Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 3160
Location: Melbourne, Australia
This is the video I saw about the AC Spark Gap Arc Start Problem. I assume you have seen it ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQoOP9DHJJQ&feature=endscreen&NR=1 _________________ Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people
Tue Jun 04, 2013 12:33 am
DumHed Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 1219
Location: Sydney
quote:Originally posted by Glen:
I've had a look inside the 160P dc tig at work and it looks pretty similar.
you mean you took *my* welder apart? _________________ The Engine Whisperer
- fixer of things
Thu Jun 06, 2013 8:00 am
Glen Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 9481
Location: Where you least expect
xD i wish, you can see inside it through the huge panel gaps and fan opening
Brett, yeah i've adjusted the gap to where it works the best on DC. Somethings up with it on AC. i might get them to send me a new HF start board and see how that goes. If it doesnt work at least i have a nice flame thrower ignition source lol. _________________ www.demon50s.com - Minimoto parts
http://www.youtube.com/user/HyzerGlen - Videoooozzz
Thu Jun 06, 2013 10:35 am
DumHed Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 1219
Location: Sydney
yeah about 6 months to a year after buying that one I had to open it up and tighten all the internal bolts because they were all only hand tight
It's kept going for another 8 years or something after that though! _________________ The Engine Whisperer
- fixer of things
Thu Jun 06, 2013 12:18 pm
Glen Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 9481
Location: Where you least expect
Thought i should keep this one up to date,
Had a spare moment in the robot building down time to have a look at it. Had an inkling for ages that it wasnt running at full power as the little lincoln 145 had more oompf.
Well after fiddling with everything, this pot is for calibrating the current. I believe the top one is to calibrate the PWM of the AC mode or the "pulse" setting though i cant really test that other than hearing the difference. Theres 3 other pots on the board, i believe they calibrate the plasma current and either the stick current or tig voltage. Will test them at a later date.
Put a DC clamp meter on the output and it was running at 130 amps Winding it in a few turns ramped the max current up to 230 amps which is huge! I did a fair bit of welding too with it like that and nothing blew up. But for the sake of longevity i wound it back to 200 amps. Theres a couple of chinese made 230 amp machines out there now too. Wonder if they just max out this welders internals?
The power is excellent on it now in AC and DC. Comfortably welds 6mm steel in a single pass with full penetration (no laughing down the back )
The digital meter on the front panel is exactly 5 amps off, and the minimum welding current i can get out of it is 15 amps. The specs say 20 so that's pretty good for something so cheap IMHO.
Doing this also seems to have roused the AC start into action, its infinitely better now, seems to start every time after the first go, and only sometimes throws 2-3 arcs before starting on the first try. Thats with crusty aluminium and a throiated tungsten too (the incorrect kind).
Now to add in a quick change gas fitting to it, replace the torch/ground clamp cables with something better and i reckon ill be very happy with this lil fella. _________________ www.demon50s.com - Minimoto parts
http://www.youtube.com/user/HyzerGlen - Videoooozzz
Tue Oct 15, 2013 7:26 pm
Jaemus Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 01 Apr 2009
Posts: 2674
Location: NSW
quote:Originally posted by Glen:
full penetration
*snickers*
Nice dude. You'll of course be providing these mods as a purchasable service for someone who wants a welder of this type? _________________ <Patrician|Away> what does your robot do, sam
<bovril> it collects data about the surrounding environment, then discards it and drives into walls
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