Welding Advice

[Cat_J]

Thats great. This one looks like a good buy then. Could you recommend a top value for it?

Thanks for all the help guys, I feel like a 90yo trying to buy a computer...

[Everlands]

In some tech spec I found for it it says you can change polarity so I assume it runs gasless too.

Not necessarily ... it will probably say "gasless" or "cored wire compatible". But gas is far better anyway, unless you plan on welding somewhere it's windy

[reb78]

This is the equivalent to my machine from the company i bought it from (they mentioned that Butters were having financial trouble so the products may be sold unbranded now for some reason - dont know how correct his is) but the link may give you an idea of the price of a new more powerful unit of the same make:

http://www.spawelding.co.uk/online-store/mig-welding/mig-welders-up-to-190amp/271-170c-swp-mig-welder.html

Price has gone down since i bought mine!

[FridgeFreezer]

Be very careful, a 3kw generator will not enjoy the sudden on/off load of a welder so you may find it won't be happy anywhere near the top end of the dial - this has been covered before in a thread many moons ago, I think someone who worked for a genset company chimed in in the end and the rule of thumb is something like 200% capacity (EG to run 3kw welder happily you'd want a 6kw generator). I know we tried welding some stuff (OK, Moglite) in a field with a reasonably sized hobby mig and a not inconsiderably sized generator and it was a struggle.

Any welder should be able to manage gasless surely - just turn the gas off and put gasless wire in

[LandyManLuke]

the rule of thumb is something like 200% capacity (EG to run 3kw welder happily you'd want a 6kw generator).

Yes, anything over half the capacity of the generator will be a bit suck-it-and-see. Certainly not advised.

Any welder should be able to manage gasless surely - just turn the gas off and put gasless wire in

Gasless should be used with a -ve torch, rather than +ve as used with gas. Some people have reported OK welding with gasless wire and +ve torch though.

[Bowie69]

Any welder should be able to manage gasless surely - just turn the gas off and put gasless wire in  

Isn't gasless wire thicker, requiring a change of feed wheels?

[FridgeFreezer]

Isn't gasless wire thicker, requiring a change of feed wheels?

Yes, I was assuming that bit would be self-explanatory though

[Bowie69]

Maybe not to a newbie looking to learn to weld though

[Night Train]

Be very careful, a 3kw generator will not enjoy the sudden on/off load of a welder so you may find it won't be happy anywhere near the top end of the dial - this has been covered before in a thread many moons ago, I think someone who worked for a genset company chimed in in the end and the rule of thumb is something like 200% capacity (EG to run 3kw welder happily you'd want a 6kw generator). I know we tried welding some stuff (OK, Moglite) in a field with a reasonably sized hobby mig and a not inconsiderably sized generator and it was a struggle.

Any welder should be able to manage gasless surely - just turn the gas off and put gasless wire in

I found that. Even with a 5kva generator the delay in getting up to speed, and power, would make starting the weld a little fiddly. Lots of popping and spatter and wire feed problems until the generator was up to speed.

[Cat_J]

What do we think of this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Petrol-Generator-4-Stroke-110-240v-6-5Kva-6500LCL-NEW_W0QQitemZ380075359727QQcategoryZ46412QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m8QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DMW%26its%3DC%26itu%3DUCC%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5944455263955738881#ht_5678wt_1137

I know, I use ebay too much. I'm not made of money but a good generator would probably be useful. The 3kW one I am borrowing from my old boss. I might be able to use the power at the farm but then again I might not and the farmers been so good to me the amount of money I would feel obliged to keep giving him for electricity would probably cost me a fortune anyway. I just don't see that I'll need a 6kW generator after this is done, or maybe I will... Its a hard call to make when most of the money I have is going into parts.

[steve b]

If the farm has power I'd be inclined to use that and pay for what you use - you could always have a meter in the supply for you then its clear what you have used

I think you would have problems running even a small MIG off a generator unless its of industrial quality with full sinewave AC and power spike protection.

The cost of buying and running a genny (and noise) will buy you a lot of quiet mains electric

hth

Steveb

[Cat_J]

I think I'll take your advice on that one steve. I'll ask the farmer on sunday. I'll try to get that welder either way as it seems a bargain.