pocket turbo 130 problem

[andy pen]

Hello all,
Got a problem with my old 130, it started not welding a bit , as in squeeze trigger wire feeds but no sparky crackle in fact just nothing. Pulled the covers off but nothing nice and obvious like a broken wire or obvious short.
Not being to good with electricery wondered if anyone has had this before or might know if I can get a wiring diagram for it from anywhere?
Any help geatfully recieved as I really dont want to have to buy another welder right now.
Thanks for now Andy.

 

[rikrobson]

There is plenty of info on this forum regarding there weleres.

this may be if interest

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=27448

Sounds like the contactor is faulty.

 

[andy pen]

Thanks for that Rik.Will see if I can check that out.
Look at your euro torch conversion very nice
If I can get it going again might have a go at that.
Thanks again Andy.

 

[andy pen]

Hello all, well finally got a couple of minuets to look at the welder tonight,and the big black box which I think is the contactor ?? There is a button on this and if I push it in and hold it Iget lovly s;parky crackels but it wont stay in on its own So expecting that I've got to get a new one UNLESS anyone knows better !!!

 

[mike 109444]

Andy I assume that when you are "Trying" to weld that the contactor that you are manualy operating is not being pulled in? It could be that the circuit that should make it pull in is at fault not the contactor ( they are quite robust) Somewhere on the contactor will be some numbers and a makes name. With this info you might be able to lookup the contactor with a connection details which will show what connections should be operating the pull in. A contactor works very much like a heavy duty relay. So there will be a coil on two of the connections that needs to be energised to make it pull in.

 

[Robotstar5]

Somewhere on the contactor will be some numbers and a makes name. With this info you might be able to lookup the contactor with a connection details which will show what connections should be operating the pull in.

The coil connections are normally marked A1 & A2, as said above the coil rarely fails it is normally the contacts that burn.

 

[andy pen]

Thanks for the replies mike and robotstar, Iwill be looking at it again tomorrow now as a workmate flattened my hand with a sledgehammer at work today so only drinking tonight for medical reasons of course
Think I did see A1&A2 on it and yes it is definitly not pulling in.
Will try to pull it apart tomorrow and see if any power getting to it.
Thanks for the help again will keep you all updated as I progress.

 

[andy pen]

Well had a look see and pulled everything apart and definitly no voltage going to a1 and a2 connections on the contactor.Can't work out why yet as trying to work out whats what with the nasty electronic bit as this seams to be most lighty culprit but been many years since I've done any fault finding so not to hopful as looking at the board all I recognise is resistors and diodes,(It has been 20 odd yeasrs since I did any electronics) so will puzzle my way on

 

[Cobs]

could be the relay on the board

 

[rikrobson]

Terminals B2 and B3 in the board control the contactor. these are the external connections of a small relay on the board itself. This will be open until the trigger is presses and then short closing the circuit aand energising the coil.
If the wire is feeding and the sparks ain't coming out then its probably the relay on the board. you should be able to test this, think it's 12v off the top of me 'ead. so putting 12v accross trhe coil on that should make the relay switch. it that works them its probably a new board, but there ain;t that much on there to be honest and someone with a bit of electronics/electrics should be able to diagnose the fault. most of the board is for the wire speed.
Maplind should be able to sell yoiu a replacement relay. if not try farnells.

 

[andy pen]

Thanks for the replies,will try to chectk the relay tomorrow.Did wonder if it was a relay when I pulled it apart yesterday but ran out of time,as usual !!
Thanks again for the info and I'll check it tomorrow.
Will post as I get more results
Thanks again all for the help I'm not going to let this beat me

 

[andy pen]

Well its taken a while to get around to this (to muchwork and kids not enough play time ) Anyway couldnt get the relay easily so bought the whole board off flebay and hay pressto its working fine.
Thanks for all the help again chaps its really helped and sort of got me thinking about a few improvments to the machine.Its now got a home made wire feed tensioner made from brass which is much nicer to use and not as flexible, and a new torch linner which has made a difference as well.
So thanks again for the help now bake to badly welding things together

 

[mike 109444]

Glad to see you fixed it Andy (board swapping, cheeting or what You'll be fixing pc next (same fix for them if it's not software)

 

[andy pen]

Glad to see you fixed it Andy (board swapping, cheeting or what You'll be fixing pc next (same fix for them if it's not software)

agree it is a cheat but nobody seamed to be able to supply the relay and with a bit of testing the relay was operating (I could see it working) but still no voltage to the contactor so a board swap was the quick way out I hoped and it was.Must admit half expected to see the the thing in the skip if it had'nt worked but it did so all good. And just in time had to make a couple of cranking bars for work so really it's paid for the board (sort of).So plenty of ing to get on with now so hope to get back into practise and weld a bit better again.