--Got a bit of a windfall and am finally in a position to get something better than the Econotig that I've been using/learning with for the past 5 years. Would like to stay with Big Blue; want something with a pulser, AC and DC. Reccomendations?
How much of a windfall?
If you can feed it a 90 amp circuit of 220 v single phase, Syncrowave 250DX. $3100
If the windfall is a bit smaller, Dynasty 200DX. $2600
Smaller Yet, Syncrowave 200. $1700
Mind you the Syncrowave 200 has only a rudimentary pulser.
Staying with big blue i was face with EXACTLY the same choices
If you need a significant amperage increase then ignore my advice now
I bought new and stayed blue because the welding shop i went to helped broker the sale of my old welder with NO comission so right there the sale of the old one was applied back at them to a new one.
if you stay blue then the next bigger brothers to the Econotig are the DYNASTY 200 and the Synchrowave 200
Battle 1 First off price (Canadina dollars) Synchrowave was 2400ish cdn dynasty was 3200 as a bare machine Synchrowave came with a regulator and torch and stinger et al Dynsaty did not for me once i had a torch and regulator and all for the dynasty is was near 4K canadian before taxes Synchrowave won for me
Battle 2 TIG parameters Synchrowave does proper squarewave AC some flexibiliy and a pulser Dynasty DX has one and only the DX BUT Frequency selection and a wide balance and all put the Dynsaty FAR ahead there IF you do AC Tig Dynasty wins At least in AC
Battle 3 Portability Dynasty is lighter than its cylinder and can be carried on a shoulder strap Synchrowave with running gear is 270 Pounds Dynasty wins
Battle 4 Efficiency if you care The dynasty takes less amps out of the wall to make an amp of weld than the Synchrowave 200
Battle 5 Weld quality. I Cannot say becasue i have not been able to compare the Synchrowave to the Dynasty in a true A-B test under power (Same paarmeters same material see if one makes a nicer or better pool) I defer this opion to someone who has used both and who might have done a full on comparison.
what i can say is the change between my old XMT 304 doing lift arc and the synchrowave is AMAZING wonderful low end control very focused arc and i suddently welded WAY BETTER with the new machine
The Synchrowave won for me because of budget concerns IF the dynasty was available with a built in "runner" package with a torch, regulator CLamp stinger and pedal for the 3k-ish prove things would have been different.
But i'm welding in a station in a shop so mobility is not critical. I'm doing really nice welds with what i have so the parameters i'm working within and doing well so i'm happy.
Efficiency i havent popped the breaker yet that i'm using and hydro has not gone berserk.
SO i'm a happy Synchrowave owner. but YMMV
Brent Ottawa Canada
steamer wrote:
--Let's just say more than enough.. Just picked up a used Haas Mini-Mill, hope to be upgrading to a new Myford lathe and a new welder would complete the set... ;-)
--Wish I could; that's the one thing I *can't* afford! You've seen my shop; about the best I could do is a 40 or 50 amp breaker. I'm running my Econotig with a 30 amp breaker tho and I've only popped it once.
--Yeah that's the one I'm thinking about..
--Well even rudimentary is better than toe-tapping music and the footpedal, but isn't the Syncrowave 'old tech'; i.e. don't I need a crane to move it around? Portability would be a nice plus..
Then skip the Syncrowave 200, it will want a 60 amp circuit.
The Dynasty will live quite happily on a 30 amp circuit, plus you can use it anywhere, by making plug adapters.
110v to 460v 3 phase, 50 or 60 hz.
The Synro 200 is over 350 lbs with a bottle.
Go for the Dynasty 200DX and be very very happy.
I ran my Syncrowave 250 (non DX) on a 30A feed for a good year and a half before I upgraded power to my shop. During that time I did a lot of projects with 16ga steel tube and never once popped the breaker and that
30A feed was the whole shop which included the fluorescent lights. I did pop the breaker once while welding a couple of heavy pipe couplings to a piece of 4"x6"x1/2" angle to make a bending jig for a friend, but I did successfully complete that project.The point here is that if you can get a 50A feed, you can probably get away with the better Syncrowave 250DX just fine. In the worst case you'll just have to limit yourself to the max output of the smaller unit, but will still have all the bells and whistles of the killer Syncrowave 250DX.
Pete C.
If you are on a tight current budget, don't get the power factor correction option on transformer based machines! The power factor correction pushes the idle current up to very close to the max input current! Inverter machines may be different - I couldn't afford the one I wanted so I didn't bother to look at the input current.
Good Luck, Bob
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