Please help. Can I do this? USA mig welder retrofit for use in England

[Ryan W Huber]

I have a brand new Harbor Freight Titanium MIG 170 Professional Welder with 120/240 Volt option, can i snip off the 240v usa plug and put on a plug that fits into my socket in England? The voltage in the UK is 240v as I'm sure you know this being a UK website. Will this work?

 

[daleyd]

Voltage shouldn’t be a problem, but American frequency is different to ours (they use 60hz we use 50 hz). Whether this causes any issues I wouldn’t know, I expect the power side won’t mind but things like fans might run slower. Does it give any tolerance or spec for frequency in the manual or on the box

 

[Pete.]

Hi Ryan,

In the Harbor Freight user manual it only specifies 60hz. However, on page 8 of the manual there's a picture showing the power switch and next to it is a sticker saying 50/60hz input. If your welder has this sticker next to the power flex then you're good to go.

In any case, I expect that it would work just fine on our power even if there's no sticker.

Pete.

 

[Agroshield]

No problem.

If you are to bring it here, perhaps look and see if there are any spares that might be easier or cheaper bought where you are. Rollers are universal but I think in US, you tend to use a Tweco torch attachment whereas here the Euro-style is more common.

 

[Melvyn Best]

The USA frequency is 60 Hertz , the UK is 50. Don’t know what effect that would have?

 

[MBB]

Hi Ryan welcome to the forum.
I don't think it would make any difference as long as you wire the British plug correctly and select 240 v input on your welder.

 

[Liam567]

I had a Hobart mig 140 years ago it was only 110 volt though I ran it off a transformer it was 60hz . It ran fine . The fan if I can remember was bit slower.

 

[keeny]

I have a brand new Harbor Freight Titanium MIG 170 Professional Welder with 120/240 Volt option, can i snip off the 240v usa plug and put on a plug that fits into my socket in England? The voltage in the UK is 240v as I'm sure you know this being a UK website. Will this work?

I wudnt cut it yet, get adapter they cheap enough if all go well works as u wanting then cut off or stay with adapter.

 

[500e]

Read pages 7 & 13 if it works OK I would put a guard over the 110\240 switch to stop magic smoke

 

[pedrobedro]

I had a Hobart mig 140 years ago

How old are you ? 50hz makes motors run a bit slower so you might affect the feed but nothing worth bothering about.

 

[eddie49]

It's an inverter. The first thing that happens when the AC mains hits the circuitry is rectification to DC, so the mains frequency is irrelevant.

 

[Liam567]

How old are you ? 50hz makes motors run a bit slower so you might affect the feed but nothing worth bothering about.

Haha I meant I had a Hobart 140 amp mig years ago I think I'm only running on 40 hz

 

[arther dailey]

depending on haulage/freight costs/space in the move would it not be better to sell and replace when you get here with similar , geussing though that would be twice the price over herethough

 

[Sparky666]

As Arther Dailey mentioned, sell it and replace it.
or if you want to bring it over then do it, just as a pre-warning don’t run on 110v then switch to 230 without allowing circuits to discharge as I’ve seen other equipment go up in smoke. Can you open up and post photos or have a circuit diagram as I’m certain others following this thread will provide excellent advice

 

[a111r]

It would be better to sell it and buy one in the UK / EU.
You want a warranty with new inverters. The cost to return it to the US vendor would be quite large.

 

[Ryan W Huber]

Hey everyone! Thank you all for your interest and help! I just got off the aeroplane few hours ago and boy my fiance was surprised when I opened my suitcase and had a welder instead of what I actually went back to the for. I'll respond to the comments above later tonight after I'm out of the dog house

 

[Pete.]

Hey everyone! Thank you all for your interest and help! I just got off the aeroplane few hours ago and boy my fiance was surprised when I opened my suitcase and had a welder instead of what I actually went back to the for. I'll respond to the comments above later tonight after I'm out of the dog house

Good man

IS your fiance English or American? If she's english don't worry she'll be used to it