transformer vs invertor for stick

A lot of inverters run a low open circuit voltage. That can be a problem when stick welding. It is harder to strike the arc, and it can be hard to hold an arc with some types of rods.

I have a 180SD, and it is a marvelous stick machine, good TIG machine too.

Gary

My personal favorite for a small Stcik machine that can also TIG pretty well would be the Miller Maxstar 150.

It runs on 110 or 220 volts and is garaunteed to run 1/8" 7018 from 110 volt input.

Miller is the only company that seems to have solved the 7018/6010 inverter stick welding problem.

The simplest version of the Maxstar 150 is around $600, and weighs about 13 lbs.

If you want the TIG package it will be closer to around $1000.

Hi Ernie, everyone

Can you enlighten me as to which 6010 sticks you use? I admit I have already been bugging everyone I know trying to sort out which rods work best.

Using Miller Dynasty 200DX - mainly for TIG, of course. Find

6010/6011 stick - some rods more difficult than others.

Richard Smith

Lincoln makes a really nice 6010 called 5P+ Pipeliner. They also make an excellent 7018 called Excalibur. Those 2 rods are 2 of our most popular rods at school and we always stay stocked up.

I just recently bought 2 Miller DX 200's they are a bit spendy ...input is 120v ac.......through..480 three phase . I have been very happy with my purchases ...I have found that these liltle boxes preform quite well in all of the different phases of use. Frank ..........Owner...Nevarc Marine....Everett WA.

Hi again Ernie, everyone

It makes such a difference? - the "5P+" runs well with the DC welding equipment which most of us have, whereas the straight "5P" is hard and needs something special which most of us don't have (reputedly, only a big DC generator with a high open-circuit voltage)?

I have only the "straight 5P" and have never been able to run them - they didn't have any already-opened 5P+ to hand-out when I was sent a sample here in the UK. So I would have found life manageable had I been sent some 5P+'s to try as well?

Richard Smith

I've done more stick than tig with my 200DX (newbie on tig). It does fine, easier than the ancient Lincoln I used when I was a kid 30 years ago.

Pete Keillor

Ernie, everyone

Hi again

Tried to follow-on to this one before - hope not posting twice.

So the "5P+" will run with the welding machines which most of us have (DC inverter machine) - whereas the "5P" will not (only a heavy-weight DC-welding-generator).

You can understand my need for reassurance when a tin of cellulosics is not absolutely cheap...

The "5P+" is a good general-purpose cellulosic rod to have around?

Richard Smith

For dirty repairs & mobile stuff, the 5P+ is what I use the most. It is more forgiving on unclean metal than the regular 5P.

Good luck

I believe that to be true

6010 is a very aggressive rod. It is used in a lot of maintenance and repair work, root passes on pipe welds, and anywhere where the base metal is not clean and happy.

It is too aggressive for some work, like sheet metal.

It is one of the "must haves" in your rod collection.

My 2 cents for what it is worth. While at SK Foods I had to do some 5p welding with my Maxstar200DX and it ran it just fine. I was using 5/32 and

3/16 both and it welded just fine. As far as I am concerned it welds great whether 5p+ or 5p.

jess

Maybe the "rugged industrial-strength" Maxstar has more kick than the "gentile and sophisticated"(?) Dynasty?

('cos I can't do the special cellulosic manipulations like pushing into the weld root to force penetration and keyholing - loose the arc and set fire to the rod when try).

Richard Smith