The standard soldering iron has come a great distance. From a easy piece of scorching metallic which melts a mix of tin and lead, to RISC-V powered, temperature managed precision devices. Soldering is a superb ability to be taught, it may be used to create customized circuits, or to solder the GPIO pins in your Raspberry Pi Pico W. However which soldering iron do you purchase?
Prior to now, when selecting a soldering iron, it was a choice between an inexpensive “getting began” solder iron, or a model chief reminiscent of Weller or Haako.The cheaper irons typically had a hard and fast temperature. In stepped Pine64, principally recognized for its vary of Raspberry Pi different single board computer systems, Linux powered telephones and Arm laptops, with its Pinecil temperature managed soldering iron. Model 1, launched in 2020 was a decrease price different to comparable irons from Waveshare. However Pinecil launched a RISC-V CPU contained in the low-cost soldering iron.
Pinecil V2, launched in August 2022 for $26, is extra of an replace on the unique mannequin. The 2 look the identical, with solely a shorter soldering tip and a coloured band to differentiate them. Below the hood there’s a extra highly effective RISC-V CPU, extra reminiscence, and the choice to make use of increased wattages for these heavier connections.
We took Pinecil V2 to the bench and put it by means of its paces as we soldered, and desoldered a collection of boards.
Pinecil V2 Specs
| CPU | 32-bit RV32IMAFC RISC-V “SiFive E24 Core” @ 144 MHz | |
| RAM | 132KB SRAM | |
| Storage | 192KB | |
| Energy | USB C PD and QC 3.0 12-20 Volts at 3 Amps | |
| Show | 0.69 Inches 96 x 16 pixel OLED | |
| Temperature | Max 450 levels Celsius | |
| Dimensions | 103 x 12.8 x 16.2 mm (Physique) | |
| 155 x 12.8 x 16.2 mm (Physique and tip) |
Pinecil V2 Look and Really feel
Pinecil V2 doesn’t look any completely different than its predecessor. Aside from the inexperienced sleeve of the V2, the 2 are nearly an identical. The physique of the iron is straightforward, with simply two buttons (+ and -) that are our solely interface with the iron’s OS. The enterprise finish of Pinecil is the tip, and that is held in place by way of an M2 screw. The provided tip, a conical normal goal tip, is a ST (brief tip) B2 that’s a lot shorter than the inventory tip provided with the Pinecil V1.
The Pinecil V2 measures 157mm with the provided tip. The V1 is available in at 175mm. The dimensions distinction is spectacular, however it isn’t a cause to throw away your Pinecil V1. The physique dimension is similar between V1 and a couple of. At 103mm lengthy, the physique is snug to carry for prolonged intervals. Button placement, with + on the scorching finish of the iron, – on the reverse, is first rate. It retains the buttons away from our fingers, minimizing the prospect of a stray finger altering the temperature.
When powered up, Pinecil V2 defaults to a fundamental begin display, ready for person enter. Urgent the – button will open the configuration menu and extra pushes will navigate the principle menus. Urgent + will go right into a menu and allow us to tweak the settings, of which there are a lot of.
We are able to configure the ability supply, set the soldering tip to auto warmth as much as a decrease sleep temperature (150 levels Celsius by default), or have it warmth to your most well-liked temperature. The sleep mode menu is how we configure the iron to enter low temperature mode if left for a person decided time. The person interface menu is used to alter animation speeds, temperature models and to set an in depth standby display (we advocate this because it exhibits the voltage and temperature.) The superior menu is the place we will calibrate the iron’s temperature and voltages.The onboard accelerometer can detect the orientation of the iron, flipping the UI on the OLED show accordingly.
Soldering with Pinecil V2
We’ve been by means of the menus, so now let’s get Pinecil V2 able to solder. Urgent the + button will warmth the iron to your most well-liked temperature. Subsequent brief presses of the + and – buttons will alter the temperature by single digits, lengthy presses will alter by 10 levels.
The Pinecil V2 is fast to warmth up. Utilizing the included conical tip and linked to a 20V USB-C energy supply, Pinecil went from 35 levels Celsius to 350 levels Celsius in 20 seconds. That is nice for these of us that must solder one thing rapidly. Pinecil V2 is a temperature-controlled soldering iron, and usually irons of this commonplace include a big base unit the place we management the temperature. Waveshare’s TS100 (and later TS80) set the usual for temperature managed soldering irons, with no base unit. Pinecil gives the identical options, however at half the fee.
We examined Pinecil V2 with a easy flashing LED undertaking equipment. We used the provided conical brief tip and linked the iron to a PinePower desktop energy provide with a USB C port able to delivering 65 Watts. Pinecil V2 made brief work of the equipment, the lead solder melted completely, with peaks that linked the PCB to the part. There have been no chilly solder joints (the place the solder doesn’t bridge between the PCB and part) and our LEDs flashed fortunately.
