Diversion 180

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Ok guys, im in the market for a small tig welder.  It will primarily be used for sheet metal work like fuel cells and headers. Im sure there will be some light aluminum repair work and a roll cage or two thrown in there too.  I also run a small mobile welding buisness so portability is a definate plus.I was down at the weding shop today and it looks like the dynasty 200 would be my best option.  Unfortunately the price tag is around $3,000.  The diversion 180 is about $1,000 cheaper and that extra grand can go into some much needed upgrades to the work truck.Does anyone have any experience with the 180?  I would love to hear some feedback from 180 owners and users.  Thanks!
Reply:I'm probably about a month away from getting my hands on one of these.  It looks pretty promising for all you mentioned.
Reply:I welded with one on one of the miller show trailers, the Miller Rep explained it to me as a dumbed down dynasty.. Nice stable arc, the ability to use one tungsten.. Its a nice platform. I like the size / portability / ability to run on 110 / 220. the only fault I have is the minimal amperage and lower duty cycle. Providing you don't need output  than it puts out I think it would be a great little machine.  Go to a reputable welding supply shop and ask them if you can demo one.. Welders are kinda like cars in my book.. I won't buy one without a test drive, new or used.
Reply:The downside to the Diversion's are the low duty cycle at max amps. If you are serious about doing alum you will quickly find that this will limit what you can weld. Miller lists 3/16" alum, but 1/8" max is probably more reasonable. They list 1/4" on the Syncro 200, and I know from my syncro 200, that in reality thats optimistic at best..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I've done 3/16 aluminum on my Diversion 165 for about 2 hours at a time, dial set pretty high on the amp scale, with no duty cycle issues.The 180 seems like the 165 with digital readout and a few more max amps - doesn't seem worth the additional $500.  If it were me, I would seriously compare a TA 185 vs the Diversion 180 - more arc features on the TA.However I'm very happy with the Diversion so far.
Reply:I was down at the weding shop today and it looks like the dynasty 200 would be my best option.
Reply:is the 180 a new welder for milleri would wait at least 2 years beforebuying any thing newsave up or buy a used 200 dxthey have a good rep. and hold therevalue and you can see how manyhours a 200dx has on it
Reply:Saying the diversion is a dumbed down dynasty is foolishness. Look at the duty cycles, and you quickly will realize one is a toy, the other a tool. For a hobby machine the diversion is a fantastic way to have the capability to tig aluminum, but for any kind of production work, it's a bad joke.Incidentally I passed on the diversion for this very reason and got a dynasty. More than just amperage/duty cycle, you can tune the wave form, frequency, and balance. Incredibly flexible machine. Not much more $ than a comparable transformer based (sine wave only) machine.Last edited by totalloser; 07-28-2010 at 06:22 PM.
Reply:The other Diversion downfall is; neither the 165 or 180 will weld with stick.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:Can the torch be changed out for one longer in length? And does it have lift start/arc capabilities? Just curious
Reply:Originally Posted by bassboy1If the Dynasty is the best option, then you should probably be looking a lot closer at a TA-185 as opposed to the Diversion 180.  Not too much more money, but a lot better machine.  The only possible downside I can see is not having 115 volt input as an option.  At least for me, if I truly needed 115 volt, it would justify getting a Dynasty.  Heck, I think an air cooled torch might have a better duty cycle than the Diversion machine has, specially if you play at all with 'loominum.
Reply:The TA185 is by far the best deal going in full featured pro quality ac/dc portable inverter tig machines.  If you can't afford a Dynasty 200, the TA is a truely excellent machine and a near equal to the Dynasty for alot less money.  The only downfall of the TA for mobile work is it doesn't run on 110v power like the Dynasty does.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op