90EN 30 - 90Amp What??!!

[MalcolmB]

Hi.
I've recently wanted to get into mig welding for repairing my car so the search was on for the best welder for my budget. After reading lots of posts on this great site and elsewhere on the internet I was torn between the 90EN and something like the 151EN.
It was either have more power for thicker things or get the 90EN with the better ability to weld thinner things because that was supposed to go down to 25 amps instead of 30 amps the 151 goes down to.
So I decided I could always just use my arc welder for really thick things and welding thinner parts of the car was more urgent so I went for the 90EN.

I tracked one down second hand and took it home. It was only when flicking through the instruction manual that I saw that it only goes down to 30 amps just like all the other models! What?
I could just have gone for a more powerful model such as the 151 or something if that was the case.

How come many people on here and elsewhere online swear the 90EN goes down to 24 or 25 amps but it apparently does no such thing?
Is this a misprint in the manual?

 

[Nomad]

Something to consider - there are a few models of Pro90 and 90EN so there might be different specs.
My understanding is Pro90 is gas only, 90EN is gas & gasless.
When I bought my Pro90 I chose it as it had a low amp for welding thin panels, in all the years I've been using it it's unusual to anything settings apart from the top 2 settings.
Most of my work is MOT jobs on 70s & 80s cars (with thick bodywork) - any metal thin enough to need the lower settings is nearly rusted away so it gets replaced but welding on modern French cars (thin panels) might use the lower settings.

Manuals I found on the Clarke website say both go down to 24 amps
Pro90 (page 36) https://www.clarkeservice.co.uk/manuals/mig_welders/PRO90-100E_150TE_0815.pdf
90EN (page 39) https://www.clarkeservice.co.uk/manuals/mig_welders/MIG90EN-151EN_rev5.pdf

Is there a misprint in the manuals? Afraid I have no idea but others might know more.

 

[MalcolmB]

On that manual you linked to on page 39 it says, 30-90A.

 

[Itfluxmeoff]

I've owned a 90EN and yes I've also seen conflicting minimum specs 24/30A.

I wouldn't worry about it.

With a little tweaking they can be improved markedly to be great wee welders.

Recommendations are:

Fit a microwave oven fan to keep things cool.
Use Parkside/Lidl flux core wire 0.9mm.*
Minimum tension on wire spool brake.
Heavy-ish tension on wire feed roller-back off if you are slowing the drive motor (that's the output gear shaft in the gearbox being bent!).
Use knurled roller for 0.6mm? (the smaller of the two sizes).*
Ensure roller bearing is clean and spins freely, if not clean/lube.
Ensure roller bearing pivot arm moves freely, if not clean/lube.
Fit metal curtain wire liner instead of original plastic pipe.
Remove/clean/refit positive/negative cables.
Cover the original earth clamp jaws with a copper pan scourer to spread contact over many points.
Remove the screw-on gas shroud from the gun.*
No frayed cables/connections etc. to impede current flow.

* Assuming you are using flux core wire outdoors.

With all that taken care of you can say goodbye to bird dropping welds, intermittent welds and generally gash results.

Re wire feed roller tension, if you get it where it's a non issue, don't unscrew it to change wire etc., it should pivot out and down on the cambered lobe.

 

[Erie Fred]

Hi.
I've recently wanted to get into mig welding for repairing my car so the search was on for the best welder for my budget. After reading lots of posts on this great site and elsewhere on the internet I was torn between the 90EN and something like the 151EN.
It was either have more power for thicker things or get the 90EN with the better ability to weld thinner things because that was supposed to go down to 25 amps instead of 30 amps the 151 goes down to.
So I decided I could always just use my arc welder for really thick things and welding thinner parts of the car was more urgent so I went for the 90EN.

I tracked one down second hand and took it home. It was only when flicking through the instruction manual that I saw that it only goes down to 30 amps just like all the other models! What?
I could just have gone for a more powerful model such as the 151 or something if that was the case.

How come many people on here and elsewhere online swear the 90EN goes down to 24 or 25 amps but it apparently does no such thing?
Is this a misprint in the manual?

How much welding experience do you have under your belt so far ?
And with the 90 amp machine ?

 

[MalcolmB]

Thanks for the advice itfluxmeoff. It is more that I could have gone for a more powerful machine if the minimum amps was the same. I intend converting to gas if I need it for thin welds.

Erie Fred. I would say I am still a beginner at the moment.
My MOT is not until November so I have time to practice as much as possible before I even start on my car but having said that I'd like to start while the weather is still good.

 

[Nomad]

On that manual you linked to on page 39 it says, 30-90A.

The manual contradicts it-self on that page, "30A minimum" also "24A @ 100% duty cycle"


Another top tip for these welders, scrap the original (feeble) earth cable, upgrade that and the earth clamp. It makes a world of difference (and the earth cable doesn't get too hot to touch)
* I think the earth cable on the 90EN can be unscrewed to reverse polarity (or be replaced), cable on Pro90 is fixed and needs to be cut then new cable joined.

 

[Itfluxmeoff]

Almost all car jump leads can carry more current than the standard cables, even though many are copper coated aluminium they still offer a noticeable performance gain.

For thin welds you'll be stitch welding anyway so 24/30A is not an issue as much as your stitch duration.

You could have chosen a more powerful machine, I think the 24A @ 100% duty cycle rating is mathematically extrapolated just to show theoretical performance.

BTW If you remove the screw-on gas shroud from the gun, fit a length of rubber fuel hose instead to protect the swan neck. Easily obtained from a car scrapyard.

 

[Erie Fred]

Thanks for the advice itfluxmeoff. It is more that I could have gone for a more powerful machine if the minimum amps was the same. I intend converting to gas if I need it for thin welds.

Erie Fred. I would say I am still a beginner at the moment.
My MOT is not until November so I have time to practice as much as possible before I even start on my car but having said that I'd like to start while the weather is still good.

How much actual welding time "under the hood" regardless of on a car do you possess ?

 

[MalcolmB]

A few hours really. I repaired some things about 10 years ago with my arc welder but it wasn't very tidy but it lasted.
I have been practicing with the Mig welder but only for short periods, mostly because I need some decent metal to practice with.