TIG HF unit question, A.R.C products

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Unit is made by ARC (advanced robotics Corp) out of either cloumbus or hebron OH. Plannin on adding this to my AC welder and have a few questions. I havent rec. unit yet, but will provide pictures below.1)anyone ever heard of this company or know where they went?2) anyone have experience with this or similar unit3)of course lookin for manual4) dont see an ac/dc switch on front, but is a HF unit, so would assume would be ok for AC HF, some of the millers i have seen have ac/dc switch which just turns the HF off after arc struck, as opposed to being on all the time, wonderin if I just hook up my AC unit to the + terminal of the HF unit, labeled DC (+) 5) this seems to have some form of pulse control added on to it? or wave control, with dials for amplitude, frequency and scan, along with a dial for base? any helpful hints on how these effect welding for a newbie to tig?thank you and more questions to comescotthttp://www.picturehosting.com/images...kosmd/weld.jpghttp://www.picturehosting.com/images...oseups0120.jpghttp://www.picturehosting.com/images...oseups0121.jpghttp://www.picturehosting.com/images...oseups0123.jpghttp://www.picturehosting.com/images...oseups0122.jpg
Reply:in lookin at my own pics, guess I dont know about my ac/dc question, really the input just say +/- from welder, just assume talkin about DC.  the millers I have seen are bit simpler and just say electode/work then you flip ac/dc switch to correct position.  other than givin HF on startup of DC only or continuous HF on ac mode, not sure if switch does anything else?scott
Reply:I have heard of the company.  I used to have a tig torch from them, but none of their machines.  I don't know what happened to them, though.  Between the late 80s and 90s there was a lot of mergers and aquisitions in larger industrial firms.  Many just went out of business and were sold off.It looks like this is a high freq pulse unit with a gas solenoid and meter built in.  The miller high freq unit still available is similar in many respects and might give you a good idea of the capabilities.  Grab one of their manuals.  It will give you a good idea how this one connects with a constant current ac(?)/dc welder.  You can usually use these in both ac and dc welding.  The miller manual will explain many of the settings for different metals, if I remember right.  It appears to be a really nice unit, but just a bit dated.  Add this and argon to a nice stick welder and you have a tig machine.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:the +/- will may be giving you the option of switching from electrode neg to electrode pos.  Or it could simply be turning to dc.  But Im more inclinded to think its the first i mentioned. Im looking at the pics and not sure what these devices are that say + and - from the welder.  But basically for tig work you want + for work   - for torch.  Does this help?  You might just try some experimenting with it.  Good luckIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:yea cant wait to get it, it seems there are 4 poles, one work (ground) one on bottom not named, figured that was torch, then 2 that say from welder +/-. That is the wierd part, the millers seem to just say work/electrode, then you flip switch for the input ac/dc. Would the ground from my AC machine i wonder go to work or to HF box (-) position then out the ground post to work. ponder.....scott
Reply:well on pdf of miller unit, guess would hook up like fig 3-1http://www.millerwelds.com/om/o610g_mil.pdfwhere AC electrode would got to HF+Welder ground got to HF-HF ground go to groundand last post prob to torch.guess as long as i am not standing in a puddle of water i'll be ok..if any other suggestions, or help with some of those controls or info on company would be great!scott
Reply:Mine simple hi-freq box has "work" and "electrode" lables only, but it works fine for both ac and dc.  The hi-freq current just runs on top of what ever current is already there, regardless what it is.  If it works in dc in both straight and reverse polarity, it should work for ac...right?  Cause ac is both.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:WIth ac it wouldnt matter which holes you plug in.  You could have it set up like a reverse poority or straight.  Wouldnt make a lick of differnce.  DC would...big time.  As long as your not standing in a puddle of water with AC youll be fine.  DC you can stand in that puddle, or not stand in that puddle...either way you better have it set for straight polarity...whch is work clamp pos and electrode neg.   In welding its better to call the "ground" a work clamp as its not relly a true ground.  Its been explained to me.  But I beleive the main differnce is that a true ground isnt suppose to carry any current.  A welding work lead most definately does.  If you dont beleive me, get a buddy to start welding and grab that "ground clamp" with your bare hand.  It works better if your standing in a puddle of water.  And rubber soled work boots will make a differnce...dont beleive me...again weld in a puddle of water with sneakers, then with big rubber soled boots....even if the water doesnt come up ver the soles...you prolly will feel it bite ya.  AC is a lot worse about this though.IF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:I only run AC when it is required.... Alum tig....It can be dangerous stuff if its wet out. And where I'm from, it usually aint dry!!!Almost 3" of rain today, and it isn't showing signs of slowing!We need to protect Freedom of Speech, otherwise, how would we know who the A-holes (like me) are.
Reply:send it this way BB!IF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Amen to that!!!!! It's unusually dry here. Anybody close to the fires?
Reply:It just dawned on me to ask because of one of the lables on the machine in the picture (dont switch under load)....could this instead of a hi-freq unit be a low-amp precision tig welder?  It's just I have seen a lot of HF units and never have I seen that warning.  But, see that warning on lots of welders. Just a passing thought.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:not really sure, there are a lot of switches on hf box to switch back to "stick" there is the one on the left, then a dial up on top, mid right, along with a couple of "test" buttons. well cant wait to get it, will let you know more.  my only worry is that there is some sort of 16 pin? or so connector that clearly went back to the OEM welding unit prob for arc control, i dont see a power connection, and the only other hf boxs that I have seen have a seperate 115 or 240 etc connection to run unit, i guess, I hope the power to the unit does not come through the control cord, or will be a bit of a problem. will have to isolate the hot leads on pins and run in correct voltage......scott