DANGER SIP / Cosmo Mods

[Hitch]

Jake-
Thankyou for your concern regarding other members' safety.

Im sure that most of the pictures have covers etc removed for the sake of the pictures.

Your concern for gromets etc, quite right, that has been pointed out on the thread.

Neighbours kids, your kids... both should not be in the working area if you are following safe working practices.

I think in this case Irondarren is quite right to point out the disclaimer.

 

[Jake SS]

Another problem could exist where "Joe" has had his machine for 10 years and been welding happily for that time, then he does his mod and his house catches on fire.
Why you ask, well lets say that he has a 16 Amp breaker on the circuit that he only uses for his Mig, Joes machine has only been pulling 10 Amps, he does the mod but now it is pulling 12 Amps, his wiring is only capable of handling 10 Amps, and it is probably very old as well!!

I havent read every single post on the thread but has anyone done any testing of the mod, such as current draws etc ?

Joe may have had an old 115v auxillary transformer in his shed so he may think that if I hook this up to 240V it will be more powerful! some of you may laugh but I have seen many incidents of a similar nature.

Now there have been a lot of people reading about the mod so they rush out and buy the cheapest transformer and rectifier that they can find, without even thinking about fusing the input AND ouput.

We have to get this mod right and I mean NOW
You have to do tests on the current draws to ascertain the correct transformer to use with exact specs on the transformer, Bridge rectifier etc
In one photo someone has used a black wire to the earth connection, I mean it should be green and yellow or whatever you use over there. The components have to be mounted in an enclosure. If there is any joining of wires they have to be the same size, IE you cant continue a circuit with larger diameter conductors, it is against any electrical rule that I know of.
Properly fused.

Anyway I will be back later as I have to do some work

Cheers Jake

 

[madkayaker]

the 24V transformer will draw very little on primary side

 

[Jake SS]

the 24V transformer will draw very little on primary side

Roughly 1/3 of 1 amp is enough to kill someone

How do you know what the current draw is on the primary if you have not measured it. Granted it should be low but if the wire feed motor is working hard as is usual because people tend to screw the tension down way to hard thinking that this will compensate for a feed problem, but if they change the liner or tip they would not have to over tension the drive.

Cheers Jake

 

[Jake SS]

Jake-
Thankyou for your concern regarding other members' safety.

Im sure that most of the pictures have covers etc removed for the sake of the pictures.

Your concern for gromets etc, quite right, that has been pointed out on the thread.

Neighbours kids, your kids... both should not be in the working area if you are following safe working practices.

I think in this case Irondarren is quite right to point out the disclaimer.

Hi Hitch
Yes that is my concern here which is safety

In the photos the components have been mounted to an accessible area namely where the wire is mounted, sure most welders have a cover to place over that side but most people dont use it and I see no difference it is still exposed to an operator or any other person.

It is not just about grommets

Neighbors kids your kids......you are quite right but we are talking about a home workhop where little johny has his bike or whatever, it is not a workshop in the strict sense of the word. It is not just about kids, it is anyone in general.

I dont know that a disclaimer would hold up in a court of law

Cheers Jake

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

why don't you do all the testing and submit it to be included in the mods section?

You'd be able to get your name in 'lights' then.

Regards
Peter

 

[Garreth]

In a workplace or commercial environment I agree with you.

But in the privacy of your own home its down to the individual in my opinion.

Say you're using your modified (or unmodified) welder to build a swing for the kids - do you submit it for CE approval after you've built it ? No you don't. You use nouse and common sense !! Or you build yourself a big off road buggy - do you get an SVA, and MOT, tax, insurance etc and drive it at 30mph - no ! You find a nice big field and drive the **** off it !

We all spend far too much time worrying about what might happen, and the consequences of it going wrong.

Do the research, ask around, get someone to check your mod after you've done it and CARRY ON !

Garreth

(Someone who spends far too much time filling in Risk Assesments)

 

[Jake SS]

In a workplace or commercial environment I agree with you.

But in the privacy of your own home its down to the individual in my opinion.

Say you're using your modified (or unmodified) welder to build a swing for the kids - do you submit it for CE approval after you've built it ? No you don't. You use nouse and common sense !! Or you build yourself a big off road buggy - do you get an SVA, and MOT, tax, insurance etc and drive it at 30mph - no ! You find a nice big field and drive the **** off it !

We all spend far too much time worrying about what might happen, and the consequences of it going wrong.

Do the research, ask around, get someone to check your mod after you've done it and CARRY ON !

Garreth

(Someone who spends far too much time filling in Risk Assesments)

I am not talking about the end product, if you read my posts properly my concern is safety for all, would you drive a car with bald tyres and dodgy brakes with your family in it ?

Jake

 

[Jake SS]

Hi,

why don't you do all the testing and submit it to be included in the mods section?

You'd be able to get your name in 'lights' then.

Regards
Peter

Are you trying to pass off your own inadequacies on to me to fix it for you ?

Lights would be good as they all seem to be out

Cheers
Jake

 

[Garreth]

No of course not - that is illegal and unsafe.

If I was at work and I saw someone doing something unsafe I would stop it immediately, as they may injure themselves or others doing something which is their job.

However this morning 2 hourse before everyone else came in I chucked a ladder up against a wall, clambered up it and dragged down a box off a shelf. My choice, my consequences.

I just think the "what if" is given too much credence ! what if the welder went wront ? what if it caught fire ?what if it set fire to the house ?what if the kids etc were in ?

In a country where you can legally kill yourself and others with alcohol, tobacco, cars etc do we worry to much ? I bet chip pan fires kill more people than badly wired welders !

Garreth

 

[rtbcomp]

Roughly 1/3 of 1 amp is enough to kill someone

How do you know what the current draw is on the primary if you have not measured it. Granted it should be low but if the wire feed motor is working hard as is usual because people tend to screw the tension down way to hard thinking that this will compensate for a feed problem, but if they change the liner or tip they would not have to over tension the drive.

Cheers Jake

Clutching straws here I think.

1/3rd of an amp running along a wire isn't going to kill anyone unless there is a high exposed voltage, avoiding which is the crux of the matter!

You calculate the current draw. Basically, if the maximum output is 24 volts at 5 amps thats 120 watts. If the input is 240 volts that equates to half an amp, then add 20% for inefficencies and one for the pot.

 

[malcolm]

Thanks members for being tolerant, though I can't see this thread going anywhere useful.

It's fair enough to pop a question onto the end of a thread saying "hope you're going to put a cover on that, don't want to see you fried when you adjust the wire feed". That has the advantage of alerting anyone viewing that thread with the point of caution.

To storm onto the forum calling everyone stupid and making demands in capital letters is not likely to get a point across. It comes across as trolling and will annoy rather than persuade other members of your point.

.