=  NOW 40 WPM  =
POORLY MADE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD PCB CAN LITERALLY BE BURNED AND
ITS COPPER TRACES AND PADS LIFTED UP OR EVEN DESTROYED.  THE BURN
MARK SHOWN IN THE PHOTO IS DUE PRIMARILY TO A POOR QUALITY PCB AND A
TIP TEMPERATURE SET FOR LEAD FREE SOLDER.  BEFORE WE LOOK AT THE
OTHER COMMON PROBLEM, LETS EXAMINE A GOOD SOLDER JOINT IN FIGURE F.
THOSE COLORS YOU SEE ARE NOT ACTUALLY IN THE JOINT A GOOD SOLDER
JOINT IS SHINY, SO WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PHOTOGRAPH IS A REFLECTION OF
THE MICROS THE NEXT MENU BUTTON PUSH SETS ALL TEMPERATURE DISPLAYS
TO FAHRENHEIT OR CELSIUS F OR C.  THE FINAL MENU SETTING, INDICATED
BY A SMALL PADLOCK SYMBOL ON THE LOWER RIGHT OF THE DISPLAY, LETS
YOU LOCK THE SETTINGS FOR A SET TIME, SELECTABLE FROM 1 TO 999
MINUTES.  IN SUMMARY ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, YOU COULD UNPACK THIS
UNIT FROM THE BOX, PLUG IT IN AND, EXCEPT FOR SETTING THE TIME TO GO
INTO STANDBY, YOU COULD BE SOLDERING WITH A KNOWN TEMPERATURE IN
JUST A FEW MINUTES.  THE AUTOMATIC STANDBY FEATURE IS A GOOD IDEA.
TIP CHANGE IS EASY AND REQUIRES NO TOOLS.  ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE
INSTRUCTIONS ARE SKETCHY AND THE WEB PAGES AND YOUTUBE VIDEOS DO NOT
ANSWER MANY QUESTIONS.  HAKKO FX 888D IF YOU WANT A COLORFUL UNIT
THAT WILL DECORATE YOUR WORKBENCH IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING A
SELECTABLE TEMPERATURE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO PICK THIS ARTISTICALLY
COLORED AND SHAPED UNIT.  IT COMES AS A COMPLETE KIT, INCLUDING A
DIGITAL CONTROLLER AND AN IRON WITH A PLUGGABLE CABLE, AS SHOWN IN
THE PHOTO.  THE ON/OFF ROCKER SWITCH IS MOUNTED ON THE RIGHT SIDE
AND THERE IS A PERMANENTLY INSTALLED 120 V LINE CORD IN THE REAR.
THE DETACHABLE 70 W IRON PLUGS WITH A KEYED CONNECTOR INTO THE FRONT
PANEL, BELOW THE THREE DIGIT TEMPERATURE DISPLAY.  THE DECIMAL
POINTS IN THE DISPLAY INDICATE MODES AND STATUS.  FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN
THE SOLDERING IRON TIP REACHES THE SET TEMPERATURE, THE RIGHT MOST
DECIMAL POINT BLINKS TO INDICATE READINESS.  THE IRON HOLDER BASE
HAS TWO TIP CLEANERS A SPONGE WITH A SMALL RESERVOIR OF WATER
BENEATH IT, AND A BRASS WOOL BUNDLE INSIDE THE BASE.  ONE TIP IS
SUPPLIED WITH THE KIT, AND A SET OF ADDITIONAL TIPS IS AVAILABLE.
THE TIPS ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE WITH THOSE OF OTHER MANUFACTURERS.
THE TEMPERATURE SENSING ELEMENT IS PART OF THE HANDLE ASSEMBLY, AND
THE TIP FITS OVER IT.  TIP CHANGE IS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT SHOWN FOR
THE WELLER UNIT AGAIN, NO TOOLS ARE NEEDED.  IN THE BOX IS A FOLDOUT
LEAFLET OF INSTRUCTIONS MORE ON THIS LATER.  THE BASE SIZE IS
APPROXIMATELY 3R9 X 4R7 X 4R7 INCHES, AND THE WEIGHT IS ABOUT 2R6
LBS.  ELECTRO STATIC PROTECTION, AS SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER,
IS FROM HAVING LESS THAN 2 RESISTANCE FROM THE TIP TO GROUND, AND NO
MORE THAN 2 MV FROM TIP TO GROUND.  THE SETTABLE TEMPERATURE RANGE
IS GIVEN AS 120 TO 899 F, WITH STABILITY OF 1R8 F WHEN SET TO THE
RANGE OF 400 899 F.  THIS TEMPERATURE RANGE, CONTROLLING A 70 W
IRON, PROVIDES ENOUGH HEAT FOR LEADED AND NON LEADED SOLDER PCB WORK
AND OTHER SMALL JOBS, BUT NOT FOR A PL 259.  PERFORMANCE IS LIKE THE
WELLER UNIT FOR HEATING TIME, RECOVERY, AND
=  END OF 40 WPM TEXT  =  QST DE W1AW  <