What is 110/120 volt MIG capable of?

admin

Okay new guy here, never welded before, interested in cars, blah, blah, blah you all have heard it before. My question is, about how thick of metal is a 110/120v welder with somewhere in the 130amps range capable of welding? What are the benefits of having 220 vs 110 in sheetmetal/exhaust pipe welding?Thanks
Reply:The lincoln 135 is a really good unit, it WILL weld up to 1/4" with no problems. For auto exhaust/ sheetmetal, you won't need anything more powerful. The only benefit to using a 220v machine in that application would be the higher duty cycle rating. But truthfully, I never hit the duty cycle with my 110V when I had it. And there are times I wish I still had it.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloThe lincoln 135 is a really good unit, it WILL weld up to 1/4" with no problems. For auto exhaust/ sheetmetal, you won't need anything more powerful. The only benefit to using a 220v machine in that application would be the higher duty cycle rating. But truthfully, I never hit the duty cycle with my 110V when I had it. And there are times I wish I still had it.
Reply:OK, just think a minute.  There is NO SUCH THING as a 130 amp 110 volt mig welder no matter what it says on the label.  Here we go, another pet peeve of mine.Watts = Volts X amps.Most 110 volt outlets are on a 15 or 20 amp circut.  The wire and breaker are set up for 15 or 20 amps.   Look at the panel on your welder.  It will say 130 amps at (25? maybe even 30) amps 110 volts.  Ever see a 25 amp outlet?  14 guage wire is good for 15 amps, 12 is good for 20.  Plug your welder into the plug closest to the panel and you will get the most you can from it.To answere your question, 110 volt mig is great for exhaust and sheet metal.  It can weld 1/4" if you bevel and weld both sides.  This is streaching the limits.This is from the websiteCircuit Breaker Recommended: 20 - 25 ampsInput voltage: 110 VACPhase: SingleDuty Cycle: 20% at 100% outputMax Metal Thickness: 3/16"DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Duty cycle means you can weld so many minutes out of 10.  50% means you can weld 5 minutes, cool 5.  20% means weld 2 minutes, cool 8 minutes.  If you do not do this, it can damage the machine.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:For thinwall tubing you're better off with a gas machine..Much cooler and much better than fluxcore..Fluxcore burns hot and  can be a handfull while welding upside down.. ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterFor thinwall tubing you're better off with a gas machine..Much cooler and much better than fluxcore..Fluxcore burns hot and  can be a handfull while welding upside down.. ...zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by David ROK, just think a minute.  There is NO SUCH THING as a 130 amp 110 volt mig welder no matter what it says on the label.  Here we go, another pet peeve of mine.Watts = Volts X amps.Most 110 volt outlets are on a 15 or 20 amp circut.  The wire and breaker are set up for 15 or 20 amps.   Look at the panel on your welder.  It will say 130 amps at (25? maybe even 30) amps 110 volts.  Ever see a 25 amp outlet?  14 guage wire is good for 15 amps, 12 is good for 20.  Plug your welder into the plug closest to the panel and you will get the most you can from it.To answere your question, 110 volt mig is great for exhaust and sheet metal.  It can weld 1/4" if you bevel and weld both sides.  This is streaching the limits.This is from the websiteCircuit Breaker Recommended: 20 - 25 ampsInput voltage: 110 VACPhase: SingleDuty Cycle: 20% at 100% outputMax Metal Thickness: 3/16"David
Reply:Thats very true..The 30 amp outlet lets the mig run all day..Others.. ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Also consider the Millermatic Passport.  It's an inverter-based power source, and stretches those amps from the 120V supply.  It also automatically works even better when you feed it with 240V.  I consider it one of the few true 1/4" machines from 120V.All the name brand machines have excellent reputations for sheet metal performance.  The Hobart Handler 140 is a great performer for the money.  At this level there is no significant gain by getting a machine with infinitely variable voltage settings, just more expense and dials to set wrong.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterThats very true..The 30 amp outlet lets the mig run all day..Others.. ...zap!
Reply:Regardless of the amps actually being 90 from a 20amp outlet, it could still do sheetmetal and exhaust pipe with no problems right?I do currently have access to a stick welder for any thicker metal that Im unlikely to be welding. Is Clarke a good name brand? What do you guys think of the Clark 130 I linked to?The necessarry cooling time might actually be a good thing when it comes to welding sheet metal right?Last edited by fuzzcar; 03-10-2007 at 10:48 PM.
Reply:Even a Clarke should be able to handle sheet metal as fast as you can set up each bead.
Reply:Originally Posted by fuzzcarRegardless of the amps actually being 90 from a 20amp outlet, it could still do sheetmetal and exhaust pipe with no problems right?I do currently have access to a stick welder for any thicker metal that Im unlikely to be welding. Is Clarke a good name brand? What do you guys think of the Clark 130 I linked to?The necessarry cooling time might actually be a good thing when it comes to welding sheet metal right?
Reply:Originally Posted by SandyBingo, you got it. With sheet metal and even lighter gauge tube and box it's best to have a lot of things in a lot of stages. Weld a bit, brush something, clean something, check for fit-up, guzzle pepsi, move clamps, weld a bit more.. Keeps you busy and distortion minimized. Duty cycle never comes into play.
Reply:I have a miller mig welder rated at 130 amps on a 20amp breaker. The mig is an older one and has never failed me yet, The gun went causing porosity but thats the only problem I have had. My mig welder will do 130amps with no trouble. The duty cycle rating for the mig is 20% @ 130amps. I have burned through 3/16 inch and almost burned through 1/4 inch when at the 130 amp setting. I have pushed to welder way above the duty cycle. I even welded 24 inches of 1/4 steel in one pass with full penetration. I believe that the older welders duty cycle and construction may have been better than todays machines.As to the posts question, 110 units are great machine but do have limitation. 1/4 inch is about the best you can do and does take some welding experience to get a good strong weld. It is the best machine for light sheet metal, exhaust work, and 1/8 steel. If you are going to be welding heavy metal 1/4 and above most of the time than you are going to need more amps. Thats where the 220 volt unit is needed. Duty cycle normally is a good indication of the quality of the machine. Cheap welders will have low duty cycle and good ones will have higher duty cycles.Miller DVI2Lincoln Precision Tig 225Thermodynamics Cutmaster 38Everything else needed.
Reply:I used to plug my SP100 into my Lincolon gas welder.  I could get 30 amps out of that and voltage was right up there (I turned the governor up a little).  But for in your garage, fat chance of getting 20 amps of 110 unless you wire for it.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RI used to plug my SP100 into my Lincolon gas welder.  I could get 30 amps out of that and voltage was right up there (I turned the governor up a little).  But for in your garage, fat chance of getting 20 amps of 110 unless you wire for it.David
Reply:When I ran a new circuit into my garage I used a 30 amp single pole breaker, 10/2 wire and ended it with a 20 amp outlet. Not only did it give me a good circuit for the 110 Lincoln I was using before I got my 175, but it left the option open to upgrade the breaker and outlet for 240.If all thats being done is exhaust and sheet work, a 110 welder will be enough.
Reply:Originally Posted by jamlitThe duty cycle rating for the mig is 20% @ 130amps. ....
Reply:Originally Posted by MAC702While I do not doubt the abilities of your machine (I, too, own an older Millermatic 130,) I will say that the 20% RATED DUTY CYCLE of the machine is rated at only 90A output, even though the maximum output is 130A.  Its duty cycle is even less at 130A.