Thoughts on this used welder?

[joshuabardwell]

A lot of times these ole "curmudgeons" can lighten up a lot, once he gets to know you a little better.

Yup. I'm downright chummy with the neighbor who runs a sawmill, and he came off the same way at first.

 

[Shield Arc]

bring donuts,

Oh you'd be surprised what a guy will do for donuts! When ever I was sent into a new area to start a project, the first week I'd show up with a couple dozen donuts every morning, and meet the guys at their dry shack, or in the parking lot. They would just about kill them selves all day long for that little gesture.:licking:

 

[joshuabardwell]

Okay. Found a friend of a friend with a 240 hookup so I could see if the welder works. It will weld, so that's good! What's wrong with it is that the on/off switch sticks in the on position and the fan doesn't blow. I am pretty sure I can get the switch to work with a little finagling. The fan, I'm a little less certain about, especially seeing as I don't have any 240 to test it with. Well, I suppose I do have a dryer outlet, but I think that would be a little touchy, since it would involve bare, live connections.

Any thoughts are welcome.



BTW, I assume the fan is supposed to be on 100% of the time, not, like, temperature operated or something. Right?

EDIT TO ADD: I have shopped around and it looks like replacement fan motors are in the $60 range. If that's the case, I think this one is a pass and I'm going to try to return it. I dunno. This welder was a can't-pass deal at $100, but at$160-$180 I may be able to do better. What do you think?

 

[k0ua]

the fact the fan motor is dead, is a bummer.. You could try to repair the fan,, a quick ohm check will likely find the coil is open. Sometimes they very fine coil wire breaks right at the junction where it fastens to the much larger input wire. But you would have to cut in to it to try to find that.. yeah the fan should run all the time.. The welder is basicly the same as a Century 110-114 Century was bought up by Lincoln in 2003. I would be hard pressed to put tht 60 in the fan motor either.. I would try to repair the motor, or try to find another one out of something else. I was really hoping the machine would be in 100 percent shape.

James K0UA

 

[joshuabardwell]

I would try to repair the motor, or try to find another one out of something else. I was really hoping the machine would be in 100 percent shape.

I'm torn. Without a 240 outlet, I don't have much of a good way to hook up the fan and test it. And I'm hesitant to put in a 240 outlet if I don't have a working welder, so it's a bit of a chicken-and-the-egg. I'm not dying to learn to weld right this minute--this was just a good deal on a good welder that I didn't want to pass up. I'm sort of inclined to take it back to the guy and go back to waiting.

If it's the same as a Century 110, then the replacement fan motor is more like $75. I dunno... where else am I going to find a replacement motor? A welder junkyard?

EDIT TO ADD: Another thought would be to see if the seller would refund me the cost of the motor instead of a full refund. Could be the best of both worlds.

 

[Shield Arc]

Have you tried bumping the blades on the fan to force it to rotate? Sometimes when something like this sets for awhile they just need a little bump, and a couple squirts of WD-40. I have an exhaust fan in my shop that needs a little encouragement once in awhile.:laughing:

 

[joshuabardwell]

Have you tried bumping the blades on the fan to force it to rotate? Sometimes when something like this sets for awhile they just need a little bump, and a couple squirts of WD-40. I have an exhaust fan in my shop that needs a little encouragement once in awhile.:laughing:

I will give that a go, but that old chicken-and-egg problem is still a sticker. Maybe I could go back to the neighbor's shop and try troubleshooting with his outlet.

 

[Shield Arc]

You might as well go ahead and get a 220-volt outlet hooked up! I think you already have the welding bug.

 

[cqaigy2]

The fan could be only 120 volt. Probably something out of a exhaust fan would work as well. But $100...

 

[k0ua]

Yes by all means try spinning the motor blades by hand, and see what gives there.. I would also ohm the coil with it disconnected and see what is going on there. I am assuming you don't feel comfortable putting in your own receptacle outside? If you don't feel comfortable then don't do it.. but if you do, you could save some bucks there, by getting your own rain-tite box and crows foot receptacle for it. You are going to want it sooner or later. I put in 50 amp receptacle's both inside and outside, I weld small jobs inside, and anything that would generate a lot of smoke goes outside, and of course welding on the tractor is an outside proposition.

James K0UA