Thermal Arc 185 Plug?

I just ordered a new Thermal Arc 185, and I should get it sometime next week. I'm wondering if I will be able to plug it in when I get it. In other words will the plug on the machine be compatible with the receptacle I have?

Last year I had an electrician run a new wire and install a separate control panel for my compressor and a welder. He put in a separate receptacle for a welder. The thing is, I was planning to get a Miller 175 at the time, so the receptacle is one that will fit that machine's plug. The question is will the plug on my new Thermal Arc 185 work in the same receptacle the Miller

175 uses or will I have to change it to something else?

I guess the next question is if the receptacle I have, that fits the Miller

175 won't work with the Thermal Arc's plug, what kind of a receptacle do I need to get so I can plug the thing in?

Hawke

Reply to
Hawke
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I don't suggest swapping receptacles, rather, swap plugs. I use this kind, good value for the $$:

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GWE

Reply to
Grant Erwin

the miller MM175 has same type of plug/ connector that you will get with a TA 185. the amprage rating is pretty close , make sure your circuit braker can handle it what the TA would pull. I use a 30 amp breaker.

Reply to
acrobat ants

Thanks for the suggestion but I'm not going to need it after all. You see, two miracles happened in the same day. First, the Thermal Arc 185 that I ordered from Indiana Oxygen on Thursday showed up on my doorstep today. That's right, today, Friday. It took exactly twenty four hours for them to ship my welder from Indiana to Northern California. I would say that qualifies as a miracle. Obviously, it didn't come by UPS.

The second miracle is that the welder fits the receptacle I have so I don't have to do a thing. I'm so flabbergasted that my welder is here and I am able to plug it right in and it works I can hardly believe it. Now if I can just figure out how the thing works I'll be one happy camper. I got the stick working but I've never done any tig welding so I'm a little intimidated, and of course, the manual is not much use. More questions will follow.

Hawke

Reply to
Hawke

Now if I can

go ahead , ask away , I got the same machine. I'll try to help you

do you already have shielding gas, a flow gage or flow meter?

Reply to
acrobat ants

Did you pick up an autodarkening helmet as well? I know that many people like the Harbor Freight, but I tried it and didn't like it so went for a Miller. Be sure to get one that has extra sensors for low amperage TIG welding, if you haven't already. Mine cost $175 and is great!

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You need some good gloves as well. Once you have these, along with filler rod and argon, then just start out making beads on a piece of flat steel. Then try some butt welds and angles. Really, TIG is very much like O/A - make the puddle, dip the rod, move on down the seam.

With O/A you control the heat by pulling the torch back away from the metal, but with TIG you control it with the foot pedal. So play around with that, but really, it is very natural.

The big deal is to not contaminate your tungsten by touching it to the metal. When that happens, and it will happen a lot at first, you have to stop, remove the tungsten, and regrind the point on it. So you will also need to dedicate a small, $30 grinding wheel from Lowes or Home Depot that you will use exclusively for tungsten - you cannot contaminate your electrode by grinding anything else on that grinder. Grind to a sharp point. Later on, for aluminum, you will learn to make a ball end on the electrode.

More people will pitch in, I'm sure, but have fun and go for it!

Reply to
Emmo

Thanks funny, I ordered my 185TSW late Tuesday, so is was more like Wednesday, and it showed up Friday afternoon and I live in Canada!!! This is the second piece of welding equipment I've ordered from IOC. Their service and prices are amazing.

I thought my Heliarc was great on aluminum but this 185TSW runs circles around it!!

Kevin

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Reply to
Kevin Y.

I have everything I need as I took a welding class in the spring so I'm ready to go. Unfortunately, I didn't get any instruction on Tig welding in the class, however I can use O/A, stick, and have done a little Mig, I'm not all that good at any of them but I'm learning. I have the stick welding working pretty well but I am encountering problems TIG welding (not a surprise since I've never done it before). The problem I am having is I keep melting the tungsten. It seems that whatever amperage I am using the tungsten keeps turning red and disappearing. At first, I know I didn't have the argon at a high enough (7 CFH) setting so I corrected that. Then I was using two small a tungsten. I was using a 1/16th so I switched to a 3/32nd (thoriated?). I thought that would have done the trick but I still keep getting the tungsten too hot.

Tomorrow I am going to the welding supply and get some lanthanated tungstens and a glass lens and collet body, if they have them. I think maybe I was welding where there was some wind and maybe that was messing up the gas shielding, but maybe not. If you have any tips on what causes the tungsten to be consumed or on what to set the machine at (for mild steel) I would appreciate it. Right now I am using AC, HF start, standard Tig mode. I've tried amperages from 30 to 80 but still burn the darn tungsten up anyway, as well as holes in the metal. This is frustrating. I think I will be okay on the welding if I can just figure out why the tungsten is burning up. Help!

Hawke

Reply to
Hawke

for mild steel, use DC Neg, not AC...

Reply to
Emmo

for mild steel, use DC Neg, not AC...

That helps, thanks, but is that what's causing my tungsten to burn up? Now if I can just figure out how to set the machine up for DC Neg. Like I said, the manual isn't all that good. Do I change from DC Pos to DCEN by changing the torch lead from the positive receptacle to the negative one or is that setting on the control panel?

Hawke

Reply to
Hawke

I think the reason you are burning up the tungsten because your machine is set on STICK welding, you have arc but gas solonoid is not suplying gas to the torch, you tungsten will get bright yellow HOT . do you hear gas flowing ? use DC for all steel only use AC on aluminum. gas flow should be 15-20 CF with gas lens 10 CF

swich you machine to lift arc, it is the lowes LED light on the process selecting section of you panel , make sure your ground lead is connected where it say WORK + and your tig torch is where it say TORCH - step on the remote foot pedal and feel with your hand to see if gas is coming out of the torch /gas cup don't worry in LIFT arc mode there will be no arc until you touch it to METAL if you have gas flowing, ground your work get your welding helmet on push your remote foot pedal and hold it down. touch the tunsten to the metal for 1 second, slowly lift up the torch and hold it only 1/16- 1/8 inch from your work. you should see progress let me know how it works

WHAT TYPE OF GAS ARE YOU USING ????? should be pure ARGON !!!

Reply to
acrobat ants

The standard setting is for DC negative. If you turn AC off (press the same button you used to turn it on), and assuming the machine is set up as per the manual, you'll be set for DC negative.

Peter

Peter

Reply to
Peter Grey

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