Question about my PowCon 225 SMC and TIG

[Garland Customs]

Hey there folks!

Happy I found this forum, and hoping someone has the answer here. I have a PowCon 225 SMC I bought about 20 years ago, that only needed a quick PC board repair and has been used a ton since. I'm a shade tree mechanic and fabricator. I mostly build big 4x4's and custom bumpers and beds... Anyway, I know the unit supports multiple modes and I was told when I bought it, that it supported TIG. I assume scratch start, but it appears it supports "lift arc" TIG, but I can't really find any information about the torches that will work. I have also read that a pedal can be used for the current...

I'm wondering if anyone has any information about setting that up, or if its worth it. There are new multi-process units out there for low cost but seems a shame when I may have the tools in front of me. The front panel control isn't matching the manual's I've looked at.

This is the control panel on mine:

I usually MIG with it in the middle position, but maybe I'm not even doing that right. i also cut a lot with it which works well. It's an amazing unit!

Thanks!

 

[BrokenBiker]

Scratch start and lift arc use the same torches...just need a valve for the gas in most cases...

Scratch start is just that, just like stick welding, lift arc is similar but you touch the tungsten down and as you break the contact, the arc 'lights'

You just need a basic valved torch and consumables to match. 17 size will do you to 150 amps or so, anything more you'd likely want a 26. Oh and a bottle of pure argon.

Dont know what connections you have for the torches/stinger, if it's dinse plugs then you are golden, if it's got hard wired leads then you will need a tig torch with a lug on it to clamp the MMA stinger to for power.

Probably need it set to position 1 for tig...

 

[chrismac]

We used to have a Powcon at the place I used to work 20 years ago, it had an additional remote hand piece with the slope up, slope down and amps control, it had a type of HF start, was quite a good bit of kit, but nobody else would use it apart from me.

 

[E T]

There's a pdf manual for the plasma plus in this thread. Post#6.

R

Thread 'PowCon welder not working'

Aug 23, 2023

After my PowCon welder sat idle for input two years I tried to use it but it would not work. Ok I checked the power supply it’s fine, checked to see if there was power to primary wires inside yes that was ok fan works when I turn on the power switch, mig wilder will feed wire no arc ! Stick welde no arc , Plasma cutter no arc , and finally the front panel does not light up does anyone have an idea we’re I should start

• Rairoadpat
• Replies: 13
• forum: Welders and Welding Machines