Product Test-Soldering Iron

[DJ]

Yesterday, I purchased of of the "Cold Heat" soldering irons.<br /><br />I took it home and tried to solder some trailer light wires (16 ga.). NO GO! The brochure says it will solder 12-24 ga.<br /><br />It got HOT where it wasn't supposed to and did not solder anything. Worthless, IMHO.<br /><br />I took it back-disappointed.

 

[JB]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

Ya shoulda watched for the code word in the commercial, DJ.<br /><br />One "AMAZING" it is shady, two "AMAZINGS" it is sucker bait. More than that it is outright fraud.

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

Yup, you're not alone (not me). Buying a standard 25-40 watt soldering iron (120A/C) will do PCB board repairs. A 100-250 Watt Weller soldering gun is a good bet for 'heavier' soldering jobs. The Cold Heat is a gimmick in my book. The tip is way to wide for any serious PCB work, especially nowadays with SMT etc.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

The problem is the AA batteries cannot POSSIBLY provide more than a few watts of heat. Not even close to 25 watts, which is about the lowest plug in iron you can buy. If you want cordless go with butane.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

I'm with the Z,<br /><br />I have one of those pocket butane sodering irons that look like a pen, works like a hundred men and a little greek boy.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

Did you keep the amazing wire splicing tool that came with the "but wait theres more" pitch. According to the commercial you get to keep that gift if you are not totally satisfied with the Cold Heat thing.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

DJ, I guess I am sorry you got shanked on that product, but I am secretly glad that you found out that it was bollocks before I bought one. I, as you probably were, have been intrigued by it. They make it look so cool, then so hot, then so cool. In the back of my mind I always felt that AA batteries cannot generate that much amperage, but I also thought maybe it was a fresh infusion of alien technology. Do the wire strippers work?

 

[KRS]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

I believe the commercial only shows them melting solder that is already in place, and pressing a wire into it. I don't believe they showed it melting new solder. I think that if you placed it on an old circuit board, and put it to work, it just might do it... but trying to solder wires with a chunk of new solder won't.

 

[ndemge]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

az... yup, in the comercial they melt solder, they don't do the ACT of soldering. ya gotta heat the item that melts the solder, not the other way around, that's just gluing.

 

[DJ]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

All is not lost. I got my money back. No, I didn't keep the stripping tool because I would have had to mail in to get it, with $7.95 for Shipping and Handling, of course. <br /><br />It was a whim. I just thought, what the heck, I'll give it a whirl.<br /><br />I broke out "Old Weller" to finish the job. <br /><br />I did write the Company. I typed up a real letter with a stamp and everything and sent it yesterday. I told them, very politely, to be expecting a warranty claim from Home Depot.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

I got one of those as a gift a year or two ago. Wouldn't solder anything.

 

[bootle]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

Ya would have done better had you spent the money on a chichichi..chia

 

[Trent]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

Junk.. Darn DJ.. Must have been a weak moment?

 

[DJ]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

Junk.. Darn DJ.. Must have been a weak moment? <br />

Twas that. I'll admit. But, no $$$ lost, just some time.

 

[flashback]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

I also have a butane model and it is the best since sliced bread, It has 3 interchangable tips. one for soldering, one for shrinking heat shrink tubing, and one for cutting rope..

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

I want to get a butane one, they look cool. <br /><br />I just got one of these cold heat ones for chrismas, my dad got it for me. I just got done trying it out. It's the 'pro' and uses 5 cells instead of 4 and has 2 heat settings. <br /><br />On the high setting it immediately cooked medium size rosin core solder. I made a couple splices and soldered them together, worked perfect and super quick.<br /><br />On the low setting it had a hard time melting the thincker solder consistently but easily melted the thinner solder. <br /><br />I love it. I'm still going to keep my corded ones since I have a little collection, but I see myself using this new one more often for quick stuff. It really worked perfect. Maybe I'm lucky. <br /><br />On as side note, after doing up a few solder joints (maybe three or 4) the tip was pretty hot a few seconds after I stopped. Definitely not cool to the touch, but not hot enough to burn which takes a good 5 minutes to do with a typical iron. <br /><br />

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Product Test-Soldering Iron

Also the tip included is only good for maybe a 1970 RCA amplifier. must be 3/16" wide and looks like a screwdriver. But they also have a pinpoint one and a few other shapes. I'm dissappointed it came with the lousy tip but at least you can change it out.