The Best way to Solder? Hot Plate to the rescue! (DIY or Buy)

Yh yh let me just pull some money out my arse and go buy one

As others have mentioned, the ATMega328P PCB saves a little money by using the 8MHz internal oscillator while boards like the Arduino Nano are configured to use an 16MHz external crystal for better performance. Of course, if the chip has been configured to use an external clock source and one isn't present, it won't run. The clock source is configured by programming "fuses" in the ATMega328p. This can be done by following the instructions provided for the Solder Reflow Plate firmware and programming the chip before desoldering it.

I didn't even know this existed and I have soldered ALL my compact flash cards connectors into their PCBs, by hand, without any problems, LOL.

Have you seen the Self-Soldering Circuit by Carl Bugeja? He basically built the hot plate technique into his circuit designs.

I'm a beginner in electronics , can we use induction stove for this by placing a piece of metal on top of the heating area according to required size , all the other things will be already available. Correct me if I'm wrong

hot plate can be way faster to soldering if you have too much components to soldering, but it can't be use for back to back soldering

Just FYI: I got one of those "big & bulky hotplates", and it has several disadvantages I thought worth mentioning. The top plate is a big piece of aluminum with 4 relatively small heating elements inside of it. As a result, it takes quite a long time to warm up, and also a very long time to cool down. The simple controller doesn't allow you to turn off the heat quickly and still monitor the temperature. Of course, there really isn't any "turning off the heat quickly" due to its thermal mass, so if you want the project board to cool down more quickly, you have to lift it off the heater, and this of course can unsettle components.

I suggest using 250C degree PTC Aluminum heat plate. (or 250~300degree whatever you want.)
You can just plug 110VAC in , and it will reach 250C by PTC resistance characteristics.
Use it without any controller is possible. Cheap & safe.

Thank you. I need this video. Do you have any suggestions for soldering an LED to a flexible pcb? I'm not sure how much heat it can take. On the back of the PCB there is a copper heat sink. It is quite small but it is there

A 3d printer heated plate will work?

Спасибо, было интересно. Есть проще вариант, заказать нагревательную пластину и регулируемый термореле

Would it work if you program the Arduino before you remove the mega328 chip from the nano board?

Omg, I FUCK GITHUB! Its the worst user experience and a cointoss If I havto download 1 big file or every file one at a time

love the diy heatplate, but wish the screws were more flush with the surface so it could accommodate larger PCBs

Hi there, as it's been more than a year now... is anyone able to comment on the usable lifetime of the PCB? I have just ordered a set of PCBs, curious how long each will last for. Thank you.

I like the DIY version though it might have been better if whoever designed it had made it so you can just plug in an arduino nano rather than having to source the microcontroller that is difficult to find.

Hello, can you please make a larger pcb heater and test its lifetime? Thank you

For those looking for a bigger DIY solution that also avoids a PCB heater, there's a brilliant one from a small channel called My Circuits that uses an upcycled clothes iron and an ESP32. Search "Homemade Hot Plate for Wireless SMD Soldering! Using ESP32, Flat Iron, and IR temperature sensor"

​@greatscottlab sorry can you please update the aliexpress links they aren't working anymore. Thanks .

Diggi was ist deine Verabschiedung eigentlich immer so cringe. Egal rest ist nicer Content.

So, I took a look at the PCB and I'm a bit confused. According to the Guide the PCB track has a width of 1.4 mm, a length of 2000 mm and a thickness of 1 oz/ft² (~ 0.035 mm). The resistance must therefore be ~ 0.7 Ohms (thex claim 0.9 Ohms and you measured 1-2 Ohms, but that's only a minor detail). Following Ohms law the whole circuit should draw something between 10 and 17 A for the intended 12 V supply (depending on the actual resistance). The barrel jack chosen in the BOM has a rating of max. 5 A (most have a maximum rating between 1 and 5 A, but usually not more). Why the heck doesn't the barrel melt like it's ice cream? Does it really draw THAT much current? I'm so confused because on paper this shouldn't last long as at least one component is used way beyond its ratings (under full load it's about a factor of 2 to 3).

Can someone clarify? Did I make a mistake in my calculations? I'm so confused.

