Miller Bobcat Vs Hobart Champion Elite

[Arc weld]

I was just reading about LN 25's. Lincoln now has 4 models of the LN 25 Pro in addition the standard LN 25. Very confusing.:confused3: It did mention on the LN 25 that exceeding 80 OCV with a CC machine may cause early contactor failure.

 

[GManBart]

I was just reading about LN 25's. Lincoln now has 4 models of the LN 25 Pro in addition the standard LN 25. Very confusing.:confused3: It did mention on the LN 25 that exceeding 80 OCV with a CC machine may cause early contactor failure.

I have to admit that one of the reasons I stopped looking at the Lincoln line was that I started looking at used models, and they had so many variations I couldn't keep track. For example, they currently have 8 variations of the 305 model

 

[firemanmike69]

I own a Miller Bobcat 250NT 10KW welder/generator. I have also used a Lincoln 225 at work. Both are fine machines. Have no experience with other brands. When I bought mine I was in need of replacing a 5KW generator which was too small to power the whole house and an old Sears AC buzz box. I'm glad I did.

We haver he miller 250nt at work on two of our older service trucks, they don't set the world on fire so far as arc performance, but they weld and generate electricity just fine. If you can get one used at the right price I wouldn't hesitate to buy it

 

[weldermike]

I thought this out for a long time, and after some friendly advise i knew where my money was better spent. I personally own seven miller shop machines that i love, but there engine drives never impressed me.

 

[Shield Arc]

I personally own seven miller shop machines that i love, but there engine drives never impressed me.

There is no way in the world to ever know how many Miller engine drives I've run in my life. In 1982 I spent almost 10-grand on a Miller engine drive, only because I couldn't swing another 3-grand for a Lincoln SAM-400. I never have been impressed with Miller engine drives. About 10-years ago I got to run a Miller Pipe Pro, as Shania Twain says, "that don't impress me much".:laughing:

 

[mikehaugen]

wow, never knew how many people preferred the lincoln engine drives. Where I used to work, we had a lincoln ranger 8 I believe. I ran it a couple times, but didn't have a lot of experience welding to know one way or another. Where I work now we have a trailblazer 251, and I like it. I do plant maintenance, so I don't weld everyday, and when I do many times it is with a xmt304 with 22a wire feeder... the trailblazer is only for places that we can't get a cord to.

I like the versatility of of the trailblazer, being how it is an inverter (I have heard the elecronics are almost the same as the xmt) so it can do cc or cv. I know Lincoln makes similar units. When it comes time to buy one for myself, I always thought I would look at the trailblazers, but now maybe I will have to consider a lincoln.

 

[Shield Arc]

wow, never knew how many people preferred the lincoln engine drives.

You have to remember not all weldors, (people) are cognizant to the distinguishing characteristics of different arcs. I'm sure there is a great percentage of weldors that if you did a blind test with a Miller, and Lincoln engine drive, they could not tell any difference. Sad, but true.

 

[Arc weld]

A Trailblazer is not an inverter. The Pipe Pro however is inverter based. It's basically an XMT 304 with an engine on it and a big price tag. For most jobs, it wont make a lot of difference which machine you use but for certain jobs like pipe welding with 6010, most welders prefer Lincoln. Lincoln's for the longest time were generally considered the machine to have in the field and Miller's the machine to have in the shop (3 phase). I think a lot of that comes from the arc characteristics and performance of the SA 200's in the field. The old ones are still highly sought after for pipe welding.

 

[ModMech]

We have the Hobart Champion 10k, I've used it for fence fixing and powering most of the household loads. I'm not "a welder" but can stick two pieces of metal together neatly and make sure they stay that way.

Fuel consumption will be a BIG factor, it's been a while but I want to say we average about 1.5 GPH, double that of the B2410 with the same PTO power

 

[GManBart]

Follow up....I wound up buying a Hobart Champion 11K, and managed to get the older version that does both DC and AC (newest version lost AC for whatever reason). Since it wasn't the current model, I managed o get them to knock $100 off the price

I have yet to burn a stick with it, and actually needed to post a follow up on stick cables....buy them, or make them? Hobart has 20' set that are #4 wire for $100, which seems too small, and a 50' set which is #2 for $200. I kind of think I'd like a 25' #2 setup, but would have to make them, as best I can tell. Thoughts?