Dual continuous control vs. overlapping current ranges

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I am new to welding with Lincoln.  I have a 1978 SAE-300 with the dual continuous control.  I demo'd a SA-200 diesel a month or two ago and have been sold since.  As most everyone knows, the ability to vary the OCV on these Lincolns is pretty much why everyone loves them, from my understanding at least.  I have noticed through pictures online the faceplates of the SA-200's.  On one side you have the overlapping current ranges and on the other side a dial with 0-100 by 10's.  On my SAE-300 the one dial, the current control with no overlap and on the other dial the job selector and OCV adjustor.  I can't help but notice the set up on the SA-200 face plates is very similar to my Miller bobcat 250, even though the Miller bobcat can't control the OCV like the SA-200.  On the Bobcat you have the overlapping ranges on one side and the fine tuner 0-10 on the other side.  I must be missing something here.  It would seem like all you would be able to do with the SA-200 is find the right amperage.  How does the OCV get adjusted?  Thank for any help. --Tye
Reply:comparing apples to oranges. The ranger 250 has an arc force adjustment and a "downhill pipe" setting that is supposed to emulate the same wave form as the sa200.  It does weld like one, but I set it on CC stick.  It works for me.DavidLast edited by David R; 06-24-2008 at 10:09 PM.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:I don't know about varying the open circuit voltage on the SA200 and the fellow who likely would is on vacation right now. I never actually thought about it as that is only the voltage until you start welding and then it changes. We loved them because they were consistent unlike the stick-start Millers (I do have Miller equipment I really like but even today if you gave me one of their engine drives, and I have used several of them all the way up to a 2004 TB DC, I would sell it or trade it in on a Lincoln) and where I grew up you couldn't get anything but a Lincoln in an engine drive, and you still rarely ever see them on the welding rigs out there, I do know that as you turn the fine current adjustment up the welding voltage goes up and was taught that you wanted to use the lowest coarse setting you could for running 7018 so you could get the higher voltage it needs to burn properly. My GX271 (Ranger 275)  has the same setup as David's 250. I can't even see a comparison between it and the SA200 as the GX welds much better in pipe mode. My dad used SA200s for almost 40 years welding pipe in the oilfield then bought a Ranger 250  when it first came out (1700 hrs on it now). He says that although in it's day the SA was as good as you could get he can't see why anyone would even want one anymore. I learned on and used them for almost as long as he did (1968 - 2002 for me) and have to agree with him for several reasons. I use pipe mode for 6010/6011 and cc/stick for 7018 and 7024. I have an Eagle 10,000 that has the coarse and fine adjustments but only 3 coarse ranges, no pipe mode and no arc force. It does weld just like an SA200.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.