Draper MW130TA MIG GAS SOLENOID EURO CONVERSION

[miggie weld]

so this is my backup welder now since i just brought a inverter mig.
not a lot wrong with it
1 needs a new liner
2 the gas velve on torch leeks
3 trigger only works when it feels like it

So i would like to add the gas solenoid and euro conversion.
In the bottom pic live comes in to the switch, Then down on the contactor is 0.3volts when trigger pulled i get 240volts would this be the place to connect 240v solenoid

Thanks for any help, much appreciated

 

[mike 109444]

Not sure where you are putting your meter leads to get the reading of 0.3V !

The A1 and A2 connections on the contactor will be the 240v to the coil in the contactor to make it "pull in" So follow those two wires back up the loom and see if you can find easy connection points where the wires are coming FROM.
Remember to sleeve any bare blade/spade connections you make as they will have 240v on them !!!

 

[miggie weld]

Not sure where you are putting your meter leads to get the reading of 0.3V !

The A1 and A2 connections on the contactor will be the 240v to the coil in the contactor to make it "pull in" So follow those two wires back up the loom and see if you can find easy connection points where the wires are coming FROM.
Remember to sleeve any bare blade/spade connections you make as they will have 240v on them !!!

i had the meter on a2 and live coming in from the switch.
ok thanks will do that. will order parts and update when i get them.

 

[miggie weld]

so i finished installing euro torch socket and gas solenoid

solenoid connections i took from contractor a1 and a2 it was the easiest place i heat shrinked them so no shorty connected earth to chassis




made a metal plate to attach euro torch socket. all works nice to know i am not leaking wasting gas all the time. the wire feeds better but most is to do with motor on feeder speed is no very consistent. wish i could do something to that, would be nice.

 

[miggie weld]

Made a video installing torch and valve

 

[mike 109444]

Have skipped through your vid with sound off (listening to another youtube vid on tv ) so don't know if you had indicated if you have a 3 or 4 meter euro torch ? Because you still have the original feed motor it may struggle to feed smoothly down a 4 meter torch. May be better with a 3 meter one and try to keep the hose straight to help the motor out.

 

[miggie weld]

Have skipped through your vid with sound off (listening to another youtube vid on tv ) so don't know if you had indicated if you have a 3 or 4 meter euro torch ? Because you still have the original feed motor it may struggle to feed smoothly down a 4 meter torch. May be better with a 3 meter one and try to keep the hose straight to help the motor out.

I am using a 3 meter torch. its just the feed speed is not very steady when welding

 

[Hopefuldave]

I did my mate's mig a modification, the PCB was fed from a winding on the main transformer (so only powered when the contactor pulled in), the varying load from the arc sent the voltage on the PCB all over the place - I stuck a small 12v transformer in, also powered from the contactor, and suddenly the wire feed stayed where he put in on the twiddly control - might be worth a try?

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[miggie weld]

I did my mate's mig a modification, the PCB was fed from a winding on the main transformer (so only powered when the contactor pulled in), the varying load from the arc sent the voltage on the PCB all over the place - I stuck a small 12v transformer in, also powered from the contactor, and suddenly the wire feed stayed where he put in on the twiddly control - might be worth a try?

Dave H. (the other one)

sounds like an idea, how would i go about doing that.

 

[Hopefuldave]

sounds like an idea, how would i go about doing that.

I hate it when they use all the same colour wires... I had a Ducati like that, follow the coloured wires into the loom and they're twisted and taped onto black once they're hidden inside...

You'll need a 240 - 24v transformer (or a 240 to 2 x 12v, with the two windings in series, wires to board on 0v of one winding and 12v of the other, other two terminals joined) rated about 50 watts (2 Amps per winding if 2x12v), some wire, solder and soldering iron, insulating tape / heatshrink sleeving etc...
The 24v control transformers used in a lot of industrial machinery are Very Suitable and can be found on EvilBay fairly cheap, especially secondhand?

OK... there should be two of the wires that go to the circuit board coming from the big transformer, those are the ones that supply 24v AC to the circuit for the motor speed controller (the blue relay on the board is 24V so not 12v) and the board rectifies it to DC, drops the voltage according to the speed pot's setting and feeds the motor and probably powers the gas solenoid valve

There should be two wires from the contactor between the big transformer and choke going to the big transformer, the 240v feed into it. The new transformer 240v side wants wiring to the same terminals on the contactor so they're only live when the trigger's pulled.

The new transformer's 24v side replaces the two black wires that currently go from the big transformer to the board, that's about it, apart from anchoring the new transformer out of harm's way.
If you want to be posh, you can put a 2A fuse and holder in one of the new transformer's mains leads, but it shouldn't be essential.

If there are three of the thin black wires from the big transformer to the board, you may need a voltmeter to check which is which, or if the wiring's nothing like I've described, come back to us!

This *should* give you much more stable wire feeds, assuming that was the problem!

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[miggie weld]

Ok thanks will take a look and see what i come up with.