Also, I think the placement and choice of the temperature sensor sucks.

i'm looking for a heating pad / hot plate that works for phone repair (removing screens) and smd soldering. anyone have options?

Excellent video man !

Golden video. May God bless you Scott.

Why is JLCPCB sponsoring all videos ??

In the beginning I was worried about the durability about the PCB too. But, having used this heatplate to solder 200-250 PCB's, I must say that it still works perfectly fine. The silkscreen is a bit darker than unused yes, but still the heatplate works 100%. Not bended or in any other way damaged. It's still able to reach the temperature in the same curve as new. (I have the Atmega 328 version)

I just had a thought, could one design PCBs to use the bottom layer as the coil and then just plug them into a power source to melt the stuff on the top layer?
I want to make long LED strips.... 112cm.

Purchased the SolderReflowPlate PCB project as soon as it was available and it did not disappoint! About two weeks of use and testing without any issues!

I bought all the parts at JLCPCB instead of buying these at LCSC 😭 "Currently, the pickup service is not available, the parts you store in JLCPCB can only be used for assembly orders" I bought more than I need btw😓

May I suggest that your soldering iron is not good, seems to be a bit of a hobby one. In industry lots of companies use Pace irons with very good temp control and a selection of much finer and better solder tips that are easily changed. Look at the TD-100 and its tips and base station, yes not cheap but industrial quality and very fast, fine tips that will easily solder fine pitch smt connectors or chips.

Isn't the MHP30 capable of the following soldering curve with ironOs?

i like this product ,

Awesome content. just wanted to check in and see how is the DIY reflow board holding up? could you make another reflow recommendation video

For larger surface, you can use header plate from an old 3D printer 🙂

quits within a month.

For double-sided boards, how does it work? Lower temperature and work by hot air with the place to work?

Still no firmware?

Today I learnt of the existence of GaN FETs... thanks, Great Scott

Thanks! What about the new aluminum PCB's from jlc? That seems like it can be a complete solution when combined with that controller! Also there are "solder removal" plates with 2 wires that some have been adding an MCU to. Personally considering one of those plates as it seems possible to power it safely with a bench power supply. Then can add some sort of mosfet to pwm the reflow curve on that?

I just use a old clothes iron with RTD on soleplate for temp feed back and control.

So, love the video, and especially the diy option showcased! However, I have to mention, did anyone realize the lmt85lm temp sensor only goes to 150C? And your solder paste curve was 160C. This is probably the most significant source of error in the real vs set temp lol. Probably need a temp sensor closer to 200C capable.

Also, I'm no expert, but shouldn't the temp sensor be closer to the heater trace? I usually see them applied with kapton tape directly to the top, bottom, or through a hole in the pcb.

You should try drag soldering for pins which are close together, works much better then air or IR. Also results in a lot less heat which can melt the plastic

whats the microscope model ?

Ive hand soldered those connectors before, it SUCKS

im sure it has been said before, but this style of PCB heater is the same style that has been used in 3d printer heated beds for years now, and the lifespan is solid on those. check out the prusa mk54 heated bed for a good robust example of the same PCB resistive heat bed.

$2.00 is too much for me because I am a poor a$$ emefer waiting on my disability case to be heard in state and then federal disability 3 judge panel. I realize that isnt really anybody's problem but my own but if it help's everybody understand where im coming from i used to be a dealership certified automotive technician and now im trying to switch to electronics because i enjoy diagnosing electronic faults in vehicles and im discovering that diag of electronics is just as fun without the pain of working on cars in the process. If i can get proficient enough then i wont need disability checks and i wont be a poor a$$ emefer anymore either....

Are you planning to bring it to Kickstarter?

Some videos i think they use a rice cooker coil. The one that keeps warm. Not the main cooking coil

I once used a portable electric hot plate from amazon :) which worked great.

Just use heat gun under pcb, nor up and it will work perfect. Anyway, To increase lifetime of DIY heatpad, i think, you should stick aluminum plate on it, probably with safety mica layer. It will keep printed heater from damage and detachment. Or even use aluminum PCB, but double sided 'sandwich' still be more tough