Everlast Powerarc 200 ST

[Raider4044]

I am thinking about buying a 220 volt stick welder so I don't have to fire up the miller bobcat every time I want/need to weld. What do y'all think about the Powerarc 200st? Is it is as good as the regular Powerarc 200? How does it weld?

 

[Shield Arc]

If you don't need / want the 120-volt option, and can justify the extra cost. Look at the PowerArc 300, that way you get adjustable arc force, and hot start. You can still Tig weld with the PA-300 with a Tig rig.

 

[CNC Dan]

I am thinking about buying a 220 volt stick welder so I don't have to fire up the miller bobcat every time I want/need to weld. What do y'all think about the Powerarc 200st? Is it is as good as the regular Powerarc 200? How does it weld?

I have the PA200ST and the only down side over the PA200 is a slightly lower duty cycle. A fair trade for dual votage input and lift start.

 

[SSdoxie]

No complaints on my 200ST. I did hit duty cycle one time but that was running on 120V with amps cranked to max and that was on a project that after I got it all fit and tacked together I should have taken it all back to shop and welded on 240V or made a trip to town and got some smaller rod.

A time or two I wished I had adjustable hot start, the auto hot start on the 200 is fine but I have some 7018 rod that is weird, it starts easy with new rod but if I stop half way through to reposition the rod is tough to get arc started again. I think it may be the brand rod I'm using.

 

[k0ua]

No complaints on my 200ST. I did hit duty cycle one time but that was running on 120V with amps cranked to max and that was on a project that after I got it all fit and tacked together I should have taken it all back to shop and welded on 240V or made a trip to town and got some smaller rod.

A time or two I wished I had adjustable hot start, the auto hot start on the 200 is fine but I have some 7018 rod that is weird, it starts easy with new rod but if I stop half way through to reposition the rod is tough to get arc started again. I think it may be the brand rod I'm using.

Just before you go to restrike your 7018 again. Take your gloved thumb and bust the "corn" off of the very tip of the rod and then restrike it. You will notice a tremendous difference. All 7018 is noted for forming a melted flux "corn" over the tip of the rod, making restrikes difficult.

 

[SSdoxie]

Thanks for the tip James. I'll try that it I ever get time to work on another project on the many I have planned. The 'Honey do list" seems to be interfering with what I think is important. Oh well, the joy of being a 2some.
Odd thought that the first 1# box of 7018 I bought (Hobart brand) didn't seem to do this, or at least I can't remember it doing so. may have been just burning a hole stick at a time playing with it.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Just before you go to restrike your 7018 again. Take your gloved thumb and bust the "corn" off of the very tip of the rod and then restrike it. You will notice a tremendous difference. All 7018 is noted for forming a melted flux "corn" over the tip of the rod, making restrikes difficult.

I do this too.
On brands where it doesn't work as good, I just run the tip across a file and ready to go

Stole the file tip from Jody on weldingtipsandtricks

 

[Reverser]

Real men just bite 'em off with their teeth.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Real men just bite 'em off with their teeth.

When the file isn't handy, I just scratch them on my beard stubble...my teeth are too pretty

 

[SSdoxie]

I did find that after getting P....d off that jamming the rod into the steel then quickly bringing it over the to where I wanted the bead to start worked OK. :cool2:

 

[amberg]

I like my 200st, wish I had it years ago. I just take my 7018's and smack them down on the metal and the welder does the rest, sort of like running a engine drive machine, I now wish that I had got the pa300, not that I need it any more. (but I was told, only my fault)

 

[woodlandfarms]

I have one as well (the 200ST). Just got it a few weeks ago and have run 20lbs of rod. Started with some 6011 as the metal was rusty and I wanted deep penetration. Wish I had just pulled out the 7018 and stuck with it. ST was fine with the 6011 but the mess from the rods was not worth the "extra penetration" when I found my 7018 would run just fine as well. This i attribute to the machine as my Tombstone was never happy with 7018 and junk metal.

Maybe it is just me, but you should be perpared to run WAY cooler (Assuming you are coming from an older machine). I am running 80 Amps to put together 3/8" and 1/4" plate and C Channel. I just did 1/2" but I don't think I was much over 110 AMPS. Not sure what i would do with 200AMPS let alone 300.

Please note I am a terrible welder with no training or skill.