My “New” TIG

[Headboard]

Hi folks, I’ve got some daft questions... I recently acquired an old Startig 160 AC/DC TIG machine. Having never owned a TIG machine before, I need some advice please. It’s fitted with a 32A plug (which I’m not able to plug in) so I bought a tail to adapt it to my 13A socket. Yes, I’m stupid, I know but I just wanted to see if it would light up/run. So, plugged it in and thermal overload lamp came on straight away. Tried to get it to fire up, no HF noise, no arc, touched tungsten down and it arced, then popped the fuse (which I expected).

Should I wait until I have a suitable power supply, before I try to diagnose any faults, or should it have done its thing? Feel free to mock, it’s not the most sensible thing I’ve ever done...

 

[roofman]

It should of ran even with 13A given that's its only a 160...

 

[Headboard]

It’s a bit of a temperamental supply - just to add some more variables That’s why I wasn’t surprised at the fuse going, but I do agree that 160 doesn’t sound too mad. Wondering why the overload lamp is on from the start, maybe it doubles up as some other warning?

 

[minimutly]

Looks like it may be goosed...

 

[mdr]

I bought a tail to adapt it to my 13A socket. Yes, I’m stupid

Not stupid; don't beat yourself up. . If the cable thickness would fit you could plug it into a 3-pin 13 amp socket. If the cable is thicker you have to go to 16 amp, 32 amp, 63 amps (pushing it), etc. and a fly lead. As long as you don't crank up the amps too much...

touched tungsten down and it arced, then popped the fuse

Check the amps you had it set to when it popped. Keep the amps low (say...er...60ish amps) for testing. If it still pops something has fried inside.

If the OC light (?) immediately comes on you may have a multimeter project on your hands. Could be a small transformer somewhere inside that's gone open; could be a diode; could be a rectifier. Who knows. Hours of investigation ahead looks likely.

Take the side off and do a vision check for burns. Obvious components are electrolytic capacitors balloon and/or pop. Transistors can go bad. Diodes fail. Not sure if anyone on the forum is likely to hand hold you through it. You have to know your limits and decide on what you want to do.

 

[Headboard]

Thanks mdr, I’ll have another go after work, and report. Would hate to get rid of something that could be fixed cheaply, but if it’s hours of chasing around, I suppose I’ll have to bite the bullet and get a new one

 

[eddie49]

Wondering why the overload lamp is on from the start, maybe it doubles up as some other warning?

Yes, the one lamp is often a general fault indicator, not specifically a thermal overload.
Assuming this machine is an inverter, you may find some useful information in these two recent repair threads:
https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/fimer-x-1600-resistor-help.104398/
https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum...ld-xts162-welder-repairs.105792/#post-1690310