Weller D550 Soldering Tool Teardown, Comparison And Modification!
Added 2024-07-17 05:39:07 +0000 UTCIs the new Weller D550 worth purchasing? I went out and bought one just to share this info with you. Enjoy.
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Comments
The D550 I purchased is the Professional version that uses an Allen Wrench instead I like it better.
Ronald Hofmeister
2025-01-25 17:44:08 +0000 UTCI bought one off of EBay & I got the old style which I like better.
Ronald Hofmeister
2025-01-25 17:40:56 +0000 UTCGosh, I have been away for some time! I purchased the D550 about a year ago. I just opened the packaging and will change the tip as I have done on my other high soldering guns. Nice work Mr. C!
Kent Murphy
2024-10-19 20:56:56 +0000 UTCThey replied with….
Matt
2024-10-16 04:39:55 +0000 UTCWeller budget manager: Let's switch to LEDs to save the planet. Engineers: It draws 260 watts. 🤣🤣🤣
gunsofsteele
2024-10-05 10:07:28 +0000 UTCThanks Paul! My Weller was my grandfather's. Replaced the cord twice but nothing else. I saw your tip trick on a different video you posted and it works great on amp chassis grounds!
gunsofsteele
2024-10-05 10:01:12 +0000 UTCThanks, Paul. That's a lot better design.
Robert Calk Jr.
2024-09-14 21:46:35 +0000 UTCI got one of these solder guns very nice tool
Bryan hamilton
2024-09-02 09:02:35 +0000 UTCD550 Weller solder gun is obsolete in Europe it has been replaced by the on in the link below. https://www.weller-tools.com/bigbang/EUR/en/WLG9400K23C. This one is only 140W/100W so not so beefy. I wonder if I buy a US version of the D550 and use a step-down transformer - will the difference in freq (50Hz vs 60 Hz) mess up the transformer?
Einar Martin Meek
2024-08-27 07:23:38 +0000 UTCAfter watching this vid I wanted a D550. I live in Europe so I was looking for a 240V version. But I couldn't find it. I contacted Weller and they replied;
Einar Martin Meek
2024-08-27 07:21:31 +0000 UTCGreat vid! In addition to the improved collars, the new Weller's don't appear to be made of Bakelite... I bet they're more resistant to chipping and breaking.
Jim Nugent
2024-08-10 17:01:40 +0000 UTCThere are led versions of the 222 Bulb.
Ray Ackerman
2024-08-05 13:58:35 +0000 UTCI realize I've neglected to leave positive reviews. I enjoyed this video very much and found it extremely informative. I own this soldering gun and will do the copper wire mod, thanks Dr. Carlson!
Jules L
2024-08-04 22:07:03 +0000 UTCWhat windings are switched for the two heat ratings? Two separate winings with one switch on while the other is off or one swithced on for low heat and another placed in series for high heat?
Ronald Gould
2024-07-30 23:21:40 +0000 UTCI have a similar unit thanks to my grandfather! Still works like a champ!
Fred Flickinger
2024-07-30 18:29:17 +0000 UTCA helpful hint. On the old hex nut model I always loosen then retighten the nuts prior to use. Very effective to breakthrough the oxidation without over torqueing the nuts.
Richard Goebel
2024-07-28 18:11:20 +0000 UTCExcellent gun for when extra power is needed.
Brian Wood
2024-07-28 12:15:41 +0000 UTCMine's about 40 years old and sits in the bottom of my toolbox. We used isopropyl alcohol and cheap acid brushes to clean up flux when I worked in the Miniature Component Repair shop in the Marine Corps in the late '70s and early '80s. Cleaned up the excess with tissues.
Henry Chinery, III
2024-07-24 18:41:15 +0000 UTCWLG9400K23I Weller 230V 140W/100W Soldering Gun Kit Manuel, I bought and received this product in just two days (New Zealand). While lower max power than the 550, it seems to be the real deal. Do not like the standard tip that comes with it. It is not very physically robust. It looks like the same tip that comes with the 550 and has a couple of (probably useful) plastic cutting (knife) tips that would likely be good for stripping heavy gauge coaxial sleeve or parting thin plastic sheet down an irregular line. I have only used it so far for affixing a couple of cable ends to heavy duty battery clips (jump start cable repair). It did the job fine. I will explore Mr. Carlson's 12g Cu wire tip retrofit shortly, because I do not particularly like the tip that it comes with.
