Thunderbolt XL vs inverter

[bdog]

I have a thunderbolt XL AC/DC welder. It works fine. I am not a professional welder by any means but I burn about 100lbs of rods a year on average with the vast majority being 6010 with some 7018. I have been eyeing these everlast inverters and see how well the 200 & 300 are recommended and how well they weld. My question is do these machines weld significantly better than my current machine as in I will notice the difference? Is it worth the cost to upgrade or should I just use what I have since it works? I know this probably just boils down to personal preference I just have no idea how different the welders might be and what I might be missing out on.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Yes, you'll notice a difference, especially on starting the rods, and also in the smoothness of the arc. The arc force control is something you don't have on the thunderbolt as well that can make a huge difference...But whether you want to trade or not is something that is going to depend entirely upon you. Worth it to me might not be worth it to you. You can always sell your unit if it doesn't look like it's still useful to you.

 

[bdog]

Thanks for the reply. Reason I am tempted is I think I can sell my machine and put a hundred bucks with it and get a power arc 200. It seems like a worthwhile upgrade but it also feels kind of strange since my thunderbolt new was nearly double the cost of the power arc 200. I think I am upgrading performance wise but I would be going to a machine half the cost.

Then the next dilemma is if I am going to make the leap should I settle on a 200 or go with the 300? Bigger is always better right but realistically I don't think I will ever need over 200 amps. I have been welding about 25 years and have never used over 200 amps and honestly don't even know why I would need to.

 

[Arc weld]

Duty cycle is about the only reason to go to a 300 if you plan on burning 3/16" or bigger rods. I think the 200 inverter has a significantly higher duty cycle than the Thunderbolt anyway. You'll notice a difference with the inverter for sure.

 

[Shield Arc]

I've never used a Thunderbolt, seen them just never used one. I have a 1970s Montgomery Ward AC/DC buzz box. There is no comparison in the quality of arc between it and my PowerArc 200. In your case is it worth up grading to the 200, I just don't know! Now upgrading to the 300 where you have adjustable arc force and hot start, YES! I wish I would have waited until the 300s came out, I just might not have bought the V350-Pro.

 

[Jesse masterson]

Mark if it's not to much trouble send me a price of the 200 and 300. I'd appreciate it.

 

[zzvyb6]

I also have a Thunderbolt XL and started all my welding experience with a very old Craftsman AC box with at least three of the selectors burn out. My (used) Thunderbolt came with 60' extra long cables, which I considered to be a 'feature' of the sale. But, it was kinda disappointing because the initial arc strike was always a problem. However I learned to live with it.

Someone on here mentioned that coiled cables could cause problems because they acted like a transformer and therefore had inherent inductance. I always had coiled the extra long cables around the welder's handle to keep from tripping over them. (If there is an air hose, water hose, extension cord or welding cable within a yard of my feet, it will manage to coil around at least one of them).

When I weld now, I always uncoil both cables and lay them flat. All the problems I had with this welder have now gone away.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I'll pm you Jesse.

 

[bdog]

Well I am going to give the power arc 300 a try. Talked to Mark and he is shipping me out one today.

 

[Shield Arc]

Great!:thumbsup: I'd love to get my hands on one of those.

 

[southerndeere]

Well I am going to give the power arc 300 a try. Talked to Mark and he is shipping me out one today.

Man I work on welders every day certified factory tech for lincoln miller victor hypertherm an several other brands. In my 10 years of working with them the same rules apply for welders as any other equipment in my opinion. Spend a little more for something a little nicer an heavier duty an then keep it under the duty cycles an it will last a long time. I'm still partial to transformer welders myself bit that being said inverters have come a long way. I think you did right goimg with the 300.

 

[southerndeere]

I also have a Thunderbolt XL and started all my welding experience with a very old Craftsman AC box with at least three of the selectors burn out. My (used) Thunderbolt came with 60' extra long cables, which I considered to be a 'feature' of the sale. But, it was kinda disappointing because the initial arc strike was always a problem. However I learned to live with it.

Someone on here mentioned that coiled cables could cause problems because they acted like a transformer and therefore had inherent inductance. I always had coiled the extra long cables around the welder's handle to keep from tripping over them. (If there is an air hose, water hose, extension cord or welding cable within a yard of my feet, it will manage to coil around at least one of them).

When I weld now, I always uncoil both cables and lay them flat. All the problems I had with this welder have now gone away.

Coiled cables can cause what we call eddie currents. There is a lot of debate to where it causes problems. I can tell u in the higer end process an a lot of mig processes inductance is a big deal. I always tell my customers leads should be stretched out. However there are a lot of ppl that will argue agiamst what I said. But chanced are just mig welding or stick welding on mild steel u probably won't notice a big change. An the harder starting of the thunderbolt is due to its just straight transformer with no high tech circuitry to ramp up voltage while arc is started.

 

[Reverser]

Some, if not most large companies have a rule that states to lay out all the cable before welding. I worked off a company truck that had 150 feet of welding cable that had to be wound up manually, and I sure hated to unwind all that cable just to make a small weld only a few feet from the truck.

 

[bdog]

I have some long leads I want to use with the PA300. What kind of connector do I need to buy to put on the end of them so that they will plug into the machine?

 

[Shield Arc]

If I'm not mistaken it is the Dinse 50 MM. I use the Dinse to Tweco adapters.
Miller 042465 Dinse Lenco Tweco 50 mm Adapter Weld Connector Welding Connector | eBay

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

It is a DINSE connector. The numbering is confusing as to what it means. It actually deals with the cable capacity of the plug, not the size...It's a volume measurement. Don't ask me for more details than that, because it's too much work for me to look it all up again. lol. It's roughly 1/2" in diameter across the 'pin'. A lot of sites will list it as a DINSE 50, DINSE 1/2" or DINSE 35/70mm2 (squared). But the DINSE connectors you have on the unit can be used with longer cables by sliding the rubber boot back and loosening the set screw and sliding the cable out...and reverse it for installation.

 

[bdog]

Thanks. If I can remove the existing cable and add a new one I am good to go. I thought the factory ends might be molded on or something.

 

[CNC Dan]

It is a DINSE connector. The numbering is confusing as to what it means.

It's roughly 1/2" in diameter across the 'pin'. A lot of sites will list it as a DINSE 50, DINSE 1/2" or DINSE 35/70mm2 (squared).

Took me a while to figure it out too.
But they are in square MM. The larger ones are usualy listed as 50 MM^2 and the smaller ones are listed as 25 MM^2.

 

[Mattc8832]

I bought a thunderbolt at a flea market for $50 a couple years ago. It worked great - it was only a ac welder. I honestly think it held a better arc than my Lincoln Buzz Box 225. I could burn a 7018 1/8 rod really good. The only inverter machine I've ever used was a power mig 350 at my old job - great machine - big price.