Soldering iron location of earth connector...

[Lusi83]

Stupid mistake alert...
This is a cheap soldering iron with a ceramic core.
(Actually this one https://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/zd...ldering-kit/dp/SD01157?st=30w soldering irons but there seem to be similar ones out there)

It stopped heating and I replaced it with a better, more adjustable one.
Then I discovered that it is possible to repair plastics by melting them together with a soldering iron. Wouldn't want to use my more expensive iron for that so I took the cheap one apart to try and fix it.
Found out I could buy new heating cores very cheaply but with longish delivery times and it isn't a priority.
Iron has sat around in pieces for a few weeks - screws were in a magnetic dish/white board on my desk. One of my children has been fiddling and admits to dropping it - so possible I've lost a screw.
I can't remember or work out where to attach the earth cable....there is a 'spare' hole (red arrow) if I had a suitable screw I'd think it was attached to. If I thought it wasn't obvious I would have taken a photo... if it is supposed to attach with a screw I can probably find one I could use.
But looking at images online of similar irons I can't see clearly whether they do have a screw in that hole or not...in fact in one it looks like it doesn't. I could attach underneath one of the other screws.
Is it ok that it attaches so directly to something you touch?
When it so close to being 'fixed' I'm reluctant to give up -but I don't want it not be properly earthed/dangerous ...or block a hole that is for cooling or something.
(Guess I could always use the interfering child as a guinea pig ...but think Social services wouldn't be too impressed )

 

[blup]

Duratool have a website with a contact email, it might be worth asking them direct (I have had replies to similar enquiries made direct to a far East manufacturer in the past).

duratool.com/aboutus.html

The earth connection is needed because the metalwork is exposed, so it is perfectly possible that this small hole is for the earth fitting. But you don't necessarily know what else has gone missing/is broken so ultimately it might be wise to scrap it given the price.

Blup

 

[Lusi83]

I think I might email duratool ....not sure how helpful they'll be, but worth a try.
I know it is cheap - but think soldering plastic won't be very good for it and this way I can keep it and potentially mend something -so keep two things out of landfill.
I know I haven't lost anything else from it - I left the old core on to copy and loosely put it back together and hid it out the way - I just didn't bother putting the screws back in -thinking they would be safe in the dish....
(And it was well out of fiddle range - not only does it still have the plug on but also last time I left something sitting without screws someone picked it up to look, it collapsed, got dropped and I never managed to get it back together again ...)

 

[Burnerman]

Just looking at the length of the wires, and the fact that the arrowed hole doesn't look as if there has ever been a screw there......could the earth wire pass through that hole, and attach somewhere in the ceramic holder?
John

 

[lostinthelight]

Does your good iron have replaceable tips, I have a spare one for mine which is used just for plastics welding .

 

[Lusi83]

Does your good iron have replaceable tips, I have a spare one for mine which is used just for plastics welding .

I do have a couple of different tips for my good iron - but as it is pretty new they are all in good condition. And the tips from this old iron aren't interchangeable with it...

Really kicking myself for not putting the screws in ...probably more annoying not only have I bought the new cores but I've fitted one and checked that it is heating etc before I realised I had the earth issue....

 

[mattylad]

It all depends what your going to be soldering, many soldering irons do not have directly grounded tips.

If you do a bit of googling, an Ian.M suggests why they should be grounded at:
http://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/does-you-soldering-iron-have-grounded-tip/

However many well known brands do not and simply have a ESD ground point for users to use.
Cheap ones most likely do not too.

I know that having used a grounded soldering iron on a TV that was unfortunately still connected to the main caused a big bang/more damage many many years ago when touched with the iron (oops!).