78Views5Replies
Soldering iron on without tip inserted?
Well, this is the second soldering fiasco I've documented on Instructables. I recently got a new tip for my soldering iron, but when I inserted it, I forgot to ensure that it was inserted all the way. When I turned the iron on, I gradually smelled what seemed like burnt plastic and resistors. I turned it off after about 3-5 min. of this, not realizing that the tip wasn't inserted. What did I just do to my soldering iron, and what did I inhale for a short period of time?
Discussions
3 years ago
Why would it have a burnt plastic smell? Maybe from the handle?
Your soldering iron just got too hot and the resistor now has a couple million ohms...
4 years ago
Update: my soldering iron is completely broken. I need a new one, apparently.
Answer 4 years ago
Pictures? Melting plastic does not sound right even if the tip was inserted improperly.
Answer 4 years ago
I returned it, but there were burnt and charred wires on the inside of the iron and some of the casing looked burnt on the inside. :/
Answer 4 years ago
If you plan on getting a new one, make sure to get a temperature controlled iron. Avoid the tempting >$20 one's that plug directly into the wall, they are junk and no good. Temp. controlled ones cost a little more, but are far better, and as you can precisely control the soldering process. They are good a investment if you plan on doing lots of electronics work. Just be cautious of models that have a station and knob, with only numbers like 1-10, they are not temperature controlled, just wattage control, and the temperature can still swing up and down.