Electronic – Weller EC1301a vs EC1301b (or schematic for EC3001 station)

I bought a Weller EC3001 station with a EC1301 iron out of my first pay check when I got my first bench engineers job (and that was a very long time ago!!!). Life took me in a different direction, but (sad I know) I have become really sentimental about my Weller station as retain a keen interest and it has served me flawlessly over the years…

To my horror it stopped working a couple of weeks back (red temp indicator light now just stays on permanently and it doesn't heat). Spares are hard to come by as these have been obsolete forever, and Weller themselves have tried to help but no longer have the tech sheets etc. To my surprise I managed to get a EC1301b iron, making a fair assumption that it was likely the heating element and / or the temp sensor that had finally given in. However, when I connect it the light stays off permanently, and again no heat.

I believed the 1301A and 1301B were the same soldering pen / iron, so I expected it to work, or at least provide the same symptoms if the station itself has a fault.

Does anyone have any info on the EC1301A, EC1301B, EC3001 (station) or even the EC4001 (station)??

Ideally diagrams, pin-outs or anything that can help me confirm whether a EC1301B should work as a replacement for an EC1301A (or work with the EC3001 / 4001 stations). Or help me diagnose the station if it is that which is faulty. Ideally I'm hoping they just changed the pin allocation on the 'B' variant as the plug is the same as I could then rewire it or use the parts from the new pen to get my old faithful up and running again.

Sure, I could just buy a new iron – but not sure what a proper send off would cost that feels fitting for my very dear soldering iron 😉 Therapy is expensive too!!

Many thanks and fingers crossed…