Keep sip ideal 240 or change?

[peter99]

Merry Christmas.
I have a SIP Ideal 240 and have read on the forum the general dislike of SIP machines. My machine, although 4 years old, has only been used for half a 15kg roll (as I have just got round to sorting out a workshop which is now finished) so is in perfect literally as new condition, stored in a warm dry place. It will be used for the odd car repair, making a few gates and railings etc so nothing that will use it's full power and strain the transformer / duty cycle - I bought a bigger machine for that reason.
My question is this; should I sell the machine whilst I can get a good price for it and change to a clark / portamig similar sized machine (I would only need to add a around a couple of hundred quid to the sale profit if I'm lucky) or stick with this machine? I read on the forum that the wire feed on it is far superior to the smaller SIP machines and this one shouldn't be compared as a machine to them. Then again nearly £200 for a PCB if that goes. So should I sell now or is this machine likely to see me well for a few years. What would you do? Also if change which machine to buy? Peter.

 

[malcolm]

That'll be weldequip winding people up. The SIPs we moan about are the hobby ones retailing for a couple of hundred. The SIP Ideal 240 is a proper one retailing at around £800. I don't know a lot about them, but I'd expect it is decent.

The only reason I'd change is if I wasn't happy with the minimum current for bodywork. A lot of these powerful welders have quite a high minimum current (often 40A), but I suspect the Ideal will be closer to 30 amps min as it can take 0.6mm wire, so probably fine. If you are happy with it's performance there's no need to change.

 

[Wozzaaah]

I'm with Malcolm, keep it, it's a decent spec machine with a euro torch and if I'm correct, a fairly decent wire feed mech and it's had so little use. Regarding the pcb price, why assume it will go? (I take it you've been searching the forum and found a post where it's said that the PCB is a weak point on that particular machine?). If it does fail there'll be always be someone on here who can advise you as to how to repair it, you certainly won't be paying £200 unles it's absolutely irrepairable!

 

[irondarren]

A good few years ago i was given an sip180, full size machine it was fine. but yes it did burn out the wire control pcb but it only cost £49, admittedly that was about 9yrs ago. other than that it was fine

 

[peter99]

Thanks guys
pretty much wot I thought. I'll hang on to it and use the forum if I have a prob with it. Appreciate the prompt advice.

 

[peter99]

Thought I'd update. Just finished making a cage fr tool storage out of 6mm angle. had a few issues with wire feed (tarnished outer wraps of wire on the spool etc. once over that the machine behaved faultlessly. the wire feed and motor are fairly heavy duty and the welds are smooth. So as long as it behaves itself I'm pretty pleased with it. Until the first breakdown......

 

[joshua1]

sip ideal 240

ideal 240 is a good machine, ive used 1 for 5 years now, for very very heavy duty work, including serious fabrication for pharmaceutical plants, and it has never once been touched, all it has had are reels and reels of 1mm wire. i have no 3 phase power so this is as big as i can use in my workshop without melting the electrics, i use a lot of gas pre-heat when welding heavy sections,eg 55*20 flat and it welds a peach. obviously a decent 3 phase would be ideal, but to get 3ph run in to the workshop would cost 5k and I aint spending that. I have welded for 8 hours at a stretch with it many many times, and it just goes and goes.

 

[Jake SS]

Have to agree there they are a pretty good machine, hang on to it, if you keep your wire feed system in good order the motor wont have to work as hard i.e. not too much pressure on the drive rollers, liner, tip etc. this will be very beneficial to not blowing your PCB. In most instances extra load on the PCB is the major cause of PCB failure. Also if you have any rust, scale etc on the outer layers of your wire cut it off and chuck it away as the rust etc will clog up your liner.

Cheers
Jake