Jim Parr
2024-07-23 09:13:32 +0000 UTCI may have the one Glasslinger uses. It has the spring relief on the cord and is so old the labels on the sides are metal plates, riveted on. 100 watt rated, model 8100-B.
Ozy
2024-07-23 07:21:45 +0000 UTCHere is something interesting! I have the new model, with the set screws, rated at 260/200 watts; I also have an old one, also a D550, but its rated at 240/325 watts on the label. The newer type says Cooper tools, Apex NC on the label; where the old more powerful one has Weller Electric Corp, Easton, PA on its label. This is the only one I've ever seen that has these high wattage ratings. Thanks! Dad!
Ozy
2024-07-23 07:08:41 +0000 UTCIf it aint broke don't fix it. They have just improved the parts they have received feedback on. They may have bought huge stocks of those 222s years ago. I only recently swapped out the remaining incandescent lamps lighting my house for LEDs. It isn't green throwing away something that works. (hey that 's why we restore the old vacuum radios, right). btw keeping the last working ones for my dim bulb unit.
David Moule
2024-07-22 20:16:48 +0000 UTCWhat I will never understand is that in most soldering stations the heating element is not installed directly under the point in the soldering tip that is used for soldering. In my soldering station, the heating elements are located in the soldering tip. This means that the heat is available almost directly at the soldering point. There is no detour via the thermal resistance between the heating element and the soldering tip. Soldering guns have the same advantage. A suitable soldering iron with a heating element in the soldering tip requires no more space than a pencil. Space for the soldering iron, solder, visual contact and lighting must be created deep in the chassis at the same time. There is hardly any room for a soldering gun. Unfortunately, soldering stations are sold with expensive bells and whistles such as color displays for > 1000 €. My soldering station doesn't have that. It only has a potentiometer for the temperature setting and I was able to buy it used 6 years ago for 300 €. I had to replace 12 loose Pertinax tube sockets with loose contacts with new ceramic tube sockets on an operating receiver from VEB Funkwerk Köpenick. The only problem where the 1 mm² contacts of the circuit to earth on the chassis, which were almost all broken. I had to re-solder them deep in the chassis with high pinpoint heat, which would have been impossible with a soldering gun.
Martin Siebert
2024-07-21 15:56:17 +0000 UTCI like the colour temperature of the incandescent bulbs as opposed to LED lights. I imagine that the glass bulbs stand up to heat better than plastic LEDs and maybe that is why Weller kept the old style.
Tony Vassil
2024-07-21 15:09:30 +0000 UTCI always had trouble soldering to a radio chassis with a Weller 550, i did not know to use flux or really clean the surface of the steel. My father handed me his fathers 250 and 300 watt soldering Irons with large copper tips. I would argue that much of my soldering to steel was to do with a large thermal mass of the copper tip breaking through the oxidation on the steel.
Jonathan Hughes
2024-07-19 03:43:38 +0000 UTCA highly reliable tool. Thanks Paul.
Brian Wood
2024-07-18 17:40:53 +0000 UTCThe biggest advantage is that you make them yourself with virtually no cost at all as opposed to an original that sales for quite a lot (for what they are) and is sometimes hard to find.
Ovi4
2024-07-18 15:36:57 +0000 UTCGood timing, I got a great deal on this yesterday on Amazon. I bought one before but had to return it, it was DOA
technoman9000
2024-07-18 14:31:59 +0000 UTCSaw this but a 240 volt version is not available in the UK. Mouser won't export these units but found a normal 120volt one on Amazon US. Ordered for delivery in the UK in 5 days. I have, of course, also ordered a 500 Watt 240/120 stepdown transformer from Amazon UK
Paul Nac (UK)
2024-07-18 06:33:00 +0000 UTCThe older oneswith the set screws that would strip out, i took nuts drilled the center then drilled and tapped the sides to accept set screws so i had much beefier clamping force.
Jon Eisele
2024-07-18 04:00:18 +0000 UTCWhat is the advantage of using copper wire over the original tips?
