Portability in considering welder purchase?

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I am about ready to pull the trigger on a wirefeed welder. Ive read all the advice about going to a 230v unit, but what about portability? I'm concerned that if I go 230 I would be tethered to my garage. Additionally, I have a 220v AC-225 tombstone welder. I don't plan on building military grade equipment, but you know how it goes, who knows where it might go. My instructor told me I could weld most anything with a 110v unit, using multiple passes on really heavy welds. Of course, I could get a multi-volt unit................Needless to say, I am driving myself crazy with the debate. I do plan on sticking with Lincoln or Hobart.help?
Reply:MM211Dual Voltage.  Somewhat portable.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Hobart MVP210. Less expensive. Should be fine. IMHO.Hobart 125 EZHobart Handler 140Everlast STH 160Generic 210 Amp Welder/GeneratorHobart Air Force 500i plasma cutterChinese 50 amp plasma cutter! Youtube Channel : Henrymac100
Reply:What are you welding?  And how often?I have a 220V, and its an older one so its sort of bulky.  But its size has never really had me "tethered" to the garage or shop.  Granted, I don't go remote unless absolutely necessary, but its because the generator is a pain in the butt to move, and I use the big bottles so they weigh more than the welder.But if you are going to be welding alot, the big bottles are a money saver.  The small bottles go empty all the time.ScottMillermatic 150Lincoln Precision TIG 185Lincoln TombstoneHypertherm Powermax 30
Reply:I have a Miller xmt 304.  (3) 25 foot extension cords.  Plus 200ft. Of leads.  So it's fairly portable for me.  I have an outlet in my workshop and i put an outlet on the side of my house about 75 feet away.
Reply:I hate saying your instructor is full of it, but the idea you can weld anything  you want with multiple passes with 110v machines is BS for the most part. There 's simply no substitute for horse power. You don't get enough fusion into the base material to get decent welds. I've seen guys manage to pass bend tests with one by using a lot of fancy tricks, but under real world circumstances, these sorts of things just are not practical and very few have the skills to employ them correctly.If you want to do portable work, you have to pay to play. Guys that specialize in portable work typically use engine drives. That way you get all the power you need without being tied to the grid. Option 2 is that guy have temporary electric installed so they can use site power. You open up the breaker panel and tie in to 230v power or 3 phase in an industrial setting and run off that. Or make use a a big enough generator to power the machine.110v units are fairly limiting. Going with a top of the line unit will maximize what you can get off 110 with stick of tig. That usually means going with a fairly expensive inverter based machine. Mig you really don't get much of a gain. However even the best units are still no substitute for having enough input power..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I bought a Hobart 210 mvp and it has been an outstanding welder. I looked at the miller version but they are $200 more where I live and I don't need auto set that the Miller has. Also, the 210 can be run on both 110/220 volts. I have had outstanding customer service from Hobart.
Reply:I have a Miller 211 and love it. The autoset is pretty sweet, always used it on 240v.
Reply:Have you bought one yet?  If not, go with a 220v unit if you have an outlet for it.  Sooner than later you will need those extra few amps to get a job done that is not possible with a 110v machine. If you are worried about weight, I just put mine on a wheeled cart so carry weight is not really an issue anymore.   You didn't mention where exactly you want to use this thing outside the garage.  For portable use, you would need a generator.  Most machines want 'clean power' which adds to the cost of the generator setup.  In that case it may be cheaper just to get an engine driven welder to begin with.
Reply:Dirty job site ? Lincoln 180 Dual.Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:Dual voltage inverters can make a big difference...or even 120V inverters can do more than a typical transformer MIG welder on 120V.   It changes the rules some because most 120V transformer MIGS are a "theoretical" 130-140 amps.  True amperage is really only about 90 amps sustained output.  Inverter MIGs can and do put out sustained amperages in 140A range at respectable duty cycles, sufficient to get good wet in on materials up to 1/4" or more if properly prepped.  Still it isn't something that you'd want to do half inch plate all day long, but if called upon, it would do a better job than a transformer "140" MIG.  Dual voltage machines in this category are used professionally.   I think that the confusion comes when someone narrowly defines what a professional welder is...One welder in one spectrum of the welding industry (pipe, or bridge work) may look down on a lighter machine with less amperage as a "non professional" unit, but when another "professional" who is into light repair, fabrication and restoration and makes his living at it, may seize upon the utility of a lighter, moderately powered unit and deem it to be suitable for professional use.  The problem is that in the welding industry, it is such a broad industry, it is hard to give a one size fits all advice.  I've found that many welders stick with one spectrum of the welding industry most of their life and its a precious (and lucky) few who master all areas and disciplines and that many offer advice heavily biased from a narrow perspective.Last edited by lugweld; 04-10-2014 at 12:16 PM.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT