LINCOLN 225

[Arc weld]

Which Everlast were you looking at? You'll pay the $250 difference in power in short order. I bet the Everlast could probably work on about a 30 amp breaker. I know a guy with a Dynasty 300 Miller inverter TIG welder. He used to have a Syncrowave 250. Both good machines. The Syncrowave would trip a 60 amp breaker. The Dynasty put out more amps, has way better arc control and will run all day on a 30 amp breaker. I shop I worked in went from 3 phase transformer welders to Miller XMT 304's. They were saving about $1000 a month on power per machine! They bought 14 XMT 304's with 60 series wire feeders. $14,000/month is a huge savings. I know this is in a commercial setting but comparing an inverter to the TM will still bring big savings. You may need heavier wiring for the TM in case you ever want to turn the amps up. Welding wise, the TM is a good machine though.

For home use or around the farm 200 amps is plenty. The AC 225/DC125 the OP was originally looking at is less than half of the DC rating of the PA 300. Personally, I like being able to burn 3/16" 7018 on bigger jobs but I have a lot of experience burning 3/16" and 1/4" 7018 on large skids and heavy pressure vessels and piping. Don't have much need for 1/4" on my own projects. It's a big difference going to 1/4" at 300+ amps.

 

[joshuabardwell]

I sincerely hope you are happy with your purchase, but I really think you have made the wrong decision here. It's not too late, though. If you paid $250 for the Idealarc, that's actually a decent deal, and you can probably get your money back out of it, or a little more, and put that into a more appropriate welder. There's simply no reason for a typical home/hobby weldor to need a 400 amp machine. Modern, inverter-based machines beat the pants off older, transformer-based machines in so many ways that it's hard to even articulate. But even if you are set on a transformer, the Idealarc seems like a poor choice, due to its size, weight, inefficiency, and difficulty hooking it up to a household circuit given its high current draw.

I'm curious: what kind of plug or hookup does the Idealarc have on the back? Since it may draw up to 128 amps, it seems like it can't be a standard 6-50.

 

[Shield Arc]

I'm curious: what kind of plug or hookup does the Idealarc have on the back? Since it may draw up to 128 amps, it seems like it can't be a standard 6-50.

I hard wired my Miller 330 A/BP welder into a 90-amp breaker. Plugs that size are outrageous in price!

 

[k0ua]

Does anyone know if a 400 amp Idealarc is going to be set up for 3phase? Can it be rewired to run on 240 Volt 2 phase? This welder is getting out of the range of normal "home" welders I would think. Of course I know one guy that talked his power company into bringing 3 phase into his home. I guess it is doable.

James K0UA

 

[joshuabardwell]

Does anyone know if a 400 amp Idealarc is going to be set up for 3phase? Can it be rewired to run on 240 Volt 2 phase? This welder is getting out of the range of normal "home" welders I would think.

That's a photo from an eBay listing of an Idealarc TM-400. It shows 128 amps input at 220 volts. That indicates to me that it's wired for single-phase.

 

[k0ua]

This one shows 146 amps at 230 volts single phase, or 73 amps at 460 volts single phase..

Lincoln Idealarc TM400 400 AC DC 400 Amp Welding Power Source Single Phase | eBay

 

[joshuabardwell]

This one shows 146 amps at 230 volts single phase, or 73 amps at 460 volts single phase..

I thought I was big-time because I have 200A service to my house. I could just about run that thing flat out. Just gotta get me a 150 amp square D.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Lincoln Idealarc TM400 400 AC DC 400 Amp Welding Power Source Single Phase | eBay

PS: That guy's asking $1300. If OP got his for $250, he's in the money!

 

[k0ua]

I thought I was big-time because I have 200A service to my house. I could just about run that thing flat out. Just gotta get me a 150 amp square D.

"hey wifey, would you turn off the Air Conditioner, and water heater,? I am fixing to strike an arc!" The largest breaker I have seen for my Siemens load center is 80 amps. and that is for the emergency heat when it is too cold for the heat pump to work..

 

[Arc weld]

TM's are single phase, that's why they draw so much power. I doubt the one listed will bring anywhere near $1300. Anyone with enough power would likely have 3 phase and pick up a used 3 phase for a few hundred bucks. I've seen Miller 400 amp 3 phase machines sell for as little as $40 at a Ritchie Bros. auction.