New & old ....problems.

[onlyme]

Hi all. Been a few years since Iv'e posted.
Basically , Ive now got 2 welders. A cebora 130 turbo, had it a few years and been almost a constant pain in the rear end since ive had it. Recently bought a clarke 196 (180 A) to replace as want to start from scratch with a new non abused machine.
Firstly the Cebora , its recently started wire feeding itself when off the trigger. A bit scary when not expecting it. Ive opened up the gun and cleaned everything, looks ok from a non pro perspective. cleaned contacts on plug, just to make sure. Im not sure of the technical names,so please bare with me.
The gun cable gets pretty warm to the touch with barely any use. Any ideas ?

Now the clarke. It came supplied without a plug. I know it can be used on a standard 13 amp plug but no on full whack power for long. Thing is , the cable ends are a good bit thicker and have , i think, little connectors on the end which wont fit in a standard plug. Can anyone advise on what plug I can put on it?
I only have standard 13 amp socket power . Ive looked on ebay for heavy duty 13 A plugs but none show the insides so I dont know if the wires will fit in. Can I just cut off the , spade?,ring? connector things and put the wires in as you would a normal plug ?
I hope that makes sense . Im not well versed in the tech sides of these things as im sure you can tell.
Thanks for any help, feedback .
Cheers

 

[Paul.]

I have my machines fitted with blue 16 amp plugs, then use adaptor leads made from 2.5mm cable with a 16 amp trailing socket one end and a decent quality 13 amp plug on the other. 2.5 mm will fit easy and safely into a 13 amp plug, and you can make them the correct length to suit your workshop rather than using extensions

 

[Turbo]

I would suspect there is a relay sticking on the cebora. After you let go of the trigger does it continue to feed the wire?

As for the clarke, it is probably fitted with 2.5 mm2 cable which can be hard to get into a 13a plug. Some plugs have more room inside to get the heavier cable fitted, its a lottery which ones are ok, some suggest the rubberlite ones. You should really have at least a 16a or 32a round blue plug on it and get a corresponding socket installed in your garage. What you could do in the meantime is make up an adapter lead with a 13a plug on one end & a 16a trailing socket on the other end.

My sealey 180a mig is still running on the 13a plug I fitted when I bought it many years ago. The 13a fuse has been replaced by 15a fuse wire, a modification I suspect many on this board have made but few will admit to. It will happily weld on the highest settings without blowing the fuse but I am protected by the mcb & trip on the board. I have a 16a socket but I haven't got around to fitting it, can't decide on the best location!

 

[rikrobson]

the Cebora has its switch in the torch. its a brass block that incorporates the gas valve. There is a single wire to the trigger and the welding feed is the other side of the circuit. Could be some detritus in the switch causing a short, or a fault in the coltroler circuit. which is basically a relay to turn on the motor. the gun cable shouldn't be getting hot though. I don't remember mine getting hot. is the torch live? it could be the contactor is stuck on and the trigger wire is shorting out somehow.

as for the plug on the clark. stick a blue command plug on and make up a 13pin tail. Youl not be able to use full settings unless you get a propper supply in your garage/workshop/

 

[onlyme]

Hi guys, thanks for the swift replies.
Firstly, for the clarke, what type of 2.5mm cable is recommended to use to use on welders? I know theres a few different types but iv no idea whats best for what application.
Would I be best just adding the blue 16amp plug on the end of the clarke cable (roughly 2-3m length)then add the adapter lead ? Or best to cut the lead short then add plug then x length of adapter lead ? If that makes sense.
Yes, when I let go of trigger on cebora the wire continues to feed, though not all the time, can weld a few mins on and off then it will start to self feed. I don't think the torch is live. Where the wire feed goes into the brass block connector in the gun its not a snug fit, ie, i think the connector is cross threaded as it wont go fully tight, though it doesnt come out of the brass block connector.
Would you say the clarke lead has been set up for a 16amp plug then with it having little connectors on the ends of the wires? Or are they for a certain type of 13amp plug ?
Sorry for all the noob questions. I rarely weld and when I do its small amounts. Though im needing to do a power of it now on my old and rusting Transit.
Again thanks for the help.

 

[morssdn]

The little connectors are usually just a crimp to hold the strands of wire together when tightened down hard in a large plug. If you are going to use a 13A plug the MK one is as solid as they come and would certainly take a few more amps; the main difference between that and a 16A 'Commando' industrial plug is it is fused. The industrial ones aren't, so you need to feed the cable from a suitably fused outlet.
If you are buying 2.5mm2 cable for an extension it needs to be a flexible multi-stranded type, not twin and earth. You can get rubber sheathed 2.5 from screwfix, or shorter amount from B&Q. I wouldn't shorten the Clarke lead as you can't add it back on again
I run my RTech 180A MIG off an extension via a 16A plug and trailing socket and it goes into the 32A ring main via a 13A fused MK plug. I've never had to run the welder flat out though, you shouldn't need to on vehicle bodies.

 

[Lufbramatt]

Have a google for 2.5mm H07RNF cable, that's what you want. MK Toughplugs are good too. I left the 16a plug on my welder then made an extension lead from 2.5mm cable, with a 13a Toughplugs on one end and a MK commando 16a socket on the other. Works great.

 

[Robotstar5]

Firstly, for the clarke, what type of 2.5mm cable is recommended to use to use on welders? I know theres a few different types but iv no idea whats best for what application.
Would I be best just adding the blue 16amp plug on the end of the clarke cable (roughly 2-3m length)then add the adapter lead ? Or best to cut the lead short then add plug then x length of adapter lead ? If that makes sense.

Use 2.5mm² blue artic cable, you can get 10m lengths from the diy sheds - link

 

[onlyme]

Thanks again for the replies.
What would be the preferred choice of cable then. Arctic or H07RNF ? As I understand it arctic is good for -40 degrees, and H07RNF is oil resistant more heavy duty ?
Ideally I'd like the best I can afford as I'd only like to buy once. I need 15m or so but I think ill buy 20m to be on the safe side.
Ill probably buy it off ebay as I think? that's the cheapest place I can get it.
I think ill need to cut the crimps off the ends of the wires as they wont fit in the connectors of a standard 13amp.

 

[gt6s]

On my Sureweld MIG I bought at a boot sale a long 2.5 cable for a caravan I wired half of it into the machine and kept the 16 amp plug on. This means that round the workshops I never need an extension. Tho I do have one for it. I also fit long leads to grinders and drills as well. Standard equipment leads are far too short for my liking.

 

[Turbo]

What would be the preferred choice of cable then. Arctic or H07RNF ?

The rubber cable (H07RNF) is much more durable and will carry slightly more current than the arctic. I've always found that arctic cable is very easy to cut or damage - I've an extension lead in arctic that has had to be shortened several times due to damage! The only drawback of the rubber cable is its tendency to get tangled when used on power tools.

Yes, when I let go of trigger on cebora the wire continues to feed, though not all the time, can weld a few mins on and off then it will start to self feed.

It's very likely to be a sticking relay then. It will likely be mounted on a small circuit board along with the wire speed adjuster. If you are handy with a soldering iron it could be replaced but you might get away with a spray of contact cleaner.