Miller 211mvp vs Miller or Lincoln 110v welder

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Hi all,Just wanted to get peoples thoughts. When running a Miller 211 on 110v power how does it compare to using a Miller or Lincoln 140? I only have 110v power for now so would mainly be using the welder for that. The 211 is nice cause it gives me more options for the future, but it seems hard to justify justifying he extra cost given that I can always sell 110 and buy a 220 in future.For example, a used 211 runs around 800-900, where as a used 140 runs around 300-400. It almost seems like I could buy separate 110 and 220 welders for the same price as the dual voltage welder. Is it just a convenience thing for having one welder that does everything, or is the 211 actually better than a 140 on 110 power?What are peoples thoughts on this? Anyone have experience with both?
Reply:Imo the 211 all the way.
Reply:On the same 110v outlet both will have the same output power roughly. Your max under real world conditions will be 1/8" at best.The difference is that the MM211 will allow you to run on 230v power if available. That means you can weld up to 3/8" f you have 230v power vs 1/8" on 110v. In general, you will spend less in the long run by getting the MM211 up front. A 110v machine is usually very limiting. On average they are sheet metal machines. Duty cycle at max is very low. Don't expect to weld lots of 1/8" material with one all at once. You will have to weld, then stop for quite a while while the machine cools, then weld again. If you have 230v power available, you can weld quite a bit of 1/8" material without stopping, and your welds will look a lot better with the extra power available..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:If you could buy both a miller 140 and 180, or just a 211 for the same price, which would you get and why? And hopefully you won't sell you'd justtake the 140/180 and sell them so you can a buy a 211Last edited by jordan725; 11-12-2012 at 10:03 PM.
Reply:The MM211 has more output on 230v than the 180 amp machine, so that would win hands down there. I can see a use for 2 migs. I have a small 110v mig that I keep loaded with .023 wire just for sheet metal. That lets me keep .030 or .035 mig wire in my larger mig for heavier stuff. I'll still grab the larger machine for anything over say 1/16"/ 16 ga. The duty cycle of the  230v machine means it does a better job on material over 1/16". If I have a lot of thin material to weld though, I'll still load the .023 wire in the bigger machine. It simply welds nicer than the cheap 110v unit. The only reason I keep the small 10v machine is that it doesn't owe me anything at this point. If it died tomorrow, I wouldn't bother replacing it.On average though not all guys have the space for the number of machines I have. The ability to have just one machine that you can use on 230v in the shop and still be able to take it to someone elses house for light repairs is a big plus.In the end, you will want to have a 230v machine. The 110v one is only really good for portable repairs if the material is fairly thin..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:Interesting perspective, thanks. For now I mostly do sheet metal work and have access to a metal shop with a big welder when needed, so not too concerned about needing the bigger welder in the shorter term.When running 110v on sheet metal  would you say the 211 does nicer welds than something like a Lincoln 14c or millermatic 140? Or does it perform about the same?
Reply:Different machines will weld differently, even from the same manufacturer. Arc quality is one of those things that is very hard to quantify. Some machines have a very "harsh" arc, some have a very "soft" arc. Neither is "good" or "bad", but a given person may prefer one over an other. Hobart, Lincoln, Miller, TA, Essab etc would all have their own "personal" quirks that a user may or may not like. The only real way to tell is to use them.On average, the vast majority of welders won't really notice the difference in the arc though, especially at the hobby level. It takes someone who is really attuned to what is happening to notice the subtle differences.As a general blanket statement, you can pretty much figure that any 130-140 amp class mig running on 110v power will give you pretty much the same capability. The biggest differences will come from the power source itself. If you read the instructions all of them say they want to be run on a dedicated 20 amp outlet. Try and run them from a 15 amp line, run them off an extension cord ( especially a long or thin one) or if there are other things plugged into the same circuit, and all of the machines performance will suffer. These small migs are very finicky about the input voltage especially at the higher end of their output. Small drops in line voltage will make a big difference. In general it's not so much the machine that is the limiting factor, it's the power that is being used to run it..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:The future ? How far away is the future ? A year or two ?  If it is a long way off there maybe improvements or changes as to what's out there now. Cost will also increase too. Don't worry, you can never have too many machines. Ask anyone here.
