- Thread starter JSA
- Start date
GrahamGKD
Forum Supporter
- Messages
- 1,437
My dad had an old Triangle arc welder - very old oil cooled transformer. It has a large knob on the top which pulls up and turns to slot into various positions for the settings. I think the transfer which says what the settings are is still intact (we bought the machine secondhand and I wrote to Triangle to get a new transfer when I was a little lad - I'm into my 50's now to give you some idea how old it is!). A long shot, but if it happened to be the same machine I could have a look at the settings next time I'm up at my mum's place?
pedrobedro
Man at Matalan
- Messages
- 13,073
- Location
- CX near Chesterfield
I had an oil cooled 140 amp AC one given to me with all the marks painted over and I used a meter to check the outputs. It worked fine but it was not needed so I gave it to a friend of mine whose buzz box was on it's last legs. I think he is still using it.
It does have a handle on top, a bit like an window winder! - wasnt sure what it was but your right - it adjusts the amps up or down - there is a scale on the front plate which has cleaned up presst good. In the centre of the scale there is a pointer which muves up and down as you turn the handle...
On the scale plate it says output at 55V or 85V. There are two connectors on the front near the top, one on the left and one on the right. I am guessing that one is 55V and the other is 85V - if so cant tell which is which by looking at it as there are no markings.
It looks like a pretty heavy duty piece of Kit but unsure with it being so old - I am striktly amateur!!
PS - is there an easy way to see if it is oil cooled?
On the scale plate it says output at 55V or 85V. There are two connectors on the front near the top, one on the left and one on the right. I am guessing that one is 55V and the other is 85V - if so cant tell which is which by looking at it as there are no markings.
It looks like a pretty heavy duty piece of Kit but unsure with it being so old - I am striktly amateur!!
PS - is there an easy way to see if it is oil cooled?
GrahamGKD
Forum Supporter
- Messages
- 1,437
Sorry JSA, sounds like a different machine to my dad's old one. The oil cooled machines I have come across are usually like a square metal tank with all of the controls and terminals on the top. They weigh an absolute ton on account of being filled with oil. I'm guessing yours might be an aircooled transformer from what you say but I don't really know. Just because it is old doesn't mean it won't be a good machine though - I burned a couple of rods with my dad's old transformer a month or so ago and was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked.
Put a meter on the connectors. The one on the right outputs 85V and the one on the left outputs 55V.
Forgive my ignorance but the plate reads the highest Amps on the left of the scale underneath the 55v connector.
It is currently connected to the 85V so do I read the left of the scale?
Cheers
Forgive my ignorance but the plate reads the highest Amps on the left of the scale underneath the 55v connector.
It is currently connected to the 85V so do I read the left of the scale?
Cheers
If the output is connected to 85 Volts, you read the vertical scale under the heading of 85 volts, and adjust amperage according to the job.
If the output is connected to 55 volts, you read off the vertical scale under the heading of 55 Volts, and adjust amperage according to the job.
The high open circuit voltage on the thin metal side is to help strike the ac arc, quite the opposite of mig welding.
If the output is connected to 55 volts, you read off the vertical scale under the heading of 55 Volts, and adjust amperage according to the job.
The high open circuit voltage on the thin metal side is to help strike the ac arc, quite the opposite of mig welding.
It looks an interesting machine. If it works it should be okay on a 13A domestic supply up to around 140 Amp settings, so long as the wiring is good and the welder is not on a long cable. But remember it's marked as drawing 6.5 kva, that's 6500 watts at max input, so you will need a 30A fuse and supply if using it near the top end, welding thicker metal.
Have you tested it yet? Check out the connections and redo them if they look worn or corroded.
So far as oil-cooled goes, check for any kind of top-up inlet around the top of the casing. If it is air-cooled it's a bit unusual, at that age. Is there any sound of a fan when it's switched on?
Have you tested it yet? Check out the connections and redo them if they look worn or corroded.
So far as oil-cooled goes, check for any kind of top-up inlet around the top of the casing. If it is air-cooled it's a bit unusual, at that age. Is there any sound of a fan when it's switched on?
Hi Keith,
It definitely works, although I've never really used Arc before so I will need some practice.
Its got a normal 13A domestic plug fitted although cable looks like it is designed for something much more substantial! Tried it on current settings on a regular socket and it worked OK without blowing fuse.
When plugged in it hums but cant her a fan - I will investigate further.
May rig up 32A supply to try it at max power. It looks like it should be a robust machine for a single phase. Its a shame I cant find any info on it, not even in the wonderful world of google...
Cheers
It definitely works, although I've never really used Arc before so I will need some practice.
Its got a normal 13A domestic plug fitted although cable looks like it is designed for something much more substantial! Tried it on current settings on a regular socket and it worked OK without blowing fuse.
When plugged in it hums but cant her a fan - I will investigate further.
May rig up 32A supply to try it at max power. It looks like it should be a robust machine for a single phase. Its a shame I cant find any info on it, not even in the wonderful world of google...
