I got a Pace unit off of Craigslist along with a bunch of spares and parts. Glad I picked it up.

LTG : )

I paid $325. It came with a huge circuit board holder, a big box of extra tips, filters, rolls of solder, all kinds of neat stuff.

One of those I thought I won the lottery deal.

It vacuums great, better than anything else I've used. No idea of any rating.

LTG : )

I favor the Pace units as that's what I bought for the Route Operator I worked for years ago (Two systems). Hakko seem to be more popular these days. The casino my son works at has the whole kit and Kaboodle Hakko solder/desolder system for through hole and SMT boards.

No.

LTG : )

Bob -

I use a Pace soldering station, and my vacuum is 23.5" Hg, or 600mm Hg. Keep in mind, this is using a vacuum gauge off of a brake bleeding setup from Harbor Freight, so I would not site the gauge as being extremely accurate.

I got mine off Ebay years ago - much like Lloyd, they had all kinds of extra tips, parts, etc. - A lifetime supply. The one I keep using has the motor with the carbon vanes - I like it better than the ones with a diaphragm. Kind of a pain at times when it gums up from flux, but cleaning is easy to me.

Mine is a PPS5, serial number 1681. I’m not sure if it’s age, but it’s the same model I used when I got my “Pace” license in 1978 while in the Navy. So, at least 40 - 45 years old.

Jeesh am I getting old!

I have one of the below units which is a Hakko 470 type clone.

At the inlet to the unit (with the filter still in place) I get almost 400mm-Hg final result with the gauge I just bought.
I also measured at the guns tip the moment I powered on while the tip was still cold and with a filthy filter in the gun chamber I got 150mm-Hg (sorry about the poor quality pic). Might redo it later when the heater element cools down with a fresh filter.

IMG_0022a.jpg
IMG_0017a.jpg
Yihua_948a.jpg

I have a Xytronic LF-8000, and its built-in vacuum gauge shows about 25 in. Hg when I block the vacuum connector.

Impressive!
It helps when the pump is powered by the AC mains and not some small 12V/24V motor as per the cheap Chinese desoldering stations.

Yes, I am very pleased with the Xytronic. The default desoldering tip has too narrow hole for desoldering larger components such as rectifier bridges and filter capacitors, but I got a few spares and enlarged the hole with a Dremel tool.
20201006_135005 (resized).jpg

Why. If it works, that is good enough for me.

LTG : )

I guess Bob wants to know what sucks and what really sucks!

However, the point is valid - the less time you need to spend sucking out the solder on a thru hole, the less time there is heat applied to the pad, which in turn reduces the chances of lifting a pad. It would be nice to compare brands to add to the knowledge base.

Search for "Aluminum solder sucker desoldering pump" on Ebay.
$3.68 delivered...
ebay.com link: Aluminum Solder Desoldering Pump Remover Gun Sucker Suction Tin Bar Hand Tool
I have no idea what the suction pressure is, but it will lift hot solder and traces, if you are not careful...
And I like the price, so I got one...
Actually 2, because I got one for a friend also, at that price...
Takes about a month for delivery from China.

IMG_20201008_191627 (resized).jpg

That would be Michelle. Really would be Jackie.

LTG : )

Better doesn't come into it. Mine works. That is it. Breaks. Find new one that works, better or not. Just so it works.

I only try to replace broken tools. Not because there is a better tool.

LTG : )

I guess I'm just cheap, but if I was going to spend that much money ($43.31), I would probably get something like this:
ebay.com link: 2in1 Rework Soldering Station Kit w Heating SMD Hot Air Desoldering Gun 750W
$41.99 delivered probably in about month from China...

A Fluke. Great meter.

LTG : )

Decided to pull out one of my old retired Hakkos (I have two of these) that had nearly no suction and clean out the pump valve...

Hakko 700C Desoldering station front
Hakko 700C Desoldering station internal

Vacuum suction measured around 100mm-Hg (3.9 in-Hg) at the stations inlet

Vacuum suction measured around 100mm-Hg (3.9 in-Hg) at the stations inlet

Diaphragm is still ok

Diaphragm is still ok

Valve is under the metal disk

Valve is under the metal disk

Ahh, it's full of solder resin. Hang on, I see some tongue shapes in there. No this brown mess is the valve that's perished!!

Ahh, it's full of solder resin. Hang on, I see some tongue shapes in there. No this brown mess is the valve that's perished!!

Made a replacement valve from a piece of rubber

Made a replacement valve from a piece of rubber

Cleaned out the crap from the valve cover and installed the replacement valve

Cleaned out the crap from the valve cover and installed the replacement valve

Now that's better suction! Vacuum suction measured around 585mm-Hg (23 in-Hg) at the stations inlet

Now that's better suction! Vacuum suction measured around 585mm-Hg (23 in-Hg) at the stations inlet
Irons

Unfortunately replacement tips for the desoldering gun haven't been available for many many years..

Ebay or Craigslist for broken handles cheap and grab the tips ?

LTG : )

"Enging Vacuum" gauge?

I think someone forgot how to spell "engine". Probably not an engineer...

I still have not found a way to adjust the read/write Tormat switch on Seeburg Microlog jukeboxes without a Simpson 260 or equivalent...

Hah, was waiting for someone to notice that
The gauge is made in Taiwan. I hope its accuracy is a little better than those from China.

I still use my analog meter for bench testing SCRs on Bally/Stern lamp driver boards. The current in Ohms mode switches on the SCRs.

Maybe there's a leak between the inlet valve and the inlet connection on the pump.
If you have some soft rubber, make a replacement valve cover seal.

BTW if you hook up the gauge to the pump output, do you get about the same opposite needle deflection in pressure?

CSI_Desoldering_Pump_Valves1.jpg
CSI_Desoldering_Pump_Diaphragm1.jpg

Hello, do you have a link for the pump you used? And could you tell me how you adapted the new pump on your unit?

Not the thread i was expecting.........

Thank you for answering my questions.
I think this pump here is the one you used:

https://aliexpress.com/item/32893649130.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.232f2e0e9PQKqv

I'll buy it and try it myself. Thank you again.