Need Help with Remote Amp Control for Tig Welder

[sunpeople]

Hello everyone, I need your help with some ideas on how to change my remote amp control. I bought a remote amp control for my Tig wave 250 welder that clamps on to the body of the torch from Thermo Arc. The thing i don't like about it is, the switch is its a slider switch and i find it hard to control.

In the past i have used a Miller remote amp control on my old Miller Econo Tig , it had a rotary knob that you turned with your thumb from left to right not a slide like the Thermo Arc one and i found that the rotary switch was a lot easier to control. What i need to find out from you guys is there any way to change out my slide switch and install a rotary switch in its place like the ones that come on the Miller remote control cable.

My welder uses the 10 pin cable with the cannon plug on the end. Now my question is can i just remove the slider switch that Thermo Arc installed on the cable and install a rotary switch from Miller on the end of the cable?

Please write in and let me know if i am going to have any problems with this change over or maybe you can suggest another type of rotary switch that would work other than using the one from Miller.

[ventureline]

I think you can buy the rotary version from profax, but no, you can't interchange the lincoln one in favour of a miller, the resistances are different.

Miller uses a 1K ohm control whilst Lincoln uses a 10K ohm

[sunpeople]

Hello Ventureline, Just so you know i am working with a Hobart welder not a Miller or Lincoln, and i went to the Profax web site and they don't offer any remote amp controls that i could find.

What i am trying to do here is not buy a whole cable and switch that i can just plug in. I am just wanting to replace the switch that came on the Hobart/Thermo Arc remote amp control i just bought.

I just paid 228 dollars for the Thermo Arc control so i dont want to spend alot more money. I am hoping that one of you guys can point me to a switch that cost 15 or 20 bucks. So to all of you electronic guys, give me some ideas of what might work with my welder

[ventureline]

Sorry, been running wayyyy to many 12 hr days, eyes getting fuzzy, I believe the remote is using a 1K ohm control. easily checked off your exsisting slider, or cord end. So you could swap it for a miller assembly.

[kirk_wallace]

I am unclear about what you want. I suspect the rotary switch is not a switch but a potentiometer that sets the desired current, then you have a separate switch to start the arc. I have a foot pedal so I don't know, but something like, you start the arc with your thumb on a button. Once the arc is started, you dial in the current with your index finger?

I would think that you could remove the slider and measure the resistance between the end terminals or most likely the slider is marked with a value like 1K or 5K. Radioshack or Digikey.com might have what you need. Here is an example that may or may not work:

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=CT2202-ND

I have no idea how you can mount it. If you can post some pictures, maybe someone can offer some ideas.

Kirk, http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/

[sunpeople]

Hi Kirk,What i have now with the slider is a switch that when you slide it, it will start the arc and also increase or decrease the amps as you slide it up and down its range of movement.


The Miller rotary switch that i used on my old econo tig welder had a roller under your thumb that you would roll from left to right to increase or decrease the amps and if you would roll it all the way to the left it would click and that would turn off the arc and when you wanted to start the arc again you would turn it to the right past the click and the arc would start again and by turning it more you could control the amps.

The Miller switch is the type of switch i would like to install on the end of my thermo Arc cable and remove the slider that is on the cable now. Just to let you know i have a foot peddle that i unhook when i use the slider hand control sorry if that caused you to miss understand what i was trying to do. IIf you want to see a photo of what the Miller switch looks like go to there web site and look up remote control amp hand controls and they have photos of it. How it clamps to the torch is its held to the torch body with Velvro straps and thats all

[ventureline]

Now I don't ever recollect T-arc havine a 10 pin on the tig lineup. Might have been just when Hobart bros crashed. Can't locate the pinouts to check the resistance of that remote pendant.

