How to tell? (Idealarc 250 ac ..or ac/dc)?

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Do The old tombstone Idealarc 250 - Do some 'ac' have little lever on upper right on front or is that just for ac/dc? I'm looking at one maybe to buy (2 hour drive) but the little lever says AC in middle but has + up and - down for changing polarity.. this mean it is ac/dc? the pic has numbers on top and bottom of slot but cords covering where I'd think 'DC' would be. need to know asap please- Thanks
Reply:A switch, plus the fact it has numbers above and below the slot means it's AC/DC Here's the AC only version:Last edited by MinnesotaDave; 01-07-2015 at 07:50 PM.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Yes. The switch in the upper right corner is the polarity switch for an ac/dc unit. No switch in the upper right is an ac only unit.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:YUP.  Ditto.30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:Originally Posted by Geno the little lever says AC in middle but has + up and - down for changing polarity.. this mean it is ac/dc?
Reply:Thanks Folks- That is what I needed to know.
Reply:I love the old tombstone machines !There is a special space in my garage just for a model, when I find a vintage edition AdamSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:The scale would also show the amp settings for AC and DC.
Reply:I'm picking it up today. It is ac/dc thanks to you guys info. I paid 200 for it and extra 50 to meet me 1/2 way. It will be 1.5 to 2 hour round trip. It is suppose to be a working one. He said the ground lead needs few feet off as it is coming apart but leads are plenty long. I see the plug cord is changed to wrong kind of cord.. No biggie though as I'll get that fixed and I have the 50amp end here in a box.
Reply:Originally Posted by GenoI'm picking it up today. It is ac/dc thanks to you guys info. I paid 200 for it and extra 50 to meet me 1/2 way. It will be 1.5 to 2 hour round trip. It is suppose to be a working one. He said the ground lead needs few feet off as it is coming apart but leads are plenty long. I see the plug cord is changed to wrong kind of cord.. No biggie though as I'll get that fixed and I have the 50amp end here in a box.
Reply:Originally Posted by PipelinerHooray! $200 is a great deal.  Be prepared for close to 400 lbs when you meet to transfer between vehicles. Post up some pictures after you get it home.
Reply:Thanks.. Were hoping to put our tailgates back to back. I'll put a 5/8 plywood also across. I think it is on home made cart with wheels but not sure that is part of deal. I'll also have a come-a-long to hook to my rack behind my cab if I need to pull it across. By looking on the Lincoln site.. It is a 1967. Pretty old but looks to be just like condition of that early one posted by pipeliner above. Does have big number painted on front.. Makes me think might have been used commercial no doubt. Guess that not big deal as not a lot of moving parts. Note: I had a old retired electrician wire me a welding outlet in my garage years ago and I think it is #6 wire as it is quite thick. I seem to remember him saying bigger is better. It has 2 -50Amp breakers side by side tied together for 100 amp service. This is in my garage- should be good to go.Last edited by Geno; 01-09-2015 at 09:34 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveI told him I brought a hoist to do the lifting - he said that might work better since it's "kinda heavy."
Reply:Originally Posted by PipelinerYes, 1300 lbs and boards do not play well together.
Reply:Originally Posted by GenoBy looking on the Lincoln site.. It is a 1967. Pretty old but looks to be just like condition of that early one posted by pipeliner above. Does have big number painted on front.. Makes me think might have been used commercial no doubt. Guess that not big deal as not a lot of moving parts. Note: I had a old retired electrician wire me a welding outlet in my garage years ago and I think it is #6 wire as it is quite thick. I seem to remember him saying bigger is better. It has 2 -50Amp breakers side by side tied together for 100 amp service. This is in my garage- should be good to go.
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDavehe said his wife would have helped
Reply:Originally Posted by pipelinerhoney we just need to lift and hold while he backs under it real quick.
Reply:Two 50 amp breakers tied together with a bar is not 100 amps, it is still only 50 amps!
Reply:Shows how much I know.. I just remember him putting them in. I was thinking each hot wire had it's own breaker and then added the amps together for 220/240- How would one get 100amp? (not that I need it).. Would it be each hot wire going to a 100 amp breaker? Aren't 100 amp double throw or something like that. I never did much electrical that is why had him do it- probably good thing too! At least I do know whatever it is has been adiquite.. But this 250-250 Lincoln is a different beast than what I've used.
Reply:I'm guessing what you think is "two 50Amp breakers side by side tied together" is just a single 220V 50A breaker. You have two 110V lines of alternating phase coming into your house along with a neutral. A 110V circuit will connect one of those 110V lines along with neutral to give you 110V, and since it only uses one line the breaker will be a single width breaker. A 220V circuit will connect both of the 110V lines to give you 220V, and since it uses both lines it requires a breaker for each line -- resulting in a double-width breaker, tied together so both lines will break at the same time. The amperage is not doubled, however, and whatever it says on the breaker is the amperage of the 220V circuit.If you really need a 100A circuit, you'd need a 220V 100A breaker and sufficient wire size for the circuit, which is probably #3 or #4, and then somebody to install it for you. Though for now I'd just use the 50A breaker and see if it works for you....if you keep tripping it, that's when you can upgrade.
Reply:thank you- fully understand now. I'll try it down the road.. for now just got to get welder off truck and tucked away.