Welder selection.

[shane_3800]

Hey all. I'm looking at a mig welder I've just given a monomig 196 a test run it's one of the italian made units new old stock they're made in china now. The guy wants $1600 for it I can probably scam a helmet out of him too. The unit is a good solid transformer MIG unit 180amp @ 30% it comes with a 0.6mm and 0.8mm roller. This unit is 15amp plugged so I guess anything above 4 on the 6 setting voltage selector will trip breakers on 10amp sockets. This unit can't run flux core as it has no reversal of polarity avaliable it's just a GMAW machine.

Now I've been looking at the CIG weld transmig 185 ultra. This unit can do MIG/Stick/TIG which is a bonus but I'm more interested in it's 10amp plug and flux core capabilities. So yea this unit is DC with polarity selection making it able to run flux core. The 10amp plug makes this way better for me as I'll be using it at home and I rent so 15amp is not an option at home although I currently have a 15amp socket at home I prefer the versatility of 10amp sockets. This unit is going for $1700 and is likely china made.

Should I be looking at anything else?

 

[shane_3800]

Well I got the guy to sell me a TP 195 and throw in a welding mask for $2300. It's a Helvi welder and is pretty much the same on specs to the Cig weld Transmig 185 ultra except it doesn't have a fancy LED display and it's 15kg heavier than the Cig unit. Which I can deal with as the Cig unit is 1700 plus a decent speedglass mask will bring me up to about 2300 so I'll take the 15kg hit as I can pay off the Helvi unit whereas I have to pay for the Cig upfront.

 

[losh1971]

This unit is 15amp plugged so I guess anything above 4 on the 6 setting voltage selector will trip breakers on 10amp sockets.

Unlikely to trip unless you have three or four things running off that circuit at the same time. 10a circuits run a 16a breaker just like a 15a circuit does. Only difference is the 15a circuit normally only has a single 15a power point on it. By code a 15a power point is on a single 2.5 twin and earth straight back to the panel a second power point on that run is not to code.

 

[shane_3800]

Unlikely to trip unless you have three or four things running off that circuit at the same time. 10a circuits run a 16a breaker just like a 15a circuit does. Only difference is the 15a circuit normally only has a single 15a power point on it. By code a 15a power point is on a single 2.5 twin and earth straight back to the panel a second power point on that run is not to code.

Oh okay I thought there was 15amp breakers that would trip at 20amp?
I looked at an everlast welder when I was running my own buisness and they said use a 25-30 amp breaker for a deticated 15amp welder due to cold start can draw massive surge current when sparking up that initial weld.
Cig send their unit's out with ten amp plugs and I couldn't find any one else that does this which means they must have a real efficient inverter and lots of caps.

 

[losh1971]

I'd have to check my board but 25a RCD is normally attached to 6mm twin & Earth. It's not just about protecting the device, like car fuses RCD's are there to protect the cable. My sub mains are 6mm and pretty sure only has a 25a RCD.

 

[shane_3800]

I'd have to check my board but 25a RCD is normally attached to 6mm twin & Earth. It's not just about protecting the device, like car fuses RCD's are there to protect the cable. My sub mains are 6mm and pretty sure only has a 25a RCD.

Okay I'm not a sparky by trade I have 3 in the family but we don't talk work when we catch up so I have no idea.

In automotive the fuse also protects the cable otherwise you end up like a valiant with a fire in the bay. I was going to run this real thin cheap wire that can only handle 1.2amp continuous in my ute for relay circuits until I realised I'll be pulling them off 15amp fuses so I went to 3mm square so even a nick will blow the fuse.

 

[shane_3800]

Sorry two as my grandad died two years ago. He did actually talk to me about electrics but more about power stations. He was a class 1 on the old system licenced to connect from the mains to the mains boards he built inhouse.

 

[losh1971]

I helped wire up my shed and also the house I built myself. I run all the cables and mounted the power points and lights on my shed as well as the 6mm sub mains to the shed then the sparky connected everything up so I could have it signed off.

 

[Immortality]

Don't 15amp sockets have heavy duty earth pins? I think the switch contacts are heavy duty too. I know a work mate was running a 15amp spa pool feed from a 10amp plug/switch and the switch burnt out and partially melted, lucky to not burn the place down. Really it's not worth the risk for something that can be on continues high load.

I think 6mm is good for 32 amps, well that is what my spa is wired up with and it's all to code.

 

[losh1971]

Don't 15amp sockets have heavy duty earth pins?.

Yeah 15a plug on a lead won't fit in a 10a socket the earth is fatter. My nephew fucked my old 15a compressor by running it off a 10a power point. I was able to have it repaired but it damaged the controller by not allowing it to have the full current draw it needed when cutting in, because the circuit had other things running off it at the same time.