anyone have any problems running a decent TIG welder in a residential home?
I mentioned to my friend who is an electrician, that I may be looking into a decent used TIG instead of a MIG, one which draws around 180 amps or so....he said my service may not be able to handle it? I'm gunna go check in a little while, but he said it may only be a 200amp service......

What size services do you guys have? Also, when welding pretty often (I doubt I'm going to be doing it everyday, but a decent amount to pratice and what not) is the electricity bill crazy? I don't want my parents to kill me lol

 

You mean the output is 180amps.

The draw if 220volt is not going to be more than 30 amps.


IF you have 200 amp service and only one Central Air unit, you will have a lot of leftover usage.

Just have him to run a 50amp 220 line to your garage.

 

theres no way it draws 180 amps. my precision tig 275 I think uses a 100amp fuse. we ran some muthafuckin thick wire for it.

It might be a 50 amp, i forgot

 

my miller 180sd is 220 volt. at maximum duty cycle it draws 56amps. how often do you run your welder at max duty cycle... almost never. just get a 50 amp 2 pole breaker for your breaker panel and the proper size cable to run from the welder to your panel and you are good to go. just make sure you get a 220volt welder.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by F20Cteg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
You mean the output is 180amps.

The draw if 220volt is not going to be more than 30 amps.


IF you have 200 amp service and only one Central Air unit, you will have a lot of leftover usage.

Just have him to run a 50amp 220 line to your garage.


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That is only correct if you are talking about inverters. A transformer welder will draw about double what you are suggesting.

 

It all depends on the welder as well.

My miller Maxstar runs just fine off a regular 15amp outlet. Hell I could TIG in my bathroom if I wanted too.

The duty cycle just isn't all that high when welding past 130amps. If I were using 220V, it would be higher.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nowtype &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

That is only correct if you are talking about inverters. A transformer welder will draw about double what you are suggesting.</TD></TR></TABLE>


Transformer welders are worthless at your home.

Inverter all the way.

 

I think my tig is running off 16amp fuse... Then again its a three phase 380V tig

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by F20Cteg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Transformer welders are worthless at your home.

Inverter all the way.</TD></TR></TABLE>

lol not really. park that hoe in the garage like the other 1.5 million people do.


ps trasnformers don't break as much and cost like a 1/10 to fix when they do

 

everyone in here is just about right. i used the last 2 spaces in my panel for my synchrowave 200. 60 amp 2 pole breaker for me.

im also an electrician.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by F20Cteg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


Transformer welders are worthless at your home.


</TD></TR></TABLE>


right.....

 

My transformer welder transformed into a toaster and was worthless for welding. But then I made some toast and transformed it back and it was fine.

Transformers; robots in disguise.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ManBearPig4silly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

lol not really. park that hoe in the garage like the other 1.5 million people do.


ps trasnformers don't break as much and cost like a 1/10 to fix when they do </TD></TR></TABLE>

I agree. If I were welding everyday, all day, I would want a transformer machine no doubt. They are insanely reliable, being that they were built for production. Thats also why you see guys still using 30+ year old transformer machines today, with no issues. If you have the space, I would reccomend a transformer machine almost always.

While I LOVE the inverter technology, it's just not as proven as the transformers...yet.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ManBearPig4silly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

ps trasnformers don't break as much and cost like a 1/10 to fix when they do </TD></TR></TABLE>

Load of crap. That is not proven event the slightest bit. That is something dealers say to get there older machines out the door.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boostwerks.com &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

If you have the space, I would reccomend a transformer machine almost always.

While I LOVE the inverter technology, it's just not as proven as the transformers...yet. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Are you claiming inverter technology is unreliable?

 

Thats funny I remember seeing a few threads about people having probelms with there syncrowaves, never seen any with inverters though. I have a inverter and wouldnt trade it for any kinda of transformer machine. I like having a machine 1/10 the size and with 10 times the adjustablity of a transformer machine.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dr.NAPIER &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thats funny I remember seeing a few threads about people having probelms with there syncrowaves, never seen any with inverters though. I have a inverter and wouldnt trade it for any kinda of transformer machine. I like having a machine 1/10 the size and with 10 times the adjustablity of a transformer machine. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I have seen other stories about that inverter, you were one of them posting about the problem you have with your inverter but that could of been more of a user error issue, then again I remember a few people having a lot of issues with that inverter, and I know one guy had a big issue with that company in general giving him a lot of hassle.

I myself am running the sycno 200, never had one issue at all. You will see a issues here and there with any machine really, its more about the customer service for me, I don't doubt a welder or any other heavy piece of machinery like that won't have issues, its how well the company takes care of that person when problems a rise.

As far as transformers go in home garages, I have one in my garage, running on a 220v line, 60 amp fuse. I actually have an heavy, heavy dute extension cord running it, all certified by the state to run.

A normal house hold box will probably not be able to handle a transformer.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bigTom &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Are you claiming inverter technology is unreliable?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't think he is, I think he was saying they have not been out long enough to prove how reliable they are in the long run. I don't believe they have been out long enough, I know a lot of people feel the same way when it comes to inverters.

My whole thing is, if miller made a inverter machine, they must know a few things about the longevity of the machine.

 

I didnt post about having problems with my welder, It was about some companies selling bad gas lenses. Im not saying transformer machines are bad, I am just simply saying they are smaller and have more adjustability. Anything with alot of electronics involved is gonna have its share of problems as im sure we all know. OH, and bryson read this article taken from millers website about how this company increased productivity by switching from a syncrowave to dynasty http://www.millerwelds.com/edu....html.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dr.NAPIER &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I didnt post about having problems with my welder, It was about some companies selling bad gas lenses. Im not saying transformer machines are bad, I am just simply saying they are smaller and have more adjustability. Anything with alot of electronics involved is gonna have its share of problems as im sure we all know. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Nah I talked to you personally about that, but a few other people with the same machine had the same exact issue, but I don't doubt that was not the setting or users fault.

 

Just like anything else, the sub $2k inverters are probably not quite as reliable as the Dynasty 300.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RCautoworks &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I don't think he is, I think he was saying they have not been out long enough to prove how reliable they are in the long run. I don't believe they have been out long enough, I know a lot of people feel the same way when it comes to inverters.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thats exactly what I was saying. Theres not a single inverter machine out there, that has been running for more than a several years. You can't say that for transformer machines.

 

I have heard stories of people welding form home and their AC frequency was adjusted to a certain setting and garage doors started opening.

I guess it is possible don't know too much about the electricity side of welding, even though I teach welding.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boostwerks.com &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Thats exactly what I was saying. Theres not a single inverter machine out there, that has been running for more than a several years. You can't say that for transformer machines. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Nope thats not true, I weld on a small 115v inverter tig fairly frequently that is about 16 years old, works like new and welds just as nice as the maxstar 150 we use for mobile sanitary work, the maxstar was bought about 2 years ago and is the new daily mobile welder, but before that the other one was used virtually everyday for about 14 years.

 

The sycnro 200 needs a 60 amp breaker, it draws 54 amps at max current. This is probably as big of a machine as you would want to run out of a garage without going inverter.

If you are looking bigger - all I can tell you is the syncro 350 is massive power pig. When we ran a 350 we had to run a 100 amp breaker to the machine and it would still pop it. We also had to service the machine about every 6 months because it had constant high frequency problems.

 

I had a big alum. project and i was popping my 100 amp breaker after a while with my syncro 250, it was cranked up all the way. lol