Review by Tim Blythman
Solder Master
ESM-50WL
Cordless Soldering Iron
Battery-powered soldering irons are becoming the preferred choice
when soldering needs to be done away from mains power or in tight
spaces. The Solder Master ESM-50WL from Master Instruments is the
latest contender.
L
ike the Wagner SI50HSK cordless
soldering iron we reviewed in the
April 2021 issue (siliconchip.com.
au/Article/14828), the ESM-50WL is
being marketed as a replacement for
butane (gas) powered soldering irons.
However, there are some significant
differences between them.
We received a test unit from Master
Instruments, a company prominent in
the battery engineering space. They
have had substantial input into this
Australian-designed product.
The ESM-50WL Cordless Iron comes
as a complete kit in a padded clamshell
case. It includes the Iron, two tips, a
protective heat-resistant silicone tip
cover, both 12V (vehicle accessory
socket) and universal (100V-240V)
mains chargers, and a small tube of
lead-free solder.
The kit is ideal for keeping in the
toolbox for those who know they might
need to use a soldering iron anytime.
The two chargers mean it can be kept
charged no matter where you are.
As you might expect from Master
Instruments, the Iron does not skimp
on batteries. The battery is rated at
14.4V 3.45Ah (50Wh) and comprises
four Panasonic cells. The chargers are
rated at 1A, so the battery will charge
from flat in a few hours, although generally you’ll only need to top it off,
taking less than an hour.
The nominal continuous running
time is up to 270 minutes on ‘low
mode’. We found that we never came
Boost mode gives more power
(27W) when needed for 25s
close to running it down in our tests.
Master Instruments reckon it’s the
longest-lasting battery on the market.
In use
The ESM-50WL Cordless Iron is a
powerful unit. We used it to assemble a
project PCB, however, we found that it
was overpowered for such a small task,
as even on the lowest setting (480°C),
it put out quite a bit of heat.
We then tried using it to solder
heavy-duty wires onto some 70W LED
panels on a thick aluminium-core
PCB. For this job, it excelled. There
is no doubt that this is a serious tool
for heavy-duty work. It also handled
splicing together some thick copper
wires with ease.
Battery and temperature
LED indicators
Temperature settings: low (480°C),
medium (520°C) and high (570°C)
LED for work
illumination
Heating time:
under 10 seconds!
Dimensions:
235mm x 52mm x 37.8mm
Comes as a kit in a clamshell carry case
including two interchangeable tips
Battery: 14.4V 3.45Ah
(50Wh) Li-ion
The power button for the Solder Master ESM-50WL is located on the left-hand side. The yellow indicators on the top of
the device show how hot the tip will become, while the blue lights indicate the battery charge left in 25% steps.
82
Silicon Chip
Australia’s electronics magazine
siliconchip.com.au
For those that want even more heat,
its boost mode can provide 27W for up
to 25 seconds.
The controls and LEDs are clear and
visible on the top of the Iron, and it is
well-balanced. The shape lends itself
well to being placed flat on a work
surface between uses, without fear of
melting anything.
An included silicone tip cover can
be fitted while the Iron is hot and
allows it to be packed away safely.
The Iron also has a white LED which
is aimed towards the tip for illumination of the work. This lights up the
work area nicely, but as it’s only lit
while holding down the heat button,
it isn’t that useful for positioning the
tip before soldering.
Some of the suggested users include
automotive and marine engineers,
telecommunication techs and HVAC
(heat, ventilation & air conditioning)
installers. Those sound like the sort
of jobs that will make good use of the
portability, power and long running
time that this Iron provides.
Construction & servicability
The shell is fire retardant polycarbonate and ABS, and the Iron also
appears made to be serviced, with
a full range of spare parts available.
The DC jack, for example, seems to
be a standard barrel type and the tip
holder is a silicone-lined gland, both
of which are well-suited to straightforward user servicing and repair.
Conclusion
The Solder Master ESM-50WL Cordless Iron is a powerful unit and would
be well-suited as a gas iron replacement for those involved in heavy-duty
work, in difficult situations. The kit
provides a small but complete and
versatile set of accessories to accompany the Iron.
While more expensive than a comparable gas iron, we think it has significant advantages, including having
several charging options and being
usable in places where an open flame
is not safe.
The Solder Master ESM-50WL Cordless Iron retails for $369.95 and is
available from resellers like Wagner
Electronics Super Store (siliconchip.
com.au/link/abau). For more information on this and related products, see
www.soldermaster.com.au/ and www.
master-instruments.com.au/category/
Solder_Master/2263
SC
siliconchip.com.au
The soldering iron comes in a padded
clamshell case. The case contains the iron with
protective cover, two tips, a universal mains charger, a car
charger and a tube of lead-free solder.
This 3D internal view of the soldering iron showing the battery pack is from
the YouTube video: https://youtu.be/iwcwJBnLshA This same YouTube video
also has a 3D external view of the soldering iron.
Australia’s electronics magazine
October 2021 83
