switching to an inverter welder???

Anonymous-0 · Oct 4, 2011

Gonna post this on tool talk also but figure it'll get hijacked by the I love me crowd pretty quick and I'll get a couple more constructive responses here.

Anyway,
Not a pro welder but can get by for the little bit I need to repair and play with. House electricity is 230 volt. Existing welder is a portable 145 amp box that does what I have needed but is limited to only one outlet that it can be used from without tripping a breaker. And it's heavy, bigger, and awkward.
Inverter welder could be used anywhere I feel like plugging it in (including my generator for light jobs so I'm told)...
Just not sure of what I should be getting..Have 3 in mind but don't want to over or under do it.....

1) 10-100 amp says will weld .8 to 8mm material
2) 20-140 amp .8 to 12mm and WIG capable (whatever that is :roll: )
3) 20-160 amp .8 to 15mm """""""""

Probably everything I would ever do would fall in the lower criteria, but don't want to be caught shorthanded if the two higher ones wouldn't be overkill.....

Any helpful input is appreciated.

Dave

36 Coupe · Oct 4, 2011

When an inverter welder fails you will get a big repair bill.I do a bit of repairs to transformer welders but wont touch an inverter type.Failures tend to be massive.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 4, 2011

(quoted from post at 05:04:32 10/04/11) When an inverter welder fails you will get a big repair bill.I do a bit of repairs to transformer welders but wont touch an inverter type.Failures tend to be massive.

Prices are almost throw away prices with a 5 year gaurantee........ Just wondering about the size..

Anonymous-0 · Oct 4, 2011

Well shoot, then throw the money my way, I'll give you a lifetime gauraantee that you ain't a going to like it. I'll be waiting for the check, please post asap!

Ken Macfarlane · Oct 4, 2011

At low price point they are DC stick only, with scratch start tig
capability. If you aren't going to tig, why bother with the smaller
ones? You aren't going to stick weld 0.8 mm material.

What do you normally weld?

Anonymous-0 · Oct 4, 2011

(quoted from post at 06:08:11 10/04/11) At low price point they are DC stick only, with scratch start tig
capability. If you aren't going to tig, why bother with the smaller
ones? You aren't going to stick weld 0.8 mm material.

What do you normally weld?

keep em coming......already questioning if I even need it (or if the portability is worth the 200 bucks)
I'd say nothing thinner than 2mm and nothing thicker than 6 or 8. no real projects (if so in the 2-3mm range) just some patching and modifying on some old stuff around.
Maybe I'll just skip it and stick with the one I have....

Thanks.

Leroy · Oct 4, 2011

I know nothing about that type of welder. Now here in Ohio the smallest amp rod I can get is 100 amp. So with that said I cannot get small enough rods for use with my 60-70+ year old 70 amp Speigle 110 volt welder, also have anouther cheepy welder of that size. Have a 225 Lincoln AC only welder and usually what I do in repairing machinery is run around 175 amp. Have a litle wire welder I bought new possibly 10 year ago and gave up on it as I could never get it to work. In all the time I have had it there has been one 2 pound roll of wire in it.

Janicholson · Oct 4, 2011

The cost of copper drives some of the facts. The adjustability of the inverter driven units (if made to allow phase modification and pulse widthchanges etc) can work with alloys and dificult materials. The portability also drives the advantage. Miller, Hobart, or other brand name units are great. I would not get a transformer unit but I would not get a cheap inverter typr either. Jim

BCnT · Oct 4, 2011

check the duty cycle before you buy...10% means you can weld about 6 minutes per hour...ok if youre not in a hurry.

Geo-TH,In · Oct 4, 2011

BCnT,
I've always wondered just how duty cycles are calculated? I have a cheap 225 amp lincoln ac welder. I think it has a 10% duty cycle. Is the 10% cycle based on 225 amps range or the 75 amp range where I do most of my welding? Is the duty cycle a function of the ambient temperature?

I usually burn up 5-6 rods, 75 amp range, then give it a break for a few minutes. The welder has never produced a hot smell like the windings are getting hot.

Dave 2,

Hope I'm not hi-jacking your post, however if the duty cycle of a welder is important, I'd like to know how it's determined and how important it is

?

What is the upside of an inverter welder? What is the cost? It is way cheaper to use the electricity from the power company, than to generate your own with gas.

George

Brad Buchanan · Oct 4, 2011

Dave, I would be a little skeptical about the capacities of those welders.

You might be able to weld 15mm steel plate at 140 amps by making several passes at it but the penetration will not be there.

I don't know what is available in Germany but you can get a 225 Lincoln buzz-box here for $300 to $400 and I have seen them go used for $150 or so.

