mig keeps blowing M.C.B :(

[nHill08]

just starting to get the workshop fitted out and i decided to test the mig as im going to be needing it soon as its been in storage for best part of 6 months.
problem is that when i pull the trigger i hear it click in and come to life but after a few pulls on the trigger the m.c.b trips out in the consumer unit, the welder is on its own dedicated 16A C type M.C.B fed to a 25A rotary isolator switch then to a 16A ''blue'' stile socket on the wall.



welder:-

cheap nasty bought before i discovered this place Cosmo 170

so any ideas on this, could it be a surge on start up even though nothing is being welded?


help please

 

[BChild]

welder:- cheap nasty bought before i discovered this place Cosmo 170

I'm starting to like my Cosmo 170

I can't help you with your problem because I've not had that happen to me before but I'm sure someone will provide you with some clues

Sounds electrical to me and I'm not to good with that.....

 

[Jake SS]

It could be lots of things!!!
You would have to do a lot of fault finding
Do you have a meter and competent to use one?

 

[nHill08]

I think it might just be a current surge beause it works fine on the low and mid settings but trips out on the top setting also last time I was using the welder it was on a 20 A mcb and it worked fine then

 

[piman]

Hello O8,

what is the name plate rating in KVA? , a 16A breaker at 240 volts is just a shade under 4KVA. If your machine is in that area or above you need a bigger supply. As you say there is a surge initially but you have a 'C' type breaker which should help?

Alec

 

[nHill08]

sorry for late reply iv only just got in

iv had a look in the name plate and it says something about 21A max input current and im guessing that is what my problem is, ill try and get a piccy up so other people can have a say if im just talking rubbish

cheers

nick

 

[vwbuss1976]

If you get your welder tested and it has no faults You could chang the mcb to a 16 D type providing you have the circut run in atleast 2.5 cable and it is not a long run say less than 12 meters.
The D type MCB`S will allow surges.
Another option would be to change your blue socket to the heavy duty 25 A type and then you could upgrade your mcb to 20A C type .

 

[nHill08]

the welder is running of a blue 16A socket and its 2.5m from the CU as there both in the garage as they had to be moved when the extension was built, forward planning or what 2.5mm T&E running in 20mm conduit tot he CU and on a 16A tpe C MCB but i do remeber trying to run it on full chatt last time it was blowing a 16A so i think i needs a bit more juice

And ill see what i can do about the testing i know a few people who know their stuff
cheers

 

[piman]

Hello nHill08,

21 amps would be the full load current so you are pushing a 16a breaker\circuit to feed it. Basically you are limited to lower current welding so losing the machine's potential.

Alec

 

[nHill08]

so if i get the said 16A curcuit changed to say a 20A jobby type c and change the 16A sockets etc.. to the 32A style ones that should be ok?

 

[piman]

Hello nHill08,

really you need to go the full 32a from the distribution board if you want to use the full capability.
You may get away with a 20a (type C is fine) but may have to accept tripping if using full amps for a time.

Alec

 

[nHill08]

right i think ill get the MCB swapped for a type C 20A and see how things go, if it still trips out ill have a 32A system routed next to the 16A system have both that way and then have enough juice for anything

 

[ethel escort]

current devices

go straight for a type d ( heavy motor application) welding machines operate on dead short principal especially when using spot welders

 

[nHill08]

im tempted but i cant find anywhere that sells type D iv bough a 20A type B to try and a 32A type c if it works on the 20A then ill leave it as that if not then ill upgrade to to 32A gear

 

[nHill08]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38685206@N04/3555457334/

As you can see it hasent got far to go




abit messy its much cleaner now and soon to finally become my workshop

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

Those boiler pipes need insulating, I'd also protect them.
Cold supply, Hot outlet, Flow and Return, the Condenser and the blow off.

Oh and it's too tidy!

 

[nHill08]

yup already thought of that

the two walls you can see in the picture are having a large ''L'' shaped workbench on them, my next project after my brothers car has been fixed and i sall be boxing the pipes in to protect them

also a quick up date on the point of my post iv modded the cosmo:- steel wire liner, drive unit bracket and put a 32A type C breaker in and its running likes a train 100% better however i went to BOC this morning to try and get a cylinder of argosheild light X and they were shut so it wont be till next now until i get to play