Inaccurate Temperature Readings of Soldering Pots

Inspecting your soldering pot

If your soldering pot temperatures are inaccurate or if the solder in the pot does not seem to be melting, it is important to check the settings as well as the condition of the machine.

In the case of the HAKKO FX-301 Soldering Pot, the following 4 parameter settings can be performed:

  1. Selection of temperature display
    Make sure to select °C or °F.
  2. Solder type setting
    What type of solder are you using? Eg: Sn-Pb (Tin and Lead), Sn-Ag-Cu (Tin, Silver and Copper), etc. Different solder types melts at different temperature, and lead-free solder has a higher melting point, requiring a higher set temperature.
  3. Setting according to size of solder pot
    50-square and 75-square solder pots are available. The size of the pot affects the approximate temperature of solder inside the pot. Click here for a table of temperatures for each size.
  4. Timer Settings
  • Set the timer to "999" (9990 hours) while referring to the instruction manual.
  • If the solder pot has corroded and has holes, it is now time to replace it. Press "*" to check the accumulated time.
  • Replace the current solder pot with a new one.
  • Set the next replacement time as calculated from the accumulated time.
  • When it is nearing the end of the designated lifespan, the product will inform you that the solder pot replacement time has been reached by (1) sounding an alarm, (2) decreasing the temperature and (3) turning off the power.

In the event that the above has been checked but the problem of inaccurate temperature remains, it could be due to one of the two reasons below:

  1. The solder pot was not fixed firmly in position
    If the solder pot is not fitted properly, the heating element does not fully heat up. This prevents the solder from melting. Kindly check that the screws on both sides of the pot are fully tightened and aligned.
  2. The heating element may have been broken or deteriorated
    Over time, the heating element gets worn out and does not heat up as efficiently as before. When this happens, it is time to replace the heating element. 

To replace your heating element, please refer to the instruction manual that comes with the heating element. Replacement can be performed without soldering, all you need is a crosspoint screwdriver. It is recommended to purchase the replacement parts from the same store where the main unit was purchased. 

However, if the heating element is not broken, contact the store where it was purchased from and schedule a repair session.

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