Soldering iron models in shops are numerous - from cheap Chinese to expensive ones, with a built-in temperature regulator, even soldering stations are sold.

It's another matter whether the same station is needed, if such work needs to be done once a year, or even less often? Easier to buy inexpensive soldering iron. And someone at home has kept simple, but reliable Soviet tools. A soldering iron, not equipped with additional functionality, heats up to full, while the plug in the network. A disconnected, quickly cools. The overheated soldering iron can ruin the work: it becomes impossible for them to firmly solder anything, the flux quickly evaporates, the sting is oxidized and the solder slips from it. Insufficiently heated tool and can at all spoil details - because of the fact that the solder does not melt badly, the soldering iron can be restrained back to the details.

To make the work more comfortable, you can assemble by yourself a power regulator that will limit the voltage and thereby prevent the soldering iron from getting too hot.

Regulators for the soldering iron with their own hands. Overview of installation methods

Depending on the type and set of radio components, the power regulators for the soldering iron can be of different sizes, with different functions. It can be assembled as a small simple device in which heating stops and resumes by pressing a button, and dimensional, with a digital indicator and program control.

Possible types of installation in the case: plug, socket, station

Depending on the power and tasks, the controller can be placed in several types of housing. The simplest and most comfortable is the plug. To do this, you can use a charger for the cell phone or the case of any adapter. It only remains to find the handle and place it in the wall of the case. If the soldering iron housing allows (there is enough space), you can place the board with the parts in it.

Another type of housing for simple controllers is a socket. It can be either single, or be a tee-extension. In the latter it is very convenient to put a pen with a scale.

Variants of mounting the regulator with a voltage indicator can also be several. Everything depends on the cleverness of the radio amateur and fantasy. This can be as an obvious option - an extension cord with an indicator mounted there, as well as original solutions.

You can even pick up a kind of soldering station, install a stand for the soldering iron on it (you can buy it separately). When installing, do not forget about the safety rules.Details need to be isolated - for example, by heat shrink tubing.

Variants of circuits depending on the power limiter

The power regulator can be assembled according to different schemes. In general, the differences are in the semiconductor part, the device that will regulate the supply of current. It can be a thyristor or a triac. To more precisely control the operation of the thyristor or triac, a microcontroller can be added to the circuit.

You can make a simple regulator with a diode and a switch - in order to leave the soldering iron in working condition for some (possibly long) time, not letting it cool down or overheat. The rest of the controls give the opportunity to set the temperature of the soldering tip more smoothly - for different needs. Assembling the device by any of the schemes is done in a similar way. In the photographs and videos, examples are given of how you can assemble a power regulator for a soldering iron with your own hands. On their basis it is possible to make the device with the variations you need personally and according to your own scheme.

Thyristor- a kind of electronic key. Passes current in only one direction. In contrast to the diode, the thyristor has 3 outputs - a control electrode, an anode and a cathode. The thyristor is opened by applying a pulse to the electrode. Closes when changing direction or stopping the supply of current flowing through it.

Triac, or triac - a kind of thyristor, only in contrast to this device, two-sided, conducts a current in both directions. It is, in fact, two thyristors connected together.

In the power regulator circuit for a soldering iron - depending on its capabilities - include the following radiodetals.

Resistor- serves to convert voltage to current and vice versa.Capacitor- the main role of this device is that it ceases to conduct current as it discharges. And begins to spend again - as the charge reaches the desired value. In regulator circuits, the capacitor serves to turn off the thyristor.Diode- semiconductor, an element that passes the current in the forward direction and does not pass in the opposite direction. Subspecies of the diode -zener diode- used in devices for voltage stabilization.Microcontroller- a microcircuit, through which electronic control of the device is ensured. There are different degrees of complexity.

