lincoln 250 amp ac/dc

[hoddykubody]

I have a lincoln ac/dc welder single phrase welder that I have finally convinced myself after using a buddy's miller that mine is a jumpy arc just not as smooth as his miller . Is this the difference between the 2 company of welders or my power supply - rural farm . Mostly using 1/8 7018 or 3/32 7018. TIA hoddykubody

 

[gwdixon]

I have a lincoln ac/dc welder single phrase welder that I have finally convinced myself after using a buddy's miller that mine is a jumpy arc just not as smooth as his miller . Is this the difference between the 2 company of welders or my power supply - rural farm . Mostly using 1/8 7018 or 3/32 7018. TIA hoddykubody

I probably shouldn't post since I'm only an occasional farm welder but....my Lincoln AC/DC ran OK on DC. Fairly smooth compared to the AC using 6011, 7018, and Stoody 31 hardfacing. (I know those are DC rods but they will strike an arc on AC.)

Then I bought an Everlast PowerArc 200, which is a DC only inverter unit and immediately noticed the smoothness, quick start, and lack of splatter. Very nice welds that are quite an improvement over what was produced with the Lincoln.

In short, it is probably not your power supply but rather a characteristic of that particular Lincoln machine.

 

[gauthier]

I don't think you could say miller is better than lincoln from what you experienced,,,different machines,different years old[probably],and I got a miller.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Sometimes, if the duty cycle has been punished on a machine, the arc can seem weak. If your machine is old, it might be on the verge of dying. The DC part of a tombstone is nice. Shouldn't have any problems.

 

[Soundguy]

Might even be bad rod.

i think I'd have a vom on the line and have someone observe the vom while you are loading it welding. perhaps poor wireing?

I just FINALLY added a 220 plug in my shop to weld with so that I didn't have to drag my welder to the garage to use the dryer outlet and a 20' 1 inch thick kustom made extension cord...

soundguy