- Thread starter Westy
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Yes it's possible to convert it to a euro torch, you'd need a socket kit, a torch and probably a gas solenoid, I'm pretty sure the 160 has a gas valve in the torch. All in you're looking at nearly £100 though so it's not a cheap conversion 
.
What's actually wrong with the torch that's on there? Weldequip stocks parts for them if it's just a bit tired.
.What's actually wrong with the torch that's on there? Weldequip stocks parts for them if it's just a bit tired.
Hi Wozzaaah
I don't think there is anything really wrong with the torch, its nearly new to be honest, but at the weekend, I was doing some chassis work on the Landy, using 0.8mm wire through a 0.8 tip, and the bloody wire just kept grabbing at every chance it got. In the end I put the tip in the lathe and bored it out to 1.0mm - worked a treat after that.
Later, I was talking to a mate who used to do a lot of welding in his job, and he asked wether the torch was live or not, saying that in his experience and opinion, a live torch was not the best of things to have, and suggested if it was, I should try to get it converted/upgraded to something he called a Eurotorch.
He mentioned a probable price of about £50.00 for the torch alone, would this be about right and is he correct ?
Cheers
Westy
I don't think there is anything really wrong with the torch, its nearly new to be honest, but at the weekend, I was doing some chassis work on the Landy, using 0.8mm wire through a 0.8 tip, and the bloody wire just kept grabbing at every chance it got. In the end I put the tip in the lathe and bored it out to 1.0mm - worked a treat after that.
Later, I was talking to a mate who used to do a lot of welding in his job, and he asked wether the torch was live or not, saying that in his experience and opinion, a live torch was not the best of things to have, and suggested if it was, I should try to get it converted/upgraded to something he called a Eurotorch.
He mentioned a probable price of about £50.00 for the torch alone, would this be about right and is he correct ?
Cheers
Westy
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If the wire is snagging in the tip then fit a new one, also make sure the wire is totally rust-free, even light surface rusting will cause grief. The quality of the winding makes a big difference too, precision (layer) wound wire comes off the reel much nicer than random wound does.
A 4 metre MB15 Parweld torch with euro fitting is around £40, the socket around £40 and the solenoid around £20
As you probably know, your Clarke doesn't have a live torch.
A 4 metre MB15 Parweld torch with euro fitting is around £40, the socket around £40 and the solenoid around £20
As you probably know, your Clarke doesn't have a live torch.
Hi Wozzaaah
You are wrong mate - I did not know my 160 didn't have a live torch !
The wire was brand new off Weldequip last week and the tip was brand new, it had done about 4 mins or gasless welding the previous day.
Thanks for the info - in your considered opinion, and I do respect your views having been reading this forum for a while, would you say it would be a worth while investment to go for the Eurotorch ?
Cheers
Westy
You are wrong mate - I did not know my 160 didn't have a live torch !
The wire was brand new off Weldequip last week and the tip was brand new, it had done about 4 mins or gasless welding the previous day.
Thanks for the info - in your considered opinion, and I do respect your views having been reading this forum for a while, would you say it would be a worth while investment to go for the Eurotorch ?
Cheers
Westy
rusty69bus
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a live torch means if the wire is sticking out,welder on,and torches the earthed material it will arc out. not a 'live' torch as in permanately connected to the welder non euro
rusty69bus
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that you have to decide new standard all in torch £80+, but you can still buy individaul parts of it
I don't understand what is meant by this, Im sorry for being a bit thick
Cheers
Westy
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Hi Wozzaaah
You are wrong mate - I did not know my 160 didn't have a live torch !
The wire was brand new off Weldequip last week and the tip was brand new, it had done about 4 mins or gasless welding the previous day.
Thanks for the info - in your considered opinion, and I do respect your views having been reading this forum for a while, would you say it would be a worth while investment to go for the Eurotorch ?
Cheers
Westy
Difficult call that one, if the welder is a keeper and you're never likely to want another then it's a good but fairly expensive upgrade. The good thing is that once it's done, a replacement torch is cheap, takes less than a minute to fit and parts are all pretty much standard. Another bonus is that a liner change takes about 3 mins so if you need to change between alu wire and steel it's very easy.
The wire and tip are new and you're still getting snagging so the most likely cause is a worn out liner. If you decide not to convert it then fit a new steel liner, not a plastic one.
rusty69bus
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commonly refered to as hard wired. cannot just unplug from the front(euro) have to go into the machine to disconnect
Wozzaaah - thankyou very much, most usefull advice.
Rusty - thankyou mate, I know understand exactly.
Thanks for the advice and quick answers.
Cheers
Westy
rusty69bus
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no worries, i converted a sip to euro torch and found it ran better.
just to add abit more info some wire feed unit may struggle with a longer lead but it is nice to have a long euro torch sometimes
just to add abit more info some wire feed unit may struggle with a longer lead but it is nice to have a long euro torch sometimes
shenion
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My 130EN has the same wire feeder. It had no problem driving my 5m torch, although I used my 4m one.
I made a Tweco conversion here; it is simpler than the euro torch connector and is standard on many machines. Also, I already had 3 Tweco guns. I did have to add a gas solenoid wired to the contactor.
The torch that came with my 130EN was my only complaint. Nothing really wrong with the torch, it is basically a hard-wired Tweco MiniMIG torch. It is just too short at 6' (they claim 7' but that includes the wire inside the unit and the torch handle.)
If your wire is sticking, you may have too low a wire speed or too low tension on the idle roller. Could also be low gas flow as the gas helps keep the tip cool.
I made a Tweco conversion here; it is simpler than the euro torch connector and is standard on many machines. Also, I already had 3 Tweco guns. I did have to add a gas solenoid wired to the contactor.
The torch that came with my 130EN was my only complaint. Nothing really wrong with the torch, it is basically a hard-wired Tweco MiniMIG torch. It is just too short at 6' (they claim 7' but that includes the wire inside the unit and the torch handle.)
If your wire is sticking, you may have too low a wire speed or too low tension on the idle roller. Could also be low gas flow as the gas helps keep the tip cool.
rtbcomp
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I don't understand what is meant by this, Im sorry for being a bit thick
Cheers
Westy
Normally when you squeeze the trigger the power to the torch is switched on at the same time as the feed motor starts and the gas valve opens.
With a live torch the power to the torch is there all the time, with hazard mentioned above re. accidentally touching an earth. A live torch is used on cheap machines, the contactor required on a better machine isn't cheap.
A Euro-torch can be disconnected from the machine, a hard-wired torch can't. Either of these may or may not be live, it depends on who designed the machine.
Ah.............
Now I understand perfectly, I did THINK this was what was being explained to me, but you have clearly described it to me.
Thankyou for your help - no, mine is definately not a live torch.
Cheers
Westy
