Mig welder recommendations

[rusty]

Hi ,
I am looking for a 240v Mig welder around the 180 amp size for general farm welding repairs. It will be for occasional use rather than serious work every day. One of my Herdsman is handy at welding and has used his own 120 amp Mig welder but it's not up to the job for some of the stuff we need to weld. He doesn't fancy using our 45 year old Max Arc stick welder!

 

[Baz65]

I've had Thermal Arc Fabricator 181i Mig,Tig Arc Welder for 5 years run it on 16amp plug does everything I need, good cycle duty.

 

[davidroberts30]

I've had Thermal Arc Fabricator 181i Mig,Tig Arc Welder for 5 years run it on 16amp plug does everything I need, good cycle duty.

I've got the 211i model and the only negative I can say about it is the fan is noisy
Decent power of a 32a socket but can get to about 120 amps on a 13amp socket and extension lead

 

[TheTallGuy]

I've got one of these...
https://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/mig-welder-r-tech-i-mig180/
Seems to do the job.

 

[John from Skibb]

I haven't bought one yet but I'm looking at an Oxford/TecArc. Lots of good reports of them on these forums

 

[Tommy]

I haven't bought one yet but I'm looking at an Oxford/TecArc. Lots of good reports of them on these forums

I had one. It’s done 3 rolls of wire and has had as much spent mending it as it cost. TecArc no help. It’s still in the corner of the work shop so I can still give it a kick every now and then. Just get a warrior welder and be done, makes a better weld and better specked

 

[Bob lincs]

Miller , may cost a bit more but will last .

 

[Triangle]

Have a sip mp2300 for about 6 or 7 years never missed a beat affordable entry for us to mig that had atucatualy been verry capable with 1mm wire goes over 200amp sat it on a cheap enough welding trolly off ebay simple enough to take it off and put it in a truck car ect if needs be

 

[bravheart]

Hi ,
I am looking for a 240v Mig welder around the 180 amp size for general farm welding repairs. It will be for occasional use rather than serious work every day. One of my Herdsman is handy at welding and has used his own 120 amp Mig welder but it's not up to the job for some of the stuff we need to weld. He doesn't fancy using our 45 year old Max Arc stick welder!

Rusty what power supply do you have?
I hope you realise from reading the posts that your 120 is what you can run on a 13a plug perhaps pushing it up to 140. For 180 you will need 16a minimum plug 32a better.

 

[rusty]

It seems that anything over 150 amps needs a 16 amp socket. If I wanted to use one away from the workshop I assume I could get away with a 16 amp to 13 amp lead as long as I kept the power down to below 150?

 

[TheTallGuy]

It seems that anything over 150 amps needs a 16 amp socket. If I wanted to use one away from the workshop I assume I could get away with a 16 amp to 13 amp lead as long as I kept the power down to below 150?

You can, but you'll want to keep a good supply of 13A fuses to hand as you'll almost certainly end up blowing a few from time to time. Alternatively just get a 16A socket fitted and save the faffing around.

 

[David.]

Speak to @Welding Supplies Direct
I have just bought a GYS 320a inverter mig but not had chance to use it yet.
They have a decent selection, all sizes, and are helpful.

 

[Larel]

I have just got a Parweld XTM 211DI Multi Process Welder from @Welding Supplies Direct
I have only played with the MMA and MIG so far but it seems to work well. Its 240V but I have it on a 32amp plug. It arrived with all the torches and accessories to start welding as soon as you got the gas and wire sorted.

 

[bravheart]

It seems that anything over 150 amps needs a 16 amp socket. If I wanted to use one away from the workshop I assume I could get away with a 16 amp to 13 amp lead as long as I kept the power down to below 150?

If you need a long extension remember to get a heavy duty one and always uncoil it all.
Made this up where no 16a.

 

[bravheart]

If you need a long extension remember to get a heavy duty one and always uncoil it all.
Made this up where no 16a.

But over 140ish amps and something will still pop

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

Tec-arc, I have one 235 amp, good British welder, copper coil proper job, I would recommend it to anyone,

 

[startinghandle]

Hi ,
I am looking for a 240v Mig welder around the 180 amp size for general farm welding repairs. It will be for occasional use rather than serious work every day. One of my Herdsman is handy at welding and has used his own 120 amp Mig welder but it's not up to the job for some of the stuff we need to weld. He doesn't fancy using our 45 year old Max Arc stick welder!

For occasional use only it is good idea to remove wire to prevent corrosion
Or do as I did and buy engine driven arc welder direct from manufacturer and no problem with fuses

 

[Tommy]

Tec-arc, I have one 235 amp, good British welder, copper coil proper job, I would recommend it to anyone,

Do you want mine for spares?

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

Do you want mine for spares?

Not yet (but you can send it)
Mine has done a fair bit of welding, and never gave any bother

 

[hutchy143211]

Had a tec-arc multi 200i for the past year and really like it. 200A, mig and stick (+tig) and runs on 16A single phase. Also runs on 13A up to about 160A which is great for portable jobs. Simple machine to use and has loads of features for the money (some we asked for as options) including reverse mig polarity for flux core, tig pedal input which I think can be used for a mig spool gun, burn back protection and manual wire feed. When we got it they said it maybe wasn't man enough for some things but we didnt have the budget to go for a larger mig (though I would have liked one!), but its done everything we have asked of it and more. Worked on everything from 2mm sheet steel, 3/5mm box up to welding on a new 20mm hardened bucket edge.