Soldering
Preheaters and bottom heaters
A preheater or bottom heater warms the PCB from below before components are soldered or removed with hot air or a soldering iron. This reduces the temperature difference between the top and bottom side and makes rework on boards with large copper areas easier. The range covers units from JBC, Weller, Quick, Oki, Thermaltronics, Hakko, Reeco and Ersa. They differ in heating method (infrared, quartz, convection, metal plate), in heated area from 80 x 50 mm up to boards of 51 x 61 cm, and in power from 80 W to 5400 W.
Find the right preheater
Filter this category directly by manufacturer or ESD version.
JBCBottom heaters and preheating sets with PCB holder for rework benches.PCBs up to 51 x 61 cm
WellerWHP series hot plates, from compact units to large heated areas.WHP 80 to WHP 1000
QuickDigitally controlled hot plates with ceramic emitter or aluminium top.50-300 °C, 800 W
OkiProgrammable preheater and Focus convection preheating elements.4 zones, 25-400 °C
ThermaltronicsIR preheaters and an ESD infrared bottom heater for medium to large assemblies.Heated area up to 310 x 310 mm
ReecoMulti-zone preheaters with quartz or convection heating.3 zones, 300 x 420 mm
Hakko and ErsaCompact analogue preheaters and infrared rework hot plates.Two-zone control, IRHP 100A
ESD versionAntistatic units for use inside the EPA.
- 38 items
- 8 manufacturers
- Net prices plus VAT
Buying guide
How to choose Preheaters and bottom heaters
What matters when choosing: properties, comparison and typical applications.
Selection criteria
| Criterion | What to check | Example from the range |
|---|---|---|
| Heated area | The heated area should cover the board, or at least the rework zone. | Weller WHP 80 with 80 x 50 mm, JBC PHXLE-2KA for PCBs up to 51 x 61 cm |
| Heating method | Infrared and quartz heat up quickly, convection spreads heat evenly, metal and aluminium plates give a solid support. | Reeco RE-QPHA3 (quartz), JBC PHBE-2B (convection), Quick 870 (aluminium top) |
| Power | Large and multilayer assemblies need more power, small boards need little. | Weller WHP 200 with 200 W, JBC PHXLE-1KA with 5400 W |
| Temperature range | Match the range to your soldering profile and keep some headroom. | JBC PHSE-2B 50-250 °C, Oki PCT-1000 25-400 °C |
| Heating zones | Several zones let you heat only the area you need. | Hakko C5023 with two-zone control, JBC PHXLE-2A with 6 zones |
| PCB holder and interface | A holder fixes the assembly, an interface allows integration with a station. | JBC PHSE-2KB with PCB holder, Weller WHP 1000 with RS 232 |
| ESD protection | Inside the EPA, choose an ESD-safe version. | Thermaltronics TMT-PH200, JBC RBN-2A |