Which arc inverter?

[RAM]

Hello, after looking on here loads of times I decided to register and ask your advice!
I'm after a arc inverter, my genset has died and I'm sick of loading and unloading it anyway! Iv got around £300 to spend, and I'm looking for something well built and reliable.
most of the places I go out to only have 13 amp 240 supply, farms etc. I'd rarely need to go bigger than a 3.2 rod but to have the option of using a 4mm would be handy sometimes.
Iv been looking at esab buddy arc 180, tec arc 166i, oerlikon mini arc 4.0 iv also had a look at the oerlikon citoarc 1600. This one looked like an option although more expensive it says it has something called HPF technology which means you can use higher amps but a low amp input. Does anyone have any experience with this?
If anyone could recommend any others iv not looked at that would be great! Thanks for your help!!

 

[BrokenBiker]

I have a parweld xti160 inverter. it will burn 3.2 rods on 13 amp all day long, the duty cycle is far better than advertised. I have found 100% with 2.5mm rods. it will burn 4mm too but at the top end needs a 16 amp supply, but will burn them at the bottom end of their amp range on 13amp, may blow occasionally but its do-able.

200 quid on weldequip and its worth every penny

 

[RAM]

Thanks for that! It looks like a decent little unit. They all do when you read about them though! Have you ever had any problems or anything?

 

[Robotstar5]

Used the Oerlikon mini arc at work, nice and portable, used it on a couple of extension leads while welding from a cherry picker basket!

 

[Jim Davey]

Try and take a look at an EWM Pico 162, 160 amps, will burn a 3.25 all day long and good on 13 amp supplies. 3 year warranty too.

 

[RAM]

The ewm lookks like a great welder, but it's priced well out of what I would like to spend. I think I'm leaning towards an oerlikon but I'm going to have a look at the parweld mentioned above and a R-tech set

 

[PTvor]

Whatever you buy, look at the length of the warranty, and the conditions, and the likelihood that the seller and maker will be able to live up to it.

 

[wheresmejumper]

a second hand ewm could be got for £150-250.it would burn a rod better than any parweld,rtech or similar priced new stuff.
a lot more reliable too,but obviously no warranty

 

[RAM]

Thanks for all the help it's really appreciated! Would love an EWM but thinking realistically I can't justify spending that amount at the moment. As said earlier I'd need something under warranty and with good after sales service.
I'm pretty set on one of the oerlikon's I think, does anyone know anything about this HPF technology? Is it as good as it makes out to be?

 

[matt1978]

Depends on when you want to buy but our new Micor160 will be available to buy in the next couple of months (poss before Xmas)

Made in Germany, crash proof from 80cm, burn a 4.0mm CEL, 3yr Warranty, run with 200 Meters of cable should you ever require it too & has KICK Arc which is a AC overlay on the DC current to minimise Arc blow.

Last of all can be run off normal 230v mains, Genny or our rechargeable battery, MobilePower1.

Not Chinese prices but certainly cheaper than our current 230v MMA inverters due to a totally new inverter design that's cheaper for us to produce