PA-300, my opinion.

[Shield Arc]

WOW! This thing really has a nice arc for 7018:thumbsup:. I ran some 1/8-inch ESAB Acclaim at 140-amps, 1 on the arc force. I tried different settings on the arc force, for flat welding I liked 1 the best. Not to be picky, but would like to see just a tad bit more wet out, but still very nice. For vertical up I'm sure I wouldn't go past 5 on the arc force.

For 6010 I ran some 5/32-inch Lincoln 5p-Pluse. 135-amps, and tried different settings on the arc force. All of them seemed very nice, but maybe I like 5 the best. This 300 runs different than my PA-200, I can hold a longer arc length with 6010 with the PA-300. To a degree I can control the flow of the puddle with the arc length, just like on my Short hoods, or my V350-Pro.

All in all very impressed with this machine!:cool2:

 

[boomer1025]

Glad you like it

 

[rankrank1]

hope to try mine today (if it quits raining long enough)

 

[eastexan]

Thanks for your input and pic's, Shield Arc. Very helpful. :thumbsup:
I haven't used mine yet. I still got to go buy a plug for it.

I'll need all the help I can get with using the settings, especially the arc force settings.

 

[CNC Dan]

I got a chance to play... er um try out my new PA300 today. Ran some 1/8" 6011 and 1/8" 7018 and even some 1/8 7024.

This machine is much bigger and heavier than my PA200. I didn't think that 100 amps of addtional output would make it this much larger. But it has a higher duty cycle than the PA200. At the output I will likly use it's at 100%.

I like that it has a handle rather than a strap. The fan moves a lot of air and isn't as loud as you might expect. I was hopeing that I could add a recessed male inlet so you could remove the input cord just like you can remove the output leads. But there isn't enough room on the back panel.

The clear cover that protects the knobs is a nice touch, but is a little hard to open with welding gloves on.

At work I mostly have access to 20 amp, 208 volt three phase outlets. With that limitation, I could weld at 200 amps output without tripping the breaker. But at 225 amps output, the breaker would trip after burning about 2/3 of a 1/8" 7024 electrode. That suits me just fine, as 200 amps is all I am likly to need.

I fiddled around with the arc force setting and the hot start setting and they both work as I expected. The old piece of steel that I was using for months to set my welders before working on a project, is so full of old beads that I couldn't realy evaluate the effect of the arc force setting. The hot start is great though. For most things, I think I would keep the hot start turned way up.

One thing I did notice is that I had to use higher amp settings than other welders. I ran 1/8" 7018 at 140 amps when I usualy run them at 125 amps. And 1/8" 6011 I ran at 100 amps rather than the 90 amps I would usualy have used. Next time I get a chance I'll check with an ammeter to see if the display is accurate.

Anyway, this is a great welder. I didn't need it, but I jumpped at a super low price.

 

[Shield Arc]

One thing I did notice is that I had to use higher amp settings than other welders. I ran 1/8" 7018 at 140 amps when I usualy run them at 125 amps. And 1/8" 6011 I ran at 100 amps rather than the 90 amps I would usualy have used. Next time I get a chance I'll check with an ammeter to see if the display is accurate.

I noticed the same thing. I normally don't think too much about machines being a little different, but that many amps difference really got my attention. :shocked:

 

[Arc weld]

Shield Arc, you must have burned right down to the stinger on those 6010 welds. Not like you to leave a little hole in the crater. :ashamed:

 

[Shield Arc]

Not like you to leave a little hole in the crater. :ashamed:

I noticed that too. On all three welds I backed up some and closed the arc length, like normal.
Wonder if it's an arc force setting issue?:confused3: Notice the number 5 arc force setting didn't do that?

 

[Arc weld]

"Notice the number 5 arc force setting didn't do that?"

I guess that answers where to set the arc force for 6010.

 

[Shield Arc]

The arc force doesn't have the range like the V350-Pro does. But neither did member Furu's Stickweld 250.
I'll play with the PA-300 some more tomorrow, maybe even do an open root pipe weld, to see how it does.