Miller or EWM

[CrazyFairy]

Hi all,

Following a trip to see a mate in the States I've been considering upgrading my MIG machine after grief with the wire feed. In the U.S. my mate was using a Miller 252 which seemed brilliant and I notice they now do the smaller machines over there with their auto set technology which looks good.
However Miller's U.K. offerings do not appear equivalent and seem totally different. I considered importing but I'm not sure how well it would run considering the Hz difference between the two supplies.
Hence I started to look at the U.K.'s Miller Migmatic 250/300/ deluxe models.
Whilst doing this I also came across the EWM Saturn 256 which has the benefit of being single phase. I have an EWM pico tig which is a superb little unit and gives good results, but I'm not sure how the Saturn compares to the Miller's and hence wondered what experiences you guys had encountered...
I'd like to use it for car body repairs but more general tasks on a farm and therefore thicker material and would like the option of using it for aluminium too.

 

[Maker]

There was a thread on here before about importing Miller welders, the line frequency wasn't a problem but there was something to do with them lacking certain markings or not complying to certain standards that meant it cannot be used in a commercial setting, or something along those lines.

I think most people will recommend an EWM anyway.

Welcome to the forum BTW.

 

[gordon stephenson]

Cant speak about Miller, ButI do have an EWM Pico mig, Excellent machine.

 

[Richard.]

Both brands are nothing less than excellent so I would suggest having a look and seeing which one covers your scope best. You'll have no problem regarding quality on either but one may offer a certain feature that appeals more than the other. As said above if 180 amps covers your intended purpose I think you'll find it somewhat impossible to beat the pico pulse mig. I'm holding my hopes up on the fact fronius might have a go at building one some day. At the mo Ewm has no competition with this machine as its so much better (and more pricy) than its rivals. I'm basing all this on what I've heard mind as I've not had the pleasure YET.

 

[Tom Orrow L]

EWM Pico MIG 180 Puls is the best mig machine I've ever seen around that amperage. I'm a bit of a fanboy of EWM though

 

[HughF]

I've got one of these:

http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/welding_equipment/Mig_Welder/MIG_TIG_ARC_Welder_MTS250S

I know it's no miller or EWM, but it runs ali wire a treat and will do spray transfer for the thick stuff (not for a massive duty cycle, but it will do so)... Everlast have just started selling a version of this in the US with HF start and pulse on both Mig and Tig modes. It will be interesting to see if R-Tech will import this version.

If portability and £££ isn't an issue, Lincoln PowerMig 350MP would be worth a look for the pulsed-spray transfer mode it has, it's single phase too.

Apart from an XMT CV power sources (XMT350MP for alu, very nice), I get the impression Miller are dragging their heels a bit on the Mig machine development side of things, there are better specced machines out there for the money I think.

 

[Tom Orrow L]

EWM machines are built to ridiculous standards, one of their reps was talking to me about how most machines warranty's are based on a single shift term meaning that it can only be run for 8 hours a day otherwise the warranty will most likely not be honored, whereas EWM machines warranty is based on a continuous shift meaning it can be run for 24 hours a day and if its breaks down on the last day of the 3 year warranty then they will still honor it.
Now if that doesn't show trust in their build quality I don't know what does.

EWM's may be pricey but they're worth every penny IMO.

I can get my hands on an EWM Pico MIG 180 Puls for around £1500 inc VAT but i'm umming and arring because its a big initial outlay.

 

[HughF]

Picomig 180 is a truly superb set, apart from the fact it's not a 250A machine!!! I wish they would bump the power up - they'd sell them by the container load.

 

[Richard.]

I'd have one without a doubt. Good for 5mm steel which would suit my scope if I wasn't in the mood for tigging it. I agree with Hugh though a bigger brother is long overdue. Even at 220 amps it can still be Kept very portable and light but have that extra umph.

 

[Richard.]

Picomig 180 is a truly superb set, apart from the fact it's not a 250A machine!!! I wish they would bump the power up - they'd sell them by the container load.

I wouldn't say bump the power up as the 180 is a plug in the wall job for those take it anywhere jobs. I'd say add a pico mig 220 or 250 to the range.

 

[matt1978]

I think the problem comes from having a Pulse machine of that size (250) amps and still being on a 230v supply. 250 amps is only the mean current, with Pulse the machine must be able to achieve peak currents of around 380-400 amps albeit for a few milliseconds per pulse cycle.

Also when your talking of 250 amps'ish it boarders becoming a fully fledged industrial unit and then most industrial end customers have access to 400v 3ph so you have to ask would the market potential warrant the R&D investment.

 

[HughF]

I suppose I always assume everyone has a 25kva single phase genny they run everything off

 

[Maker]

with Pulse the machine must be able to achieve peak currents of around 380-400 amps albeit for a few milliseconds per pulse cycle.

Could this be achieved by using capacitors? Like a spot welder.

 

[CrazyFairy]

Ok I will consider the pico mig...

Anyone had any experience with the EWM Saturn 256 though?

 

[wilbur]

Could this be achieved by using capacitors? Like a spot welder.

Basically, as long as you can keep the average power into the arc below about 3.5kW, then you can make a welder which runs off a single-phase 230V/16A circuit - and it can have whatever weird waveform your marketing department thinks they can sell... It's just that as the pulse peaks get higher and higher in relation to the average power, it's going to get more and more expensive to store the energy necessary to average everything out.

 

[matt1978]

Have you considered a Lorch M-Pro 252 ControlPro?

https://www.lorch.eu/en/productworld/m-pro-250/#technicaldata

Can weld in a Spray arc with a 1.0mm steel wire and a light Ar/Co2 mix.

3yr warranty and 5yr on the Transformer

 

[gordon stephenson]

Hello Tomorrow, what is included for your £1500-00.

 

[Jim Davey]

I have two 256s on my hire fleet, what do you want to know about them?

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Hello Tomorrow, what is included for your £1500-00.

Machine, Binzel torch & Argon reg

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Ok I will consider the pico mig...

Anyone had any experience with the EWM Saturn 256 though?

Not personally but anything that comes out of EWM is worthy of the best in show badge.

Jim knows his stuff when it comes to EWM, as he said he's got two on his hire fleet.