Euro torch schematic?

[AdrianH]

Euro torch schematic? And later fitting Euro adapter

Just wondering if anyone has or can point to a diagramme of a Euro torch.

I am guessing that the trigger acts in two stages, first being gas valve then wire feed, but not sure as there may be just one switch.

Also are the switches separate from the main current cable or do they use it for a return or feed.

As I say if anyone has a diagramme I think my questions will be answered. I have googled but the answers do not provide one!

Cheers

Adrian

 

[Drains]

It's a single switch, unrelated to the power cable. Usually working on 24v. Not really a diagram required. Two wires and a switch....
Plus the main power cable, plus the gas feed. That's it.

To add - the gas is switched on and off in the machine, by a solenoid. Same goes for the welding current, by a big contactor.

Only the cheapest non-euro torches have a gas valve in them.

 

[Luke]

If you look at a euro connector, it's pretty self-explanatory.

 

[AdrianH]

Thanks to Simon and Luke.

At present I do not have a Euro socket or a Euro torch to look at but wondering what connections they have. So I can to look at modifying my welder to use a longer torch.

Cheers

Adrian

 

[Luke]

I can take some photos if that's any help?

 

[AdrianH]

It's the wiring bit I need.

Cheers

Adrian

 

[rtbcomp]

One very thick wire going to the torch. One thin wire going to one side of a normally open switch (trigger), one thin wire going to the other side of the switch.

 

[Drains]

Thanks to Simon and Luke.

At present I do not have a Euro socket or a Euro torch to look at but wondering what connections they have. So I can to look at modifying my welder to use a longer torch.

Cheers

Adrian

You need to buy a eurotorch connector then. You'd fit the connector to the welder, then connect internally to that:- gas supply, welding power cable, two control wires. The torch just plugs straight into the connector.

How long is your current torch? If you want to go longer, 4M is the max you can buy, and they can be problematic if the liner isn't in tip top condition because of the friction on the wire.

Otherwise you may be able to buy a non-eurotorch of 3m or so, which may (may) be cheaper, and easier to fit.

For a price on a connector and torch, you could do worse than ask Weldequip, on this forum.

 

[AdrianH]

Thanks to you all for your posts.

I did manage to get out of work today and pick up a Binzel euro torch 3 metres long. That should do for me.

I have on order and should arrive in the next few days a Euro socket kit.

Some months ago I picked up a dreaded Cosmo Gas/nogas 150 amp welder for around the £100 mark, and yes it was a nasty piece of work with very poor wire feed.

A lot of which I sorted by providing a regulated 24 volt supply capable of 10 amps just for the wire feed. Basically with this the wire feed motor does not vary with welding current.

The power supply came from a scrap box of decommissioned equipment. I also have a 24 volts gas solenoid which when I manage to come up with the necessary 1/8" pipe fittings should be able to connect between the gas regulator and the Euro socket to switch on and off the gas supply.

I was under the impression, that, as in the existing cheep and cheerful MIG torch that the gas supply was on before the wire feed and off slightly after. This by the fact that the inbuilt gas valve opens before the electrical contacts are made and closes after broken.

On testing the new torch I confirm that the only contacts are from a single switch and that initially I will have to put both gas and wire on at the same time.

As to why I am doing all this! part fun, part to get a home built kit car chassis welded up and part to get a semi decent welder.
Never as good as a top range unit I know.

There is plenty of room inside the Cosmo box to stick it all in so from the outside it looks the same. I have also seen the posts about the plastic wire feed bending, something which does not appear as a problem yet.

Again thanks for your assistance

Cheers

Adrian

 

[irondarren]

Adrian go do a quick google on parweld, i think the site is www.parweld.net, they make weld torches, i belive they give schematics of there torches for spares

 

[AdrianH]

Thanks for that Darren, a useful link.

An update!

My Euro socket came today, a bit faster then anticipated and spent an hour in the garage fitting it to the Cosmo.

I removed the existing MIG torch by simply un-bolting it from part of the wire feed unit.

I had to shorten the Universal adapter and the Liner support by 28 mm to fit, done with hacksaw then tidied up in the lathe. Cut the grey wire from the main feed and connected this and a blue trigger return wire in the unit to the two wires from the socket.

I drilled the front panel and fitted the Euro-cover (plastic shroud). Connected the torch up to the socket and pushed this into the plastic cover then tightened up the 12mm nuts to lock the brass section of the Euro socket to the wire feed.

I fed 0.8 wire through the torch liner and it came out smoothly from the end of the torch, action does seem better.

Still not got a functional torch as I need to get the fittings for the gas valve I have. This is in fact an ASCO three way valve, so will need to block off one port to get the action I need. If cheep enough I may just try and buy a gas valve for a mig, but need to ask if these are 24 volts.

At the end of it all I may just end up with a reasonable Mig fitted with a Euro torch.

One thing I did notice on removing the old torch from the unit, and this is considering the unit has not gone through 5 kg of wire yet is that approx 1/4 of the current carrying wires through the torch were cut through and not being used where the crimp is fitted. ie cut in the crimping operation.

Cheers

Adrian

 

[irondarren]

Thats one of the problems with fixed torches, I normally change torches about once a year. The previous torch was almost 18months old and very much best past its sell by date, got a nice new 5mtr long one now so should last a while. With the euro connector its a 2min job to change the liner and a 1 min job to change the torch, with your torch being partly cut, this would mean any current flowing through it would have met resistance, the torch would have become hot and you just wouldnt be getting what you should out of the machine

 

[AdrianH]

The conversion is done and the welder works a damn sight better then before.

I ended up getting a new gas valve as it was quicker then trying to get the tapered adapters to fit the valve I had. Fitted inside the unit next to power supply and relay to drive the wire feed.

I guess the overall cost of this welder, less any time spent, has added up to around £250 to £260.

Ah well!

Cheers

Adrian