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0 pointscrote1y ago0 comments

> If you just buy the iron, you have access to all the settings in our web console: https://www.ifixit.com/fixhub/console

So how are you supposed to actually use that? I don't think there are any computers out there which can provide 100W out of their USB ports.

Am I supposed to unplug the iron from its power supply, plug it into a computer, change the temperature, unplug it, plug the power supply back in, wait for it to heat up, and finally continue soldering? That's awkward enough that even a crappy proprietary smartphone app would've been better!

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chmod7751y ago· 1 in thread

Here's an idea: get a USB-C hub that can use auxiliary power/passthrough charging/whatever it's called:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XF5489G

Make sure it can support 100W (that one only goes to 85W).

Plug one end into your PC, one into a wall charger, and one into your soldering iron.

If you want to solder such a thing yourself, there's USB-C PD data/power splitters sold in various places (it needs to be smarter than just connecting pins, since it needs to intercept the power negotiation), but I haven't yet found a part that is advertised to handle 100W.

ssl-31y ago

That hub doesn't work that way.

The hub has a bunch of female ports, and one male USB C port.

The male USB port is the only one that provides USB PD charging output, and it is also the only port that can be used with a USB host machine.

This means that it cannot be used to change settings on the iFixit iron with a computer and give give the iron enough power to heat up. It's not an improvement at all over a regular computer that also cannot do both of these things concurrently.

It looks like a lovely hub to keep on a desk for plugging in a laptop, but it is broadly limited to doing exactly that.

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