For 90% of the initiatives Pinecil can be used for, it’ll sail by means of with no difficulty, however the place it may wrestle are boards that soak warmth by way of giant floor plains or multi-layer boards with enormous quantities of copper. PC motherboards are infamous for soaking each final diploma of warmth from a soldering iron, belief us, we’ve tried to desolder a capacitor from an early 2000s Asus motherboard and it required a warmth gun and a soldering iron. We examined the ability of Pinecil V2 by attempting to desolder the alignment tabs of a USB 2.0 port on a useless Raspberry Pi 3. Our regular soldering temperature of 350 levels Celsius didn’t work, even flowing contemporary lead solder did nothing. We bumped the temperature as much as 400 levels Celsius and repeated the steps. It labored! Taking the iron to 450 levels Celsius produced higher outcomes, with much less time stressing the elements, lowering the chance of damaging the PCB.
A RISC-V CPU in a Soldering Iron?
Pinecil V1 launched a 32-bit RV32IMAC RISC-V “Bumblebee Core” CPU working at 108 MHz. This CPU was the brains that labored with IronOS (the soldering iron’s working system) to coordinate studying temperature, voltage and movement sensors, all of that are essential for utilizing the iron. For Pinecil V2, we get a spec bump to a 32-bit RV32IMAFC RISC-V “SiFive E24 Core ” working at 144 MHz.
An elective breakout board, which plugs into the USB C port and passes energy by means of it, offers GPIO pins which can be utilized to check, debug and create initiatives utilizing the iron as a controller. The RISC-V CPU doesn’t actually come into play for many customers. We activate the iron, warmth it up, and begin soldering. Its inclusion is extra of an instance of what could be carried out with the choice structure, an structure which is steadily gaining floor in open supply initiatives.
Flashing IronOS to Pinecil V2
Did you ever assume that you’d must replace the firmware of your soldering iron? Effectively you may. Our Pinecil V2 got here with model 2.18 of IronOS, and we went to Pine64’s wiki to be taught what the newest model was (2.19 on the time of writing) and the best way to replace Pinecil.
The Pine64 Updater app, for Home windows and Mac is the instrument for the job. You possibly can simply obtain and run the app, elect our Pinecil, then energy the iron on whereas holding the – button. However once we tried this, nothing occurred. Was our Pinecil V2 defective? Did we do one thing improper? Fortunately we’ve a V1, so we carried out the identical steps. The updater detected the iron and proceeded to replace V1 to the newest firmware. For now, V2 is both caught at v2.18, or there’s a bug within the updater. Time will inform.
Powering Pinecil V2
Pinecil V2, like its predecessor, can work with voltages between 12 and 24 Volts. The upper the voltage, the sooner the iron will warmth up. The DC5525 barrel jack gives flexibility for these of us soldering within the area. DC energy provides with 5525 jacks are widespread and meaning we’re by no means distant from a viable energy supply.
If you’re really “within the area” with no entry to an outlet, you may energy Pinecil V2 from a USB C powerbank, so long as it could produce the required voltage. You may also use LiPo batteries in 3 / 4 or 5S configurations, or in a pinch an 18-20V Lithium Ion instrument battery can be utilized.
Pinecil V2 is able to reaching 450 levels Celsius, and at that temperature, the iron is pulling 66 Watts (20 Volts at 3.3 Amps), the utmost we will provide from our USB-C energy supply. Pinecil V2 differs from V1 in its energy vary. With V1, we may get between 17 and 65 Watts. V2 takes this additional with a spread of 18 to 88 Watts. You’ll want an honest energy supply to succeed in the 88W goal (24V at 3.66 Amps), and soldering at this stage of energy isn’t the norm.
Pinecil V2 Soldering Suggestions
Each maker has their most well-liked soldering iron tip, and the Pinecil V2 comes with an honest conical brief tip that can do the job. It isn’t probably the most exact tip, however it is ready to solder by means of gap elements, and the GPIO of a Raspberry Pi.
The information of the Pinecil V2 are appropriate with these of the V1, and by extension they’re additionally appropriate with Waveshare’s TS100 soldering iron. Pine64 gives a collection of substitute ideas, and Waveshare TS100 ideas will also be discovered by way of Aliexpress.
We now have a spread of soldering iron ideas as we personal every of the aforementioned soldering irons. Those that we use probably the most are a chisel tip and bevel. Each present sufficient thermal mass to make contact with the part and PCB, however the chisel affords a bit extra precision. When buying a soldering iron, it’s sensible to seize a couple of differing types and take them for a take a look at drive earlier than deciding on only one.
Backside Line: Who’s Pinecil V2 For?
When you have a Pinecil V1, there isn’t a lot cause to improve to V2. The additional energy (88W) is sweet to have, however how typically do we actually want it? Alternatively if you’re searching for a soldering iron, then Pinecil V2 is a perfect starter iron. We get a low price iron, with high-end options.
We don’t must dedicate a spot on our workbench, however we get the advantages of a temperature managed iron. Even a less expensive soldering iron will are available in at round $15-20, so for the little bit additional, we get much more performance.If you’re getting began, or a seasoned maker, Pinecil V2 is a superb iron on your workshop.
