Lecture Notes: Pine SEAL Soldier 9 Version 2

Introduction

• Review of Pine SEAL Soldier 9 (Version 2)
• Portable soldering iron
• Higher power revision, runs at 108 MHz using Pine64 RISC processor
• Open-source firmware for customization
• Power delivery capability: 88 watts
• Length: 17 cm, Weight: 20g (without cartridge), 30g (with cartridge)

Key Features

Display & Controls

• OLED display: 0.69 inches
• Two-button interface

Connectors

• USB-C connector (Quick Charge 3 compatible up to 20V)
• DC Barrel Jack (12V and 24V power supply)

Heating Capability

• Uses resistive heating elements
• Requires 24V supply for 88W power delivery

Cartridges

• Comes with one cartridge; high power cartridges available
• Some cartridges similar in length to Miniware ts101
• Conical cartridge shorter in length, better design

Other Features

• Accelerometer for wake/sleep functionality
• Automatic OLED screen rotation
• Multiple power modes (Power Delivery, Quick Charge, DC power)

Performance

Test Setup

• Quick Charge 3 compatible power supply
• Testing with a variety of PCBs
• Measurements using power meter

Observations

• Initial heating: ~40W, with fluctuations
• Open air power draw: ~7W
• Measured temperature discrepancies (15°C off from displayed value)
• Calibration issues with the firmware
• Performance with high thermal capacity PCBs was poor
• Comparison with Metcal soldering station: Metcal performed significantly better

Cartridges Analysis

Differences in Cartridge Performance

• Bundled conical tip performed adequately for general soldering
• High power cartridges (2.4mm chisel tip) underperformed – insufficient power delivery (only 10-12W)
• Possible poor bonding of temperature sensor in cartridges
• Flat cartridge performed slightly better but still below expectations

Conclusions

Pros

• Compact and lightweight design
• Hackable and customizable firmware
• Inexpensive and portable

Cons

• Poor cartridge performance limits usability
• Inaccurate temperature calibration
• Limited variety of reliable cartridges

Recommendations

• Suitable for occasional, light soldering tasks
• Not recommended for high thermal capacity soldering needs
• Miniware alternatives perform better, and professional desktop soldering stations outperform significantly

Acknowledgments

• Sponsored by JLCPCB – affordable PCBs for prototypes
• Patreon supporters

Final Thoughts

• Viewer feedback and comments are encouraged