If you have the book, you'll have to figure it out. It's either a 5K or a 1K resistance. You can put a 5K on a 1K, but not a 1K on a 5K system

[sunpeople]

Hi Ventureline, The Thermo Arc part number for the remote hand amp control that i have is 203912-001. This control fits both the Thermo Arc TigWave 250 and the Hobart TigWave 250.

When Hobart sold out to Miller, Thermo Arc picked up the TigWave 250 from Hobart and started to make the same welder, the only changes they made was to change the paint color and to remove the Hobart name and put the Thermo Arc name in its place, so thats why this machine uses the 10 pin plug.

I just found the paper work that came with the slider switch when i bought it and it looks like it has a 25K ohm switch on one end. On the plug end of the cable it also has a 4.7K ohm resister.The print also has all of the pin call outs so i think thats what will help you answer my question best. When my son gets home tonight i will have him scan a copy of the print for the Amp control onto my page so you can look at it. Sorry i cant post it now, i don't know how, i am an old guy and don't know all of this computer stuff.

[ventureline]

I'm used to the 5, 8, 14,17, & 19 pin units in the T-arc line up, so yep I'd need that print

[sunpeople]

http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=26375&stc=1&d=1212124491






Ventureline here is the print please take your time and tell me what type of switch you think would work best. Boy O boy i have got to tell you that if it were not for my son and daughter i would be lost with all of this computer stuff.

My son had to scan in the print then put it in photo shop then he had to do a little of this and then a little of that, i tell you what, i don't have a clue how to do all of the stuff he just did to post the print here.

I guess that means i am part of the old generation and never will understand all of this high tech stuff but thats okay he cant understand the simple beauty of the 57 Chevy either so i guess each generation has its own likes and dislikes. I believe in the K.I.S.S. principal and always will.

[kirk_wallace]

This potentiometer has a switch attached so it should work like you described:

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=CT2226-ND

The switch is open when the pot is turned fully counter-clockwise. When the pot is turned clockwise the switch clicks closed and stays closed for the rest of the rotation. If your welder is like my Hobart 300 with a round Amphenol connector you may be able to use the schematic here:

http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/Hobart_Cyber-TIG/Hobart_Cyber-TIG-1a.png

Look at area B8 for the pot and E12 for the switch. The schematic indicates connecting pin A and B to the switch and D to the clockwise pot terminal, E to the middle terminal, and F to the counter-clockwise terminal. Actually the schematic seems to show a multi-pole switch, but my foot remote has a single pole, as my Dad's note in A10 indicates. A 47K resistor on my welder is wired in the round connector between pin K and another pin that I don't recall. I'll check this and let you know.

Kirk, http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/

[sunpeople]

http://www.millerwelds.com/om/o2806e_mil.pdf







Ventureline My son just set up this link to the information on the Miller rotary switch, the only thing is they dont list the ohms of the switch. With this information i now think everyone will understand what i am trying to do. Please take a look at it and see if you can offer any suggestions.

[sunpeople]

Hi Kirk, thanks for the input, if you look at my last post you will see a link to some miller information. What i hope to find is a small switch that i can attach to the torch handle itself, so the switch needs to be small and compact.

I looked at the print you posted, but on my screen it is not very clear, but then again it just might be my eyes, they are old you know LOL. Anyway look at the miller info and let me know what you think about just using the miller switch if it is the right ohms to match up with my welder. The only problem with the miller switch is it cost over 70 BUCKS!!!! and i would like to find something a little less money.

[ventureline]

Your hooped unless you can find a 25K controller, hense the slider you now have. The sliider will give you more control at that resistance than a dial setup could..

[sunpeople]

Ventureline i though that might be the case. I guess i will just have to use what i have and like it. I better like it!!!! my wife said, she knows i spent 228 dollar for it, so she said i better LOVE IT!!! LOL

I don't have to use this control everyday so that does not help me being able to master fine tuning my use of it.

I think what i will do is disconnect the foot pedal and use the slider for awhile that way it will force me to get better at using it.

Thanks again to everyone that took time to help answer my question.