Clarke 160T to Euro Connector.

[Litemoth]

I need to know where I can electrically tap off for the new gas solenoid (the original has the gas valve in the handle) Will the wire drive feed be ok to use or will it give the transformer a hard tme? If so, what voltage is it?

I did consider fitting a 12 or 24v dc transformer purely to drive the (matched) solenoid if the worst comes to the worst.

My welder came without a torch and I've given up on trying to replace it.

The fact that the welder has a sloping front, relative to the wire feed, doesn't help the fitting of the Euro socket one bit.

 

[rtbcomp]

If you haven't got the manual, there's one here

http://www.clarkeservice.co.uk/manuals/mig_welders/mig160tm.pdf

Looking at the circuit I'd be inclined to get a 240v valve (out of an old washing machine ??) and connect it accross the wipers (common) of S2 & S3

 

[Litemoth]

If you haven't got the manual, there's one here

http://www.clarkeservice.co.uk/manuals/mig_welders/mig160tm.pdf

Looking at the circuit I'd be inclined to get a 240v valve (out of an old washing machine ??) and connect it accross the wipers (common) of S2 & S3

Thanks for the tip but wouldn't F1 & F2 be a problem?

 

[rtbcomp]

J1 & J2/J3 are the same as the ones I suggested.

F1 & F2 will close the whole welder down if either the transformer or rectifier overheats, won't cause a problem as far as I can see.

 

[Litemoth]

Of course....I'm tired and three beers in. I've just realised you're correct again.

 

[rikrobson]

You could also wire in a separate switch to the solenoid in parallel with the trigger to give yourself a gas purge function

 

[Litemoth]

You could also wire in a separate switch to the solenoid in parallel with the trigger to give yourself a gas purge function

Explain yourself.....

 

[rtbcomp]

You could also wire in a separate switch to the solenoid in parallel with the trigger to give yourself a gas purge function

That would duplicate the trigger function and feed the wire & power the transformer up.

 

[rikrobson]

If you use a 2wat push button with Normally Open and Normally Closed

------------- J2/3
|
|
X
|
/| 2-way push switch NC -> J1
/ | NO -> J4
NO NC
| |
| ------------ J1
|--- J4

When the button is pressed the circuit closes for the solenoid and will not affect the transformer. The above circuit will keep the torch isolated by bypassing the S3 - J1 connection.

Even if you connected a single push switch to neutral and left the J1 connection in the wire would not feed due to the motor being on the LT circuit and the HT switch being a relay, but the torch would be live while the purge button was operated.

Something like this would probably do:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=2345
you would need to check the solenoid rating was less than 1A, but i would suspect that they would be.

The other option is to use a low voltage solenoid operated off the trigger relay/circuit.

 

[rtbcomp]

Not exactly "in parallel with the trigger" though.

Why not put a switch in series with the motor? "Off" to purge "On" for normal operation.

You would of course need to pull the trigger to purge.

 

[Litemoth]

Not exactly "in parallel with the trigger" though.

Why not put a switch in series with the motor? "Off" to purge "On" for normal operation.

You would of course need to pull the trigger to purge.

Nice idea but I've already plumped for the 240V version of the gas valve (as per earlier suggestion), I quite like the idea of gas purging using the double pole sw but wish i could have run it all from the low voltage side.

 

[rtbcomp]

The trouble is the voltage on the output of the transformer varies with power settings.

You could fit another mains transformer & rectifier and use this circuit to give pre & post flow and purge.



Put a push button accross A2/B2 for purge.

Put another button accross A1/B1 for wire feed with no gas or power.