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I know most of you will say, just buy a bigger machine, but this is just a what heck kind of thing, I like to piddle with these things. Anyways, I have an old Lincoln 180 AC welder with the crank style amp control, and there is another Lincoln AC 180 knob style on craigslist for 75 bucks, I could build a bigger base, add 220v fans wich i have from junk gas heating units, and wire the transformers in series for give or take 360 amps, which i will never use more than say 165, but I'd have alot better duty cycle with two transformers I'd think. And Im no newbie at electrical work. O yea, and I have the diode rectifier out of a blown transformer airco unit. Just thought I'd see if anyone else had tried this of heard of it. ThanksChris
Reply:how about a wiring diagram?I have an old buzzbox that is good for about four rods during the hottest part of the day.Been thinking about some cooling fans.I thought about setting it in the shop refridgerator,but where would the beer go?tractor,loader.dozer,backhoe,and all the tools to keep em movin
Reply:http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/Paralleling.pdf
Reply:how much duty cycle do you need in a stick machine? i cant make a 14"  1/8 rod take more than 3 minutes to burn ..
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadhow much duty cycle do you need in a stick machine? i cant make a 14"  1/8 rod take more than 3 minutes to burn ..
Reply:I'm not so certain what will really happen when you correctly parallel two similar transformers.  True, you potentially have a greater current delivery system but... you may need a higher output voltage to take advantage of that.ExampleIn the past, I have parallel-wired deep-cycle batteries together for welding.I had six 12-volt batteries (each 100 amp-hour), so I could group them:a) two batteries = 24 volts, 100 amp-hour),b) four batteries = 24 volts, 200 amp-hour)c) six batteries = 24 volts, 300 amp-hour)Using Lincoln 3/32 ich, 7018AC rod, welding would draw about 120 amps at 22 volts - and it didn't matter much how many batteries were joined in parallel.  Why?  The current driver was the voltage; I had only 22 volts available while welding.  The system didn't care whether I could deliver 150, 200 or 300 amps; it couldn't use it all the current available.To get more amps through the same rod, I needed more voltage.  I used three of these 12 volt batteries is series.  Then the same 3/32, 7018AC rod welded at 155 amps at 28 volts.  Changing to a larger diameter 1/8 inch 6013 rod, the three-battery system welded at 200 amps at 28 volts.The point I'm making is that having more current available (two transformers in parallel) may not change the welding current appreciably... unless you increase the diameter of the welding rod.  BUT, there will come a point with any rod when you will have to increase the voltage to obtain any more increase in welding current.Thus, I suspect that you might need to add some turns to each transformer secondary winding to increase the output voltage, so that then when you parallel the outputs, you will have a higher voltage and thus more welding current available.Rick V 1 Airco Heliwelder 3A/DDR3 CTC 70/90 amp Stick/Tig Inverters in Parallel1 Lincoln MIG PAK 151 Oxy-Acet
Reply:So what do you think would be suitable for adding a few extra turns? Should I buy magnet wire, which gauge? Or would regular copper wire work? And also, the one welder has a reactor coil, and the other is a tapped transformer. So theoreticaly speaking, could I connect the high output line from the tap to the output of the reactor welder, and use the one reactor coil to adjust current on both transformers in unison?ThanksChris
Reply:I would look into going from AC to DC along with wanting more duty cycle.  Since your shopping around I would wait and see if a big Idealarc would come up for sale.  You would get 250 amps of dc power and avoid any head aches and dangers with making your machine.
Reply:Originally Posted by lowrider6013I know most of you will say, just buy a bigger machine, but this is just a what heck kind of thing, I like to piddle with these things. Anyways, I have an old Lincoln 180 AC welder with the crank style amp control, and there is another Lincoln AC 180 knob style on craigslist for 75 bucks, I could build a bigger base, add 220v fans wich i have from junk gas heating units, and wire the transformers in series for give or take 360 amps, which i will never use more than say 165, but I'd have alot better duty cycle with two transformers I'd think. And Im no newbie at electrical work. O yea, and I have the diode rectifier out of a blown transformer airco unit. Just thought I'd see if anyone else had tried this of heard of it.So what do you think would be suitable for adding a few extra turns? Should I buy magnet wire, which gauge? Or would regular copper wire work? And also, the one welder has a reactor coil, and the other is a tapped transformer. So theoreticaly speaking, could I connect the high output line from the tap to the output of the reactor welder, and use the one reactor coil to adjust current on both transformers in unison? ThanksChris