Bought the wrong welder

[Eastblock]

I recently bought the R-Tech TIG160PDC and it's a nice machine. However it does not have a connection for a foot pedal and as I have discovered I could really do with one of those. Damn! Although I've only used it for less than half an hour I cannot swap it in for the next up model in the range and I probably can't make the money back I paid for it either. Doh! Should have done a bit more research.

 

[Eastblock]

Hmm, looks like it uses the same control board as the 200A machine which has foot pedal control as an option. I could probably wire in one myself but I'm sure the warranty would go out the window.

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

Never found a need for a foot pedal, can do most tasks with the torch switch

 

[Eastblock]

That's what I resorted to but it would make life a lot easier if it had a pedal though. Also I will be doing a lot of this type of welding.

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

What you trying to weld ?

 

[Eastblock]

Stainless rods.

 

[biffa]

If you set the up slope to max and turn of the down slope off seeing as you only need to do a quick weld you will be able to achieve similar results as with a foot pedal, you could do with a nice chunk of copper or Ali to suck all that heat away from the rod you could even go to the extremes of getting rod sizeds slots milled into the copper

 

[Eastblock]

I have a mill so making some heat sinks is not a problem. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Seano]

Hi Eastblock, my first question would be are you competant in tig, ie, can you run nice straight bead after bead of uniform size and shape using the torch ? if not, then in my opinion having a pedal will not make your welding any more superior, in fact it will give you one more thing to have to deal with as well as rod feeding, this is just my own personal view and meant in no way to denigrate your ability.

 

[Seano]

Hmm, looks like it uses the same control board as the 200A machine which has foot pedal control as an option. I could probably wire in one myself but I'm sure the warranty would go out the window.

Alternatively have a word with Dylan or one of the techs @R-Tech and see if it can be wired in, I use the exact same tig as you and have not needed a pedal yet.

 

[Eastblock]

I don't have a need to run beads. My requirements are specifically joining rods for marble machines. Since there is a very short time between a weld pool forming and the rod melting away a foot pedal would allow me more control over the process. Most of the welds will be fusion welds but when filler is needed it will normally only be 1 or 2 dips.

I got the feedback from Daryll at R-Tech that it is not possible to add a pedal to the 160 as it doesn't use the same control board as the bigger machines (although the manuals show the same boards). However he suggested contacting their sales dept to find out if they will do a part exchange.

 

[Eastblock]

R-Tech offered to part exchange Very impressed with their friendly service.

 

[ross27]

That means someone is going to get a very nice deal on a 160DC machine in a few weeks off their website!