Another topic, update on SA-200 welder, non-real-estate-related

It is a beauty, how much do you want for it?

i

This is an unusually well made engine. 130+ PSI compression in all four cylinders. I know why people love those SA-200s. Very nice arc.

i

Enjoy this fine classic in good health.

The SA-200 is rated 200 amps at 28 volts or 5600 watts. At 746 watts per HP, that equates to a theoretical 7.4 hp. That Continental 4 banger is good for 50 or 60 hp so it never breaks a sweat driving the welder. Keep the rpm down to 1800 and it will last and last.

Here's a new video of it running, including burning a whole 6013 welding rod:

It looks more like as 20 HP engine to me.

i

Iggy, that looks like a lot of satisfaction. I have no knowledge of that particular generator, but watching and listening to the video I sense that the motor is slowing down severely under the welding load. Does the motor have a governor mechanism to maintain speed under load conditions? If so, I suspect you might need to perform a repair and/or adjustment. There is normally a centrifugally driven connection to the throttle. Someone else in the group might be able to advise.

Iggy, see if you can hear a working rig somewhere, yours doesn't sound right. The idle should be quieter, and the engine should fire up and run faster while it is welding or generating, then idle back down.

It does not do it, for some reason.

i

Dan, which component of it is responsible for this speeding up and down? Mine does not do that, indeed.

i

I would say, $700 is a fair price, maybe $1,000 for the antique factor.

I am too far from you to buy it though.

i

This sounds like a speed governor problem.

Or it may be that the electronics in charge of welding current is supposed to tell the governor to speed up, but fails to do so, or is ignored by the governor. Time for some manual reading.

Joe Gwinn

I was presuming that it was continental 163 since that is what the Lincoln manual references. The 163 is 162 cubic inches so hp rating of

50 to 60 would be reasonable. The other models (N-56, N-62 ...........) are smaller. (The numeric portion of the model is pretty close to the displacement)

The last data was from a google search. Your on-line copy of the manual was top of the search list! :) Check out page 5 of the manual (page 10 of the .pdf)

The spec sheet was interesting: the 163 has bore/stroke of

3-7/16"x4-3/8. That is a really undersquare engine, very long stroke. Specs on the 162 and 163 are the same except for the compression ratio and the addition of a bigger crank in the 163. Your 163 is the high performance engine! Compression ratio of 7.4:1 says your compression test should come out at 100 psi expected, 108 max.

Roy, I measured compression on all cylinders when I was changing spark plugs. It came out as 132, 135, 135, 137.

I did look at that document yesterday, and did not find HP numbers.

i

That conti engine is, I believe, rated at 40HP. The little one (same engine with smaller bore) was 35 - from what I remember of my tractor days.

I have a little printed circuit board on the welder, not sure of its function and whether it is wired rigt. But I do think that it is the key.

i

There is a speed control (idle control) board. I have a feeling that it may not be wired right.

i

Sounds a lot better but next time move the gas can way out of the way,

John