Disappointment with the Ersa i-con Pico soldering station (more DIY editing)

[georgd]

The same dimension measured by OP on my i-CON Nano is 34.48 mm, against 35.83 mm measured by Charlotte.

Georg

[nctnico]

I vaguely remember that when we first got an i-CON nano at work, I thought that it was quite odd that you can barely screw on the nut until I realized that you have to push the soldering tips quite firmly into the nut so that they essentially become one unit. When you have done this, the nut and the tip are hard to separate, but the assembly screws on properly.

One of my customers has this model. IMHO you should get a screw cap for each tip so you can replace the tips quickly.

[HighVoltage]

One of my customers has this model. IMHO you should get a screw cap for each tip so you can replace the tips quickly.

That is exactly my thought and that is how I have store them on the brass sticks.
This way the exchange is easy and fast.

[madires]

Yep! Strongly recommended. I'm using an i-Tool for many years and have a dedicated screw cap for each tip. This makes things much simpler when changing tips. Also, I never had issues with badly seated tips so far. Similar advise for the ChipTool, i.e. get a collar set for each desoldering tip pair. It's a few bucks more but really helps.

PS, the screw caps are avaiable in two colors (black and green). Helps, when you have different tips for classic and lead-free solder to prevent mixing of both solder types.

[ebastler]

Yes, having one nut per (frequently used) tip is the only practical way to use the i-Tools in my opinion. A bit expensive, but that way you can even swap tips while they are still hot, without needing pliers or such.

@CharlotteSwiss -- if the tip slides out of the nut (once unscrewed) without the need to apply force, you most likely had not fully inserted the tip into the nut. The collar at the bottom of the tip needs to go past the little indents in the nut's metal cap. All the way in until it reaches the hard stop at the end of the metal cap. A forceful tug with your fingers is required, or even a careful tug with flat-noise pliers.

[CharlotteSwiss]

The same dimension measured by OP on my i-CON Nano is 34.48 mm, against 35.83 mm measured by Charlotte.

Georg

Thank
this confirms that my element was longer than normal. This prevented the nut from reaching 'comfortably' on the thread. The difference is about 1.5mm, I will have drilled more or less that size I think.
I should analyze the element better, somehow the heating element must have slipped forward. But now it will have to stay like this, after the change to the tips...

Yes, having one nut per (frequently used) tip is the only practical way to use the i-Tools in my opinion. A bit expensive, but that way you can even swap tips while they are still hot, without needing pliers or such.

@CharlotteSwiss -- if the tip slides out of the nut (once unscrewed) without the need to apply force, you most likely had not fully inserted the tip into the nut. The collar at the bottom of the tip needs to go past the little indents in the nut's metal cap. All the way in until it reaches the hard stop at the end of the metal cap. A forceful tug with your fingers is required, or even a careful tug with flat-noise pliers.

As written above, I believe the problem was the heating element being too long. I always stuck the tip all the way into his metal retainer, that's right the last click needed force (ok after click).
Thank you 

[wraper]

The same dimension measured by OP on my i-CON Nano is 34.48 mm, against 35.83 mm measured by Charlotte.

Georg

Thank
this confirms that my element was longer than normal. This prevented the nut from reaching 'comfortably' on the thread. The difference is about 1.5mm, I will have drilled more or less that size I think.
I should analyze the element better, somehow the heating element must have slipped forward. But now it will have to stay like this, after the change to the tips...

On multiple I-CON is have, it's 35.1mm to be more precise. 0.7mm shuld not make a significant differencуe, as with 35.1mm nut goes for more than 1mm past the thread which is just 3 turns. Again, I wrote about reports about plastic thread issues on the heater which you completely ignored.

[CharlotteSwiss]

The same dimension measured by OP on my i-CON Nano is 34.48 mm, against 35.83 mm measured by Charlotte.

Georg

Thank
this confirms that my element was longer than normal. This prevented the nut from reaching 'comfortably' on the thread. The difference is about 1.5mm, I will have drilled more or less that size I think.
I should analyze the element better, somehow the heating element must have slipped forward. But now it will have to stay like this, after the change to the tips...

On multiple I-CON is have, it's 35.1mm to be more precise. 0.7mm shuld not make a significant differencуe, as with 35.1mm nut goes for more than 1mm past the thread which is just 3 turns. Again, I wrote about reports about plastic thread issues on the heater which you completely ignored.

Can you explain better what I should check in the heater thread? I didn't ignore you, I just didn't understand your request.
I'm taking new measurements this evening, I was told that the tip wasn't properly inserted into the nut. If this were the case, the measurements I take should not coincide with yours.
Thank you

[wraper]

Like does thread look OK from all sides? As it's an injection molded part, there may be a misalignment between its halves.

[CharlotteSwiss]

Like does thread look OK from all sides? As it's an injection molded part, there may be a misalignment between its halves.

Then I go down to the workshop and check the parts carefully, take some better photos and some measurements. I'll update later. Thank you

[CharlotteSwiss]

Looking carefully at the thread of the heating element, in fact the first crests of the thread are 'worn out'. This is why the nut thread wasn't gripping. It has been ruined since I was struggling to reach this thread with the nut. If it had been metallic, this wouldn't have happened! (first image).

In the second image I highlighted the final click that the tip must make to allow the nut to screw on well. I always screwed with the tip in the right position.
In the second image you can also see the marks I made on the tips when I drilled them (bench vice) 

Happy New Year to all