Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[Brian60]

I've had this soldering station for around 5 months now. I used it two days ago and left it out as you can see. Today as I reached across the casing brushed my arm and I noticed it was warm.

It seems that these units do not turn off internally when the switches on the fascia are off. It continues to supply power to its transformer! So you might think its off but internally it is still live creating electrical heat (not soldering heat) from the transformer. So apart from increasing your electricity bill it cold also be a fire risk.

Make sure its unplugged after use!

[FsASTSyd1]

Hi Brian - I suspect you might find the same thing on many electrical items, as you so rightly say either unplug it or at least make sure it is turned off at the mains socket.

[stevesteve]

Whilst wasteful on the electricity (only a tiny amount) generally transformers are not a problem left on with no load, it will sit there quite happily for years like that and give no problems.

[stevesteve]

If something like that is used daily, it can actually prolong its life where the transformer is not going through heating and cooling cycles every single day for years but if only used now and then, there's no benefit.

[jarvo]

Thanks for the warning, i have the same soldering station and didn't realise it would still be live. It lives in a slightly damp workshop so PULL THE PLUG!!!!!

[Colin Bishop]

If it is getting warm then it is using an appreciable amount of current so best to disconnect completely. And safer too!

Colin

[NoNuFink]

At the risk of teaching how to suck eggs:-

Switch markings:-
Circle = Off
Verticle stroke = On
Verticle stroke entirely within circle = On/Off  - see below
Verticle stroke through broken circle - Standby/Off - see below

If those markings aren't there, the chances are that it's a low power secondary switch i.e. not mains switch.

Anything else is either over approx 30 years old or in contravention of European Regs

[NFMike]

Verticle stroke entirely within circle = On/Off  - see below
Verticle stroke through broken circle - Standby/Off - see below

Well, I never realised that distinction.