Another generator question (a little differnet this time,I think)

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I have two welding jobs. My regular day job and I weld part time for a boat dealer I used to work for. I don't own any equipment, I use their equipment (welders). I've been thinking about buying an AC/DC inverter tig do some more work for other boat shops in the area. I plan on working out of my F-150 so I would like to not buy an engine driven welder as my generator. I don't have a way to get that in or out of my truck. I hear that you want a generator that produces "clean" electricity or it can damage electronics (like a tig welder perhaps). My problem is I can't tell who makes clean power and who doesn't. It doesn't seem like a feature that gets promoted. Those $1000 10kw Duromax generators on ebay look appealing but I don't know. I know you get what you pay for but I would like to keep initial investment low and upgrade as I go (if possible). I'm just not sure about this clean power thing. I assume some of you guys are familiar with this. Any knowledge/pointers would be a big help. Thanks a lot guys.
Reply:How many amps AC-DC tig you need? I found a quality 6 thousand runs my Thermal-arc 186 at 200 amps with zero issues..( small cooler too) I am also at 4000 ft plus altitude. Which takes away a bit of power. Also Have a Duromax 4500 (Really a 3500 but less from the thin air)that runs my Esab caddy mig with zero issues. Not full blast but a bit over 400 ipm, and good for about 3/16. The generator works very well with my 120 volt stick welder, and 120 volt plasma (Air-cut 15c) No shutdowns ever, so seem fine to me. The MQ generator was about the same price as a Duromax 10,000. No brainer for me, and glad I got less machine but way better quality. Nothing wrong with the little Duromax either. There was one hour on the Multiquip 6000 AHEA, and was a great e-bay deal. Just needed tank drained, and carb cleaned, then perfect machine.. (Charged the battery) Makes for a nice compact setup for what I might need. If you had a bit of helium in your gas mix, probably could extend your range on 200 amp machine.. still light weight too. If you have a 300 amp inverter go for a bigger genny for sure.. Attached ImagesLast edited by Brand X; 03-18-2014 at 10:04 PM.Esab/Lorch ET-220iEsab 160i caddyThermal LM-200 Lincoln feedersThermal Pee-Wee 85sThermal 60i- 3phase /RPC powered (Beast)Thermal Drag-gun 35CINE 1500 Klutch 140i
Reply:A grand will not get you a satisfactory power supply for serious welding.You'll need at least 10kw.The specification for unclean power is Total Harmonic Distortion. It is expressed as a percentage of the total power delivered.The lower the THD, the cleaner the power.Only alternators that are designed for low-noise operation will show a THD value.Expect to spend over $2k for a genset that will power any welder without risking damage or introducing odd performance.Be wary of The Numbers: Figures don't lie,. but liars can figure.Welders:2008 Lincoln 140 GMAW&FCAW2012 HF 165 'toy' GTAW&SMAW1970's Cobbled together O/A
Reply:I'm actually looking at the Thermal Arc 186. I'd like to have a Dynasty 200DX but don't have the $. Maybe someday. But that's the size of machine I'm looking into.
Reply:Originally Posted by SJCI'm actually looking at the Thermal Arc 186. I'd like to have a Dynasty 200DX but don't have the $. Maybe someday. But that's the size of machine I'm looking into.
Reply:I wonder if a large pure sine (not modified sinewave) dc to ac inverter will run a inverter based tig machine. maybe upgraded high output alternator for your engine and a dual battery setup which the inverter only runs off the one battery and alternator and doesnt drain your battery thats used to crank the engine over. have ur motor running while you tig.HH140---------------------------https://www.facebook.com/brandon.pike.9
Reply:Originally Posted by Br@ndoM@nI wonder if a large pure sine (not modified sinewave) dc to ac inverter will run a inverter based tig machine. maybe upgraded high output alternator for your engine and a dual battery setup which the inverter only runs off the one battery and alternator and doesnt drain your battery thats used to crank the engine over. have ur motor running while you tig.