Hi,
just registered here. Found your site via a link posted by another old Land Rover nut. Old land Rovers and welding seem to go hand in hand!
Background to my problem; about 12 or 13 years ago I bought new a Topmig 150, which I think then cost about £290. Machine has done a huge amount of work and apart from replacing a few contact tips I've never replaced anything on it. The copper wire to the torch eventually chafed the gas tube at the chassis end and made it leak (taped up!) and eventually frayed mid-job and had to be "temporarily" bodged back together as an emergency measure - after which it carried on working perfectly. (It's always kept indoors incidentally and so is the migwire to stop it rusting).
The latest problem though is a bit of a nuisance. Basically I can't get a good consistent "sizzle" at any high setting, I get a poor weld bead and minimal pentration and welded parts break apart when given a good hammer test. The 13a domestic plug fuse has also blown a couple of times lately - it's never done this before even cranked right up. The wire feed seems to be ok, just a little slip but it's not jerky.
My initial thoughts were the torch was goosed because it's original and has seen a lot of use, but now I'm beginning to wonder if it's possibly a transformer or rectifier problem. I don't want to spend £50+ on a new torch only to find it doesn't make any difference. Any advice would be much appreciated. SIP don't seem to be the favourites on here but I can honestly say my machine has been extremely good up until now and produces nice neat welds using big Argoshield cylinders.
just registered here. Found your site via a link posted by another old Land Rover nut. Old land Rovers and welding seem to go hand in hand!
Background to my problem; about 12 or 13 years ago I bought new a Topmig 150, which I think then cost about £290. Machine has done a huge amount of work and apart from replacing a few contact tips I've never replaced anything on it. The copper wire to the torch eventually chafed the gas tube at the chassis end and made it leak (taped up!) and eventually frayed mid-job and had to be "temporarily" bodged back together as an emergency measure - after which it carried on working perfectly. (It's always kept indoors incidentally and so is the migwire to stop it rusting).
The latest problem though is a bit of a nuisance. Basically I can't get a good consistent "sizzle" at any high setting, I get a poor weld bead and minimal pentration and welded parts break apart when given a good hammer test. The 13a domestic plug fuse has also blown a couple of times lately - it's never done this before even cranked right up. The wire feed seems to be ok, just a little slip but it's not jerky.
My initial thoughts were the torch was goosed because it's original and has seen a lot of use, but now I'm beginning to wonder if it's possibly a transformer or rectifier problem. I don't want to spend £50+ on a new torch only to find it doesn't make any difference. Any advice would be much appreciated. SIP don't seem to be the favourites on here but I can honestly say my machine has been extremely good up until now and produces nice neat welds using big Argoshield cylinders.
The torch also supplys the power so if there is a loose connection or worn power cable that could explain things.