# Cordless Soldering Iron



## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Does anyone use a Cordless Soldering Iron? What is/was your experience; good or bad.

Thanks


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I have one... it eats batteries like a fish gulps water and the tips are EXTREMELY fragile, but it does work well for small soldering jobs where taking along a long extension cord for a line powered iron is not convenient, or where you don't want an open flame from a propane or butane torch.

I was surprised at how much eat it can produce, but it is not for soldering large components.

The tip is two pieces of carbon very close together and what you want to heat must bridge across those tips so the current can flow and produce the heat.

Do NOT attempt to use the tip to pry a wire up or shove something over. It WILL break. And replacement tips are quite expensive, considering the price of the whole iron.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

I've seen ones that run on butane.


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## Homo Habilis (Jul 29, 2011)

I have an ISo-TIP cordless iron for use with my electronics. I am quite satisfied with it.

I also have a Radio Shack Cold Heat cordless iron that I occasionally use. I don't like it that much, but like the little girl with the curl: when it's good, it's really really good, however when it's bad. . . . .


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## dms1 (May 27, 2010)

I have a Weller butane soldering iron, it works just as good as a regular soldering iron. I would rate it around 40 watts (it is adjustable up to 80 or so watts, but I dont think it gets that hot).


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## riderdan (Jan 2, 2014)

I had one (battery powered), but as stated above it ate batteries like nobodies business and didn't get hot enough to do anything other than small electronics. It was fine for reflowing a cold solder joint on a PCB, but just wasn't up for soldering two pieces of brass together if they were bigger than an LED post. Eventually, I gave up and went back to dragging a cord and my big iron around, even for small jobs. Since I mostly solder small electronics anyway, usually it's easier to bring the piece to the iron than vice versa.

I've heard good things about the butane-fired offerings, but haven't tried one yet.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I had a couple. Usually when I needed it the battery was dead. The charge did not last that long. I just stick to the old bench type. Very seldom do I need one outside. When and if I do I have 3 100 ft extension cords. but that is not often


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