The Syncrowave has outputs on the 14 pin control connector to allow you to read voltage and current in the weld circuit. That is what I was worried about the HF on. That and ground interactions between the DVM, PC (for recording), and the weld circuit.
I was interested in the power factor correction because the max current is noticeably lower. The high idle current and cost made me change my mind.
BobH
Really depends on why one uses power factor correction. I did it for a couple of reasons. The first was using a branch circuit that was not as big as it should have been. The second was so I could take the welder out of the basement and up to the the driveway. This meant using a 75 or 100 foot extension cord. So reducing the current was important. Well I could have run out and bought a # 6 or #8 extension cord, but power factor correction was a lot cheaper.
In addition to the welder, I have a drill press with a 1.5 hp motor that pops the circuit breaker when I have run it without some power factor correction caps. With power factor correction no problem. Without PFC I have to reset the breaker about half the time. It is on a 120 volt 15 amp branch and adding PFC is a lot easier than running a
20 amp circuit. I think it is cheaper too.=20 Dan
I never had a problem on a 30A circuit, and I did quite a bit of welding that way running up to 150A or so output. If anything PFC would increase the startup surge when charging the caps.
Inverter style welders have a start-up surge, when the supply capacitors are charged at first plug-in or turn-on.
Certainly the typical buzz box would not have a start-up surge.
Enjoy, DoN.
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