Thermaltronics TMT-9000s Review

[saturation]

Thanks Mike.  I didn't realize they had more than 1 company website.  They are even making a PS900 equivalent:

http://www.thermaltronics.com/whats_new.php

Do you think its power output is more like the Metcal 5000 [ ~$600] or the PS900 [~$300]?

It will be the equivalent of the Metcal 5000 -  the PS900 uses 470kHz

[dfnr2]

Do you think its power output is more like the Metcal 5000 [ ~$600] or the PS900 [~$300]?

Tips are ~ AU$17.

With output power of 30W, it's closer to the MX-500.  The newer MX-5000 series is supposed to put out 80W.  I'm guessing that OK didn't have much incentive for a newer unit until their patent expired.  That probably means they didn't figure the demand for an 80 watt unit would justify the production, until they had to compete and got marketing involved.

These units are pretty simple, so I'd expect that if the Thermaltronics unit is solidly built and good quality, it will perform--and endure--just as well as the Metcals, so the choice would really come down to price. I think most people would be more than fine with the 30-40 watt unit.  Are the handpieces and tips really interchangeable with the metcal parts?

Dave

[wkb]

Do you think its power output is more like the Metcal 5000 [ ~$600] or the PS900 [~$300]?

Tips are ~ AU$17.

With output power of 30W, it's closer to the MX-500.  The newer MX-5000 series is supposed to put out 80W.  I'm guessing that OK didn't have much incentive for a newer unit until their patent expired.  That probably means they didn't figure the demand for an 80 watt unit would justify the production, until they had to compete and got marketing involved.

These units are pretty simple, so I'd expect that if the Thermaltronics unit is solidly built and good quality, it will perform--and endure--just as well as the Metcals, so the choice would really come down to price. I think most people would be more than fine with the 30-40 watt unit.  Are the handpieces and tips really interchangeable with the metcal parts?

Dave

I think my Metcal RFG-30 is 50W or somesuch.  Never had any desire for a higher power unit.

[robrenz]

Higher available wattage in a fast thermal recovery iron is a awesome thing behold if you solder high thermal mass joints. I often do large industrial connectors with solder cups.  Using a JBC with 75W continuous and 130 peak wattage cut my time per joint by a factor of 5 over my trusty Weller WTCP.  Since the temperature is controlled the extra wattage is only used when necessary and if you have a good thermal connection with your joint.  But tip size and style have a huge impact on how good a thermal connection you get and how much wattage can be delivered while maintaining the set tip temperature.  I you are comparing irons when soldering a 20 AWG lead on a double side board (very low thermal demand) you will not see the value of very fast thermal recovery with high available wattage.  But solder a 14AWG wire into a heavy multi pin connector solder cup and you will become a believer.

[wkb]

Higher available wattage in a fast thermal recovery iron is a awesome thing behold if you solder high thermal mass joints. I often do large industrial connectors with solder cups.  Using a JBC with 75W continuous and 130 peak wattage cut my time per joint by a factor of 5 over my trusty Weller WTCP.  Since the temperature is controlled the extra wattage is only used when necessary and if you have a good thermal connection with your joint.  But tip size and style have a huge impact on how good a thermal connection you get and how much wattage can be delivered while maintaining the set tip temperature.  I you are comparing irons when soldering a 20 AWG lead on a double side board (very low thermal demand) you will not see the value of very fast thermal recovery with high available wattage.  But solder a 14AWG wire into a heavy multi pin connector solder cup and you will become a believer.

Believe me, I know.  The Metcal beats my Weller WECPs hands down soldering high AWG stuff.  Still, I never felt the Metcal would be better with higher power cap.

As a aside: anybody know why there appear to be no Thermaltronics parts on evilBay?

[mikeselectricstuff]

As a aside: anybody know why there appear to be no Thermaltronics parts on evilBay?

I think they're just too new - they've only been around a year or two. Metcal has been around for 15-20 years.

 

[AndersAnd]

The solder station is sold in two different input line voltage versions for different markets:
TMT-9000PS-1    100-110 VAC
TMT-9000PS-2    220-240 VAC

Can you tell how easy it is to convert from 100-110 volt input to 220-240 volt input?

For the old Metcal MX-500P-11 with an old-fashioned 50-60 Hz mains transformer it's just a matter of removing two jumpers and add a new one to convert the transformer from 115 volt to 230 volt mode [and probably also changing the "slo-blo" fuse from T1.25A to T630mA] as you can tell from the schematic: http://www.eserviceinfo.com/downloadsm/33981/Metcal_MX-500P-11.html

[Feuerbard]

Can you tell how easy it is to convert from 100-110 volt input to 220-240 volt input?

yes   - same transformer like in mx-500



its in original 110 v position  - to convert in 220v version simply connect inner contacts of transformer like in mx-500

[Feuerbard]

easy autosleep to tmt 9000 stand 



use strong neodimium magnet  , idle temp 180 - 200 C