With the right electrode and practice you can weld 16 ga. sheet metal or 1" plate with good penetration.

You will hear squaking about AC/DC and arc stabilizers but but I personally think that is more about lack of skill that necessity.

Brad Buchanan

Anonymous-0 · Oct 4, 2011

(quoted from post at 09:52:03 10/04/11) BCnT,
I've always wondered just how duty cycles are calculated? I have a cheap 225 amp lincoln ac welder. I think it has a 10% duty cycle. Is the 10% cycle based on 225 amps range or the 75 amp range where I do most of my welding? Is the duty cycle a function of the ambient temperature?

I usually burn up 5-6 rods, 75 amp range, then give it a break for a few minutes. The welder has never produced a hot smell like the windings are getting hot.

Dave 2,

Hope I'm not hi-jacking your post, however if the duty cycle of a welder is important, I'd like to know how it's determined and how important it is?

What is the upside of an inverter welder? What is the cost? It is way cheaper to use the electricity from the power company, than to generate your own with gas.

George

I still gotta learn more before I can answer your questions..... I understand they use less power but could be confused....

Ken Macfarlane · Oct 4, 2011

The 75 amp setting with the circle on the label is the 100% duty cycle on the old lincolns.

Geo-TH,In · Oct 4, 2011

Ken,
I figured that the amps has to have something to do with the duty cycle. I've pushed mine to 50-60% on the 75 amp range and it has always worked just fine. That info is nice to know. Thanks.
George

Anonymous-0 · Oct 4, 2011

I think you mean TIG capable? An inverter based machine will have DC output which is night and day difference to weld with compared to AC, especially for an inexperienced or beginner welder! 140 amps will burn 1/8" 7018 no problem but it's always better to go a little bigger rather than smaller when it comes to welding machines. Inverters use way less power to run than transformer based machines.

Duty cycle is important. Duty cycle is the percentage of time a machine can be used in a 10 minute period. 10% duty cycle means you can weld for 1 minute but need to let the machine cool for 9 minutes. Most machines have a higher duty cycle at lower settings than what the duty cycle is based on. Duty cycle is always at specific amps and volts. Duty cycle is not cumulative which means you can't weld for 2 minutes and let it cool for 18 minutes to compensate. A higher amp machine should give a better duty cycle at the same setting than a lower amp machine would. Look at Puddles inexpensive 200 amp inverter he bought several month's ago. He really likes it and he has a shop full of top of the line equipment to compare it to. That should tell you something about inverters.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 5, 2011

(quoted from post at 18:26:52 10/04/11) I think you mean TIG capable? An inverter based machine will have DC output which is night and day difference to weld with compared to AC, especially for an inexperienced or beginner welder! 140 amps will burn 1/8" 7018 no problem but it's always better to go a little bigger rather than smaller when it comes to welding machines. Inverters use way less power to run than transformer based machines.

Duty cycle is important. Duty cycle is the percentage of time a machine can be used in a 10 minute period. 10% duty cycle means you can weld for 1 minute but need to let the machine cool for 9 minutes. Most machines have a higher duty cycle at lower settings than what the duty cycle is based on. Duty cycle is always at specific amps and volts. Duty cycle is not cumulative which means you can't weld for 2 minutes and let it cool for 18 minutes to compensate. A higher amp machine should give a better duty cycle at the same setting than a lower amp machine would. Look at Puddles inexpensive 200 amp inverter he bought several month's ago. He really likes it and he has a shop full of top of the line equipment to compare it to. That should tell you something about inverters.

OK...........I can weld stuff.........no book/school learning, just my brother taught me how to use a torch and strike a bead when I was 11 or so....
taught myself and played around on a lot of projects..... FF and I have a little 50 buck (new) buzzbox that I still do ok/good with.... Are you saying the inverter will use less power AND make me a little better????
Also seeing a combi mig, tig, stick, and plasma cutter............... Think that is overkill because any cutting I need is done with a grinder and cutoff disc....... (???)

Anonymous-0 · Oct 6, 2011

Yes an inverter will use less power and make welding easier.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 7, 2011

(quoted from post at 21:58:38 10/06/11) Yes an inverter will use less power and make welding easier.

Thanks............ of course, while I have been bsing here, the one at the store for half price is sold out :roll: something will turn up eventually tho.

lblock · Oct 7, 2011

Only reason you would need an inverter is for TIG. otherwise will struggle to keep up.
Larry O
Certified Strutural Welding Specialist

36 Coupe · Oct 11, 2011

A 50 buck new buzz box is not a real welder.

switching to an inverter welder???

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