Diagram with circuit breaker and diode

This type of controller is the easiest to assemble, with the least amount of detail. It can be collected without a fee, in weight. The switch (button) closes the circuit - all the voltage is applied to the soldering iron, it opens - the voltage drops, the temperature of the sting too. The soldering iron remains heated - this is a good way for the standby mode. Suitable rectifier diode, designed for a current of 1 ampere.

Regulator on thyristor

Regulator with power limiter - thyristor -allows you to smoothly set the temperature of the soldering iron from 50 to 100%.In order to expand this scale (from zero to 100%), a diode bridge should be added to the circuit. The assembly of the regulators on both the thyristor and the triac performs in a similar way. The method can be applied to any device of this type.

Assembling a thyristor (triac) regulator on a printed circuit board

1. Make the wiring diagram - to outline the convenient location of all the parts on the board. If the board is purchased - the wiring diagram is included.
2. Prepare parts and tools: a printed circuit board (it must be done in advance according to the scheme or purchased), radio components - specification for the circuit, nippers, knife, wires, flux, solder, soldering iron.
3. Place parts on the board according to the wiring diagram.
4. Bite off the excess ends of the cutters.
5. Lubricate the flux and solder every detail - first resistors with capacitors, then - diodes, transistors, thyristor (triac), dinistor.
6. Prepare the body for assembly.
7. Strip, zaludit wires, solder to the board according to the wiring diagram, install the board into the chassis. Isolate the connection points of the wires.
8. Check the regulator - connect to an incandescent lamp.
9. Assemble the device.

Scheme with a low-power thyristor

Thyristor of low power is inexpensive, takes up little space. Its peculiarity is in increased sensitivity. To control it, a variable resistor and capacitor are used.Suitable for devices with a power not exceeding 40 W.

Specification

Scheme with a powerful thyristor

The thyristor is controlled by two transistors. The power level is regulated by resistor R2. The regulator, assembled according to this scheme, is designed for a load of up to 100 W.

Specification

Assembling the thyristor regulator according to the above diagram into the case - visually

Assembling and checking the thyristor regulator (overview of parts, mounting features)

The circuit with a thyristor and a diode bridge

Such a devicegives the ability to adjust the power from zero to 100%.The scheme uses a minimum of details.

Specification

Triac Controller

The regulator circuit on a triac with a small number of radio components.Allows you to adjust the power from zero to 100%.The capacitor and the resistor will ensure the accurate operation of the triac - it will open even at low power.

Assembling the triac controller according to the diagram in the following steps

Triac Triac Controller

The circuit of such a controller is not very complicated. At the same time, the load power can be varied in a fairly large range. At a power of more than 60 watts, it's better to put a triac on the radiator. With less power, cooling is not necessary. The method of assembly is the same as in the case of a conventional triac controller.

Power controller with triac on microcontroller

The microcontroller allows you to accurately set and display the power level, to ensure automatic shutdown of the regulator, if it does not work with it for a long time. The way of mounting such a controller is not significantly different from the installation of any triac controller. It is soldered on the printed circuit board, which is pre-made. It is very important to put the correct firmware.

Specification

Recommendations for verification and commissioning

Before assembling, the assembled regulator can be checked with a multimeter.You only need to check with a connected soldering iron, that is under load. Rotate the resistor knob - the voltage changes smoothly.

In the regulators, collected by some of the schemes presented here, there will already be light indicators. They can be used to determine if the device is working. For the rest, the simplest test is to connect an incandescent bulb to the power regulator. The change in brightness will clearly reflect the level of the applied voltage.

Regulators, where the LED is in series with the resistor (as in the scheme with a low-power thyristor), can be adjusted. If the indicator is not lit, you need to choose the resistor rating - take it with less resistance, until the brightness is acceptable. Too much brightness can not be achieved - the indicator will burn.

The power regulator for the soldering iron can be assembled by hand, focusing on its own capabilities and needs. There are many variants of regulator circuits with different power limiters and different controls. Here are some of the simplest of them. A small overview of the enclosures in which you can mount the parts will help you choose the format of the device.