Mig welder question!

Hi guys. I am looking at purchasing a mig welder. I got my hands on a mk1 which i would like to get track prepped. So i'll have to be able to weld a rollcage and the odd rust repair.
I came across a mig welder. Will this one be sufficient enough or do i need something more expensive?

MIG100-Technical Data:
Main Voltage: 230V
Main Frequency: 5.50Hz
Absorbed Power: 2KW
Mains Fuse: 13A
Power Factor: 0.83
No Load Voltage: 31V
Adjustment Positions: 2 Steps
Current Adjusting Range: 65A / 90A
Dia. Usable Wire: Φ0.6mm / Φ0.8mm
/Φ0.9mm
Duty Cycle: 10%@90A; 20%@65A;
Insulation Class: H
Protection Degree: IP21S
Packing Dimension: 485 x 235 x 380mm
Net Weight: 17.3Kg (Include Acc.)
Gross Weight: 18.8Kg

 

Let somebody confirm, but that looks low to me.

I think mine is a 130 amp, which is on the borders of what you can put through domestic electricity, 150amp being too much from the advice I got.

So I think you may struggle to weld thick-ish metal with that. Great for body panels though.

 

this is what i use and its perfectly fine on normal household system


TRANSMIG 190
The Transmig 190 is a 240 volt, single phase, MIG plant ideally suited for light fabrication, automotive repairs, light rural and maintenance applications. It comes complete with wheels, cylinder tray, MIG gun, work lead, flow regulator in a ready to weld package. The Transmig 190 delivers a high maximum output of 200 amps, is extremely competitively priced and represents superior valve for money.

The features of this unit are:

8 fine voltage settings200 amp maximum output
Reverse polarity for gas/gasless operation
Large wire spool, 300mm, capability
Overload protection
Optimum arc starting feature
Spot timer control

 

Thanks guys.
Here is a link to the specific welder with more info.
It's the top one of the three.

http://www.spectrumimports.co.za/product2.htm

It will be used for sheet metal (rust spots/welding on the body) and it must also be able to weld a rollcage consisting of 50x2mm bar size into the car.

 

spec is pretty much useless.
2 power settings means 'lay a weld that looks like bird **** & blow holes in your car'
need something with more control ideally.
How much are you looking at spending?

 

LIDL had those in a few weeks back for 99.99 not bad for tinwork at a guess but not for a rollcage, not a fan of gasless myself either. The one i use has teflon gas with it and if you weld without it you can tell the difference straight away. Just gives you a better cleaner weld with the gas, and the flow is much smoother.

 

WHS^^


Utter crap, 65A and 90A range? Way too high for car work, you need something to go down to 30A, 25A is nicer but only SIP have these and they're pants too. At a minimum, I'd be looking at a Clarke welder from Machine Mart, at least then you have a branch you can go do and buy spares, etc and bottles and other stuff.

 

On my Clarke 130 or 135, it has two power settings, plus a high/low option on both. Seems to do the job, though I've yet to do thin external panels with it.

And spot on Paul - any probs, and I just turn up at Machine Mart.

 

clarke should have 6 power settings????

 

nope 4 on mine....

Low+1, Low+2, High+1, High+2




The industrial ones they sell do though not essential:





If you have loads of dosh:

 

Done today by Chris on my Clarke 135TE:

Weave welded 3mm to 3mm:


Pics were dark so colour look a bit weird when i brightened them up later.

Also used it to plate over some 1mm plate along the sill:


Well happy with the welder.

 

I think the older or lower power Clarkes have 4 settings, the newer/higher have 6. 4 is enough though, 2 isn't enough!

 

The ones with 4 settings (about 200) i think are the ones you can run off your plug socket, the others also start going up in price so depend what your going to do with it.
We re-done the feet on the rear of the cage after having to shorten it & i would go far as saying that having a professional welder doing the work for me it is even stronger than it was before.

 

You can run anything up to 150A (just about) off a 13A domestic mains socket. The 150A welders don't come with a plug and recommend against it - but you can, just about.

 

Is it worth the risk for just welding in the garage.

 

Everyone does it and it works. It doesn't blow a 13A fuse. Yes its worth the risk, compared to the hassle of installing a 16 or 32A connection into my shed, which is at the bottom of my garden and already has a 13A connection.

 

Couldn't you just use a smaller welder or would you have already had or preferred the more powerful stuff?

Can you use a transformer or is that something else all together?

 

150s can blow fuses - but sometimes work fine. They are definitely on the margins.

I think Mike's pictured the one I've got also. Researched it forever, phoned, asked & blah. Best spec in the Clarke range, to be clear of blowing fuses.

Also went down to BOC to get a proper gas bottle also, rather than use the silly little canisters:

 

There's not a lot of times you'd need to use 150A, in car work its mainly the lower power settings which you'd be using day-to-day. I personally needed the higher power for fabrication style work, eg welding and making custom engine mounts and lifting brackets. As a guide, 130A is sufficient to weld 3mm steel together, and 150A can blow holes in 3mm plate steel. But for 4mm steel (typical box section thickness on a trailer, for example) 130A will produce a lower strength weld than 150A. So you need to evaluate the type of work you'll be doing and buy accordingly. This was my 2nd welder, I'd previously had a SIP 105 which had a range of 25-105A.

Also, the higher power welders (130A +) are needed to weld lowering adjusters into aircooled VW front beams, etc.

 

i have a clarke 195te (i think) and it runs off the mains plug with a modified extension lead lol. never trips the house out which is nice