[Hack] Improve \ hack ZD-915 desoldering station (easily) - DIY

This is how you can Improve \hack your ZD-915

[grahamhall]

I know this is an old post but I have just repaired the soldering station zd916, what a job! Just the same appalling construction in mine. There are much better alternatives now.

[HoLunW]

Thanks for the tips, I replaced the resistor box with a 5A buck converter, it came with a build-in 3digit 7 segment display voltmeter, got it for $7 US on Ebay, it works great. with the resistor the screen dims, and fan slows when the pump is on, with the buck converter there is none of that, and I monitored the voltage with my multimeter, there was no voltage sag from source or output, and the build in voltmeter is also spot on.

[Erik-bpvg]

My solution... a resistor with value 100 ohm 5 watt in the red wire of the fan. Fan now runs smoothly on approx 5 volts Greetings Erik ;-)

[bkahlerventer]

There are larger power rubber insets or grommits that are used in electrical conduits and circuit breaker boxes you can also use to protect the front-panel hose.

[bertoid]

Others have replaced the resistors with large diodes to drop the voltage (5x1N5804 I think).
And the trigger wires are apparently pretty thin, so they made the trigger drive a relay instead of the full motor current, but I like the transistor idea you mentioned even better.

[mccolld]

Mine won't heat. It displays the word ERROR beside the temperature reading.

Pump and fan work.

Any idea what's broke and where I might find replacement parts?

[davidlegault]

Hello FD. Interesting mods - thanks for making the video. Regards, Dave

[Catstorm]

I got my version of this desoldering station today (Duratool) and boy is it loud. Same internals but my fan is 12v driven from the 18v supply! it then drops to 12/13v when the trigger is pulled as the voltage is pulled down through those 2 resistors under load. I am thinking of leaving the resistors in for the pump and tapping of the fan through a 12v regulator as my regulator isn't big enough for the 2.1 Amps the pump is taking. It shouldn't waste too much energy as the resistors are only burning off 6v when the trigger is pulled. Has your 3A regulator been ok?

[warlockd]

Any thoughts about swaping the pump out? Was thinking of upgrading that. And god thats why its so loud, I thought it was the pump, I didn't realize the fan had to run so high because of the resister bank.

[VintageTechRepairs]

Very interesting modications. I'm going to do this to my duratool clone. 😎😉

[faustsmith]

Will this station satisfactorily desolder lead free soldering?

[barrymayson]

Interesting mods and I will try out on my one. Thanks

[shekharpandey]

I am fancing problem of blinking lcd display when i power up the station . Please help

[Drpiwi]

What is the part number of the step down convertor?

[CESCAN]

Mine has U03 error can anyone tell me what this is?

[effka]

Sorry, I simply do not understand WHY you are making this modifications? What was going wrong in the first place, what made it neccessary to upgrade to higher amps etc? without an understandable reason for the modifications for me its just "playing with electronics".