Which is better, an electric soldering iron with internal or external heat?
An electric soldering iron is a tool, and since it is a tool, the one that is most suitable for you is the best. Internal heating and external heating soldering irons, as the name suggests, are one that heats up inside and the other that heats up outside. Let's talk about the difference between these two.
Internal heating electric soldering iron
The internal heating element is inside and used with a soldering iron tip on the outside. Its advantages are fast heating and high efficiency, making it very suitable for PCB soldering. Buying a desktop soldering iron with temperature control will give you a good soldering experience.
External heating soldering iron
The heating element of an external heating electric soldering iron is located on the outside, and the soldering iron tip is inserted inside for use. It has a large volume and is more suitable for soldering large things. Due to the heating element being located on the outside, heat dissipation is faster, heating efficiency is not as high, and preheating is also required, so it is not suitable for soldering small electronic components on PCBs. However, it is relatively stable, has high power, and is not very bad. I have seen people repairing batteries using this method to weld the connecting wires on the battery.
In summary, if you are PCB soldering, it is recommended to choose an internal heating electric soldering iron, which can basically meet the maintenance needs of household appliances in daily life.
Internally heated quickly, good for welding small parts, but prone to damage, externally heated slowly, high power, suitable for tin dipping, welding large components, durable, so each has its own strengths.
Selection method
1. When soldering integrated circuits, transistors, and heat sensitive components, a 20W internal heating or 25W external heating soldering iron should be used first.
2. When welding wires and coaxial cables, a 45W to 75W external heating soldering iron or a 60W internal heating soldering iron should be used first.
3. When welding larger components, such as the lead pins of output transformers, large electrolytic capacitors, and metal chassis grounding pads, a soldering iron with a power of over 100W should be used.
