# power supply for mig welder



## quickcut (May 25, 2017)

Good Day all. Is it possible to use an  inverter welding machine, say a 200 amp one, as a power source for a diy MIG welder ?


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## 327magrifle (May 25, 2017)

If it will produce constant current.  Constant amperage is for stick welding,  but a suitcase wire feeder needs constant voltage. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk


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## quickcut (May 27, 2017)

Thanks ,I have never seen a an inverter welder (stick type) with a cv setting. Any body  know of a make.


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## Ironken (Jun 4, 2017)

327magrifle said:


> If it will produce constant current.  Constant amperage is for stick welding,  but a suitcase wire feeder needs constant voltage.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk



With one caveat, some suitcases are CC/CV which allow them to be used with a DC "stick" machine. The suitcases that I have used that are CC capable have a voltage sensing lead that clamps to the work in addition to the ground.


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## Rustrp (Jun 4, 2017)

Ironken said:


> With one caveat, some suitcases are CC/CV which allow them to be used with a DC "stick" machine. The suitcases that I have used that are CC capable have a voltage sensing lead that clamps to the work in addition to the ground.


I think the power source needs to produce CC and CV to power a CC/CV unit, suitcase etc, which would be used in a remote capacity.


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## Rustrp (Jun 4, 2017)

quickcut said:


> Good Day all. Is it possible to use an  inverter welding machine, say a 200 amp one, as a power source for a diy MIG welder ?


What are you referring to when you say DIY MIG welder?


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## Ironken (Jun 4, 2017)

Rustrp said:


> I think the power source needs to produce CC and CV to power a CC/CV unit, suitcase etc, which would be used in a remote capacity.



I respectfully disagree. I have used suitcases in CC mode. The Miller 12vs is one such feeder. The Miller I used had a selector toggle inside the case to choose between CC or CV. The feeder varies wire feed speed to match the actual voltage being delivered from the power source.

FCAW and spray works fine in CC..... short circuit.....meh.


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## Rustrp (Jun 4, 2017)

Ironken said:


> I respectfully disagree. I have used suitcases in CC mode. The Miller 12vs is one such feeder. The Miller I used had a selector toggle inside the case to choose between CC or CV. The feeder varies wire feed speed to match the actual voltage being delivered from the power source.
> 
> FCAW and spray works fine in CC..... short circuit.....meh.
> 
> View attachment 234870



I stand corrected. Standing with my "I think." my following post was asking what DIY Mig welder, and which does make a difference. The electronic circuitry of the 12VS allows for more stability, but the favored flavor is DC. The older models like the S3S which are VS are not very efficient. Without knowing what MIG welder the OP will be using it's difficult to say yes.


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## Ulma Doctor (Jun 4, 2017)

quickcut said:


> Good Day all. Is it possible to use an  inverter welding machine, say a 200 amp one, as a power source for a diy MIG welder ?


The idea is sound in principle.
i have 2 PowCon Inverter Welders (300 amp and 200 amp units)
the 200 amp unit is my dedicated FCAW unit for steels.
300 is dedicated to SMAW

You can do it!
you'll need to make or buy a wire feeder for the power supply


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## Rustrp (Jun 4, 2017)

Ulma Doctor said:


> The idea is sound in principle.
> i have 2 PowCon Inverter Welders (300 amp and 200 amp units)
> the 200 amp unit is my dedicated FCAW unit for steels.
> 300 is dedicated to SMAW
> ...


It's been a while since I held a PowCon but I remember the units as early multi-purpose models before their time but hearty and reliable? i.e. Stick, TIG scratch and MIG/FCAW.


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## Ulma Doctor (Jun 4, 2017)

The units i have are the Jobsite, 70lb Breadbox on Steroids type.
they have been solid units


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## quickcut (Jun 6, 2017)

Here is my dilemma, I have two mig welders , both are US.  One has the wire feed psu board broken (sip 200 amp) and the other  (afrox 200 amp) has a transformer problem . I was just trying to think of a way to get them both working.  I could probably build one out of the other, but I was trying to get both to work .


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## magicniner (Nov 23, 2017)

quickcut said:


> One has the wire feed psu board broken .



One of my two 1980s ESAB Smashweld 180 MIGs died earlier this month, no life at all when I turned it on and pressed Go. 
I checked a grinder worked on the same outlet and checked the fuse in the plug, both OK. 
Stripping out the control board revealed some of the polymer foil capacitors were cracked, figuring it was worth a punt I called in the local Maplin store and bought modern equivalents for the grand sum of £4.11 and fitted them. 
That worked! 

Had the caps not fixed the MIG I was considering replacing all the transistors on the board and if that didn't work replacing the board with a small relay to power the gas solenoid and a cheap DC motor variable speed control for the feed, this would lose the link between voltage and feed speed but if you can set up a MIG that's no issue really. 
Regards, 
Nick


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