Need feed back! Thermal arc 186 inverter base Tig

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Looking in to by one of those thermal arc 186 inverter tig machinesAre they worth the money saved in power consumption? Also not so sure on the service of the machine compared to miller and Lincoln.If anyone also has feed back on Everlast I'd appreciate that as well, seen a lot of people buy these neon green units.  I don't plan on doing any super serious welding, the price of the miller dynasty 200dx and the amount I'll use it is not worth it to me.  Thanks!
Reply:Unless you are paying an industrial rate with a power factor penalty, or have dozens of big welders going all day, the savings in power are not all much.  For a hobbyist/light user, the benefit of an inverter is that you don't need as large a breaker and wiring.  Old transformer welders require a lot of current, but if you pay a residential kiloWatthour rate, you aren't paying for all the Amps you are drawing.   I'd like to have a TA 186, but it would have little advantage over my Syncrowave as far as power consumption $."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:On average you're looking at 30A from the 220V mains. Unless you're welding 18 hours a day at 200A, there won't be much of a difference in the electric bill. 1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:I owned a thermal arc 180 multi process, I liked it tigd ok, my old Lincoln round-top 250 could tig way nicer welds, it sounded better, flowed better, everything was better with the lincoln. Now I have a syncrowave 210 inverter tig and it's the bees knees.....  Still I was blown away at how good that ol Lincoln would tig even using scratch start. Plus one on the other responses on power consumptionMiller Syncrowave 210 w/CK FlexLoc 150  3/6/14ESAB PCM 1125 Plasma CutterAtlas 12x36 LatheACER 9x42 3hp millHarig 612 Surface GrinderDRINK Machine              welding&fabrication