Using a ColdHeat Soldering Iron?

[acdreign]

I'm considering replacing my dated solderless mod chip for an X3... I recently ordered a "coldheat" soldering iron, and was wondering if anybody has experience using these on complicated PCB's (as in an xbox).

The specs say it heats up to apprx 800F....

www.coldheat.com

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[XaViaR]

I would not recommend the cold heat iron. I just installed my x3 chip this week...I used the recommended 15W iron, and I also bought the smallest 15watt tip that radioshack had, some desoldering braid (cause I made some soldering mistakes), and some tip cleaner/cleanser. And, everything went schweeet!

 

[Gek025]

The Coldheat isn't as great as the comercial says! As are all the other info comercials out there! lol. It's only good for bigger projects. The tip on it is too big to be soldering anything electronics, especially the chips and boards in the XBOX

Gek025

 

[acdreign]

I wasn't planning on using the stock tip (see http://coldheat.archway.com/).

I don't watch tv, so I wasn't aware that there were infomercials for this?! I heard about it from review sites online (read: http://www.tomshardware.com's Xmas wishlist) Perhaps I should conform and use my tv for something other than playing videogames at some point... but I digress...

When I went to look at it in person at Canadian Tire, I noticed that the bit was a 'little' large for electronics, so I ordered the Conical tip from the manufacturer.

Any experience using this tip?

 

[AEgawd]

that tool will get too hot IMO to solder microelectronics.

 

[bnbolic]

I agree You may fry the motherboard also hot solder at this Temp is hard to work with (its like water),and I"M AN ELECTRONICS TECH! these boards are soldered by robots at low wattage at the factory. The DO is already sensitive at fifteen Watts. I use a thirty Watter but I do it every day and I dont spend a long time heating each point.

 

[fixitman]

Hmmm... 15w iron = about 350F - 375F (IIRC hehe)

I don't think an iron that's over twice the recommended temp is a good idea...

 

[ryanfarquhar]

I have a ColdHeat and performed part of my X3 install last night. However I did not use the ColdHeat soldering iron as I tested it before hand and noticed that the metal you have to touch it to to activate it becomes red hot almost instantly... I think this is way too hot for

Unfortunately I tried using a 30W soldering iron and I screwed up D0 and the trace next to it. So hopefully by purchasing this Circuit Writer Pen from Radio Shack will fix it, otherwise i am screwed. Anybody else experience this problem or am I the only moron.

 

[xTITANx]

No, you are not the only moron... I also screwed up the D0 last night, and I'm an electronics tech in the Air Force...

 

[ryanfarquhar]

So were you able to fix D0? I really hope I wont have to replace my Xbox... My wife will kill me if I go and spend another $100 bucks on another XBox.....

I brought mine to work today and I plan on purchasing that Circuit Writer Pen at Radio Shack today and seeing if that resolves the issue. If not looks like I will be out an Xbox for a while.

 

[xTITANx]

check http://www.llamma.com/xbox/ .....there is a tutorial there for fixing PCB traces. Basically you replace it with 30 AWG wire, should be fairly simple. Also, you can buy a new m-board and HD for $80...

 

[AEgawd]

I'm an electronics tech in the Air Force...

yup, thats why you messed up. how many other air force guys had to hand you tools or hold the MOBO? j/k go join a REAL armed service. :twisted: GO NAVY!!!!

 

[hitechoutlaw]

I wasn't planning on using the stock tip (see http://coldheat.archway.com/).

I don't watch tv, so I wasn't aware that there were infomercials for this?! I heard about it from review sites online (read: http://www.tomshardware.com's Xmas wishlist) Perhaps I should conform and use my tv for something other than playing videogames at some point... but I digress...

When I went to look at it in person at Canadian Tire, I noticed that the bit was a 'little' large for electronics, so I ordered the Conical tip from the manufacturer.

Any experience using this tip?

if you have success using Cold Heat and that tip, please post, i was thinking about getting one if it works

 

[Jango]

i got a temp controlled one from maplink or something its good sh*t

 

[reddsimpson]

It seems that ppl do not read the fine print about the ColdHeat iron bc 800f is the average temp but it can go up to about 1400f all depending on what metal you touch the ColdHeat iron to.

 

[acdreign]

Well... after considering that the suggested heat for soldering the xbox mobo is 350f, and the average heat for the coldheat is 800f (or as high as 1400f), I've decided to stick with my 15W wired iron.

I think the ecconomical risk outweighs the cool factor in this case...

 

[xTITANx]

I'm an electronics tech in the Air Force...

yup, thats why you messed up. how many other air force guys had to hand you tools or hold the MOBO? j/k go join a REAL armed service. :twisted: GO NAVY!!!!

So, when was the last time we really used the Navy for anything? :lol:

 

[umpa]

I use an Antax 25 watt iron.

I'm good at soldering, and have never had a problem.

Its important to get the right thickness solder for your iron.

The lower the wattage the thinner the solder, and dont forget to use flux.

That coldheat jobbie sounds dangerous - what with high temps and sparks.

Not sure I would use it on the Xbox

 

[djdissent]

I have a ColdHeat and performed part of my X3 install last night. However I did not use the ColdHeat soldering iron as I tested it before hand and noticed that the metal you have to touch it to to activate it becomes red hot almost instantly... I think this is way too hot for

Unfortunately I tried using a 30W soldering iron and I screwed up D0 and the trace next to it. So hopefully by purchasing this Circuit Writer Pen from Radio Shack will fix it, otherwise i am screwed. Anybody else experience this problem or am I the only moron.

Nope, I f**ked up my d0 last night as well. Picking a circuitwriter pen today...

 

[Draino]

I used a coldheat tonight, my D0 pad is gone.. I think the tutorial definitely needs put a warning on the D0 section. I'm pretty pissed off right now. Spent $134 on the X3, the power switcher, and the LCD and now I'm stuck with no working XBOX and a worthless modchip. Sorry to bitch, but I hate losing money and was looking forward to this all week. Will try to the circuit pen from radioshack, if that doesn't work, I'm going to kill myself. Thanks Team Executor.