Looking for advice on what welder to buy

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Is there such a thing as a 220 volt welder that DOES NOT draw 50 amps?  I understand enough about electricity to want to get a 220 volt stick welder, but that 50 amp circuit is more than a little out of reach for me right now.I am new to welding and this forum, so please go easy on me when I write this:  I have been looking at 120 volt stick welders as an alternative.  My use of a stick welder is limited but I would like to learn how to use one because it's challenging to me.  There are a few out there and I've marrowed it down to a Craftsman that's rated at 100 amps and a Clarke of about the same rating.  I really don't want to go any lower than that and certainly don't want to go with an 'unbranded' one.I understand that a 120v isn't going to put out the same horsepower as a 220.  I need just enough kung fu to weld 3/16" at the most.So what's out there?
Reply:have you looked at the thermal arc 95s, gives stick capability too on 110vDynasty 200DXPassport plus w/ spoolmate 100victor 315c oxy/(act and prop)Miller digital elitemilwaukee power tools
Reply:I have been testing an Everlast 140ST recently.    for the price its a good little Stick and TIG welder if you are wanting to learn to weld.  It will run 5/32 of most rods and 1/8 7018 fine.   Max input at 230vdac is 25 amps. for 140amps output.  I wrote a review over in the Everlast forum.  It is very compact and runs on 110 or 220.   For what you are wanting it for It sounds like it would fit the bill.  For the price its a good machine.  You can PM me or post over in the Everlast forum if you have questions.   You will need an Inverter based welder and not a transformer based welder if you want to avoid the 50 amp power requirement.   Thermal arc is nice but  at 95 amps you are very limited in what you will be able to weld with it...Browse through Miller's welding calculators and you will get a better idea of what you can weld with what type of electrode and how many amps is needed etc.   check the TIG one too.  You cannot do Aluminum as it requires AC current. http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...calculator.phpLast edited by soutthpaw; 10-03-2011 at 08:20 PM.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Look at the Thermal Arc 161s, it is a 110/220v machine. This should out perform strickly 110v machine running on the same 110v and run off a 220v/30amp circuit at full bore.
Reply:Oh you need to let us know what your budget is too.   recommendations for a $250 vs $500 or $1000 will make a big difference.  based on the machines you mentioned It looks like you are in lower price rangeTiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:I spent quite a bit of time poking around the Everlast site.  The 140ST is very much in line with what I want and the price isn't all that bad, it's just a little while longer to save up for it, that's all.  Thank you for your replies.  I will post other questions (and THERE WILL BE other questions) in the other forums.
Reply:i personally like the everlast myself. the only issue i had was some operator error but now it works great! i think southpaw has a good recommendation on the 140st. (mine is a 250ex tig/stick)miller bobcat 250 ntsouth bend metal latheClausing verticle millrikon 17" bandsaweverlast 250exharris oxyfuel set upspeedglass AD helmet with adflo power respirator.
Reply:blue red yellow even maroon all good to consider. use the search function to research suggestions350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:Miller-Thunderbolt ac/dc, Maxstar 150, Maxstar 200    Lincoln-Invertec V155Millermatic 200Hobart Handler 120Victor O/A & Ramco BandsawLincoln 225 ACSnapOn AD HoodMiller XMT304/22AHypertherm Powermax 1650 G3Lincoln Idealarc DC600 w/Extreme 12 VSMiller Digital Elite "Joker"
Reply:If you like the Miller Thunderbolt, check the Hobart Stickmate, a Miller Rep once told me they are the same machine with diferent paint. Hobarts were said ti be made on the same production line, but are sold at a lower price point through retail chanels like Northern Supply rather than through professional welding supply shops.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:What do you mean by "but that 50 amp circuit is more than a little out of reach for me right now."do you already have a 30 amp 220v outlet were you want to weld now?is it just that you can afford the wire for the run?
Reply:The old 180 amp transformers are 37 amps for rural electric lines . You can use a AC-225 or Hobart Stick mate 225 on a 30 amp range or dryer circut with 3/32 and 1/8 rods all day long !!  Dont waste money on a 110 volt welder .  John   PS 110 volt migs are a waste of money too .
