia]

Wow...less than a day and already 3 pages and nearly 450 views.  Who knew a solder station would be such a hot topic?

A solder station shootout would be interesting.  I'm sure Dave has enough electronic geek friends that he should be able to dig up everything from the crappiest Radio Shack piece of junk to the nicest Pace mega-super-station giant thing.

[roli_bark]

JBC soldering and desoldering kit (with electrical pump) is more ou less 4.000,00 u$, but this is a dream of consume.
i'll wait the price down. 

I have a review coming that compares the JBC desoldering station against the Hakko FM204 (sames as FM203) and 474.
MY results are surprising !!!!!

Did you already post the comparison, or plan to?

[John Coloccia]

You know, one thing that I DON'T like about the JBC is their tip sizes.  They jump from 1.2mm to 1.8mm for the 245 tip.  I would have loved to see something in between.  Oh well.  Minor gripe

[robrenz]

C245-405 is high thermal efficiency super cartridge 1.5mm bevel tip
C245-905 is regular 1.5mm bevel tip
C245-259 is bent 1.5mm tip
C245-064 is 1.3mm tinned hoof tip

[John Coloccia]

C245-405 is high thermal efficiency super cartridge 1.5mm bevel tip
C245-905 is regular 1.5mm bevel tip
C245-259 is bent 1.5mm tip
C245-064 is 1.3mm tinned hoof tip

Yes, you're right...I'm sorry.  I mostly use chisel tips....really almost exclusively use chisel tips.

What I ordered was the CD-1BC (which comes with a 2.4mm high thermal chisel), and I then added the -759 (regular 2.4mm chisel), the -944 (1.8mm chisel) and the -806 (1.2mm chisel).  -759 is backordered....no big deal.

[robrenz]

My absolute favorite tip for general use is the C245-963 bent chisel.  It allows you to lay the large face of the chisel against your larger work for greater heat transfer.  I also fits between pins of large solder cup connectors and you can get the large face against the side of the cups.  Once you get used to it it is very versatile.  It's obviously not for small smd work.

[KJDS]

I've got a few JBC irons of differing types, as well as a lot of Metcals and a few Pace irons. I'm moving house tomorrow so it may be a week or two to organize something, but I'll try and get something done.

[nctnico]

BUY THE JBC!   You will never look back. It really is that good.   It even converted Dave and I didn't think thaw was going to happen.  Get a "high thermal efficiency super cartridge tip" also.

What iron did you step up to the JBC from?

Do you have any experience with the Pace setups or the Metcals?  Or the Weller WXMP?  If so, how would you compare them?

My idea exactly. I have used JBC irons extensively at my previous employer and wouldn't trade my Ersa irons if someone gave me a JBC with a lifetime supply of tips and $1000 cash.

[PA4TIM]

I have a Weller WS81 , since a few days an Oki HCT-900 and since a few years a  Pace MB250 with tweezers, desolder iron and solder iron (and found out after I ordered the Oki there is a airpencil for my Pace, should have known that before) and indeed the handpieces get warm. The solder iron is not a problem but it is a bit bulky, non the less I use it a lot. I like it very much. Even with a very small tip it gets everything together. Use the weller if the space is limitted. The tweezers are set at 380 degrees and get so hot they are sometimes hard to hold ( I do not have the original tips, use some homemades, probably with original tips it works fine at 320 degrees like the Iron). The desolderiron also gets warm but not unplesant.

I never jused a JBC but you only hear good things about them.

Pace has a whole series tutorials about (de)soldering made in 1982, old but still very usable and they go very deep.

[John Coloccia]

My Hakko FP-102 iron gets warm too.  It's not to the point that I"m burning myself, but I wish it were cooler.

[digsys]

   Did you already post the comparison, or plan to? 

Most pix are done, should be done this weekend.

[John Coloccia]

OK....it will actually be here tomorrow.  We'll see how it goes.  Thanks everyone for all the input.  I'm pretty excited to see how this thing performs.

[eKretz]

   Did you already post the comparison, or plan to? 

Most pix are done, should be done this weekend.

I'm looking forward to reading this. I own an Ersa iCon iron and like the other Ersa user, I wouldn't give it up for anything. I understand the JBC is on pretty much equal footing, although I like the feel of the Ersa hand piece better. They are both outstanding products, IMO. If you've found some interesting revelations, you've intrigued me, lol.

[mikgntl-2013]

OK....it will actually be here tomorrow.  We'll see how it goes.  Thanks everyone for all the input.  I'm pretty excited to see how this thing performs.

You can't go wrong with JBC equipment. You will be impressed for sure by its quality and performance.