Proper way to test capacity of 200 AC/DC Inverter?

[Teeps]

I picked up a 200 amp machine that had some cosmetic damage in shipping.

Part of the shipping claim process is to test the welder to see if it works.

So I'm starting out by trying some stick welding (which I've never done in my life).

I don't have the right gas connection for the welder/regulator yet so I can't use TIG yet.

I grabbed some 6011 rod, 1/8 thick.

I had an 8" x 10" plate of 1/4" steel (I know a waste of good steel) and I basically went to town on it with the machine turned up to 200 + amps.

Keep in mind this plate does not have much mill scale, because it was coated with some kind of penetrating oil, and it's been sitting in my garage for a couple years. I didn't clean any oil off, I just went right to it!

I'm posting here to ask if you think this is a valid test, because I think the characteristics of stick are different. But all I can say is wow

Starting at the edge of the plate and running a bead across the top, (not really a bead as I have no idea what I'm doing), I'm mealting all the way through the plate at the outer edge.

Also, after I ran a bead the plate was relatively warm, and I notices I can dig the stick in and gouge a hole all the way through the plate!!!!

I ran another bead and burned through the plate for about the first 1/2" of travel from the edge of the plate!

One time I stuck the rod to the plate (new and long rod on a cold plate), and the whole rod turned bright orange and started to burn off the flux!!!!!

Ok so maybe stick makes it easier to do this, should I be happy with the performance?

Maybe tig will be a more finite test method.

If the welder works, I'm just going to have the cosmetic-damaged cover, and button replaced instead of shipping back and forth the welder..

Thanks for any insight and advice!

[braxx]

It says your located in Detroit. I'm in Dearborn Heights ( Telegraph and I94 area) you can bring your machine to my house and try tig as I've got a flowmeter and Argon. I "might" not have the tig stuff after friday evening or Sat. morning as someone has made me an offer on my set but he has to come about 4.5hrs to pick it up and he's not sure when he'll be able to make it. He might not even come this weekend.
As far as testing the stick function I'd say it "worked". 1/8" rod is light for 200amps.

[Teeps]

Hey bud,

I'm actually in Berkley...

The back of the welder has a hose-barb/nipple connection.

I do have a regulator I can borrow until my regulator/flowmeter shows up (from my 110v mig), but I just need to get a hose, and a different fitting for the regulator side. I'd rather not cut-up the O.E. tube that came with the mig machine (crimped fittings on both ends).

Oh 1/8th is a little light? , ahh, I stopped over to a big box store and the price was right, not to mention close to my house, I thought 1/8th would be good to test, but I was in a rush to test this thing by tonight. I will see if I can replace the nipple fitting with something different without to much major reconstruction, and run some tig.

Even when I get tig going I don't really know what I'm doing (for short-term testing), so if you would like to quality test the machine, since your somewhat familiar with TIG / stick I could provide a sixer for your troubles

I plan to spend more arc on time to learn, and probably will take a class or two, but I just want to test the machine to make sure it works fine. (I was really trying to just load the machine to the max possible, I was not really even trying to weld anything, I'll post some ugly pics)

Thanks for the insight!

edit: Photos attached. I didn't leave alot of filler above the plate, it seemed to penetrate well, but I'm used to mig welding, so that distorts my impressions.

So what would be the "rated thickness" for 200 amps SMAW-DCEP on mild steel? I had the arc force turned up, but I don't think that does anything when your base amperage is already at max.

Now that I have more time to look, I pulled out the trusty miller calculator, it shows 1/4" thick steel shows 210 - 315 amps w/ 6011 electrode.

[braxx]

I'd be willing to help. I also am a mig welder mostly. I know how to arc weld and I have tig welded a total of about 1hr a year ago.
If you think you want to swing by my house this weekend send me a PM.
We'll keep this thread open for others to help or give suggestions.
Josh

Originally Posted by Teeps

Hey bud,
Even when I get tig going I don't really know what I'm doing (for short-term testing), so if you would like to quality test the machine, since your somewhat familiar with TIG / stick I could provide a sixer for your troubles

Thanks for the insight!