Cheers
JSA, I have a similar but smaller arc welder, badged as a "Triangle Minx", rated at 150 Amps. It was made by Triangle Products Ltd., Hyde, Cheshire. I bought it 20 years ago from CG&W Young of Twickenham, it still works fine. It is definitely aircooled - in a red sheet metal cabinet with louvres. It doesn't have a fan.
Like yours, the welding current is adjusted with a cranked handle on top, which moves a metal core inside the transformer. The scale reads from bottom to top, 30A to 150A. The open-circuit voltage is 50V. The two welding leads are hard-wired and exit from the case via grommets, so it does not have a choice of voltage tappings. On your machine, the higher voltage would be used for thin metal or for special electrodes that need a high OCV.
Like yours, the welding current is adjusted with a cranked handle on top, which moves a metal core inside the transformer. The scale reads from bottom to top, 30A to 150A. The open-circuit voltage is 50V. The two welding leads are hard-wired and exit from the case via grommets, so it does not have a choice of voltage tappings. On your machine, the higher voltage would be used for thin metal or for special electrodes that need a high OCV.
Thanks Eddie,
Thats interesting.
In my naivity I assumed that the 85V setting would have been for heavier gauge than the 55V - shows how much I know.
My machine was acquired from a sale by my father a long long time ago - 20 to 30 years or so and was an old machine then...
It has been used to weld JCB buckets and the like and the welds have never failed...
I just need to work out how to use it properly. I think I will give it a good clean up and a lick of paint as there seems to be plenty life left in the old girl...
Cheers.
JSA
Thats interesting.
In my naivity I assumed that the 85V setting would have been for heavier gauge than the 55V - shows how much I know.
My machine was acquired from a sale by my father a long long time ago - 20 to 30 years or so and was an old machine then...
It has been used to weld JCB buckets and the like and the welds have never failed...
I just need to work out how to use it properly. I think I will give it a good clean up and a lick of paint as there seems to be plenty life left in the old girl...
Cheers.
JSA
Hi JSA,
Like yourself and Eddie49, I also have one of these machines. I think mine is half way between yours and Eddie's. I bought it in the snips one Saturday afternoon about 30 years ago. When I went to see it I took a few small rods to try it but it would not arc up, even with an old 14 gauge rod.
The handle was seized and I could not increase the setting, but there was a tiny spark at the electrode tip so we agreed on £15, sold as seen.
When I got home, I removed the winding handle first, then removed most of the red cover. If I remember correctly it was rivitted and I had to grind them off. I give the transformer a good clean and WD40'd and wire brushed the threads on the winder rod until it ran freely. I re-assembled it and used roofing bolts to re-make the cover.
It had a 13 amp plug on it when I bought it and I found that I could burn a 3.25mm rod with that, but with a 4mm it would blow the fuse after a short time. I got an electrician to run a heavier supply to a 45 amp fusebox in my garage and it has been used on most of my projects ever since. I was checking my fuses the other day as I am upgrading to RCD's and I believe it is a 30amp fuse in the box.
For an air cooled AC the arc is really stable and easy to work with. I don't have a choice of voltage (need to look again(
) and assume it's 50V, I've never measured it as it's fine for what it does. It's probably the best bargain I ever got. Now that I have read this thread I will need to see if there are any markings showing on it.
Like yourself and Eddie49, I also have one of these machines. I think mine is half way between yours and Eddie's. I bought it in the snips one Saturday afternoon about 30 years ago. When I went to see it I took a few small rods to try it but it would not arc up, even with an old 14 gauge rod.
The handle was seized and I could not increase the setting, but there was a tiny spark at the electrode tip so we agreed on £15, sold as seen.
When I got home, I removed the winding handle first, then removed most of the red cover. If I remember correctly it was rivitted and I had to grind them off. I give the transformer a good clean and WD40'd and wire brushed the threads on the winder rod until it ran freely. I re-assembled it and used roofing bolts to re-make the cover.
It had a 13 amp plug on it when I bought it and I found that I could burn a 3.25mm rod with that, but with a 4mm it would blow the fuse after a short time. I got an electrician to run a heavier supply to a 45 amp fusebox in my garage and it has been used on most of my projects ever since. I was checking my fuses the other day as I am upgrading to RCD's and I believe it is a 30amp fuse in the box.
For an air cooled AC the arc is really stable and easy to work with. I don't have a choice of voltage (need to look again(
) and assume it's 50V, I've never measured it as it's fine for what it does. It's probably the best bargain I ever got. Now that I have read this thread I will need to see if there are any markings showing on it.
Jim Davey
R H Davey Welding Supplies Ltd
- Messages
- 5,736
- Location
- Southampton
I'd get a new mains lead at least as the insulation will be pretty flaky on something that old and I'd have the casing off to check the earthing and a general once over while I was at it just to make sure it's safe. A PAT test wouldn't be a bad idea if you have a friendly tester nearby.
Old sets are great but electrical kit that's old and sits in damp workshops can be lethal if they've been meddled with in the past, so have a good look inside to make sure it's safe.
Old sets are great but electrical kit that's old and sits in damp workshops can be lethal if they've been meddled with in the past, so have a good look inside to make sure it's safe.
