Is this TIG machine any good?

[Roop]

@ BeTon,

You won't be able to use your machine on single phase 230 volts. Most likely (99%) you have three phases coming into your house. Only one phase is used and fused at 25 amps. (That fuse is inside the sealed box). But inside the sealed box there are two empty sockets for the 2 other fuses. In order to use your welder you have to apply for a 3 phase 400 volt hookup. In fact the only things that will be done is a swap of the meter, and 2 extra fuses in the sealed box. What you need then is a 3 phase (auto) breaker @ 16 amps and a 5 wire (2,5 mm2) line to a wallsocket. The red type. To have the meter swapped will cost 400€. You do not pay more for your hookup.

Robert

 

[madkayaker]

that's very different to UK good to have some local knowledge on these things.

 

[BeTon]

@ BeTon,

You won't be able to use your machine on single phase 230 volts. Most likely (99%) you have three phases coming into your house. Only one phase is used and fused at 25 amps. (That fuse is inside the sealed box). But inside the sealed box there are two empty sockets for the 2 other fuses. In order to use your welder you have to apply for a 3 phase 400 volt hookup. In fact the only things that will be done is a swap of the meter, and 2 extra fuses in the sealed box. What you need then is a 3 phase (auto) breaker @ 16 amps and a 5 wire (2,5 mm2) line to a wallsocket. The red type. To have the meter swapped will cost 400€. You do not pay more for your hookup.

Robert

Thanks Roop! Good info. In fact, I already applied for the 3x25A instead of 1x35A which I have now. I am now waiting for their answer and a quote. But if it is going to be 400+ EU, I already know my reaction

So, here's the alternative:
Here in the Netherlands, your max. breaker must always be 2 steps below the main breaker inside the sealed box, which is 35A in my case. So what I could try is to have the 16A breaker I have now changed for a 20A breaker with 'C' characteristics (slow). As I am probably not going to weld with more that 120A, this is the solution with the least implications.

The 20A breaker will be solely for welding. Since I cannot install new 4mm2wiring without breaking the house down, I will install a blue socket next to the fusebox and wire it to the 20A breaker with 4mm2 wire. If I want to weld, I only have to plug in a 15m extension cable to reach my garage.

Would this be a feasible solution?

 

[madkayaker]

sounds feasible but would check the chararistic of the breaker in the main box? If it is a breaker a c type might pop after the main one.

 

[Roop]

Umming and erring now, might work in theory, alhough 20 amps slow still may pop the 35 amps fuse. Furthermore you need to make damn sure that you or someone else in the house does not switch on the dishwasher or a washing machine etc. when you are welding.

Popping the main fuse is expensive and you may be left without leccy for a while.

I do not know if you already have a new "intelligent" meter. By law this should happen within the next few years. Maybe you can make a deal??

 

[BeTon]

Umming and erring now, might work in theory, alhough 20 amps slow still may pop the 35 amps fuse. Furthermore you need to make damn sure that you or someone else in the house does not switch on the dishwasher or a washing machine etc. when you are welding.

Popping the main fuse is expensive and you may be left without leccy for a while.

I do not know if you already have a new "intelligent" meter. By law this should happen within the next few years. Maybe you can make a deal??

MM, yep, stuff to think about. In the meantime I received a quote from the energy supplier to change my connection into 3x25A; 294 EUR incl btw (VAT), not too bad I would say. Then add about 100 EU for the installation of a 380 socket and I'm ready to burn iron!

Just have to ring the company from who I get my energy bills what the consequences are for these bills because part of the bill consists of an amount you pay for the capacity of the connection, whether you use it or not.

 

[madkayaker]

25A a phase seams very little we get 100A as standard! just shows the differnce in set ups

 

[simon718]

BeTon, if you really do only get 25a per phase, are you not continuously blowing the main fuse? 1 socket circuit in a UK house is usually 30a

 

[BeTon]

BeTon, if you really do only get 25a per phase, are you not continuously blowing the main fuse? 1 socket circuit in a UK house is usually 30a

I am not sure how it works, but 3x25A is a lot more than 1x35A I have now.

Also, when using 3-phase power, the welding current will be less and requires only 16A instead of 25A.

Not sure what I am going to do, but I tend to try the 20A solution first to see the machine actually works. If it does work, I may switch to 3x25A. I have one group (for the washing machine) that is already switched as a 20A group. So I am going to connect the machine to that socket and see what will happen. Keep you informed!

 

[Lyudmil_mitkov]

BeTon, if you sell this machine , I can buy it . My skype is : lyudmil_mitkov1987 - write me