DIY Soldering Station

Thanks to EasyEDA for sponsoring this video.

Parts list (Incomplete, see Instructables for more, affiliate links):
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In this project I will show you how to create an Arduino based soldering station for a standard JBC soldering iron. During the build I will talk about thermocouples, AC power control and zero point detection. Let's get started!

Music:
2011 Lookalike by Bartlebeats
Ecstatic Wave, Jens Kiilstofte

[kalenbogart]

I enjoy your work tremendously, and I want to thank you for your efforts. My son is autistic, and his limited interests can make bonding difficult, as often he lives in his own world. But, every new Great Scott! video means he's next to me on the couch, asking questions and absorbing with rapt attention. Then he'll drag me to radio shack and our local electronics shop, and we'll attempt (and usually fail) to duplicate your work. You've given me the gift of quality time with my boy, and for that I will always be grateful. With thanks, from Houston, Texas

[maxximumb]

Scott, To fix your code you need to insert the following lines...

Before the setup
Line 21 int = triacVAL = 0;

In the counter == 40 test

Line 54 triacVAL = digitalRead(triac);
Line 64 digitalWrite(triac, triacVAL);

The reason it pauses every 40 cycles, is that on the test for 40, you set the triac low to read the temp, and it never gets checked again till the next interrupt 40 cycles later. The additional code looks at the state of the triac going into the test and stores it in triacVAL, then on leaving the interrupt it resets the triac to it's previous state.

I don't have the components to hand to build a test circuit, but I hope this helps.

[TheOswald]

7:10
"now in theory this code should have worked without a problem, but real life is not always that easy"
-GreatScott 2017

[FilmproduktionHulok]

And I'm sitting here with my blinking led connected to my Arduino.

[valentinderouet]

You need a solder iron to build a solder iron...

[ExStaticBass]

The fact that we can almost always search for the pinout of soldering irons like this one on Google or other search engines is something that should be considered. Of course in a world without that connectivity it's still important to be able to correctly identify them ourselves. While I think it is completely valid that you've done things this way I feel it is also important to mention other options and explain why this singular choice was made. This way others like myself can more easily understand the thought process behind the decisions we make while building things like this. To teach things like this we must consider the outside perspective and help them understand how we arrived at our final decision because in doing so they learn the process instead of just the answer. The project in this video is brilliant. I'd just like to see others make good decisions based on the wisdom we've gathered through our experience and gain their own in the process.

[jaguarke]

As always in awe of your engineering and presentation skills; you make it look so simple!

[muhammadrafiqulislamkhan]

You are real engineer. You know every details about engineering. And so gorgeous tool you make. Thanks for sharing.

[wiam-ve]

You will have a great future dude. From Iraq, I wish you all the best, you are a scientist

[snottythe-snorlaxian]

This is the coolest one I've seen. It makes sense to build a soldering station if you are wanting to learn how to build things. My first project was installing a prewired pickguard in my guitar. I have an SMD Kit coming in the mail for my second project. I have a 30 Watt Delcast Soldering Pen and am unsure if I will even need a soldering station for some time for my needs. But, if I do, I hope it looks something like this one.

[TheWireEDM]

One obvious problem with your Arduino code is that your 'counter' variable is changed by the interrupt function and the variable is defined as an 'int'. You have to define it as 'volatile int' to tell the compiler to always load the actual value from its memory location and not use a cached value, as the interrupt routine can change it at any time.

Your actual problem however might be in the fact that you are measuring the temperature inside the interrupt function and by looking at the MAX6675 library code it is seen that it uses blocking delay() functions, which do not work inside interrupts properly, thus ending/receiving bad data probably or giving spurious answers.

It is best to just measure the temperature inside your loop() function, and use the interrupt function to only switch on/off the output as needed.

[lmeza]

Truly amazing video this proves we are in the future high quality DIY products can be made using cheap and basic items aided by software.

I know it sounds a little exaggerated but when I was a teenager this was impossible for a regular guy at home.

[ruipedroleite]

FULL BRIDGE RECTIFIER 6:00 @ElectroBOOM

[mihacz]

I dont even remember what brought me to your channel in the past, something with electronics I suppose:) Now I completely dont understand what you are doing, because I am from other industry, but I love to hear and watch you doing what you do. Keep it and stay creative ;)

[cerberus]

He said OLED LCD :/

Also I've learned a lot from this channel, thank you so much GreatScott!

[juanantoniorey]

Some time ago I wanted to hack the jbc station and you have given it the most elegant solution I have seen.

[tensevo]

"Thankfully though, I had a couple of toroidal transformers lying around."

[lochinvar]

I built a soldering station long time ago. Simple diode in the ac line with a switch that would short it out. So I had 2 power levels, one which the iron could be left on for hours and the other that would then quickly heat up to operating temp. One thing I found out was that if a lamp was plugged into it, on half power the lamp had way more than half brightness. So if you plugged 2 100 w lamps into it and ran on half power, it was brighter than one of them at full.

[zAAmpie]

Your writing and hand-drawn schematics are so satisfyingly neat! As an electronics engineer I approve...

[onkarshikhare]

I appreciate your potential to analyze and explain .I am not an electronic engineer but a DIY enthusiastic some of your circuit just bounce of my brain but still I understand few of them.
I wish every student should get professor like your
Thanks