Worst of all, I still do not fully understand how it works.
That is shocking, considering how long I have been using these irons!
I opened the old switch and discovered the following:
1) There is a wire rod in there, with a contact plate on one end and a piece of metal on the other end (I think that could be a magnet. I forgot now).
2) The contact plate at the back shorts 2 contacts (or not) and is the actual switch part.
3) There is a spring that pushes the rod assembly to the rear, away from the tip.
4) When you put the tip in, the rear of the tip attracts the metal piece (or magnet) and pulls it, the rod and the contact plate towards the tip. This causes the contact plate to close the 2 contacts = ON.
What I do not understand:
1) What causes the contacts to open at the target temperature
2) What the difference in the tips is (different numbers) in as far as changing the temperature and when that switch opens.
Does anyone know perhaps?
Regards
X