5 minute fix of the day

[Jim Davey]

Had a little Eutectic Pwoermax 140 (Fronius Transpocket 1400 in drag) with overheating issues. Customer normally runs 3.25mm 6013s for hours on end without issue, then his machine started overheating and shutting down after a handful of rods.
Turns out the little temperature switch that tells the fan to cut in/out had failed leaving the set without a fan.
Removed the old swich, solder on a new one, drill out some mounting holes to screw mount the temp switch to the heatsink, weld test, PAT test, onto the next one. Great little machine, I think it's roughly over half as old as I am its doing alright!

Old dead temp switch

New one, with a bit of heatsink compound on the back.

In, job jobbed.

 

[eSCHEn]

Nice satisfying wee job

 

[Jim Davey]

Yeah, I had an even easier one today where a factory reset actually cleared a fault and made the machine work again. I think I can count on one hand the amount of times that's worked! Lol

 

[Bill Edwards]

That's the kind of job I love, it's really satisfying
Very rare for me though!

 

[Jim Davey]

Found a loose wire causing a grands worth of PAT tester not to work yesterday too, I'm bound to have a siezed engine on a flipping MOSA 400 to deal with now to balance out the gravy jobs lol

 

[Bill Edwards]

Seized engine wouldn't be the worst thing for me (though perhaps costly), intermittent faults are the things I truly hate as you simply can't mend them when they aren't there!

 

[Richard.]

Just goes to show how bl00dy good those transpockets are. A cheap 140amp unit would not last long burning 3.2's one after another.

 

[Jim Davey]

Dear though, I think we sold the first ones for £800 a pop, steel erectors couldn't get their wallets out fast enough when these first hit the streets as it were.
Once they'd stopped laughing at the so called "handbag sets" and run a few rods they were sold.

 

[Richard.]

The MV was an outstanding machine. I've had 3.2's burnt in quick succession off the 110v 32amp and it was always good for 100amp out put on 110v 16amp. Excellent machines.

 

[Jim Davey]

Nothing lasted so well on the fleet as the Newarc R1500 though, ugly as sin and designed by someone who only had a ruler and setsquare in his pencil case but by god did they take some abuse and still earn us money. Quality kit always pays you back and then some.

 

[wheresmejumper]

The 1500TP is a way better machine than the 1400 i think.there was nothing to compare,but (i imagine as ive not tried) the micorstick 160 should be close.

 

[Jim Davey]

The EWM Pico 162 welds pretty damn good too, I'd like to try a Lorch for comparison purposes mind.

 

[wheresmejumper]

The 1500 is cel compatible,the 162 tries hard but cant keep up.pleasure to use with any other rod though!
i have my eye on the lorch at the moment,might bite soon

 

[Richard.]

Not tried a 1500 but love the old multi voltage 1400. I'm not an experienced cel user so wouldn't be a deal breaker for me personally.

 

[gordon stephenson]

May be a no go question, but what would want be involved in making a fan on all the time machine into a fan on demand?. My machines have a very easy life and it's always bothered me that the fan operates as soon as I switch on

 

[Richard.]

I wouldn't do that. They are probably designed to have consistent cooling. My machine has fan on demand but it also has a huge heat sink in the form of a wind tunnel right through. You may find without the fan on your temp indicator comes on straight away. I'm no expert mind.

 

[Jim Davey]

Fan on demand is easy, it's a good idea as it keeps the set cleaner inside for longer as the fan doesn't blow dirty air through the machine so much of the time, saves energy and makes the shop a quieter place.
Get a 40 degree C normally open switch bolt it to the heat sink of the inverter and run one of the fans two wires through it, then your fan will come on when the set hits 40 degrees, not to hot, not too cold and the fan will drop out when the temp comes back down below 40.

 

[Richard.]

What's the catch Jim. Surely there is a reason they were made with constant cooling. It can't just be a price thing.

 

[Bill Edwards]

I think that a bit more information might be needed, such as what is the welder and the sort of use it gets?
If it's got a fantastic duty cycle and can run at high power all day but only normally gets used at a fraction of its capacity then it probably won't be bothered by not being cooled all the time?

 

[dannyp]

my tig got very simalar treatment as fan was ******* me off roaring away all the time, tho i did stuff a 2nd small pc fan in there as well that was on all the time to gently waft some air about over the controll boards quietly