Reply:So, do you already have a 220v supply, just not at 50 amps?I currently own a Tig/stick, OA and a mig.  For general use, speed and convenience, it would be MIG all the way. If you have a 220, I've ran a Lincoln Tombstone at 150 amps output on a 30a circuit.  You can get one used for under $300 and they are virtually indestructible.  I sold my ac/dc 225 for $300.  It was in showroom condition and in the original box.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:My old forney 225 draws just less than 30 amps, have been looking to replace it but msot new welders didn't have the duty cycle of the old one.  Just bought a SA 200 lincoln shorthood, not a problem now.
Reply:assuming you have a current 220v outlet, what gauge wire is running to it? you may be able to go to a bigger breaker.
Reply:sounds like you know what you want....  i think you ought to bite the bullet, save and drop a 50amp outlet. you seem pretty logical, and you probably wont be happy with anything less.. for welding 3/16 at least with a mig welder you need around 180amps which goes up to the 220v machines..  seems like generally the 220v welders pull around 35-40amps requiring 50amp rated receptacle and breaker.tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:1)  The largest 240v circuit available to me is 40amps, for my stove.   2)  The main breaker for my residence is 100 amps and the panel is full, so having a 50 amp circuit put in would be prohibitively expensive right now.3)  How is it that a buzz box welder's manufacturer's tag can state it takes 220v 47 amps for current but it will run okay on a 220v 40 amp circuit?  Is that 47 amps what the machine draws all the time or is it the maximum it will draw at any one time?
Reply:If a machine has an output amperage range of lets say 25 - 200 amps, the unit is going to draw significantly less input amperage when it is outputting 25 amps then it will when it is maxed out and outputting 200 amps. To help make this clearer, and strictly an example only,  lets say to output 25 amps the unit will draw 3 amps from the input circuit (wall outlet) , and to output 200 amps the unit will draw 30 amps from the input circuit.For 3/16" and thinner material, I'd probably go with a 180+ amp wire feed unit like a Hobart Handler 190.If were looking at welding steel only and I wanted the option of stick, I'd go with a stick/TIG combo unit like my Miller Maxstar 150 STH.Last edited by Dan; 10-07-2011 at 10:42 AM.ESAB Migmaster 250 Hobart Ironman 230Multimatic 215TWECO Fabricator 181i & 211iHH125EZ - nice little fluxcore only unitMaxstar 150 STH - very nice
Reply:Originally Posted by jarheaddoc1)  The largest 240v circuit available to me is 40amps, for my stove.   2)  The main breaker for my residence is 100 amps and the panel is full, so having a 50 amp circuit put in would be prohibitively expensive right now.3)  How is it that a buzz box welder's manufacturer's tag can state it takes 220v 47 amps for current but it will run okay on a 220v 40 amp circuit?  Is that 47 amps what the machine draws all the time or is it the maximum it will draw at any one time?
Reply:I apologize for having a high learning curve here.  If I understand you correctly, the welder won't draw any more current than it needs to in order to weld at a certain amperage, and the circuit breaker will kick out if the machine draws more than the circuit is capable of providing?  For example, if the welder is only drawing 35 amps, the circuit won't kick out until the welder exceeds 40 amps of current for a certain period of time.I was working on the assumption that the welder was going to draw 47 amps of  input power regardless of how many amps it was putting out.
Reply:Correct.  The welder only draws what it needs to put out at a certain output.  Just like my car using gas example or a person running.  Your heart only pumps as much blood as it needs to.  Same thing with the welder.  I have a Syncrowave 250 in my garage that ideally needs a 100A circuit.  It runs fine off of a 50A if I don't turn it all the way up.
Reply:Well, that changes what I can get for a welder.  There are buzz box welders around here on Craigslist fairly often that are more affordable than what I was looking at.
Reply:Originally Posted by jarheaddocWell, that changes what I can get for a welder.  There are buzz box welders around here on Craigslist fairly often that are more affordable than what I was looking at.
Reply:I bet you can upgrade your stove circuit to 50 amps safely with just a different breaker. That is assuming it uses 8awg or 6awg hots, and that is probably a fairly safe assumption. I am considering tapping my stove line just because the stove is much closer to the garage than the box is. for now, I just do my welding a couple house down the road at my folks place.My 250 class MIG machine is supposed to draw about 45 amps peak, so I bet a 180 or 210 class machine would have no problems with a 40 amp breaker and even the 250 machine would be fine as long as you don't crank it. I haven't really looked into other than MIG yet.