Cobramatic on an Airco Dip Pak 250

admin

Hi Im a 1st time poster long time looker. My question is and I figured some of you guys who have worked with the Cobramatic Feeders can enlighten me on this. I have an Airco Dip Pak 250 mig welder. Id like to get a setup to weld aluminum. I have saw a few Lincoln Wire Matic 250 migs and some other similar setups running the Cobramatic feeders. I was just wondering if this is possible with the Airco and what all is required to make it work. Any help will be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks all.
Reply:I'm not familiar with an Airco Dip Pak 250.  I only know the Cobramatic side of the question.  Is your Airco a seperate mig power supply or does it have a built in feeder?   If it has a built in feeder, connecting a seperate feeder may be difficult.  If it is a seperate power supply, connecting the Cobramatic should be very simple.  Does your Cobramatic run on 115vac or 24vac input power?  They made them both ways.   If it runs on 115 like mine do, you can plug it into the wall if your Airco doesn't provide 115v aux power.  If it runs on 24vac, you need a 24vac supply if your Airco doesn't have that output.   The Cobramatic is very simple.  All it needs is power and contactor connections and gas supply direct from the regulator and it will run on any constant voltage mig power supply that has an internal contactor and a way to control it remotely.  If you don't have the Cobramatic yet, find one that runs on 115v and that has the correct gun already with it, in working condition.  The feeders are easy to find, but the guns are tough to find in good working condition without buying new.  Not all Cobramatic feeders can be used with all MK push-pull guns.  The Cobramatic MK3A and 150 feeders had no gas solenoid/valve in them, since the Cobra Gold and Gooseneck torches they came with had their own manual gas valves inside the torch.  The later Python (and I thnk also the Cobra Max) torches do not have a gas valve in the torch so the feeder needs to have the gas valve.  The 150 feeders can be upgraded with a control board and gas solenoid/valve kit but the kit is about $300, if I remember right.  The board alone is about $200.  My 150 feeder has the kit installed, for use with my Python torch.   Some of the later 150 feeders had the gas valve already pre-installed.  My MK3A's cannot be used with the Python at all.  There is no gas valve kit for those, that I am aware of.  Check with MK to be sure.  www.mkproducts.com.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Thanks DR for the response. Ive noticed you have quite alot of experience with these machines so Im glad this caught your attention. This is what sparked my question http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT. When I found that it got me to wondering if a Cobramatic would work with the Airco. The Airco is just a 250 amp all in one mig with the feeder built in like a Millermatic 250 or a Power Mig 255 Lincoln. Maybe once you guys see that set up on Ebay it will explain my situation and what Im trying to do a little better.
Reply:Hi Mike,  Since your Airco is an all-in-one mig, you'll probly have to do some modifications to make it work with an external feeder.  You'll need a switch to turn off power to the internal feed motor and  gas valve in the Airco so it's not trying to feed wire when you use the Cobramatic.  You'll need to connect the contactor control circuit from the Cobramatic to the gun trigger circuit on the Airco in order for the Cobramatic to turn the weld power on and off at the Airco.   To accomplish that, the Cobramatic contactor control circuit needs to be operating on the same voltage as the Airco's gun trigger circuit.You'll need to remove the weld power cable from the Airco's feeder and send it to the Cobramatic instead.   The ground cable can run straight from the Airco to the work, as normal.This is all likely possible, but will require some research and fooling around to make it work. You would be better off running the Cobramatic from an XMT or a PowCon SM or a Miller CP, or whatever other seperate, non-all-in-one, cv mig power source you have there.  Used PowCons and XMT's are readily available if you have $500-1500 to spend.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Yeah DR I think your right sounds like by the time I do get it figured out I would be better off to go the Pow Con or XMT route. I had a PowCon 400SMT? I think thats what it was. I was hard up for some cash so I sold it last winter...atleast I made money on it. The Airco was bought cheap. $200 for a working 250 amp wire welder with a 50 ext. cord full spool of wire and a flowmeter. I just saw that lincoln on Ebay there and it got me to wondering so I thought Id see what you guys thought. Thanks again. Mike
Reply:That's too bad you had to get rid of the PowCon.  They're great machines.  The 400SMT was top of the line from them, all 3 processes.  I have the 300SM, no tig functions.  I only use it for stick now days though.Great deal on that Airco!MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Yeah trust me Ive kicked and rekicked my myself for selling that thing. I kinda didnt understand what I had til it was gone. And believe me I ever run across another its going in the vault.
Reply:There's one for sale in the for sale section of this site...MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op