Hello all, I am looking for your recommendations for an AC DC Tig welder. I am leaving my job as an engineer/ fabricator, and so will be losing access to an R Tech 320A Digital Tig (415V). I'm moving to Belgium, and in my home workshop I will have a 3 Phase 16A Supply. This is my criteria: Price range - roughly £1000 - 1600 I would favour buying USED from a quality brand In the range of 250 - 350 Amp Manageable in size, similar to the R Tech (i.e not something big on wheels) Foot pedal control HF start I'm not especially fussed whether its Analogue or digital controls Pulse would be nice but not essential Thats everything I can think of for now, apologies if I've missed something obvious. Any suggestions and input you have would be appreciated. Thanks
Buy something through a local dealer who can backup your machine. No good having a UK warranty and being in Belgium. I like the Lorch V series, they’re workhorses. You should find good support for EWM, Fronius or Rehm too over in Belgium.
A Fronius MW2600 or MW3000 or the same technic in a different box like Oerlikon Prestotig 300 or Castotig 3002 might be a good option. But these are often quite pricey. I would also recommend the Jäckle WIG 301. Harder to find but sometimes cheaper and of great quality, especially when build before 2010.
Thanks for all your replies so far. I've just come across a Fronius MagicWave 3000 which is for sale very close to me on Facebook Marketplace for £1500. Im not sure of its age and there is no torch or pedal with it, but that seems like quite a good price nonetheless.
If that Fronius is in good condition, the price is very good. There are different versions of the MW3000, some (Job version) have the pulse function included, for some machines you would need the pulse remote. Some machines have a canbus remote socket (which is red), pedals are quite expensive, and even used about 350,-. For the machines with the old analog socket its much easier to fit a pedal. Anyway, good machines with great arc, simple interface but with many functions in hidden menues (not as easy to access, that´s what I don´t like on these machines). Do you allready bought it??
No, I didn't buy the Fronius no, I have now moved to Belgium but I still haven't found a welder. Once i arrived I had the realisation that the three phase power I have is 3 x 230 not 3 x 400 which has somewhat limited my selection.
Just recently: https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/3-phase-or-single-230v-phase.106144/#post-1684358
Interesting indeed. So does that give 120v line-to-neutral? You could always step the voltage back up with a transformer, if you had a big enough supply? Then everything would run nicely on 400v and buying equipment would be easy.
Hi, on 3 phase each single phase is 230V to neutral. 400V effektive between two phases. Thats what we have in germany. I´m quite shure, that this is what you have in belgium too. https://www.energie-lexikon.info/drehstrom.html I think every common 3phase maschine should work at your place.
Thanks all for your input, and link to the other thread, it’s very interesting. Yes it seems that Belgium is quite irregular and different to the rest of Europe in its supplies, from talking to people here, apparently many old properties always received 3 x230v with 230v between phases, and then more recently 3x400 was introduced. I had also thought it should be 400v between phases but it seems not here. This is the info I have on the socket ...
That plug is missing a neutral, so I suspect Belgium uses hi-leg delta 3-phase wiring: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-leg_delta Basically, it's the same as US 240v 3-phase. Edit: Some more info and chitchat here: https://www2.theiet.org/forums/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=205&threadid=88103
I’m glad to fully understand what power I have to work with now, In terms of buying a welder though it’s really tough to find any used welders that state they will run on 3x230 which are in my price range and requirements. I think I either have to go single phase or buy a transformer. I’m tempted for now just to buy the little Sherman Jasic copy that is so popular on this forum, just to get me going for now with small projects. I’ve never used a single phase machine, but Im hoping if I keep my expectations fairly low I won’t be too disappointed .
I would measure what you actually have, instead of goign with what is shown on a electrical outlet. Could be that the machine connected to that outlet was of such low amperage draw that the previous installer fitted this plug instead of the larger bulkier 5 pole 16 or 32 amp 400v sockets. Kind of a big NO-No in my book, but I've seen it done.
