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While we would love everything to work perfectly, sometimes that just doesn’t happen.
Please do not email maintainers directly - these will generally be ignored. Keep issue discussions to GitHub issues or the discussions page so that the whole community can help and work together.

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Hardware Issues

If your iron was previously working, this could be a bug. Please check the currently open and recently closed issues to see if anyone else has run into this.

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Troubleshooting Steps

  1. Test with older firmware: Try going back to a release on the firmware to test if this is a new issue before opening an issue
  2. Check for known issues: If this is a new iron, check existing issues - a vendor could have changed the model of the accelerometer without warning (this happens regularly)
  3. Hardware failure: If your iron is new, there is a slim chance your accelerometer may be DOA and need replacement
This warning will only be shown the first few times until settings are reset.

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When to Open an Issue

Feel free to open an issue if you don’t see any existing reports. In the case of a new accelerometer model, support should come shortly.
Generally, this means either something went very awry in the firmware, or the chip is not answering as would normally be expected.

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Troubleshooting Steps

  1. Test with older firmware: Try rolling back to an earlier release to confirm if the issue still persists
  2. Seek warranty support: If the issue persists, the device may need repair. If you have some form of seller protection/support, you most likely want to reach out to be safe
  3. DIY repair: If you don’t have warranty support, you can always attempt to replace the IC yourself
As of writing, both the TS80P and Pinecil use the FUSB302.
This warning will only be shown the first few times until settings are reset.
If your tip is not being detected, the most likely cause is that the heater element inside the tip has been damaged from over-temperature, being dropped, or bad luck.
As the heater coil is part of the temperature measurement circuit, neither heating nor temperature measurement will work if it’s damaged.

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Diagnosis

The best way to see if this is the case is to measure the resistance across the contacts to the tip using a multimeter.Expected measurements:
  • Normal range: 4-10 ohms
  • Anything higher than 10 ohms is generally an issue
If the resistance is out of spec, the tip needs to be replaced.
Check the RTip and CHan numbers in the Debug menu. Extremely high CHan is suspect to a problem with the cold junction compensation temperature sensor.

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For Pinecil V1

Inspect near U10 which is the TMP36 sensor (see related issue).Troubleshooting steps:
  1. Try reflowing/resoldering the TMP36 chip at U10 to correct a weak solder joint
  2. If it worked on older firmware but not on 2.16+, weak solder joints are suspect
The newer firmware runs the ADC a bit faster to keep tighter control of the tip temperature. Normally this won’t cause an issue as the output from the TMP36 is powerful enough to keep up without any issue. But if you have a weak or cold solder joint, this could cause issues.

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Advanced Troubleshooting

If the CHan is extremely high and reflowing the temperature sensor does not resolve the issue:
  1. Inspect the pins in the main MCU
  2. Try giving them a light squeeze to the board while watching CHan in the debug menu

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For Other Devices

If you have a different device, follow the same logic and locate the temperature sensor on your device. The troubleshooting approach remains the same:
  • Check for weak solder joints
  • Reflow suspicious connections
  • Verify MCU pin connections

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General Hardware Troubleshooting Tips

Inspect Solder Joints

The vast majority of hardware issues are caused by poor soldering or cold solder joints. Visual inspection and reflowing can fix most problems.

Check Component Connections

Verify that all components are properly seated and connected. Pay special attention to the OLED display, accelerometer, and temperature sensors.

Test with Multimeter

Use a multimeter to verify component values and connections. This is especially important for tip resistance and temperature sensor readings.

Firmware Testing

If you suspect a firmware issue, try rolling back to an earlier release to isolate whether the problem is hardware or software related.

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When to Seek Professional Help

1

Within Warranty Period

If your device is within the manufacturer support window, contact your manufacturer for RMA/warranty service first.
2

Check Community Resources

Search GitHub issues and the Pinecil community chat for similar problems and solutions.
3

DIY Repair

If you’re comfortable with electronics repair and your device is out of warranty, you can attempt repairs yourself.
4

Document and Report

If you find a new issue, document it thoroughly and report it on GitHub so the community can help.

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