Welder tripping supply instantly

[GaryWatson]

Hey guys,

The sparkies among us will hate me for this but here goes anyway...

Okay so I bought a little gasless MIG to use on site and cut the 15amp earth pin down upon it arriving so that it could fit into a 10amp supply (I now live in Oz so plugs are different). The problem however is that it trips power the instant I turn it on. Brand new but voided warranty so now need to figure out what the problem is by myself.

Any suggestions?

 

[Spark plug]

Do you mean it trips when you turn the machine on or when you pull the trigger?

If it's when you turn the machine on, it sounds like an internal fault with the machine. If it's when your pulling the trigger, you will need a bigger supply but I'm not well versed on austrailian whirring.

Down there is the live newtral and the newtral live?

 

[WorkshopChris]

The problem however is that it trips power the instant I turn it on.

Is this an overload ie. it trips a MCB (curent operated= drawing to much power on start up problem).
or
A earth fault ie. it trips a RCB, RCBO or Earth/Ground fault operated circuit breaker ( leakage or short to earth.

A picture of the offending item may help.

 

[GaryWatson]

Don't even pull the trigger. Trips everything within a millisecond of powering up. It's an Italco 185IM bought from SydneyTools com.au

 

[GaryWatson]

 

[dobbslc]

Is it tripping an RCD or an MCB?

 

[GaryWatson]

I know absolutely nothing about electronics. RCD and MCB are all the same to me haha. I havent taken the machine apart. Tripped house supply so I tried at a friends who has his own mig that he uses at home but mine still tripped his as well

 

[GaryWatson]

Out at the moment but will get a picture when home. As I say though, I have also tried at a friends house and it tripped there too, yet he can run his MIG no problem. Must be the welder itself no?

 

[GaryWatson]

 

[GaryWatson]

Does that help?

 

[GaryWatson]

Is it tripping an RCD or an MCB?

RCD by the

Is it the one switched off that it's tripping?

That's an rcd - indicating an earth fault with the machine...

Pic of your 'modified' plug too?

Yeah thats the one thats tripping. Will upload a pic of the plug in a sec. Appreciate this help mate.

 

[GaryWatson]

 

[rtbcomp]

When you said you cut the earth pin down. Can't picture the Oz plugs, but do you mean you cut the earth pin on a 15A plug so the 15A plug would fit into a 10A socket or did you fit a 2 pin 10A plug?

Did you remove the earth pin altogether or reduce its size to fit the 10A socket?

EDIT - just seen your fuzzy pictures - looks like the latter.

 

[GaryWatson]

Just three pins, big one cut down to earth fit normal 10amp socket. I realise now that it's not worth doing (voided my warranty) but literally 9 out of every 20 guys on site do this and their machines run fine.

 

[GaryWatson]

When you said you cut the earth pin down. Can't picture the Oz plugs, but do you mean you cut the earth pin on a 15A plug so the 15A plug would fit into a 10A socket or did you fit a 2 pin 10A plug?

Did you remove the earth pin altogether or reduce its size to fit the 10A socket?

Not removed, just cut to fit 10amp socket.

 

[Gareth0123]

How have you voided the warranty? By modifying the plug? No worries, just cut the plug off the cord, return the welder to the distributor and explain that the plug was cut off of the cable due to safety concerns and to prevent other people from attempting to use the weld while you were sorting out the return. I had a similar issue a few years back with a Ferm power file. I had removed the standard UK 3 pin plug and replaced it with a 10amp 3 pin inline connector........... the UK boys will know them as lawnmower plugs. When the Ferm powerfile died on me I just cut the lead off sent the powerfile back to them with a letter explaining that I'd cut the lead off to prevent others from using and I never heard another word about, and a new powerfile was sent to me within a couple of days.

 

[WorkshopChris]

what are the ratings on the breakers? or a clear photo.

 

[GaryWatson]

Go

How have you voided the warranty? By modifying the plug? No worries, just cut the plug off the cord, return the welder to the distributor and explain that the plug was cut off of the cable due to safety concerns and to prevent other people from attempting to use the weld while you were sorting out the return. I had a similar issue a few years back with a Ferm power file. I had removed the standard UK 3 pin plug and replaced it with a 10amp 3 pin inline connector........... the UK boys will know them as lawnmower plugs. When the Ferm powerfile died on me I just cut the lead off sent the powerfile back to them with a letter explaining that I'd cut the lead off to prevent others from using and I never heard another word about, and a new powerfile was sent to me within a couple of days.

Good idea. Would prefer to fix rather than send back though if possible (came from Sydney and I'm in Perth so takes a while). Was hoping there'd be a simple solution.

 

[GaryWatson]

I just looked up oz regs about fitting/replacing plugs because I thought I'd seen something about it on telly...

Oh

My

God.

So to legally replace a plug you have to be a registered electrician or have been trained and shown to be competent in fitting a plug according to the manufacturer's specifications?

Yep, it's crazy here. I could get a sparky to change for me now anyway and say he done so because he suspected a fault was causing tripping.

 

[WorkshopChris]

So to legally replace a plug you have to be a registered electrician or have been trained and shown to be competent in fitting a plug according to the manufacturer's specifications?

As far as i am aware its because no fuse in plug so the plug is chosen to limit the power or posible fault current on the final circuit.
If that makes any sense.