DNA 200 Watt

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TheBloke

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what you going to use it in?? No way will it fit in the dicodes...;)

I'm going to get a Lipo 3S, a Fat Daddy 510, and a bunch of 16G- 18G wires and switches and whatever other little bits I might need. I haven't studied it all in detail yet. I will also get a box, whatever box seems easy and like it might fit all that.

I am then going to wire them together. If all the bits end up in the box, that'll be a bonus. If not, it will be a desk-only device supported by crocodile clips and tape :) But one way or another it's going to work, I have decided :)

Oh and I need a proper soldering iron. I figure the £7 one from Lidl probably won't cut this job.
 

tchavei

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I'm going to get a Lipo 3S, a Fat Daddy 510, and a bunch of 16G- 18G wires and switches and whatever other little bits I might need. I haven't studied it all in detail yet. I will also get a box, whatever box seems easy and like it might fit all that.

I am then going to wire them together. If all the bits end up in the box, that'll be a bonus. If not, it will be a desk-only device supported by crocodile clips and tape :) But one way or another it's going to work, I have decided :)

Oh and I need a proper soldering iron. I figure the £7 one from Lidl probably won't cut this job.
If you don't want to invest in a soldering station (I love the Ersa Pico btw), at least get a TC soldering iron. Ersa or Antex.

Antex have hard and uncomfortable power cables but are very good soldering irons at half the price of an Ersa.

In the UK you should have easy access to both brands.

Regards
Tony

Sent from my keyboard through my phone or something like that.
 
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TheBloke

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If you don't want to invest in a soldering station (I love the Ersa Pico btw), at least get a TC soldering iron. Ersa or Antex.

Antex have hard and uncomfortable power cables but are very good soldering irons at half the price of an Ersa.

In the UK you should have easy access to both brands.

Thanks. Antex is one I had recommended to me before by AnsonJames, specifically the Antex XS25 (as a reasonable price option):

Antex 25W Soldering Iron Type XS (Silicone Cable) | Maplin

I already have a couple of those metal tube soldering iron holders, and some sponges and resin solder and separate flux.

Is that Antex a TC one? It says in the blurb that it has good "temperature regulation", but how do you set the temp? I can't see any controls on it at all. Or does it mean it's at a fixed temp which it's accurate to?

EDIT: No it can't be, I see a separate Temp Control Antex @ 50W which show the controls
 
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tchavei

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Thanks. Antex is one I had recommended to me before by AnsonJames, specifically the Antex XS25 (as a reasonable price option):

Antex 25W Soldering Iron Type XS (Silicone Cable) | Maplin

I already have a couple of those metal tube soldering iron holders, and some sponges and resin solder and separate flux.

Is that Antex a TC one? It says in the blurb that it has good "temperature regulation", but how do you set the temp? I can't see any controls on it at all. Or does it mean it's at a fixed temp which it's accurate to?

EDIT: No it can't be, I see a separate Temp Control Antex @ 50W which show the controls
I think the XS series is all TC but check directly on antex website. The antex control is a very small pot like button recessed into the body where you use a screwdriver to adjust temperature.

When using a TC iron or station you can and should go higher in watts.

Watts represent more the ability to maintain heat during soldering than heat by itself.

Imagine an 8 Watt iron and a 40W iron. Say both are set to 400C.

When you solder a 24g wire, both will work because the area to tin is very small and heats up fast.

When you solder a 16g wire, the 8w iron will depleat all the stored heat in it's tip to the wire but at 8w, it won't be able compensate and the tip temperature will drop drastically.

That's why you need a more potent iron. With TC, anything with at least 40W is good enough for the type of soldering we do. 25W is too low in my opinion (and as was stated in the previous post). I have a 30W antex without TC and I have to warn it up pretty good to work on 16g wire. With TC it would be very marginal at best.



Regards
Tony

Sent from my keyboard through my phone or something like that.
 

tchavei

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If I were to buy an antex right now, I would get the 50W TCS (has temperature regulation in handle, 200C up to 450C) and fine tips

50W is more than enough and TC keeps the temperature under control so you don't burn small components.


Regards
Tony

Sent from my keyboard through my phone or something like that.
 

KenD

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If not, it will be a desk-only device supported by crocodile clips and tape :) But one way or another it's going to work, I have decided :)

If you're going that route, please build a computer in the same go and wire that all together. You'll create a Vaping skynet!

Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk
 
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TheBloke

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If you're going that route, please build a computer in the same go and wire that all together. You'll create a Vaping skynet!

Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk

Very good point! We can make up for the mod's lack of onboard features by mounting it together with a laptop! :D That would even remain portable. Handy backpack provided!
 
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Mad Scientist

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I'm going to get a Lipo 3S, a Fat Daddy 510, and a bunch of 16G- 18G wires and switches and whatever other little bits I might need. I haven't studied it all in detail yet. I will also get a box, whatever box seems easy and like it might fit all that.

I am then going to wire them together. If all the bits end up in the box, that'll be a bonus. If not, it will be a desk-only device supported by crocodile clips and tape :) But one way or another it's going to work, I have decided :)

Oh and I need a proper soldering iron. I figure the £7 one from Lidl probably won't cut this job.

You and I are of the same mind. I don't really have need for what the DNA 200 can do in a portable form factor right now. I plan to make the darn thing work and go from there lol. I will however make it eventually do three things: 1. data transfer to the computer without the need for a wire or cable 2. be connected to a battery that will last me an entire day 3. Look really cool (at least to me).
 

USMCotaku

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Why is everyone talking about using lipos and no one talking about using lifepo4s? Is there something obvious I'm missing here? Seems like the lifepo4s would be a great option and a little safer than the lipo but I havent seen anyone talking about using them.
Because I haven't used them, so instead of passing on hear say and speculation, I just talk about what I have experience with :p
 
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