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BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven

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Does anyone have any experience with these ovens ? We are lo... - Sep 15, 2005 by Sr. Tech

We had 2 at my last company. As I recall we had a hell of a ... - Sep 15, 2005 by

I beleive what they are doing now for the blower issue is gi... - Sep 15, 2005 by RDR

From a used equipment dealer's perspective I know they are a... - Sep 15, 2005 by Fastek

OK guys here is the skinny..... We need an oven that can ... - Sep 19, 2005 by Sr. Tech

They're full of crap and are simply trying to get you into a... - Sep 19, 2005 by Rick

Pyramax 150 is a low cost newer version of the Paragon 150, ... - Sep 20, 2005 by Rob

> Does anyone have any experience with these ovens >... - Apr 23, 2006 by

i have one problem here with BTU TRS-14. we encounter Over t... - Apr 23, 2006 by

Sure...I can help. Reduce the temperature and the error will... - Apr 24, 2006 by Fastek

You did not tell us where your boards fit on the thermal mas... - Apr 24, 2006 by PeteC

> OK guys here is the skinny..... > > We need an... - Apr 24, 2006 by Calvin Sessions

Thanks. currently we already reduce the temperature and chan... - Apr 25, 2006 by

I don't believe that the TRS14's are suitible for lead free ... - Apr 26, 2006 by Rob

Thanks for all of the input. FYI: We ended up buying a V... - Apr 26, 2006 by Sr. Tech

Thanks for the input. ... - Apr 26, 2006 by

Ive a 5 zone vip 90, running at temperatures up to 280 degre... - Apr 27, 2006 by Slaine

Sr. Tech

#36656

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 15 September, 2005

Does anyone have any experience with these ovens ? We are looking at purchasing a used one. Anything in particular I should look at when inspecting it ?

Any comments good or bad appreciated.....

Thnx, Sr.

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#36657

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 15 September, 2005

We had 2 at my last company. As I recall we had a hell of a time with bad blower motors. I'm not sure how you'd check on that, but maybe that problem has been fixed by now (it's been a few years).

good luck, pr

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RDR

#36665

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 15 September, 2005

I beleive what they are doing now for the blower issue is giving a lifetime warranty on them but they still haven't upgraded to prevent the frequent failures. Personally I prefer a warranty that I don't need.

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Fastek

#36667

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 15 September, 2005

From a used equipment dealer's perspective I know they are always in high demand and are difficult to locate used. Them and Electrovert are the best.

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Sr. Tech

#36709

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 19 September, 2005

OK guys here is the skinny.....

We need an oven that can handle lead free temps without slowing the belt speed under 28 or so in. per min.

BTU tells me that they don't recommend an oven that maxes any less than 350 C.

Is anyone using a paragon 150 for lead free with acceptable results? (Paragons max @ 325 C)

reply »

Rick

#36712

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 19 September, 2005

They're full of crap and are simply trying to get you into a Paramax 150. Depending on your product you could probably get by with a VIP-98.

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Rob

#36716

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 20 September, 2005

Pyramax 150 is a low cost newer version of the Paragon 150, the Paragon is a newer version of the VIP. The VIP is great for lead free (as confirmed to us by BTU, who told us it was pointless upgrading that particular oven to a Pyramax).

You may need the extra zones for the belt speed you require.

BTW, BTU are excellent in the UK, & have never given us duff info.

Also, the newer Vitronics Soltec ovens are very good, with a very low Delta T, but don't know what the support will be like in your region.

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kanna

#41143

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 23 April, 2006

> Does anyone have any experience with these ovens > ? We are looking at purchasing a used > one. Anything in particular I should look at > when inspecting it ? > > Any comments good or bad > appreciated..... > > Thnx, Sr.

i have one problem here with BTU TRS-14. we encounter Over temperature Alarm trigger when run lead free product. our profiling peak temp is 230 degree's and the temperature set point at zone 4 top/bottom is 260 degree's. can any help on this issue.

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kanna

#41144

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 23 April, 2006

reply »

Fastek

#41145

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 24 April, 2006

Sure...I can help. Reduce the temperature and the error will go away.

Seriously though.....I'm not sure that oven is even capable of those temps. Is it even convection?

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PeteC

#41154

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 24 April, 2006

You did not tell us where your boards fit on the thermal mass range. That is key. I've run Pb Free low to medium thermal mass boards with good results on a 5 zone oven (5 top/5 bottom).

You should not have a problem running a medium thermal mass board on a Paragon 150 in Pb Free recipe at 28 inches/min. That's not breathing too hard for that oven.

I've done Pb Free runs on an Electrovert OmniFlo 10 with good results as well. Conveyor speed was at about 30inch/min as I recall on a medium thermal mass board, like a bigger PC motherboard.

Check out the new ovens though too. The new Electrovert OmniFLEX 10 will consume about half as much electricity as an old Paragon 150. That may get the attention of management and give you more $$ for an oven. Electrovert has a nice little speadsheet that you just type in you cost per KwH and shifts you run and it will show annual cost. It is based on an aggressive Pb Free solder recipe. http://www.speedlinetech.com/electrovert/omniflex-10.aspx

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Calvin Sessions

#41157

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 24 April, 2006

> OK guys here is the skinny..... > > We need an > oven that can handle lead free temps without > slowing the belt speed under 28 or so in. per > min. > > BTU tells me that they don't recommend an > oven that maxes any less than 350 C. > > Is anyone > using a paragon 150 for lead free with acceptable > results? (Paragons max @ 325 C)

Hi Sr.

We have 2 BTU Pyramax 150's and they are indeed capable of a lead-free soldering process with outstanding results. We use the MOLE as our thermal profiler and we can achieve a lead free profile with an oven belt speed well beyond 28 in per minute (max speed spec @ 60 in. per minute).

More recently BTU showed off their newer Pyramax 125 at the APEX show. It's a 10 zone oven with a smaller footprint (125 in. heated length).

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kanna

#41160

BTU TRS-14 | 25 April, 2006

Thanks. currently we already reduce the temperature and change the bimetallic switch. can anyone help me on the alert problem. the alert trigger when the zone 1 section empty without board. current temperature setting is 187 even i lower the tem or increase the temp. the problem still occur after a while the temperature stable. the alert setting limit is +/- 5 degree's only.this problem happen in zone 1 only for Top and bottom

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Rob

#41198

BTU TRS-14 | 26 April, 2006

I don't believe that the TRS14's are suitible for lead free - the max temp rating from the data sheet is 275oC. When you get near temperatures like 350 C I'm under the impression that the oven itself would start suffering embrittlement damage. However I'm not a metalurgist so this is mere conjecture.

Rick - they are convection, but they use up vast quantities of air and power.

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Sr. Tech

#41202

BTU TRS-14 | 26 April, 2006

Thanks for all of the input.

FYI: We ended up buying a Vitronics XPM2. It works great so far.

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kanna

#41240

BTU TRS-14 | 26 April, 2006

Thanks for the input.

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Slaine

#41245

BTU Paragon 150 Reflow Oven | 27 April, 2006

Ive a 5 zone vip 90, running at temperatures up to 280 degrees, biggest problem we have is with the fan moters siezing up. think we must have changed 8 out of 10 of them ok there 10 years old but it can be a lot of hastle. they sieze absolutly solid. The rubber vibration mounts go on them too. Also had a few problems with the zone over temp sensors burning out so wwe had an upgrade carried out that cost us �2500. Other than that its been pritty good.

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