Welder Repairs

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I'm looking at a Idealarc 300/300 for sale that needs some repairs.  I assume the transformer rarely goes out.  Is it expensive to get these welders fixed or is this something a gearhead/Engineer could fix?ThanksMark
Reply:Would you be allowed to take this unit into a welding service center for a repair quote?
Reply:It's kind of expensive to have any welder fixed around here.  Repair rates run $75 dollars an hour and a 2 hour min for drop-offs (no parts included).  House calls are more.  The idealarcs are a long-running product.  I don't think early ones are very complicated, but some of the later ones have lots of features...If you are an engineer, you definately have a leg up in the learning curve, but broken welders (especially large ones) are easy to find at what might first appear to be a really good price.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:I bought this machine because I feel the previous users didn’t know what they were doing and I don’t mind taking risks sometimes.  I never got ahead in life by staying in bed where it is safe.  The machine welds great stick welding, but something is not set right when trying to TIG.  It has a button control on the handle and I can get an arc started, but it is like a “pilot arc” in that it just arcs like I’m welding but it doesn’t do anything, it just continues to arc, but it doesn’t weld.  Am I missing something, because it has been years since I Tig welded.  I know I’m going to hear, “learn from a master” from someone on this forum, but would appreciate any advice or ideas from anyone familiar with this kind of welder. Before I take it anywhere for a repair quote, I need to make sure something simple is not the problem.Thanks in advance.Mark
Reply:Are you learning to tig?   Sounds like you might not be holding the torch close enough to the metal.  Metal could be too thick.  Amperage too low.  Look at some pictures of the torch flame and study the parts of the flame.  The tip inner cone is the most intense heat.Good luck
Reply:I am with you on the willingness to take a chance.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  It sounds like the high frequency is running but the welding current is not.  This might be very simple...as simple as not having the torch connected correctly.If it runs a stick fine, then you have output.  So, no problems there.Here are a couple of manuals that might be helpful...http://content.lincolnelectric.com/p.../im/IM228A.pdfhttp://content.lincolnelectric.com/p.../im/IM224C.pdfCheck your setup and see if everything is connected correctly.  The torch should be connected to the welder at the adapter block or something similar.  The following is a set of diagrams and instructions for the general setup of a tig machine.http://www.millerwelds.com/education...ips/setup.htmlThe adapter block in this picture is where the welding current comes in (and the coolant).  In some setups (air-cooled), the adapter block carries welding current and argon shielding gas.  The high frequency is just a background current that is superimposed for starting the arc.  If you are confident that you have everything connected correctly, the problem is probably elsewhere.Is there some selector switch that goes from regular stick to tig???  The second manual listed has a trouble shooting guide that suggests three causes of the problem you describe...1) open transformer curcuit, 2) a switch problem (not centered or whatnot), and 3) loose, damaged or broken torch (work) leads.Another thing that I just thought of is the foot control...do you have one?  if not, is there a "remote" switch that is switch on?  On some welders, if you dont have a remote amp control connected, but the switch is on "remote", you get minimal current.Just some stray thoughts.Last edited by smithboy; 03-14-2006 at 02:50 PM.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:I'll tell you something that happened several years ago.  While attempting to tig weld some material, the same thing you describe happened.  The high frequency was trying to start an arc but for nought.  After much agonizing, I discovered that the little flexable power cable had separated. It was a wp 20 torch.  In other words, you might need to replace the power cable.
Reply:I’m not new to Tig welding, but it been about 20 years since I’ve done it.  I messed around with it last night and did some stick welding for a while and it worked perfectly.  There is a switch to go from stick to gas and there is a switch to either use remote or panel control.  I don’t have a foot control, but it has the push button control on the torch.  I was having an erratic problem with the push button not always working, where when I moved the leads around the it worked and sometimes it didn’t.  I’m going to get a foot contoller and see if I can borrow my cousins torch and see what happens.  If this fixes it, I’ll go out and buy a new torch.  Thanks for the helpMark