Reader Ingenuity: Lamp Holder Repair / Upgrade
We got a call today about the lamp holder for the cordless rechargeable soldering irons (Quick Charge #7700/#7740, “60″ Pro Charge #7800/#7840 and Power Pro #7904/#7944).
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The customer, John, was looking for a replacement lamp socket. This is our part #W00176-100.
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He found a really good version of it at Radio Shack. The Radio Shack version has an isolated mounting tab so it can even be screwed to the housing to secure it better.
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We have not tested it here yet so standard legalease / common sense applies – use at your own risk. That said we have one on order so we’ll find out soon enough.
Also we are making more and more parts available for folks to fix their own units or for making other stuff. We’ll be selling the W00176-100 at $0.45 each if anybody needs one.
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I really like the aspect of making repairs to my electronic units myself and by you making parts available it makes it so much easier. More and more companies are so proprietary, it’s almost impossible to get parts to do the repairs. Thanks for making ISO-Tip a better tool company.
Hi Fayette!
Thank YOU for the compliment! It absolutely made my morning. That said, Steve (the owner of Iso-Tip) firmly believes that if you have the ability to repair the tools yourself, then the very least we can do is sell you the necessary parts. This philosophy might have something to do with his background in engineering and appreciation of open platform creativity, but that's just my own theory.
Happy soldering!
Sara
Is there a way to send in a unit for repair so that it would be a lot cheaper than buying a new one.
Hi Greg!
Yes, there is a way to send in a unit for repair. Here’s how – http://www.iso-tip.com/rma/
Tools out of warranty will be repaired at our standard repair charge of $24.95 (plus shipping costs) or replaced at list price (plus shipping costs).
Have more questions? Feel free to check out our customer service page or email info@iso-tip.com.
as for the switch issue mentioned earlier i polish the contacts with emery cloth then run a strip of paper between them a few times.i then soak another strip in deoxit dp5 and repeat.seems that corrosive leaks from old nicads are the biggest issue.went to some 4500mah nimh rc race cells in mine.longer run time.
some of the units i have date bck to the late 60′s-early 70′s.
and they get used every day.
Do you have the black switch part that the rechargeable fit into at the top?
Yep – this is the thermostat that insures the battery doesn’t overcharge. We only sell these by phone as it is a little more difficult to replace then some of the other parts.
In the final analysis, it is the Mr. Fix-its, like some of us, that hold the world together. Just for kicks, the next time you watch Star-Trek, turn your attention to the Mr. Fix-it among the characters. You may see things in a different light. We are a very special and gifted group.
The battery for the Model 7700 is obviously dead because plugging the Iso Tip into the Quick Charge unit does cause the light in the 7700 to light when the Use/Lock button is pressed. However, I am wondering how the internal NiCad battery can be replaced. After a second look (the first look seemed to be a soldered connection) I am asking what is the size of the hexagonal shaped bolt that is the positive terminal connector? And, (because the negative terminal is hidden very well by the orange wire support) how is it possible to re-connect the negative terminal?
I suppose all of the above would be obvious if I removed the battery but that doesn’t seem to be a simple thing to do until I better understand the mechanical issues.
Thanks for your help.
John Marthens/NU6A
On the current model 7700 the battery has two welded tabs for mounting and circuit connection. Both tabs are just held in place with screws. So, to replace the battery, remove the two screws and move the wire gently out of the way. Swap batteries and reinstall the screws and you should be all set.