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Repair and troubleshooting information for the FixHub Power Series | Portable Soldering Station, the combination of the Portable Power Station and the Smart Soldering Iron. Released in October 2024.

Battery Charge Time Seems Super Slow

Recently been using my new soldering station and needed to charge the battery. Plugged it into a 2A fast charger (old Samsung phone charger). Battery was at 15% at 6 PM (Monday), at 7 AM (Tuesday), it is at 60%. Looks like a full day to charge this battery based on that schedule. Any recommendation for speeding up the time. I did try a variety of charging bricks with no significant change in charging speed.

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Switching to a Apple Macbook charger (60W) did the trick. The 20-30W chargers just didn't have enough power to charge the soldering station battery pack in a reasonable amount of time. Although iFixit offers a 65W charger for sale, I didn't find the need to spend an additional $65 to solve the issue.

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Slow Charging Issues with Your Soldering Station

Problem Description

Your soldering station's charging speed appears very low. A progress from 15% to 60% within 13 hours indicates the battery could take roughly 29 hours to fully charge. That's significantly longer than usual for rechargeable equipment.

Possible Causes of Slow Charging

A number of reasons may be influencing your charging speed:

  • Charger compatibility problems - Your soldering station does not necessarily use phone chargers optimally.
  • Battery capacity vs. charger output - An oversized battery takes longer with a lower amperage charger.
  • Charging circuit restrictions - The device itself may restrict charging current independent of charger.
  • Battery condition or age - New batteries at times require a few cycles to attain full capacity.

Solutions to Try

Below are some realistic steps to speed up charging:

Use the Original Charger

The charger made by the manufacturer is tailored specifically for your device. It offers the best combination of voltage and current.

Check Specifications

Check your soldering station manual. See the suggested charging specifications. Compare these specifications with a suitable charger.

Try a Higher Amperage Charger

If your device can use it, try a 3A or more charger. Most contemporary devices are able to work with multiple charging rates.

Inspect for Damage

Inspect the charging cable and port for damage or dirt. Clean them lightly with a soft brush or compressed air.

Check Temperature

Charging the battery in high temperatures or cold temperatures reduces charging speed. Keep your device in room temperature while charging.

Buy a Spare Battery

For unbroken work, buying a spare battery may be a good investment. Switch them whenever necessary.

When to Seek Help

If these actions fail, contact the manufacturer. The charging circuit or battery may need to be replaced. Most soldering stations will charge completely in 3-5 hours.

Keep in mind that good charging practices maximize battery life. Try not to discharge frequently to zero whenever possible. Unplug your tool when fully charged to avoid overheating.

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Thanks for your reply - I suspected it is a charger issue, but after trying around 5 2A (18-30W) charging bricks, have not seen any improvement.

I see iFixit sells a 65W charger for $65 - that's crazy expensive. That one is supposed to charge the soldering station battery u in 2 hours.

Portable Soldering Station Quick Start Guide

65W USB-C GaN iFixit Fast Charger

Going to research some other models. But it may be the battery, it is dead cold while charging.

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@njitman - The Wattage of the charger dictates the rate of charge. So while using a 18~30W unit does work it won’t be as fast as a 65W unit. A second issue is the gage of the power wires as some USB-C cables (cheaper ones) only offer smaller gage wire which can’t support laptops or as in this case a mobile soldering station power needs. Think of it like an extension cord you would use for a simple desk lamp Vs an electric stove, clearly the power draw of the stove needs a heavier cable, no difference here.

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Switched to an Apple Macbook charger, which is 60W with heavy cable for supporting charging a laptop. Will report back in a bit if that solved the issue.

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@realestateindia - We try to stay away from AI composed answers as they are often to generic and just send people on wild goose chases. Please refrain using them straight out, proof read the answer and edit it so it’s to the point.

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I thought that was a form moderators used to reply - didn't even consider it was AI generated, but now that I am reading it, it could apply to any battery charging situation. Update on using the Macbook charger. When I first plugged it in, the charge state was 67%. After a few minutes, it changed to 15% and it now at 29%. And the battery is a little warmer now, so I think we are good using this charger. Thanks!

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