refurbishing works to an oxford oil filled welder

[big yellow]

I own an old oxford oil filled welder. not used it for many years. it like always sits under the shed bench with its leads coiled on top waiting for the day she gets powered back up again.

I made new leads and holder and earth clamp for it last year. tried it once briefly and then forgot about it again for another year.

This time though, and before money leaves the wallet i want to cost some ideas.
People suggest changing the oil, but as 20l is £100 from my internet search. that sort of kills the whole budget on its own.
( i know its not PCB oil, we had it tested five years ago)

I also have the Hunts capacitor pack on the side of it, what does that need to refurbish it?

as for the welder i was thinking a new power lead and plug (16amp single)

can you get new or replacement controler ID plates?

 

[brightspark]

why change the oil there will probably be nothing wrong with it. it doesn't get dirty like being in a car and unless you have dropped it in a tank of water theres hardl;y any likelihood of there being any in it . mines as good as the day it was put in after 45 years

 

[bwservices]

if the shed theyre in is damp,or if they've been left out in a (farm) yard a few times,condensation can get inside
they can,actually will blow a coil if turned on with it.the primaries are easy enough to rewind,the secondary is near impossible.
when you lift out the top half and transformer,youll see a separate film of gunk on the base oil,and around bits of the transformer.
its best practice to open one up,not turn it on,if youre ever unsure of its history.

 

[barking mat]

I have an ancient oxford? Oil filled arc welder, perhaps BOC, can't remember, 5 years ago I unbolted the top and hoiked it out of its oil bath, as it didn't work on a couple of settings.

Block and tackled it out,decanted the oil, cleaned up the copper contacts, inspected it all.

Bombproof ! Couldn't see any reason to change the oil, no corrosion, took the time to repaint, yellow, my favourite colour.

Rocking bit of kit, and it was free!

Oil filled arc welder rock, especially on single phase 400v!

 

[vbottles]

I recently took apart an Oxford wiper to change the oil after it started stopping during welds.
There was a layer of water on the bottom probably after a flood from 2007 with a slight top up in 2015.
There were a couple of pin holes in the bottom of the welder that I brazed up. Wiped down the transformers with milsolgreen.
Put it all together and now it doesn't work. Stopped it down again and can't see any thing wrong. Would like to see if anyone has ideas on where to look.
Andrew

 

[big yellow]

bringing this post back to life all.

what i want to know is what am i looking at and if its worth the effort to use it or to scrap it ?
for a starter i still dont know what a "HUNTS therminol capacitor L225" is for, some form of power surge smoothing capacitor soi take it its to ease the striking of rods or the surge that they cause?

its wired directly into the main incoming positive and negative, but not to anywhere else?

also this unit can be wired to 200v, 230v, 240v, its wired to 240v which shows its age, lol, should i rework the cable to the new 230v we all use now?

the leads are all okay but i do have to replace the natural rubber mains feed cable, i think its a little worn out, lol

time for some new 4mm2 and a 16amp blue comando plug

we know its pre 1967 as the company Hunts changed hands and name in 1968 so you wont find the name badge afterwards.

 

[big yellow]

as she sits in the garage today

 

[Seadog]

Power factor correction capacitor I would say.

Hunts were taken over by Erie in 1969

 

[big yellow]

Power factor correction capacitor I would say.

Hunts were taken over by Erie in 1969

i found out about hunts, thats why i suggest the machine is pre 1968 or should thaat be 1668 lol
spent most of yesterday googling and searching for info on the oxford, i am surprised theres so little info out there on them. i did a lot of companies house and the business stuff but on the actual welders them selves theres next to nothing out there. I was expecting a lot more. the one thing i did find was a list of Hunts capacitors with PSB's and other wonderful stuff. fortuntly this capacitoris not on those lists.

its an unknown as in all the oxford welder pictures i did not find any with a Hunts capacitor on the side, without the comapny badge it might as well be a homemade version

 

[gt6s]

I have an ancient oxford? Oil filled arc welder, perhaps BOC, can't remember, 5 years ago I unbolted the top and hoiked it out of its oil bath, as it didn't work on a couple of settings.

Block and tackled it out,decanted the oil, cleaned up the copper contacts, inspected it all.

Bombproof ! Couldn't see any reason to change the oil, no corrosion, took the time to repaint, yellow, my favourite colour.

Rocking bit of kit, and it was free!

Oil filled arc welder rock, especially on single phase 400v!

Fried contacts

 

[jimbo84]

I think there's little information on them because most of them generally just go on and on forever and just sit around in peoples workshops/farms with little interest. They are good machines, until they go faulty/need maintaining when there is a lack of information to help you I have one I still use.

Measure what's actually at your socket and I'll bet it'll be closer to 240v than 230v.

If you've not run the thing for a long time and are worried about plugging it in and using it I'd put a new cable on it. Check via measurement that you've got a good earth connection via the plug to the machine and then an insulation resistance test, if you haven't got the gear to do that then find somebody locally that would be prepared to do a quick test on it. Or you could just plug it in and give it a go but be prepared for it to go pop.

 

[brightspark]

pickhill did a 180 an oil cooled with a capacitor on that helped starting a mate of mine bought one . I remembering him saying but I never saw it . think it was 25 quid extra to have one