Clarke 110e Blowing fuses and low power

[geckomandoa]

Hi

My Clarke 110e mig welder has just started blowing fuses after about 5 years of occasional use.

When I pull the trigger the wire feeds but it will not weld on any setting. It also has a louder hum when you pull the trigger that it did not have before.

Anyone any ideas?

Thanks!
Simon

 

[rtbcomp]

Welcome to the forum.

My guess would be a faulty rectifier or a foreign body causing a short. First job would be to give it a good clean inside just in case something is causing a short, a bit of MIG wire for example.

 

[geckomandoa]

Thanks! I will have another go at cleaning inside. How long should I leave the welder if it has been plugged in before I start poking around? I don't know too much regarding mains electricity.

 

[rtbcomp]

Give it 30 mins or so. You should be OK staright away, but there may be a suppressor or something that could hold a charge.

 

[geckomandoa]

I have just taken the bridge rectifier apart and found one of the diodes has low resistance both ways of around 1 ohm the others read 12k-16k ohms one way and nothing the other I presume that means a new rectifier and do you know where I can pick one up?

Many thanks
Simon

 

[Engineer1964]

I have just taken the bridge rectifier apart and found one of the diodes has low resistance both ways of around 1 ohm the others read 12k-16k ohms one way and nothing the other I presume that means a new rectifier and do you know where I can pick one up?

Many thanks
Simon

Hi Simon,

Take a peek at Farnell here http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/search/br...search&Ntt=rectifier&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial

Just chose from the list, They deliver next day too, so you won't have to wait long

 

[rtbcomp]

CPC, part of the Farnell group, might be cheaper?

 

[shenion]

If one is bad, probably the others are going soon.

Weldequip should ahve the whole assembly.

 

[geckomandoa]

Thanks for everyone's help, I have just managed to call up Clarke to get a complete rectifier unit for £37 inc vat and delivery! Thought that was quite reasonable. I'll see how I get on with replacing it!