Stange temperature after (I guess) overheat

[YaBrick]

Hello, Sometime ago I've used TS100 at 450C° for about an hour, and after that solder started always showing 200C° at room temperature, without heating. It seems like some shift in temperature - when it show 320 - in reality it's about 120, 420 - 220, etc. And that's pretty annoying, because I pretty much can't solder anything that requires more than 200C°. Tried calibrating temperature, resetting settings, updating firmware - nothing worked. Tried with different voltage - still shows 200C°. Another solder iron tip - didn't work. Any ideas what's wrong?

Edit: I tried original firmware - temperature shows normally! Also, as I saw from some forums, with new versions of DFU you should upload Ralim's firmware from Linux. I tried - nope. Tried older versions - some just don't work at all, some with same 200C°

[River-Mochi]

This is interesting, especially since loading the Miniware Original firmware fixes your issue. at first one might expect the Tip became defective, but since your tip works fine and the temperature displays normally using Miniware firmware, this is interesting.

side note: what is the maximum rating that a Miniware TS100 Tip can run at? I can't find maximum specifications for the Miniware tips anywhere.

[Ralim]

Miniware firmware has a whole bunch of mitigations for hardware failures that make sweeping assumptions. The most likely thing is you have an issue with your cold junction offset due to defective handle temperature. They do this to reduce returned units from failures, and instead assume most users wont notice the error in the temp readings. Can you please list out the values in the debug menu for your device?

All of the tips are rated for 0-400C operation.

[River-Mochi]

If TS100 type tips are only rated to 400C, then I assume a boost of 401C -450C is not supported by the manufacturer, and boost to maximum temperatues in IronOS is intended for only a few seconds at a time. Should people limit long soldering sessions to a set temperature to no more than 399C maximum then?

I've not seen people need more than 375 C even for no-lead solders, but I imagine some people are trying to do thick battery wire or something needing a lot of heat and take risk with their portable Iron since they don't have anything else to use.

[River-Mochi]

This is interesting Ralim, basically IronOS is showing people the truth/true values, and Miniware hides the information. the temperature will still be way off using either Miniware or IronOS, it's just the IronOS displays more true values.

[River-Mochi]

@YaBrick look at Troubleshooting Document, you may need to replace your Temperature sensor. I have no idea if ts100 is easy or the part numbers for it, you have to research that. you may need other parts replaced too - need to look at Debug menu and report your readings (see below).

@YaBrick when you do your calibration, make sure you follow the correct technique.

1. Update to the newest IronOS firmware.
2. leave iron unplugged for a while to make sure handle temperature inside the PCB is room temperature. I sometimes stick my iron in the Refridgerator for 5 minutes to speed this up and then leave it in the room for 5 minutes more to get to room temperature. It is critical that Iron and Tips are cold/at room temperature or else the Calibration done could make things worse than before the calibration. (tip must be installed for calibration).
3. Upon a fresh plug-in bootup, immediately go to Advanced > calibrate temperature. Do calibration, then scroll back to the main screen. Unplug and plug back in the Iron. depending on which firmware it is, you will see Offset number either right after the calibration is done or when you reboot the calibrations starts. (don't worry about what this offet number is but you can report it here). If the firmware starts the calibration when you reboot, then you will see things happening on the screen, just wait until it completes (this firmware type shows a box that you put a check mark into to do calibration after you unplug and reboot).
4. Follow the Debug document in Github and enter the hidden Debug menu.
5. Report the Handle temperature and Tip Resistance, might be called HAN -C and Tip-R or Chan and Rtip. (Ignore sections of the document discussing Pinecil Iron as it is very different from TS100).
6. Report also what Firmware you used for 4-5.

[YaBrick]

Calibrating as @River-b sujested hasn't helped, same result Here's the photos of from debug menu, handle temperature - 1997, and tip resistance - 832. Firmware 2.19, English.

[YaBrick]

Haven't found model of the sensor, so I just.... Straight up asked for it from Miniware support. Also haven't seen anything about sensor on the board

[River-Mochi]

Handle Temperature (Chan or Han C) at 1997 is way off. Mine is usually around 27C, it's supposed to be near room temerature or just a little warmer. if your CHAN = 1997 then that is why you can not do any normal calibration. can see this explained in the Troubleshooting document too that I linked you before.

There were several suggestions in Troubleshooting Document for what to do with a Chan that is reading higher. Let us know which suggestions in the list you tried and what happened after you tried each of those suggestions? I recommend you do all the suggestions there first.

Please Crop your photos first to just be handle if you can so it takes up less space, I had to scroll through many pages of email to get to the bottom of the email. they took up so much space on screen I missed the written text and did not know where you wrote anything. we only need Firmware#, Chan, Rtip , Ctip.

@Ralim would they need to possibly get anything else besides the Temperature sensor on the PCB for a C-HAN that is way off?

Some of the Temperature sensors types were listed in the Troubleshooting document but TS100 is not there. if you find out let us know. And most importantly which suggestions from Troubleshooting did you complete and what is the result? Highly suggested to do all of them for the exact symptom you see in Debug menu. If you did all of those suggestions and it doesn't work, then Miniware support is your best bet since this is a Hardware issue and not software.

https://ralim.github.io/IronOS/search.html?q=han+C

Han C This is the handle temperature or more accurately the reading of the Cold Junction Compensation (CJC) temperature sensor. This is expressed in °C. Range of 20-40 °C is normal depending on how hot/cold

[Ralim]

Yep this 100% looks like something hardware-wise is wrong and its just their firmware masking it and assuming your iron is always 25C.

From the schematic: https://github.com/Ralim/IronOS/blob/dev/Development%20Resources/TS100%20V2.46%20Schematics%20V1.0.pdf

Part's suspect would be the temp sensor (TMP36GRTZ) and the R32 as the prime suspects. Noting that because of the two board construction of the TS100, a loose connection between the two boards could also cause this.

[River-Mochi]

nice schematic. @YaBrick you have several things to Check and Resolder Per Troubleshooting Guide on Han C (Chan) - sometimes just resoldering / reflow things actually fixes stuff.

Also Possible need to replace the 2 parts Ralim mentioned (try reflow solder first, it doesn't hurt and if it doesn't fix it you just order parts).

[YaBrick]

Ok, thank you, I checked everything writed in troubleshooting, also reflowing - welp, yeah, it's something with the R32 or the sensor

[River-Mochi]

both are pretty low cost items to replace if reflow/solder on them did not fix it.

this might be the TMP36 part https://files.pine64.org/doc/datasheet/pinecil/TMP35_36_37.pdf see if that looks similar.

[River-Mochi]

@YaBrick did you also look at the connection Ralim mentioned? The connection between the two boards? I don't have a TS100, so I don't know where this is. but check that before buying parts.

Noting that because of the two board construction of the TS100, a loose connection between the two boards could also cause this. Ralim

[River-Mochi]

Could you give a photo of the two board connection in the TS100 iron?

[YaBrick]

I'll send it, just want to return to fixing the solder a bit later

[River-Mochi]

@YaBrick could you close this ticket if you problem is resolved. Also list out what was the final Solution?

[YaBrick]

Well, for now there's no final solution - I'll just try to change parts of the solder when I'll be able to. I think boards connected correctly, so it should be the problem that Ralim said. Until then I'd better close the problem, yes?

[River-Mochi]

@YaBrick I would still reflow there if you can, as it doesn't hurt and it might fix it. it's hard to tell with eye sometimes if something is cold joint. Also good to clean up any excess solder left on PCB so it doesn't float around and cause a short. Last photo, near the front copper contacts looks dirty on PCB with flux and solder.