MMart tax free...Which one?

[ThermiteDisco]

First of all, hello! First post so go easy

bit of background, basically im a maint tech so part of my job is welding but dont do it often and when i do its on 5k+ machine so kind of flatters me but as a result i love to weld. Got a 20year old arc at home which is ok if pushed but have bought a LR Disco 300tdi which as my username suggests resembles thermite better than a 4x4.

just got an email ive been waiting months for to go to a tax free day at local MMart and am confused as to where to spend me beer token (esp as theres a beer fest on this w/e)

soo after all that waffle.... can anyone give me the difference between the 160en the 151te and the 160tm, as far as i can tell they all the same basic welder bar price and regs fitted, ie for approx 20 quid more i colud do the same on the 160en as the other two but also have gasless and 10-40quid less initial outlay

and if youve managed to read all that and still be bothered to reply, Cheers Craig!!

 

[rkde]

Hi,

I found it difficult to tell between them initially and mostly its down to the gas bottle connection if I recall correctly. All are about the same though. I went for the 151 as it could take disposables but now I would go for the 160tm as I don't use disposables now

 

[adamsmitqc]

Hi, i just recently purchased the 160 TM. found it really easy to set up and use considering i'm new to all of this. Comes highly recomended from myself.

 

[ThermiteDisco]

cheers for the replies been looking at specs and all look identical bar what regulators fitted to then ie 160en has no reg but does gasless the 151te has hobby reg and is £10 more (hobby reg would cos £14 to adapt 160en), and the 160tm has refill reg and cost £40 more than 160en (£10 for adaptor hose + 25-35 for reg to adapt 160en)

so basically all im looking for is aomeone to tell me if i will loose anything by buying the 160en and fitting a refill reg to it as thats what im looking at, prob cost £30-40 more at the most to get to same spec as 160tm

cheers Craig

 

[adamsmitqc]

are you going to be welding outdoors, therefore require a gasless mig i.e 160 EN? Also, disposables are an expensive way to weld i.e hobby regulator???

just so you know, i notice your from Durham same as myself, i got a refillable bottle from hobbyweld, lasts far longer and works out far cheaper than using disposables. i got it at autopanels in Birtley.

I went for the 160 TM as all my welding is indoors so I dont require gasless and apparantly using gas makes welding a lot easier.

 

[ThermiteDisco]

cheers, yeah thats pritty much what i thought didnt want to get a hobby reg so wasnt a real contender other than if it was cheaper but looks like best option would be the 160en as im going to be welding up my chassis and it seems that the gasless gives better penetration along with the ability to weld outside without peeing away loads of gas to get a good shield,

on that point where do you get 15A+ extension cable?!

oh n cheers for the heads up with the gas, i use to live near there, only in great lumley now so is just down the road, take it im thinking of the same place, portobello ind. estate, behind the caravan place?

 

[adamsmitqc]

yeah thats the same place. to be honest i'm not running a 15 amp setup, i just wired up a heavy duty 13 amp plug and so far so good, the worst that will happen is it will pop the fuse in the plug... i think and hope!!!

 

[slingshot2000]

You could kill 2 birds with one stone here if your passing the caravan centre to get gas. Most caravan hook-up points are of the blue,16amp, round pin type plug/sockets. The caravan centre will most likely have these in stock, ready made up.

Regards
Jon

 

[ThermiteDisco]

nice one... never thought about the 240 caravan plugs, use them at work aswell, will call in and get the gear from there cheers for the suggestion

i take it most people would have a fused spur powering a 16A wall socket to run this, also would it be ok to make a 16-13A adaptor for when out n about, ie doing odd jobs for mates while using lower power settings?

 

[keith19]

"i take it most people would have a fused spur powering a 16A wall socket to run this, also would it be ok to make a 16-13A adaptor for when out n about, ie doing odd jobs for mates while using lower power settings?"

Yes, I use adaptors like that. The 13 Amp fuse rarely blows unless you're welding 130 - 150 Amps in longish runs.
Most of the time at home I use only a 13 Amp plug anyway, with a caravan 20 Amp extension cable for down the garden.

 

[ThermiteDisco]

Cheers Keith, went to get the welder last night (160en) and they had two in stock but both had been pilfered for spares so they ordered me one in .....suspect i should have saved some time n petrol and bought elsewhere but ho hum, could of been worse, could of paid full price

so should pick it up mon then its time to get v busy before mot time!