L-Tec Tig plant questions - anyone got any experience?

[Disco_Mark]

I am looking at an L-Tec TIG 404 machine for very sensible money for an AC/DC plant.

The manufacturer's page is here: L-Tec

Firstly, does anyone have any experiences of these machines, good or bad?

Specifically though, I can't tell from that description what the starting mechanism is - it is not clear if an HF start is included, and if not whether it is lift or scratch or some other way of striking the arc...

anyone offer any insight?

Cheers
Mark

 

[hotrodder]

Facilities for HF ignition as well as Soft-Start and crater filling are fitted as standard

Not one i've heard of. The 'soft-start' and crater filling i read as being slope up and down, they say continuous HF is not needed for AC welding which is typical of inverter squarewave so i'm guessing the HF start is capacitor(?) or witchcraft based. It'll probably also offer lift start (at least in DC) too

Typically you get what you pay for so if this 'very sensible money' equates to a lot cheaper than the usual suspects there's probably a reason...

 

[Engineer]

How much is the machine? Thought it was yet another offering from China, but looks like it might be a basic no frills set made in Germany?

 

[madkayaker]

what a WIG welder?

 

[Delgado]

I am looking at an L-Tec TIG 404 machine for very sensible money for an AC/DC plant.

The manufacturer's page is here: L-Tec

Firstly, does anyone have any experiences of these machines, good or bad?

Specifically though, I can't tell from that description what the starting mechanism is - it is not clear if an HF start is included, and if not whether it is lift or scratch or some other way of striking the arc...

anyone offer any insight?

Cheers
Mark

Not used that specific machine, but have used the older 200amp DC model. Weighed a ton and was built to last. Not a bad machine, an athough a bit battered from years of use (read abuse), did everything it was supposed to in a profesional environment, welding all day with stick and Tig.

 

[Disco_Mark]

I believe L-Tec originate in germany, but were bought out by ESAB a while ago.

It does seem like the soft start and crater filling are the basic ramp up and ramp down facilities.

There probably is a reason it is cheap, but sub £400 for a functioning ac/dc machine with a cooler and a foot pedal is not to be sniffed at. It is a 3phase plant, but that isn't an issue for me. Apparently l-tec went out of business a while back, but are supported by esab, so I believe parts can still be got hold of...

any other thoughts on them would be most appreciated.

Cheers
Mark

 

[madkayaker]

in there company history they were borght out in 1989 by esab and then set up on there own again 2004

 

[eddie49]

MK, the German word for tungsten is "wolfram" ( and the chemical symbol is "W" - tungsten carbide is "WC" ... ), so a "WIG" welder is the German name for a TIG welder.

 

[Delgado]

The ones I used were at least 10 years old (judging by the state of them), so probably from the ESAB era.

 

[Disco_Mark]

I believe this is likely to be from the esab era too - does anyone have any contact details for esab technical to see if they can dig out a manual? Their global documentation library does not list any non-esab branded products...

Cheers
Mark

 

[madkayaker]

that makes sense. there is a PDF for the welder on there but its in german

 

[Bobbes]

The TIG-404 was developed by L-Tec and is also produced in Filarc colors as TIG-404 AD.
L-Tec Germany still support the service and spare parts of these welders

 

[Disco_Mark]

Well, we bought the machine, and it has been delivered... Will have to see how we get on with it. Watch out for lots of newbie tig questions!

Still trying to get hold of a set of manuals for it - not had any reply from the german address on the website tho

 

[Delgado]

Well, we bought the machine, and it has been delivered... Will have to see how we get on with it. Watch out for lots of newbie tig questions!

Still trying to get hold of a set of manuals for it - not had any reply from the german address on the website tho

So you took the plunge then?

Be glad to help with any questions you've got, as I'm sure many other members will be too, and interested to hear how it performs.

From the picture on their website it doesnt look like a complicated machine to use. If you can't get any manuals, post pics of the control panel and I'm sure we'll be able to tell you what all the knobs and dials do.

 

[Disco_Mark]

Indeed we did - we paid £450 for the machine delivered, which is a lot less than the same machine is being advertised for here (without the water cooling that ours has).

It is pretty big - which isn't an issue particularly, it's still smaller than the syncrowave I tried a while ago. Having added a bottle or argon to my account today we'll give it a go tonight...

Controls wise, I think I am happy with what's what, but the arc striking mechanism is still baffling me a little...

I will however take some pictures and post them up as there seems to be precious little information about it around.

Cheers
Mark

 

[L-TEC]

hallo
these are the best welder in the world
for industrial use in the life

greetings from Germany