Thermal arc 185 and LN-25

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So....As the title suggests, how would I go about using the LN-25 (wire feed unit)with a Thermal Arc 185 tig/stick machine? Does the LN 25 have to be switched to CC or CV?Thanks for the help.BillUA Local 598
Reply:The 185 is a CC AC/DC machine.  I don't know anything about the LN 25 wire feeder.
Reply:Wirefeed welding is best accomplished with a CV power source.The LN-25 when used with some larger CC power supplies is capable of welding some high energy wires and some flux/dual shield, however not the best.LN-25 and a TA 185 is almost useless as a wirefeed setup.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Hello Bill, as others have mentioned, the TA 185 is a CC output machine. It is not the "ideal" power source to use with an LN-25 for wirefeed welding but can be made to work if that's what you have. You will be best served with either .045 or .035 self-shielded wire on straight polarity or you can operate it with solid wire either .030 or .035 with 80/20 or higher argon/C02 shielding gas on reverse polarity and with the output set as high as possible to allow for a spray-transfer. Short-arc transfer with CC output will not be satisfactory. If at all possible I would try to find a friend who might have some of the gas or wire to experiment with, I wouldn't invest a bunch of money to get this figured out, you might not be completely happy with the results. While experimenting, DO NOT USE THE HI-FREQUENCY capability on the TA 185, it will damage the LN-25. Set the 185 for stick welding, set the CC/CV switch on the LN-25 for CC and if you are using self-shielded wire set the polarity switch on the LN-25 for - /neg. If you are trying to use solid wire set the polarity switch on the front of the LN-25 for +/pos., when using the self-shielded be sure the LN is hooked up to the -/neg. output on the TA and if using solid wire be sure that the LN is hooked up to the +/pos. terminal. CV power sources will definitely work better with the LN-25 and are much more forgiving with regard to setting them up and making quality welds, CC power sources can be used, but they will require much tighter control on the settings and be a bit more difficult to adjust. Good luck and let us know how you faired if you can. Best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:Thanks, I can work with that information.UA Local 598
Reply:The TA185 doesn't have the power or duty cycle to be very useful with wire welding with an arc-powered wire feeder.  It would stand a greater chance with a remote-control feeder, but with it's constant-current output, that would be hard to set up as most remote feeders are not made to work with CC.   The much higher output TA300 would have some usefulness powering a CC volt-sense wire feeder.   The TA185 is just too light a machine for the larger fluxcore wires that run ok on constant current.Going by the output capability of the TA185, it is less machine than a comparable 180-class 220v portable mig, due to the feeder stealing some of the arc power to run the feed motor.   .030 or .035 fluxcore or .030 solid would be the limit on wire size.  The machine will likely struggle with material over 1/4" thick.  The TA185 also doesn't have the power to spray .030 or .035 solid wire and would need a real spray mix like 98/2 ar/oxy to do it, if it did have the power.  You're not going to be spraying .035 or larger wire with a 185 amp machine with an ar/co2 mix containing 20% co2, not even with a real CV mig in the 180 class.  It might spray .023 wire with the correct spray mix gas, but who uses .023 in spray arc??If you currently own both of these machines already, hook them up and try it out with some self shield .030 fluxcore wire in straight polarity, that is your greatest chance of success with it.  I wouldn't bother buying a bottle of spray mix to experiment trying to spray solid wire with it.  It just doesn't have the output to be useful as a spray mig and there's no use trying to spray with .023 wire.If you do not already own both machines, then don't waste your money buying whichever one you don't own to make it work.   Buy a real mig welder and you will be quite far ahead and have something that actually works to do what you want it to.  Used LN25's, Suitcase VS's, Hobart Hefty's and Hefty-style earlier Miller VS feeders cost at least as much as a used portable 220v mig, say a Millermatic 175/180 or Lincoln version of same, or some of the older 220v shop migs, like a Millermatic 35/200/250 or comparable year/class Lincoln, Hobart or Linde shop migs.  The real mig is the way to go for similar money as the feeder.  New, the wire feeders cost more than most new migs in the 200 class and below and not much less than migs in the 250 class.   You can buy a new Millermatic 212 for less than what a new Suitcase 12VS or LN25 costs with torch and cables and Millermatic 252 isn't much more than a new Suitcase 12VS.  If you're intending to power it with the little TA185, buying the MM212/252 is by far a much smarter expenditure of the money, if mig welding is what you want to do.   The migs in the 200-250 class will run circles around a TA185 trying to mig with a volt sense feeder.  The comparison isn't even approaching fairness, more like a slaughter on game day. http://store.cyberweld.com/suit12vswirf.htmlhttp://store.cyberweld.com/millermatic210.htmlhttp://store.cyberweld.com/mil251witmet.htmlhttp://store.cyberweld.com/mi211aumigwe.htmlThere is a reason why I keep a MM175 in the shop for small diameter solid and fluxcore wires instead of trying to use my TA185 with my Suitcase feeder.   The MM175 does exactly what I want it to do and is the right tool for the job.  My MM175 was $500 used only a year or so old in 2006, in A1 perfect condition, with cart, small gas bottle and a couple rolls of wire.  Found it on Craig's List.  This wasn't a once in a lifetime deal either, I see other similar deals on there from time to time.  This is a far better purchase decision than spending the same $500 on a used LN25 to use with my TA185, which I owned at the time I bought the MM175.Every tool has it's area of usefulness.  Connect that LN25 to a Bobcat, Ranger or Trailblazer and it will shine on like the bright star it is.  Connect that TA185 to a tig torch and foot pedal and it will weld like a dream.  Connect the TA185 to the LN25 and they're both fish out of water. The TA185, while a truly excellent ac/dc tig machine, is simply under powered and unsuited to the task of mig welding with a wire feeder.Last edited by DesertRider33; 07-04-2010 at 01:50 PM.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Thanks for the info guys. I bought my first mig from cyberweld and they are a good outfit. The TA185 and LN 25 belong to my father in law so he is resigned to figuring out how the two can work together. He welds very little and will not need the ability to weld thick material, plus he can stick it if he needs to weld the thick stuff. As it stands, every time I hook the stinger to the power lead of the LN, I get an error message. I did manage to get it to work once, but I dont know what has changed since then. I will try your suggestions.ThanksUA Local 598
Reply:Theoreticaly, it ought to work.Check out the Innershield Wire Guide on the Lincoln website..................  .035 NR-211 MP will run at a max suggested range of 16.5-17.5 volts, 120 amps, 110 ipm wire speed.Other literature lists different settings, but all are within a pretty close range.  I'm running NR-211 at around 16v, 125ipm, and whatever amps the machine draws (maybe 135) when hooked to my Ranger.There should be a chart on the inside of the LN25 which allows you to set desired wire speed when running in CC mode.CC is less forgiving.  Maintaining travel, and most importantly, constant stickout length is a must"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I think me and Desertrider had this conversation some time ago. The only machine from Thermalarc capable of this is the TA300AC/DC machine which is about $5K and the results wouldn't be to my liking.https://www.mythermadyne.com/thc/en/...SpecificationsI.B.E.W Electrician and Damn Proud of It !!!! .Virtus Junxit Mors Non Separabit http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/
Reply:You may want to check the code of that LN-25! I've seen older LN-25 burn up the contactor when used on Miller 330 A/BP.  Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400