Soldering iron flex

[Scott M]

I've got a 25W Antex iron with, on the recommendations of those here, the silicone cable. A lot nicer to use than the standard flex I've always had before but, in the 18/24 months I've had it, I've had to to chop the plug off 3 times and remake the end as the cable cores have broken near the strain relief. This last time I've also had to redo the element end.

Because it's pliable the silicone is also very strechy and it takes its toll on the wire inside (which, incidentally, seems to be steel rather than copper.) After the first time, which I put down to letting the plug drop before coiling it back up, I've been careful but it still gives out. It lives in the toolbox as it has to travel rather than on a desk but doesn't have a particularly abused life.

So, before I end up with a 6" mains lead, where can I get a different grade of silicone something tougher if slightly less flexible? Or even the same stuff as I have now - can't seem to turn any up on eBay?

[newshound]

Can you sleeve the last few inches with sticky heat shrink to make it a bit more robust? And then clamp the strain relief on that, obviously.

[Scott M]

That's a good thought. Not got any sticky stuff but I suppose a squeeze of glue might work.

[Bob Eager]

Strangely, I've had a similar Antex (my first only lasted about 35 years) and I too went for the silicone cable. Never had any problem. It could be that I hold it differently, or something.

It's partly pensioned off as I have splashed out out a new Weller WT1010. Gulp.

[Archibald Tarquin Blenkinsopp]

Hmm!

Silicone cable sounds good, but if you are in danger of burning the cable, it suggests a problem with technique, not materials.

If the iron is class 1 then stick a length of PVC cable on it. If you burn through the insulation there is no significant risk and you will probably have a nasal, visible and acoustic indication of the event.

I owned and trashed literally hundreds of 25W irons in my time. I was not the most cautious worker, but never ever burnt a flex down to its conductors.

Later on we used Weller soldering stations, with silicone cable. These were well and truly hammered, they were in virtually constant use, all day, every day. A bit would last a few days at most, even with Savbit a week was stretching the lifespan of the bit.

I never ever replaced a silicone cable.

The nature of the work meant that the irons were often used at full stretch when trying mass component swaps in large drives, so even a guitar string emulation was not detrimental.

AB

[tabbypurr]

Rubber is better, it burns through much slower & more nasally.

how on earth did you manage that? throw them away without bothering to clean or file? Broken thermostat?

NT

[Archibald Tarquin Blenkinsopp]

Iron coated, we used to have little tubs of some kind of abrasive powder and the soggy sponge.

The iron coating would give at one small spot, then that was it, exponential wear and the file came out as the copper would just oxydise.

I might add that the thermostat was usually wacked fully up.

Temp control is good in theory, but there was no doubt that to depopulate and resolder a board quickly, the heat had to be high.

Overtime was available, but times were not good, so a poor turn around of work was an easy way to the jobcenter.

The type of job is still going and must be technically almost impossible now. Anyone in the work [3rd party Electrical/ Electronics repair], has my utmost respect and sympathy.

It truly is a breeding ground for stress, thrombies and loonies.

AB

[Scott M]

Que? It's mechanical wear and tear to the conductors, nothing to do with wrapping the cable round the hot bit!

[Scott M]

This gets coiled up and put in the small tool box and comes out once per job rather than living on a bench which probably doesn't help.

My previous one was a PVC cabled 18W Weller which was lasted years until the element went when it was dropped hot. I replaced it but the new element never ran as hot :-(

[Brian Gaff]

Have you contacted the manufacturer and pointed out the issues?

I remember back in my murky memory, you used to be able to get some over slaving which was longer than the strain relief's used, and that kind of helped, but then of course its stiffer than the old flex and might not be as good to use. Brian

[newshound]

Ordinary heat shrink might work too. I also thought about injecting some hot melt adhesive around the strain relief.

IMHO it is well worth having some "sticky heat shrink" in any toolbox, readily available in all sizes on eBay.

[Roger Hayter]

It is the choice of silicone in the first place that is based on fear of burning PVC.

[Archibald Tarquin Blenkinsopp]

Exactly, but if contact with heat is not a worry, why silicone cable?

PVC is fine, if you look hard you can find some that will set like a poker in cold weather, and maybe a 15W litesold might be too light for PVC, but a 25W iron is o/k with the cable supplied if the manufacturers choice is PVC.

I have used just about every available 25W iron and used them in all temperatures with no problem. I suppose some workshops were a bit frosty first thing, but if it was cold enough to stiffen the mains cable to the iron, the shivering of the operator would ensure a multitude of dry joints anyway. Better to wait for the heating to kick in.

Weller only supplied their soldering stations with silicone cable, but this was never a factor in choosing the equipment. Should another maker produce the same with PVC cable, if the cost saving was channeled through to the final price, then the Weller wouldn't have been ordered.

AB

[Bob Eager]

I bought it for the flexibility.

[Archibald Tarquin Blenkinsopp]

Then I wish you luck.

My physio say's "lose weight and exercise".

Silicone cable sounds easier, I'll try to bring her round :-)

AB

[tabbypurr]

PVC is fine. At least until the tip touches it and you have exposed conductors. I suppose cotton covered rubber, the old iron flex, would beat rubber alone.

NT

[Archibald Tarquin Blenkinsopp]

Try to pay attention, theres a good chap :-)

AB

[tabbypurr]

I do. You're free to post some constructive content now.

[Archibald Tarquin Blenkinsopp]

They were posted, you obviously didn't read them.

There will be questions later, so try to keep up to speed eh?

AB

[PeterC]

Not with mine - it was a small iron being difficult to use in awkward places with a 'flex' thet almost controlled where the bit went. I rewired 3 of them and they were much easier to use.