Is your Portasol SuperPro 125 soldering iron not working, not heating up or it just needs a service?
Although Portasol soldering irons and the range of butane heat tools are built with the highest quality materials and the Portasol brand is synonymous with longevity and reliability, sometimes, albeit rarely, things can go wrong or stop working.
It is with this in mind that many of the Portasol tools have been designed to be user serviceable or repairable. As with most products nowadays, when a product stops working, much of the time it is not repairable and a new product must be purchased.
That is not the case with Portasol. Much of the time, the problem is an issue created by improper use of the unit, for example, using cheap unfiltered butane can cause jet blockages or not following the guidelines for using the unit.
So, instead of having to dispose of your soldering iron and buying a new one when something goes wrong, you can attempt to repair or service the unit yourself, or, you can always send it back to us for a full assessment and repair service.
Typically, if your SuperPro is acting up, there are only a few issues that it could be. The most common issues are:
1. The unit is full of inert gas
2. The jet is partially blocked
3. The internal ceramic is damaged
4. The soldering tip is worn out
If the iron is spluttering or failing to ignite, it could be full of inert gas. Turn the gas switch on, do not ignite, and fill the unit with high quality butane following the correct filling procedure as outlined in the instructions, and as seen in the image below. This will blow the inert gas from the iron and fill it will butane. Stop filling when you hear / see butane spluttering from the filling pin.
If this does not resolve the issue, follow the guidelines below to try and establish what is wrong with the unit. Please remove the tip, sleeve and collet, turn on the gas and ignite the iron.
If the flame ignites and it is a sharp crisp blue flame then there is nothing wrong with the iron, the tip needs replacing. If you have another available tip, try igniting the unit with this tip in place to ensure everything is working correctly.
The front-end burner and jet are only user replaceable on the SuperPro for the European and global market, the US version of the unit is not user serviceable.
Are you unsure which unit you might have? The easiest way of finding out is by looking at the colour of your unit. If the bottom half of you unit is metallic and silver in colour, your unit is user-serviceable. If the bottom half of your SuperPro is plastic and the same colour as the top of the unit, you have the US market iron. Don’t worry, get in contact with us and we will be able to service or repair your unit at one of our repair facilities.
US EU
If the iron ignites and it is a soft yellow flame then your jet is partially blocked and needs replacing. Replacement jets are available on the Portasol website and many of our distributors globally, see the following link. https://portasol.com/spt-17.html
If the flame refuses to ignite itself and you have to use a match or lighter then the front-end burner will need to be replaced. https://portasol.com/spt-16.html
Please Note: The European Super pro spares will fit the PSI100 soldering iron and are available from most Portasol distributors, www.portasol.com and WELLER. The US super pro is not the same iron and the US Super pro spares will not fit the Weller PSI100.
If you are now certain what is causing the issue, the following instructions will outline how to change the parts, whether it is a venturi jet or front-end burner.
Tip Replacement: Allow to cool down completely. Tips are easily changed by unscrewing the retaining nut and sliding the tip, tube and nut, over the ignition assembly. Remove the tip and replace with new or alternate unit. Reassemble in reverse order.
Front end burner replacement: Allow iron to cool down completely. The gas switch must be in the “off” position. Remove the tip, tube and nut. Remove the retaining screw using a 1.5mm (1/16”) allen key. Note position of retaining screw relative to alignment mark on iron. Unscrew the front end burner using, if necessary, a 13mm (1/2”) spanner, ensure old insulation is removed and fit new insulation onto gas jet venturi. Fit new burner tightening until the retaining screw holes are aligned – inline with alignment marks. Lock in place by re-engaging the retaining screw. Do not over-tighten.
Gas jet venturi replacement: Remove front end burner as instructed above. Remove gas jet venturi by pulling directly out from iron. Replace with new gas jet venturi, aligning its flats with the corresponding flat in the bore of the iron. Fit new insulation onto gas jet venturi ensuring, where applicable, that old insulation is removed from front end burner before replacing. Replace the front end burner as instructed above.
The following link will bring you to a video showing you how to work through the above steps and replace the parts on your SuperPro iron. https://portasol.com/how-to-s.html
If you require any assistance or have any questions when servicing or repairing your unit, please get in contact with us via email, phone or website chat!