[hankj]

Best test is a load bank. See if you can rent one.

Hank

[shortarc]

Sounds a little hot to me for 6011.

This is from the Hobart site.

[Sberry]

About 90A for 1/8 and if its smokin that rod off then I would have to say it works.

[Teeps]

Originally Posted by Sberry

About 90A for 1/8 and if its smokin that rod off then I would have to say it works.

Yes, It looked like a few more seconds (had I not detached the clamp from the electrode) it was going to melt-down or arc/explode/seperate.

Thanks, I really appreciate your insight and experience!

[Pumpkinhead]

Originally Posted by Teeps

Now that I have more time to look, I pulled out the trusty miller calculator, it shows 1/4" thick steel shows 210 - 315 amps w/ 6011 electrode.

Brother,
I believe you are mis-reading the calculator or it's the wrong calculator, 210-315A would be for a 1/4" electrode, SMAW amperages are determined by the dia. of the 'trode, not the weldment thickness.

[Teeps]

Originally Posted by Pumpkinhead

Brother,
I believe you are mis-reading the calculator or it's the wrong calculator, 210-315A would be for a 1/4" electrode, SMAW amperages are determined by the dia. of the 'trode, not the weldment thickness.

Yep, I was waiting for that, I did more reading, and that was still a question in my mind, thank you for the correction.

Just for giggles I'll grab some rod just below 1/4" size from the LWS, when I get the rest of the fittings for the ARGON connections.

[cracer250]

Your stick obviously works good. I would say that is 200 amp output for sure. You still should test the gas solenoid with the tig fuction in ac and dc. If that works, I wouldn't worry about the unit. I still haven't heard back from Longevity on my tech question that I asked 3 weeks ago....Hmmm.....

[SundownIII]

Teeps,

Not trying to be a smarta$$, but was there a "weld bead" shown in those photos. For the life of me, I couldn't find one.

In testing a welder, there's more involved (arc stability, duty cycle, etc) than just "seeing if it will melt a rod". There seems to be an excessive amount of splatter in the photos which could be related to the arc stability, but it could also be attributed to the fact that you were running pretty hot.

I'm definitely not an expert on equipment testing but those were some of my observations.

[Teeps]

Sundown, insight much appreciated, your right, no I was not really trying to run a bead, and as mentioned I was running double the amperage for this electrode so it was spatter city, now I know where HOTFOOT got his name

I wouldn't do a bead on stick or tig much justice as I have zero arc-on time with either, but I'm goint to try some basic stuff after I get the argon going.

Thanks for looking! I'll update if I can get someone over here that atleast has some variables taken out of the picture (skill and experience heh)

I may just post my attempts if I can get a beed running on tig.

Edit: OK, I had a regulator from my mig welder dialed up to 25 CFH wich seemed to cool down the puddle a bit, but all I can say is wow. Before I turned on the gas (idiot, I forgot to turn on the regulator and I was so eager to test).

I was able to practically arc gouge through the 1/4" plate (you'll see a section totally burned through, next to a few small beads. I smoked the cup in the process, lol,

Pre-flow, post flow, and gas solenoid works great!

Process: GTAW - DCEN, After using the hammer trick to break off the dipped-tungsten, I ground a new tip.

Dialed it up to 200 amps, maximum preflow and post flow, no pulse, medium balance.

I did not add any filler, I just wanted to run a puddle, the "200" you see in the plate is fast travel speed, less penetration and smaller puddle.

The long bead across the plate was a bit slower travel, with more penetration (but it was probably still a touch on the fast side), and a wider bead.

Again, no filler, just running a puddle on the plate.

Keep in mind I'm used to mig welding, so I'm still getting used to this slow travel idea.

Tomorrow I've got some 3/16" strap steel I will attept to weld together some pieces after I cut it up. It will be my first time adding filler tomorrow, I'll post some pics, I'm sure they will leave alot to be desired..... so be gentle

Overall I really like this process, I'm just starting out and I have alot to learn, but I love the "Control".

Thanks for your insight!

Don