Hobart Nifty 206

[simon718]

can anybody shed some light on this thing?

 

[shenion]

It is a HF start box.

 

[simon718]

sorry scott should have said, thats the one thing i do know about it

can find nothing about it on the internet, such as maximum/minimum currents etc

would i be able to use it (with a decent ac stick welder, like an oxford) to weld aluminium? or does it not provide continuous HF?

 

[shenion]

A better pic of the switch may help. It may have start and continuous modes.

As for currents, probably no minimum and I'd bet 200A max or more (most are 300.)

As the terminals are marked +/- it is probably only for DC.

You can probably buy a manual from Hobart. They don't have them online for the old stuff..

 

[simon718]

thanks Scott, will take a better pic tomorrow.

Yeah, had seen hobart would sell me a manual, 15 dollars i think

cant complain for the price i paid, just need to get some leads and see if it works! if not, time for a bit of tinkering!

 

[simon718]

better picture of the front panel

 

[madkayaker]

take the top off the guts might tell us more

 

[simon718]

hang on ill go get a screwdriver...

 

[simon718]

right, looks very very clean inside. the gas solenoid board had popped off its plastic stand-offs....

from the top

left hand side

right hand side

HF generator board

 

[Robotstar5]

As they have kindly left all the part numbers and values on the components it might be worth making some notes in case you have to start a thread sometime called "smoke poured out.... can you help"

 

[shenion]

Looks good. Nice to see several caps on the input to prevent the HF from bleeding back to the welder.

Looks like the switch with 0-1-2 might be the start voltage. It probably monitors the voltage. When above a threshold set by the switch, it turns on the HF circuit.

 

[simon718]

Stu, will do that, well will take a load of photos

scott switch looks like

1- stick
2- tig
3- switch symbol

 

[madkayaker]

looks good and well made

 

[Robotstar5]

1- stick
2- tig
3- switch symbol

I think switch symbol may refer to what looks like jack socket below - maybe for a remote (foot) switch?

 

[simon718]

could well be, the jack socket has 6 terminals on the inside, only two are connected

 

[simon718]

ah just noticed something on looking inside again, those two crimps were shorting out before i hit them with my finger. what would that little component be? temp sensor?

 

[madkayaker]

that is a thermostat

 

[simon718]

hmmm wonder if its blown.... can't be bothered going to get my meter its in work

 

[madkayaker]

put 230V on one side and touch the other


























































(not good idea really) Batty and car test lamp would be better

 

[Robotstar5]

A multimeter will do, it should be dead short when cold and open circuit when it reaches it's designed temp.
If it's O/C now, replace it.