"Cold Heat" Soldering Iorn

Post by **bicostp** » Mon May 02, 2005 1:40 pm

Has anyone tried this thing? It's a pocket-sized soldering iorn that runs off of 4 AA batteries. Apparently it gets really hot on the tip in 2 seconds, and cools back down almost instantaneously. I already have a good Weller iorn, so I'm not going to buy it. I was just wondering if anyone else bought it before and what their impression of it was. If it's good, then why should you buy it? If it's bad, tell the problems you have had with it.

It sounds like one of those gimmicky kind of things like when they take a motorized nail filer and pass it off as a Dremel substitute.

I think the Cold Heat soldering iorn is a load of BS. In the print ads I have seen it says "For art, craft, light repair, and light PCB work". I don't call building [console name here]p's "light work"!

Post by **gannon** » Mon May 02, 2005 2:03 pm

It's not bad. It's real nice being able to solder in school though

Since it solder with electric current you need to be carefull though. If you bridge 2 pins of a chip with it you could fry the chip.

tom61 · Post by **tom61** » Mon May 02, 2005 2:15 pm

What type of solder are you using Gannon? I can't even get mine to start heating with the rosen core solder I'm using.

Doofus · Post by **Doofus** » Mon May 02, 2005 2:26 pm

It was pretty dang crappy.

Post by **gannon** » Mon May 02, 2005 2:56 pm

Mine came with some solder, so I normally just use that.

madc0w · Post by **madc0w** » Mon May 02, 2005 3:01 pm

my solder didn't heat up either. it really didn't work

ShaolinDrunkard · Post by **ShaolinDrunkard** » Mon May 02, 2005 4:07 pm

I have one and it works perfectly with rosin core solder.In fact im using it this very moment.Just make sur both contacts are touching and the red light turns on.

madc0w · Post by **madc0w** » Mon May 02, 2005 4:12 pm

i just use my friends normal iron

Geebs61 · Post by **Geebs61** » Mon May 02, 2005 5:00 pm

The tip forks at the end, and you must bridge the forks for the iron to even start heating up. Its not bad. I use it for light work, or if I don't have the time to wait for my iron to heat up. I am gonna try to use it to mod an xbox, we'll see how it works then.

nos_slived · Post by **nos_slived** » Mon May 02, 2005 6:22 pm

I got mine for Christmas, and I was pretty disappointed. I have tried using it several times, but couldn't get the solder to heat up at all. I was using solder varying from less than 0.2mm to more than 0.5cm. The problem is that you need thin solder, but it has to be thick enough to bridge the forked pins. I just thought that I could wrap some wire around it, and then it will stay hot. I think?

ShaolinDrunkard · Post by **ShaolinDrunkard** » Tue May 03, 2005 1:12 pm

You guys are crazy, just bridge the pins by placing the tip sideways(verticly)on the solder it doesnt matter the thickness it always work. Or if you cant handle that go to radio shack and pick up the pointed tip they sell for 9.99 it brings the two contacts closer together and makes it a little easier, but if you ask me it works fine the way it is. I mean come on its not like were welding here!

tom61 · Post by **tom61** » Tue May 03, 2005 1:16 pm

Mine must be defective I guess, as even when the contacts are bridged it doesn't get hot enough to melt the solder. All mine seems to do is generate sparks.

nos_slived · Post by **nos_slived** » Tue May 03, 2005 8:49 pm

Same problem.

Also, it is too thick to do any thing in a small space. All I wanted out of it was a cordless iron.

Doofus · Post by **Doofus** » Tue May 03, 2005 9:50 pm

My brother got angry with it and threw it on the floor.

ShaolinDrunkard · Post by **ShaolinDrunkard** » Tue May 03, 2005 10:38 pm

you guys must definetly have defective ones because mine never sparks.I'm wondering did you guys buy yours from radioshack or the T.V.
spot. Mine is from radioshack.