Long Life Soldering Tips
The long life soldering tip is derived from basic types B, BC, C, D and K by special processing. Hakko's special treatment allows a tip to last approximately two times longer than the standard type. It's the optimum approach for the short life tip by corrosion hole.
There are two types of issues that occur with a standard short-life tip: Corrosion and Oxidation.
Issue 1: Corrosion of Soldering Tip
When a soldering tip gets corroded, tiny holes starts forming in the solder plating of the soldering tip, making the tip unusable. In the event that this happens frequently, we recommend that you switch over to a long-life tip which can help to lengthen the lifespan of the tip.
Please note that thermal efficiency of long-life tips may be lower than the normal tips in some cases. Long-life tips are available in the 900 Series and T12 Series Soldering Tips.
Issue 2: Soldering tip becomes oxidized
When the solder starts balling up and does not flow properly (not wettable), or when the tip turns black, it is likely that the soldering tip has been oxidized. This is due to high temperatures and/or extended usage.
To fix it, simply use the FT-700 Tip Polisher and the FS-100 Chemical Paste to remove the oxide and recoat the tip to form a protective layer against oxidation.
Proper maintenance of soldering tips helps to prevent oxidation and increase the lifespan of the soldering tip. Check out the links below on how to keep your tips in good shape!