Reply:I just brought my 140C back and got a 211. I wanted to be able to do thicker stuff so I wanted the option of going to 220V when I need it. In my opinion (and this is just from my observations) the 211 seems to be able to do handle the thicker material (1/8 and some 3/16) better then the 140. Both running 110v. The one little variable is that I am using a dedicated 110v outlet with a 20 amp breaker. That seems to help a lot. I loved the Lincoln and I don't think you can go wrong with either. However, I think the 211 is a little better option.
Reply:Originally Posted by BD1The future ? How far away is the future ? A year or two ?  If it is a long way off there maybe improvements or changes as to what's out there now. Cost will also increase too. Don't worry, you can never have too many machines. Ask anyone here.
Reply:Thanks for the feedback everyone. I really appreciate it. My feeling is that I should probably get a 110V and save the extra money. Then once I get 220 power I can either get a second welder, or sell the 110V and trade up.Thanks so much everyone!The Veloz GroupSmith & Walker Tools
Reply:If you have an electric dryer, you have 230v power available. I started out welding with an old transformer stick machine plugged into my dryer outlet with a 50' extension cord. In my next apartment, I was running off the 50 amp range outlet instead.230v power isn't as unobtainable as many believe..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:You could always buy the 211 and then just get a TRAILBLAZER to power it.
Reply:If you don't have 230v and you are in an apartment or rental, you are limited because of the landlord situation and paying for improvements on something you don't own.But, every residential electrical service has 230V power available. Consider the cost of adding the 230v circuit in your decision making. If you are planning on adding the 230v and have the need for it, buy the 211 and run it on 110v for now. You won't regret it. I also agree with DSW on the versatility of having the 2 machines if you can. I'm still not clear on the 110/115/120 or 220/230/240 designations.If the 110v machine decision is based on budget, buy what you need to weld NOW, and justify "I really need another welder" when the time comes.  I'm real happy with the HH140, specifically intended for use within its limitations.Last edited by jtcnj; 11-13-2012 at 08:04 PM.Lincoln AC/DC 225/125 and WP17. 75A AC is for pipe thawing!HH 140 - new addtion 9/2012.I didn't agree, but hoped for Hope and Change.I got change for myself and my family: for the worse.This is the reality of: Barackalypse Now. Again.
Reply:Went through the same series of questions....and purchased the MillerMatic 211 MVP. I do not have direct access to 230V in my welding area, but with a 25ft. cord, I am in business to the heavier metals.I chose Miller for the local support offered by my local dealer and in fact, he matched the online price with no questions asked.
Reply:You can turn the big welder down, you can't turn the little one up.  If you just can't see buying a 220V machine, I think the new HH140 is the best thing going.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWThe MM211 has more output on 230v than the 180 amp machine, so that would win hands down there. I can see a use for 2 migs. I have a small 110v mig that I keep loaded with .023 wire just for sheet metal. That lets me keep .030 or .035 mig wire in my larger mig for heavier stuff. I'll still grab the larger machine for anything over say 1/16"/ 16 ga. The duty cycle of the  230v machine means it does a better job on material over 1/16". If I have a lot of thin material to weld though, I'll still load the .023 wire in the bigger machine. It simply welds nicer than the cheap 110v unit. The only reason I keep the small 10v machine is that it doesn't owe me anything at this point. If it died tomorrow, I wouldn't bother replacing it.On average though not all guys have the space for the number of machines I have. The ability to have just one machine that you can use on 230v in the shop and still be able to take it to someone elses house for light repairs is a big plus.In the end, you will want to have a 230v machine. The 110v one is only really good for portable repairs if the material is fairly thin.