Robert McNulty
2024-07-18 01:50:28 +0000 UTCtec-tite.com lists a LED no.222 bulb equivalent but $13.95 US!
Roger J Robinson
2024-07-17 22:12:53 +0000 UTCI got the old school version from eBay specifically based on your earlier videos. I wonder if painting the bent area of the copper wire tip replacement with some anti-seize compound might prevent the oxide formation and eliminate the need to re-tighten the nuts. It'd be interesting to know the typical tip temp. A quick review of anti-seize shows the following stated temperature capabilities: standard anti-seize Permatex 80078 1600F / 870C aluminum anti-seize Permatex 80208 1600F / 870C copper anti-seize Permatex 31163 1800F / 982C nickel anti-seize Permatex 77124 2400F / 1315C silver anti-seize Loctite 544414 1600F / 871C copper anti-seize Loctite 37562 1800F / 982C Super Lube anti-seize 48008 475F / 246C
John Scales
2024-07-17 21:09:32 +0000 UTCI use a Weller 80 watt iron for chassis work The soldering gun looks really nice The great thing about the gun is it heats very quickly a fan modification would be a nice addition I enjoyed the video!
Kenny Fidler
2024-07-17 20:34:17 +0000 UTCI had a D550 style tool from Weller some 50 years ago. It had the same connectors for the copper wires as your old model. And I agree, it was a pita to change them. But one thing was different: It had a bright red case. And I miss it.
Ewald Ikemann
2024-07-17 19:41:56 +0000 UTCSome years back, I.ve purchased the "even more powerful" 300W ! model (110V) from USA (namely D650) when MCL has first presented it on the You Tube channel (about just over 8 years ago on one of the so called "Tech Tip Tuesday" videos) as opposed to the D550 (260W model) that he presented but as I live in Europe the mains voltage is 230V AC. Now, since I didn't want the extra clutter by attaching a step down transformer and extra cost involved plus extra space required (since my space is very limited) etc. what I did was, I instantly got rid of the original 110V primary winding and recalculated and rewind it for 230V using a more suitable size enameled copper wire. It was a tedious process that took me about a whole week to do it manually but...with perseverance and tons of patience I did it and indeed it does work as expected. The very reason for going thru the whole process is simply because Weller does not make the same powerful 300W model for the European 230V mains voltages and I always wondered why because as far as I know "WELLER" as a company was founded in 1945 in GERMANY Europe not North America. One would think that they should primarily concentrate to develop products suitable for European market first !
Ovi4
2024-07-17 18:54:33 +0000 UTCWell that was helpful - I'd been meaning to replace the tip of my 8200 for some time, and up pops this video. Thanks, Paul - the mod took 5 minutes and I'm good to go!
Andrew Black
2024-07-17 17:05:35 +0000 UTCI have 3 Weller guns and they all have the lower wattage first. I have two D8200 "Expert" models with one lightbulb: 90/125W and 100/140W, and I have a D550 (two lightbulbs) that is 240/325W. All of them have the old style tip nuts. And yes, I keep my tip nuts tight! 😀
Bruce Deerhake
2024-07-17 14:57:27 +0000 UTCNice to see some innovation on the wellers . I've had a few of em and they were all the old style . Had 2 that stripped out . . Like the new design .
TWISTED1
2024-07-17 14:12:49 +0000 UTCTo avoid the hazard to nearby plastics, one might want to try isopropyl alcohol rather than lacquer thinner for removing flux. There may be some flux that needs the stronger stuff but I find that IPA works well for the usual rosin-based flux residue.
Kevin Martin
2024-07-17 13:44:50 +0000 UTCGiven that your home-made tips likely have lower resistance than the stock ones, perhaps you should measure how much power the "modified" tool is consuming. You might find that you should further de-rate that 20% duty cycle.
Kevin Martin
2024-07-17 13:42:14 +0000 UTCI used the ends of the bars to bend the ends of the replacement tip, thus avoiding any sticky-outy bits. The official tips were soft enough that you could just stick them sideways into the holes and make the two 90 degree bends at the same time. If using solid #10 wire you might have to anneal it first to soften it.
