110v Stick Inverters

[rankrank1]

Rank,
If your welder requires 100 amps to run 3/32 7018, something is wrong.

Actually, I have never used 7018 as I do not have a rod oven and do not want to fight the rod storage issues for my very infrequent need to SMAW weld thicker metals. What little I had read about 7018 seemed to indicate that 7018 preferred the upper portions of the manufacturer amp recommendations similar to how 7014 does. Lincoln lists the amp range for 7018 3/32 as 70-120.

FWIW: I can do 95% of my limited welding needs with my little Lincoln SP-135 120 volt MIG. That said, I would like to try some 7018AC rods sometime just for kicks with my vintage Lincoln AC-225 buzzbox. Unfortunately, my buzzbox is AC only so I would need the 7018AC version, but 6011, 6013, or 7014 all work okay for my limited SMAW needs so have not done it yet.
Really, I have only been interested in the little Forney AT-100 as it can be purchased so cheaply and I hear DC is much better to weld with than AC so thought it might be fun to play with; being light and portable sounded appealing, and some scratch start TIG might be fun too.

 

[tommu56]

I have a Miller Maxstar 150... it will run on both 110v and 220v. The 110v is handy for portability and being able to use it where 220v isn't available, but with my limited skill level I find it is easier to use on 220v, and it seems to weld better, even at lower amperage settings. That may be just me, or just my machine... don't know.

I have the same one and thought it was me that it started easier on 220!

tom

 

[KKempen]

This is a follow-up to my original post about the 110v Forney welder. I ended up talking to Forney about my concerns with the AT-100. After hearing my description of the problems, they suspected that the unit was defective. As it turns out, they're dropping this model from their line-up. They wouldn't come out and say anything specifically, but I get the impression they've had issues with the AT-100.

I ended up ordering a no-name 110/220v 200A inverter from a Chinese company, and received it today. I haven't tried it yet on 220v, but on 110v, it welds beautifully! Much much better than the Forney ever did. It's very easy to strike an arc using the same 7018 rods that I had so much trouble with before. I haven't put an amprobe on the power line yet, but it seems to be drawing fewer amps from the 110v line as well (never tripped a breaker once). The other thing that impresses me is that even when I drop the current down to 50 amps and lower, the arc remains very easy to strike.

Tomorrow, I'll pick up a 220v plug so that I can try it on the higher voltage, but it works amazingly well on 110. I'm really glad I decided to try a different inverter. Night and day difference!

 

[rankrank1]

Can you tell us a little more about your new Welder. If it is a no name, then Where is it sold? and Cost?

Also specs would be great too (e.g. Max amps and duty cycle on 110 Volts and max amps and duty cycle on 220 volts).

thanks

 

[KKempen]

The Chinese welder that I bought can be seen here:

Wholesale IGBT Inverter DC MMA welding machine 2011 new products

The unit I received was not exactly as shown in the picture, but has the same specs. It's a bit risky buying this kind of thing direct from China, so I won't suggest that anyone else do it. It welds great, but who knows how it will last.

This is a hobby for me; not a business; so if this thing dies unexpectedly, it's only an inconvenience. All I know for sure is, it certainly welds a lot better than the Forney did!

 

[robphillips00]

One of my Ag Mechanics students just won a thermal arc inverter at a contest. Arc strike is a little different but it welds real well for what it is.
Just a little practice and you'll be fine.

 

[rankrank1]

The Chinese welder that I bought can be seen here:

Wholesale IGBT Inverter DC MMA welding machine 2011 new products

The unit I received was not exactly as shown in the picture, but has the same specs. It's a bit risky buying this kind of thing direct from China, so I won't suggest that anyone else do it. It welds great, but who knows how it will last.

This is a hobby for me; not a business; so if this thing dies unexpectedly, it's only an inconvenience. All I know for sure is, it certainly welds a lot better than the Forney did!

Unless I mis-read the specs, it appears your new welder is a 220 volt only machine which I would expect to weld better than the 110 volt Forney that you had. Will it work on 110 volt too at reduced capacity of course?

Personally, I would love to find an affordable dual voltage inverter that would do 120 or more amps on 110 volts and around 180 amps or more on 220 in arc welding mode. Even if the duty cycle is a little light it would still work okay for me as I mostly do repairs as compared to building vast things from scratch. The Thermal Arc 161 is somewhat appealing.

 

[yomax4]

The Thermal Arc 161 has Power Factor and a host of other cool features. You get a true 100 amps out of a 115v outlet. 230 is sweet as well and the lift start on tig is as good as it gets.

 

[MillWeld]

KKempen, my experience with starting the arcs on the 3 electrodes you mentioned is about the same as yours with my AC welder. If you ever stop the arc on a 7018 it is very difficult to restart. I would say you have to use the tip as a hammer to chip off the "corn". I reserve 7018s for welds where I can use up the entire electrode in one pass.

 

[yomax4]

If you buy a small inverter Tig / Stick unit from wherever, Look for a Hot Start option like you will find on a Thermal Arc 161 STL. You can restart 7018 with no problem at all. Hot Start is great on all rods, It's almost like you just get the rod close to the work and it starts.