TS-100 with USB-C and USB-PD

Half a year ago, I built a cable for my TS-100 soldering iron to plug it to a USB-C/USB-PD-capable power supply, giving me a portable 45 Watt soldering iron. Since then, I got quite used to the comfort of having a small soldering iron and I only rarely get my Ersa iCon from the closet. Nonetheless, having to plug the USB-C cable into the power bank and the adaptor cable and the adaptor cable into the soldering iron was a bit tedious.

Somehow, I had too many of those tiny USB-PD trigger modules. I took a close look at them and the soldering iron: Well, it looks like the PD trigger module could actually fit inside the soldering iron! And indeed, it does. At least after shaving off a few tens of a millimeter. ;) Exchanging the DC jack with the trigger module meant that I actually had to get my Ersa iCon out to remove the study DC jack. It has a lot of thermal mass and the PCB of the soldering iron is flimsy compared to that. After a while, the DC jack gave way and I soldered two thick wires onto the sides of the PCB: They serve as a spacer between the two PCBs and as a low-impedance connection for the negative side. The positive side is just a wire stuck through the holes of both PCBs.

Along the way, I unfortunately crumbled an SMD resistor, trying to hold the PCB into place with my PCB holder. Ah well, that one was also quickly exchanged. The result: A real USB-PD soldering iron, with decent power, and without additional adaptor cable. Yay.