Kevin Martin
2024-07-17 13:32:16 +0000 UTCThere's no reason one could not retrofit an old model (mine is so old it only has one light rather than two) with home-made collars to use the new holding mechanism.
Kevin Martin
2024-07-17 13:21:36 +0000 UTCGreat review! I bought my my soldering gun back in 1985, and I was wondering if the new ones were any better? It is always good to see your videos!
Adrian Bartoli
2024-07-17 13:18:53 +0000 UTCI would guess my D550 to be more than 20 years old. It has the "newer" collar/hex screw attachment. I do remember the old nut-style connectors from the 1970s. You may be off a bit on the age of your tool! Thanks for the walk down memory lane!
Dan Barker
2024-07-17 13:13:49 +0000 UTCIn Europe look for the Weller Robust 05C , it's 250Watt @ 230V, productnumber 7501458892603
Bjorn V
2024-07-17 12:36:22 +0000 UTCHello Paul, Do you have any thoughts on the Weller D650PK? The D650PK is a dual heat 300W/200W while the D550 is 260W on its high setting. I guess with the extra 40W, soldering to heavier metal would be easier.
Denis Renaud
2024-07-17 10:53:41 +0000 UTCWhy don’t you like the factory tip for chassis soldering? I remember having one of these guns years ago and would make my own tips out of necessity (no money for tips) but not sure why you wouldn’t use the factory tip.
Dave Bradshaw
2024-07-17 10:16:34 +0000 UTCYes, I know, but still quite annoying!
Manuel Herrera
2024-07-17 09:15:39 +0000 UTCYes, and you can make your own tips like Paul did - no problem :) I have a Polish counterpart named Lutola. Not as powerful - it's only 100W in comparison, but it does the job for anything my soldering station is not up to. Computer power supplies? Chassis connections? Ground bus in tube amps? No problem. I need to try making different tips for other jobs, like desoldering DIP chips. The problem is that the longer the wire is, the higher the resistance and area for heat to spread, which will probably reduce the temperature and not be as effective.
Keri Szafir
2024-07-17 09:03:08 +0000 UTCI like the tip mounts on the new one, the rings are replaceable and easy to make yourself if you have a lathe. I'd rather they'd be a bit thicker to leave more thread, preventing stripping. Thermal relief for parts and wires can be nicely done with pliers or forceps, sucking the heat away before it has a chance to reach the part. The old one looks very similar to Glasslinger's soldering tool of choice, only that one has a spring on the mains cord for bending relief, and the enclosure is slightly different :)
Keri Szafir
2024-07-17 08:58:42 +0000 UTCA simple step down transformer is all you need, just make sure it can handle the current and you are good to go.
Mr Carlson's Lab
2024-07-17 08:52:12 +0000 UTCA step-down transformer should work well. I use step-ups in Japan to go from 100V to 120V for my American tools and to 240V 50Hz for my Shopsmith with the UK motor.
kmpres
2024-07-17 08:40:31 +0000 UTCThat is a SHAME. I was just about to buy one. Because I have started restoration of ancient vacuum tube radios and need something like this. Guess I can live with something similar as second-hand product. Just went looking on the Web for "Weller soldering gun". Found a very similar late-model product from Weller that looks to be the real deal. https://mytools.co.nz/products/weller-230v-140w-100w-soldering-gun-kit I live in New Zealand. The heating power is somewhat less than the 550 but I just bought one to see how it works out. May be a Chinese knock-off but we will find out shortly...
Jim Parr
2024-07-17 08:29:27 +0000 UTCThe switch on the new one is a little disappointing even if it does the job. I would have expected something similar to the old one, with nice clicks, not this almost diy looking solution
Senin
2024-07-17 07:33:14 +0000 UTCAFAIK there's no 230V version for this gun so no luck for us europeans 😕
Manuel Herrera
2024-07-17 07:07:53 +0000 UTCGreat video. Purchased mine about 4 months ago and that was the first thing i noticed was the ease of tip replacement
Gloria Jill Sydor
2024-07-17 06:44:41 +0000 UTCAlways a good thing to have on your bench even if you only need it a couple times a year. I like the new design.
James Roberts
2024-07-17 06:32:06 +0000 UTCI love it...
Ottar Landfald
2024-07-17 06:24:19 +0000 UTC
