this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2024
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I want to know how they aim to improve battery-based soldering irons, since heat requires lots of juice, period.
The only thing we can do is improve the efficiency of that conversion, which just means even faster consumption of batteries.
The only area that can improve is in the tip - better sizing to the job at hand (good luck, this is a portable device, meaning you never really know) and better insulating it so less heat is lost to the rest of the device (and that's been solved for decades in better quality irons).
My higher quality irons have a very small tip, with very little heat lost to the holder.
The other option is carbon tips, which I've had, and work great. But they're fragile.
Edit: ah, they're not talking about efficiency, I misunderstood.
Cool idea, actually. Are they using 18650 batteries?
Edit 2: $250 for the power station? Are they on crack? No thanks. My Weller 120v station was maybe $120, I can run an extension cord. This is what they're competing with, or a Milwaukee cordless. Once Milwaukee sees this, they'll duplicate it, and it's hard to beat the flexibility of removable batteries which are designed for high current.
And yet I still want this.
They also have to compete with butane powered cordless soldering irons which can be had for $25-75.
There's an argument to be made about not wanting combustion products in whatever space you're working in, but soldering already releases fumes that really should be ventilated or at least run through a particulate filter.
My Portasol or Pyropen are going to be much more maneuverable in tight spaces than this thing. Way cheaper, and no batteries to die or need replacement.
Ya, the author makes this sound revolutionary, but small irons that can be powered by battery have been around for years.
Check out the TS80P or Pinecil. Small, for portability/easy handling, heat from cold to 360C in ~12 seconds, have fine tips available, run on open source ironos, are relatively cheap (30-$80 USD), and can be powered by a USBC wall adapter or battery bank that supports PD or QC3.
They've been the darling of RC/quad copter enthusiasts who constantly need to do solder repair jobs in the field.
I have both. I use mine for "maker board" stuff, which would probably be considered the same basic category iFixIt, and have been extremely impressed.