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Forum Index : Other Stuff : What cheap 12v soldering iron to get?
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| karmacoma Newbie  Joined: 25/08/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 17 |
I'm looking on eBay to buy a 12v soldering iron for occasional use on our 12v 100W remote area household PV system. The Scope and Weller ones are too expensive ($100+). The cheapies range from $7 to $30. There's all different wattages. Would 30W be adequate? Anything else about them that I should look for? Among the Australian sellers, a "Toledo" 12v 30w seems to be sold by many, e.g. Toledo 12V 30W from SCA. Is that likely to be ok? Or am I likely to have trouble? Basically the uses will be to tin twisted cable ends, solder repair various plugs and switches, that sort of thing. -Ian- |
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| greybeard Senior Member  Joined: 04/01/2010 Location: AustraliaPosts: 161 |
I had a low wattage 12v iron many years ago (30w from memory). Found it very slow to warm up and not very good at holding temperature. ie low duty cycle. I now use a cheap 300w 240v inverter and my mains voltage weller iron for anywhere with 12v. For occasional use it works well and if I happen to be around 240v then I still have a soldering iron I can use. |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Thats a good idea greybeard. 300 watt inverters are so cheap, a modified square wave would be fine, and you could run any soldering iron you want. I wouldn't use a soldering iron less than 50 watts. The higher wattage means you can heat up the joint and flow the solder quicker, so less heat damage. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| karmacoma Newbie Joined: 25/08/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 17 |
Well I'm glad I asked. We haven't got an inverter, simply because everything we've got (not much - fans, a small tv, led lights, usb chargers and laptops) is direct 12v or dc-dc converted, and all our tools are hand tools. So might not get an inverter this time around (though won't rule it out just yet). But now I know to look at the 60w soldering irons I saw on eBay, and avoid the 30w ones. Thanks heaps -Ian- |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
You could pick up an inverter for less than the soldering iron! A 300 modified square wave inverter goes for about $60. See http://www.radioparts.com.au/product/33779025/pin300usb?gclid=CJarrej-19ICFUlvvAodEbYDtg#.WMjtt_mGOHs Be handy to have. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| karmacoma Newbie Joined: 25/08/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 17 |
Glenn, if you think that that Radio Parts one you linked to would be good, then that would give me confidence - it really is a low price - but I've got no background really to judge price/quality on inverters. Is it an advantage to get a 300W inverter rather than a smaller one from the point of view of better efficiency even with smaller loads (like a 60W soldering iron), or is it just good to have 300W because you then can run appliances up to 300W? The alternative - cheap 12V 60W soldering irons on ebay - cost $12 or so, and methinks they must be pretty dodgy. A brand-name 12V 60W+ soldering iron costs $100+. So the inverter route does make sense. -Ian- |
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| greybeard Senior Member Joined: 04/01/2010 Location: AustraliaPosts: 161 |
MY cheapo 300w inverter came from Jayacr. It's a modified square wave inverter. I usually chuck it in the camper for when I go away. SO far I've used it for the soldering Iron and for a small hand mixer when I was mixing a pavlova to cook in the camp oven. (Pav was great as well). One of those handy things that has a lot of uses when you have to run a small 240v appliance from a 12v supply. I've also used it for a small power drill. I wouldn't run my camp from it but it's a handy purchase. |
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| Boppa Guru  Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
I would say either get an inverter and use a temp controlled iron or get a butane soldering iron- I have and use both for autoelectrical work, the 12v irons take `days' to get up to temp (well it seems like it) and I have never had one survive more than a couple of uses- the element seems to fail very quickly Depending on what you are soldering, a 30w is almost useless for anything over 2 or 3mm- 60w up to 5mm but for bigger cables a 120w is the best, and can be used on anything smaller as well But I still mostly just use my gas fired iron (its a portasol, but they are $$ because trade quality)- for occasional use- cheaper ones (jaycar has them) are fine best thing with a gas iron is many you can unscrew the soldering iron tip and change bit sizes- or change to a gas flame and solder even battery terminals on starter motor cables (also handy for starting campfires when you run out of matches lol) |
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