Hitbox AC/DC welder from Amazon - Worth a try?

Should I get one of these on Prime or save up 10x as much before starting to learn TIG?

  • Sure, why not. What do you have to loose

    Votes: 7 63.6%

  • Maybe, but it'll probaly be a boondogle

    Votes: 2 18.2%

  • Forget it, just junk that'll waste your time

    Votes: 2 18.2%
  • Total voters
    11
There is no paint color standard for CGCs, read the label and check the valve.

I'm wondering how lift start AC is supposed to work. High frequency start is a requirement as far as I know. You don't want my advice, though, I have a Dynasty 280DX and a Dialarc HF tucked into the sea of blue in the corner of my shop (aka my life savings).

You're not planning on welding anything that your life depends on, like the electric motorcycle in the pic with the (s)hitbox, are you? That would be a show of faith that I don't want to see. Please don't blame me for asking, you didn't really say for sure, and I like having you on the forum, John.
 
pontiac428 said:
There is no paint color standard for CGCs, read the label and check the valve.

I'm wondering how lift start AC is supposed to work. High frequency start is a requirement as far as I know. You don't want my advice, though, I have a Dynasty 280DX and a Dialarc HF tucked into the sea of blue in the corner of my shop (aka my life savings).

You're not planning on welding anything that your life depends on, like the electric motorcycle in the pic with the (s)hitbox, are you? That would be a show of faith that I don't want to see. Please don't blame me for asking, you didn't really say for sure, and I like having you on the forum, John.
Click to expand...

Right, ALWAYS read the label and Good point on checking the Valve.
As an extra bit of info,
Oxarc does keep the tanks color coded around here.
But yeah, the label is always the "Go to".
At the CO OP's tank exchange tank color is absolutely meaningless.

There is one,
Acetylene.
At least in the UK , it is the law that the whole tank must be painted Maroon.
Of course, Acetylene is a different animal. There is also European system, EN 1089-3 which are "preferred" colors to help improve safety standards within the gases industry.

Anyway,
I Hope the Hitbox works out, and agree that there must be some form of ionizing the arc used, I also hope for lots of practice and does some destructive testing on like material to the AL version of the bike frame. I have a weld repair of a cracked wake tower to do, so bought some of the same tubing used to practice on. With no way to get it in a garage I may just use the HTP outside and MIG weld the tower.
 
Last edited:
pontiac428 said:
There is no paint color standard for CGCs, read the label and check the valve.

I'm wondering how lift start AC is supposed to work. High frequency start is a requirement as far as I know. You don't want my advice, though, I have a Dynasty 280DX and a Dialarc HF tucked into the sea of blue in the corner of my shop (aka my life savings).

You're not planning on welding anything that your life depends on, like the electric motorcycle in the pic with the (s)hitbox, are you? That would be a show of faith that I don't want to see. Please don't blame me for asking, you didn't really say for sure, and I like having you on the forum, John.
Click to expand...
Don't worry, I've got our master fabricator that builds all our prototypes to give advice and lay down critical beads. Brackets and stuff like that....

I learned a long time ago from my dad on oxy/acetylene, first make it strong, then work on pretty....

John
 
455dan said:
Right, ALWAYS read the label and Good point on checking the Valve.
As an extra bit of info,
Oxarc does keep the tanks color coded around here.
But yeah, the label is always the "Go to".
CO OP tank color is absolutely meaningless.

There is one,
Acetylene.
At least in the UK , it is the law that the whole must tank be painted Maroon.
Of course, Acetylene is a different animal. There is also European system, EN 1089-3 which are "preferred" colors to help improve safety standards within the gases industry.

Anyway,
I Hope the Hitbox works out, and agree that there must be some form of ionizing the arc used, I also hope for lots of practice and does some destructive testing on like material to the AL version of the bike frame. I have a weld repair of a cracked wake tower to do, so bought some of the same tubing used to practice on. With no way to get it in a garage I may just use the HTP outside and MIG weld the tower.
Click to expand...
Oxygen is a CGA-540 connection, Inert Gases (Helium, Nitrogen, Argon, CO2, etc...) is a CGA-580 and all Fuel Gases (LP, Acetylene, etc...) use a CGA-350 connection at the bottle. The 540 and 580 are similar but use different nipples so they are not interchangeable and the 350 is a funky nipple and a left hand thread for safety reasons.

Just remember, in the immortal words of Foster Brooks, you'd rather have a bottle in front of you that a frontal lobotomy....
 
verbotenwhisky said:
Oxygen is a CGA-540 connection, Inert Gases (Helium, Nitrogen, Argon, CO2, etc...) is a CGA-580 and all Fuel Gases (LP, Acetylene, etc...) use a CGA-350 connection at the bottle. The 540 and 580 are similar but use different nipples so they are not interchangeable and the 350 is a funky nipple and a left hand thread for safety reasons.

Just remember, in the immortal words of Foster Brooks, you'd rather have a bottle in front of you that a frontal lobotomy....
Click to expand...
And Never Ever allow any oil or combustible contamination around fittings especially oxygen.
markba633csi said:
John: I don't have a tig yet but the AHP and the Primeweld are both on my list
I can't believe how many cheap inverter welders there are now- probably junk for the most part and little to no support
Disposable goods
Take me to the pilot (or landfill)
Click to expand...
The cheap inverter welders do seem to be improving a Lot, much of it imo has to do with the advancements in high power semi conductors themselves. I took a chance over 8 years ago on an inexpensive import a Lotos LTPDC 2000 3 in 1 200 amp DC TIG / Arc / 50 amp pilot arc plasma cutter. Reportedly out of the same factory Primeweld now uses ( Arcsonic)
I wore out one plasma cutter torch and had to replace it.
It Is a good 200 amp DC TIG and the plasma cutter still works just fine, (made its advertized 200 amps output when tested as well) The IdealArc welds stick better period, as does the HTP.
Actually the HTP is an All around Amazing welder and my favorite.

I have a different take on what to do with these these inexpensive Inverters, and that is Work them hard and Work them often, right out of the gate...- while you have a warranty.
I fired that plasma cutter up sometimes when the garage was in the 20 degree F range and pushed it past the the duty cycle. I did two other things, I pulled the cover and checked the torque of the screws on it's Fuji MOSFETS and Diodes to the heatsinks. They were WAY overtightened - to the point I thought the cases might crack without even the thermal cycling they have to go through in use, so reset how tight they were mounted.
Also let the unit Burn in for 24 hours first day. The only other precautions were not ever leaving it out in rainy weather or rattling around in the truck bed unsecured on rough roads and if possible run it on 240 VAC when available and only on 120 volts when there was no 240.

If something is weak it will likely let the smoke out early on if worked hard.
Babying an inverter all through the warranty period, Nope.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top