The biggest setback of all soldering stations is the inaccuracy of its temperature reading over time. As the station and iron get older, the power gets weaker. The station may have a reading of 700°F (371°C), but that doesn't mean it's actually that temperature. In fact, you may be soldering at 650°F (343°C).
Or worse, if you replace your station with a new and advanced hand piece, your station may be set at a temperature when, in fact, it's actually 50 degrees hotter, which can ruin the PCB or component you're working on.
That's why it's important to calibrate your soldering iron regularly.
How To Calibrate Your Soldering Iron and Heating Element
There are different types of tip thermometers and calibrators out there, but for the purposes of this blog, we are showing you the Hakko FG-100-02.
Install The Sensors
Your tip thermometer will come with a set of tip sensors.
These sensors need to be looped onto the thermometer board. Be sure to match the blue and red sides of the sensor wire with the posts that are marked with blue and red dots on the thermometer board. These sensors are in effect, thermocouples, and polarity matters!
Note, each sensor typically lasts 30 to 50 measurements. The unit will come with ten total, and replacements are relatively inexpensive.
Test The Soldering Iron
Set your soldering iron to the desired temperature.
Once the station is up to that temperature, touch the soldering tip against the midpoint of the sensor. Be sure you do not press down against the wire. This could cause the wire to stretch which will create erroneous readings.
Keep the soldering iron pressed against that sensor until the thermometer finishes calibrating. Once the temperature of the thermometer stops moving upward, you will see an accurate reading of your soldering station and iron temperature.
After the soldering iron has reached the set temperature and stabilized, rest the tip flat on the sensor and apply a little solder to create a heat bridge. Keep the tip in contact with the sensor until the peak reading is achieved. It is best to repeat this 2 or 3 times to ensure you receive similar peak readings to be sure you are measuring correctly. What you will see on the digital display of the tip thermometer is an accurate reading of your soldering iron’s tip temperature.
If you have any questions we didn't answer for you, reach out to the HMC Electronics staff at Sales@hmcelectronics.com or 800-482-4440.
Happy soldering!