looked inside my welder today, gutted

[DrNik]

My mig welder doesnt have a very good duty cycle when running flat out, so thought it maybe dusty inside, stopping the very small cooling fan from working efficently, well it was a shock, a great big welder filled with air and a puny transformer, a small choke transformer,an array of diodes a pcb for wire speed and thats it, the fan sucks air from anywhere but the transformer, useless fan springs to mind, might have to put a couple directly over the winding, could i put a bigger transformer inside as i would prefer a better duty cycle, or dunk it in a bucket of oil, oil cooled mig, sounds good

oh its a 180amp

 

[rtbcomp]

A bigger fan blowing onto the transformer and rectifiers would be the best bet.

I wouldn't bother trying to get a bigger transformer, new it would probably cost more than the welder and used it would have to have the same primary arrangement or you'll have to faff around with the power switches.

If it really is a problem I'd buy a bigger welder and sell the one you have, or keep it as a backup.

 

[madkayaker]

By the time you have mucked about you could have just got a portamig. Improving transformer will then lead to capacitors to get smother dc then wire feed improvements etc

 

[gavuk]

What welder is it Nik?..my thermal arc 180 sounds akin a jet engine with the fan running ....and I have a missed delivery to pick up which i think is the jack ...cheers

 

[madkayaker]

His profile says butters

 

[DrNik]

yes its a butters amt 180, i have got some lovely dc caps to smooth iot further, probably put more fans inside with some ducting, the laminated part of the transformer doesnt get thjat hot at all, but the windings get plenty hot when it trips out the termal switch

 

[gavuk]

Wozz had the 211 iirc....and also had trouble with running flat out and hitting duty cycle ,ended up buying a bigger welder ....fans will work if only needed occasionally ,if running flat out all the time ,better off selling the butters as a working 180amp than risk doing damage and buy something bigger

 

[madkayaker]

When you start wanting to oil cool give me a shout have got a fair bit of new transformer oil!

 

[DrNik]

down the scrappy is a big butters welder for bits, no torch, no casings, but someone has knackered the wire feed pot and cut the switch that does coarse, model starts with an M....... wassis called, think i may buy it and ressurect it, works off single phase 32 amp i guess with a 13 amp plug attached, 275 amps i think , plenty for me

 

[chunkolini]

I have the Butters 180, same as yours and have never had the thermal trip cut out.
In fact touching wood, never had a problem in nearly seven years.
I have tried a few other large sized welders and it is smoother and nicer to use than any of them.

 

[DrNik]

dont get me wrong it works fine, but i was welding some heavy bars for some window grilles, but flat out probably only getting 40% duty, need more power captain (star trek lol), whats the thickest you can weld with yours chunk

 

[chunkolini]

Thickest?
Oi!!!! dont call me chunk!
I have a henchman to deal with people who do that.
Chunkolini in formal situations and Chunko' informally is acceptable.
Call me Chunkums and veritable rain of fire will occur.
Sorry, thickest? I dont do much heavy section stuff but I do a lot of work at say 4=5 out of 6 on the power that goes on for ages at a time.
This type of thing

I have run it on an extension lead* for seven years on a 13amp plug.
Chunko'.

*unrolled.

 

[DrNik]

chunko, lini, chun-chun,kolini,cholini any others acceptable

 

[chunkolini]

Nope
Bennitto Chunkolini Prince Of Darkness on special occasions.
http://rat-patrol.org/RPUK/RatPatrolUK.html

 

[rtbcomp]

......
In fact touching wood, never had a problem in nearly seven years.
.....

I'd be surprised if you even got an arc by touching wood.

 

[chunkolini]

Fnaaarrr fnaaaarrrrr
touching wood.
I have not seen wood in years.
is this going a bit off topic?

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

http://www.40over40.ca/

Not seen wood in a while at your age, that site might be handy =)

 

[octo0072000]

Fnaaarrr fnaaaarrrrr
touching wood.
I have not seen wood in years.
is this going a bit off topic?

but you work in a wooden shed???

 

[DrNik]

Chunkolini it is ::::::::bowing::::::::