Higher voltage for mix gas???

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Well, finally, and hopefully I will be getting my first welder.  I'll end up buying a Hobart 140 as I don't have the money for anything more (sold a bunch of stuff on EBay, which left just enough for the welder, hood and protection gear can be acquired from my father in law)....plus, I think a 140 will suit me as I don't have any intention of welding anything more than 1/4", and if it's plate, I'll stick it  Anyway, I have a couple questions; and I have searched but haven't found a conclusive answer.  First, the Hobart site says the Handler can weld up to 1/4", or 3/16", something like that.My intention with the welder is to do work on my Jeep, and fabricate a few other minor things (gates, brackets for tools, etc.).  I know if you use 100% CO2, it burns hotter, and therefore has more penetration (and is not recommended on sheet metal/body panels), but does this mean that you would use less amps for CO2 that you would a C25 or C10 mix?  (i.e. you can weld 1/4" at 140 AMPS with 100% CO2, but C25 will only get you 3/16" and C10 will get you 1/8")  - My instincts say yes, but I'm not sure.Also, for those wondering or questioning, no I am not going to weld suspension components or anything which would risk my life or the lives/safety of others until I feel comfortable with my welds.  And I set high expectations for my work, or any work someone does for me.Another reason I ask is because with the price of CO2 vs. mix, and probability of welding outside most of the time, I could flow more CO2 and use bare wire than have to change from shielded to bare wire and visa versa. This second question is in relation to the use of 100% CO2.  If it burns hotter, and is not recommended for sheet metal; couldn't the amperage be turned down in order to have a colder/cooler weld?  The third question, I forgot in the process of typing the 1st and 2nd  Thanks for your help.
Reply:Found my answer.  Wish members could delete their own threads.  Oh well.
Reply:Regardless of what Hobart says in their lit, you won't make that machine make acceptable welds on material thicker than 1/8" with gas ( regardless of type) under real world conditions. It's typical of manufacturers to over rate these small machines. They can do this because they don't use rea; world conditions to do the rating. They run them with unlimited input power, on very short beads to get this "max" rating. If you read the manual they tell you to use a dedicated 20 amp outlet. Most people don't have access to a truly dedicated 20 amp 120v outlet usually. Any other items running on that line will decrease the amps available for the mchine to use. Add in line drop from an extension cord and other drains and you will continue to decrease the effectiveness of the machine. Also remember the 20 amp input rating is for running the machine at 90 amps, not 140 amps. The machine will want to draw more amps to function at 140 and the 20 amp line is already maxed out. This means the machine won't put out the heat needed to make acceptable welds on thicker materials.If you stay at 1/8" and under these are great machines, but expect to have to run stick on anything thicker..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:Thanks DSW...Honestly, I'm kinda leaning away from a welder at this point and saving for a 240V....something simple like a Lincoln PowerMig 200 or something.  Probably gonna wait until a good deal comes along and I have more money to buy something that will last.  Until then, I'll be fixing my jeep with stuff that I can bolt in....(i.e. suspension/steering components)
Reply:Got another question....so, if the 110V welders would be inferior to welding anything over 1/8"; would a 110V TIG apply under the same principals?  Such as the MM Maxstar 150 with 100% duty cycle?
Reply:Slightly different animal. The Maxstar is an inverer based machine, the majority of the smaller migs ( like the HH140) are transformer based machines. A comparable inverter based mig would be Millers Passport Plus. On 110v it will get the best performance of all the migs I've looked at as far as thickness. 3/16 is probably a realistic thickness on 110v power. Note that machines like the Maxstar and Passport will run much better and do thicker materials on 220v power. There's simply no substitute for horse power and in this case that means more juice coming into the machines. You are also looking at a much more expensive machine class when you look at both the Passport and the Maxstar. Sort of like comparing a Ford Esscort ( HH140) to a Porshe. That extra money is going to buy you more power to a certain degree, but you still can't drive 160 on a down town street thats clogged with traffic.Not quite sure where you are getting the 100% duty cycle for the Maxstar from. Miller rates it at 35% @ 100 amps on 115v power on stick. 30% @ 150 amps on 230v 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 think when I wrote that, I was looking at EBay ads or something and one of them with the Maxstar said 100% duty cycle.
Reply:I you were to use a Maxstar on tig it would have 100% duty cycle on 115v at 100amps. Since tig is done at a slower pace it allows for more heat input vs mig (120 v machines). The Maxstar on stick is 35% at 100 amps but if you wanted to run some 3/32" 7018 at 85amps you would be able to weld 3/8" plate or thicker with multiple passes but would take to long. Stick machines generally will operate from 26v to 36v compared to short circuit migs 15v to 19v that with stick taking more time allows for more heat input.
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Reply:Originally Posted by BuckFeverWHAT?!?!?  LOL
Reply:After I saw something similar on another thread, and then saw the change in the topic....I figured it out