LIDL (Parkside) B2 soldering iron hack and schematic

Note - after the hack the iron will just keep flashing it's red LED to show it's cooling down forever, because the software thinks the tip is still warm. You have to remember to unplug the unit from the battery for total shutdown.

For such a nicely designed soldering iron it seems really odd that every single model of these has been supplied set to an unusually high tip temperature that stresses the element and will destroy the tips quickly. With older models you could nudge that down with a button clicking calibration sequence covered in a different video. With this one it takes the addition of a resistor in the handle to get down to a sensible tip temperature.

The sticking power button was just a tolerance issue with the case. If you experience the same thing you may be able to resolve it by slightly loosening the case screw closest to the button.

I missed one line from my schematic. The chip's connection to the zero volt rail.
The circuit design is pretty solid with extra safety features that you don't find in generic products. I'd like to know what the chip is - if it's a standard rebadged microcontroller or if it's a cordless-tool specific one.

The temperature sensor in these is probably an RTD - Resistance Temperature Detector. They are often based on a simple coil of a pure metal wire that shows a significant resistance change with heat. They have a very consistent response and are very resilient to high temperatures. They are simpler than thermocouples, both in construction and their associated circuitry.

The 33 ohm resistor I added is fine for normal soldering tasks with leaded solder, but you may wish to use a 22 ohm resistor for a bit more zing.

The temperatures I measured during tests (after a stabilisation time) were:-
100 ohm = 300C
56 ohm = 340C
47 ohm = 360C
33 ohm = 370C
22 ohm = 380C
10 ohm = 425C
The results may have been skewed slightly by thermal inertia and other factors.

After the hacks these irons are pretty good. Very convenient with the cordless freedom and quick heat-up time.
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