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Dialarc 225 AC/DC w/ HF TIG head ?

Ok so since I had so much fun with the little Harbor Freight TIG box I decided to get out big blue again and see just what it can do. I only fired it up to see that it functioned last time I got it out and it is such a monster it sort of hibernated a few years. I have a watercooled torch for it and the torch has a switch to turn the HF on and off. I have been looking into remote controls for it and a foot control looks like the only viable option...they want ~$300 for one though and then you have to buy a "kit" to install the plugs and a switch. I have manuals and schematics for the welder, HF head and several footswitches but nothing shows how to wire the foot switch in. All the footswitch has in it is a

130W 5ohm pot to replace the dial in the front of the machine. Seems like a straight tripple pole double throw switch would do to just switch between the two pots. Any insight as to what to expect from this machine before I go out and make sparks tomorrow? Glenn
Reply to
Glenn
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I had a Dialarc 250 HF for many years and it was a good machine. I am surprised that you need to install sockets for the contactor control, mine had them built right into the control panel of the machine.

Looking at the schematic for my machine, the current control foot pedal basically went in series with the wiper of the current control on the front panel. The switch to enable it (S2 on the schematic) is just a Single Pole Double Throw switch to select the foot pedal connector or bypass the foot pedal connector. There is also a microswitch in the foot pedal to control the main contactor. Looking at the schematic, the current control connector is labeled RC1 and is up at the top of the drawing near the center. The Contactor control is labeled RC2 and is at the lower left part of the page hooked up to the 24V winding on the main transformer.

I built a foot pedal for mine and it worked, but was not one of my more successful projects, as it needed a lot of messing with until I could afford to buy the factory one. The foot control on the contactor is probably as valuble as the current control part.

All told, the Dialarc was a good solid machine for doing DC TIG. It was capable of doing AC TIG but the newer machines are a big improvement here.

Good Luck, Bob

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MetalHead

Reply to
Glenn

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