Pulsepushthepopulace Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Thanks to the forum's guidance I've attained a DialArc 250 AC/DC for $300 a few months ago, and I can't seem to find any definitive way to go abouts setting it up for "ideal" TIG welding... This is my exact setup- http://www.ebay.com/itm/MILLER-DIALARC-250-AC-CONSTANT-CURRENT-ARC-WELDING-POWER-SOURCE-/360490104758?pt=BI_Welders&hash=item53eee277b6 I'd like to know how I can augment this welder to exploit it's full capabilities. I want to add; - high frequency box; for aluminum and (HF starts???) - water-cooled tig - implement foot pedal if possible - possible mig attachment If I have to run a basic air-cooled scratch start tig, is there a solenoid activated attachement on the market that can turn the gas on and off upon the striking of the arc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 you can buy a scratch start tig torch with a gas valve shut off on the torch - you turn gas on / off with your thumb and forfinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulsepushthepopulace Posted February 27, 2013 Author Share Posted February 27, 2013 you can buy a scratch start tig torch with a gas valve shut off on the torch - you turn gas on / off with your thumb and forfinger Is there any way around physically turning the gas flow on and off? Or is there a torch out there where I can manually set the flow without turning the gas on, and a simple trigger mechanism that turns the gas on? I just don't want to frog around with knobbies and want to waste as little gas as possible... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Its a very easy thing to get used to do while welding. If you can add filler rod while welding - you can run the knob easily. Adding a hi-freq box with a gas selenoid and foot pedal would add a cost of more than your used welder I'd bet. And... not sure that particular model could be fitted with one - a call or an e-mail to a Miller Rep would answer that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Hi, I would like my used $300 welder to perform like the new $7000 Miller Dynasty 350 TigRunner model, what would it take? About $7000 for a new welder. Sad but true. You can get what is known as a "dry rig", a scratch start torch with gas valve, plus a regulator or flow meter, and a bottle of Argon for a few more hundred dollars new. That means that TIG can be done off of any machine capable of DCEN. And is used all day every day in the field by professionals to make X-ray quality welds. But all the bells and whistles of process integration, magical circuitry and water cooler cost money. Big money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulsepushthepopulace Posted February 27, 2013 Author Share Posted February 27, 2013 Hi, I would like my used $300 welder to perform like the new $7000 Miller Dynasty 350 TigRunner model, what would it take? About $7000 for a new welder. Sad but true. You can get what is known as a "dry rig", a scratch start torch with gas valve, plus a regulator or flow meter, and a bottle of Argon for a few more hundred dollars new. That means that TIG can be done off of any machine capable of DCEN. And is used all day every day in the field by professionals to make X-ray quality welds. But all the bells and whistles of process integration, magical circuitry and water cooler cost money. Big money. ha ha yeah, I know, I'm asking for the moon and stars... I see coolmates and HF boxes all the time under $300 on CL... I'm getting the gist that HF boxes don't allow you to manipulate the arc it just enables the welding of aluminium... At least that's what I'm gathering... Do the fluid cooled torches have a benefit over air cooled torches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWHII Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Looks a bit different 3 years later compared to page 3 B) I really think you guys should come borrow some tools and make me some room :blink: Had local news WSB in yesterday to spotlight my work for the ACC show. If you buy a high frequency box it has a internal solenoid to turn your shielding gas on and of. It also has a 14 pin conector for a remote foot or hand amperage control. Also I suggest a 200 amp air cool torch for it. You could hook up a water cooler and a water cooled torch but you would have to run the cooler with out a solenoid and a separate 110 v circuit. I run this same set up on my Trail Blazer minus the water cooler and it works great. To answer your question on torches. The main advantage is the torches duty cycle and amperage rating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiack Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 None of the add on high frequency boxes I have scene will allow remote control of a Dialarc. The Dialarc uses the RFCS-23A remote control and is not compatible with the 14 pin connector. I don’t think there is any way to connect a Dialarc to a high frequency box and have it function like a normal TIG machine. The advantage of a wet torch is they are smaller for the same amperage and usually have a higher duty cycle. I uses the gas cooled TL26V from CK Worldwide for my dry setup. It is a little smaller then most other gas cooled torches and has 100% duty cycle at 200 amps. http://www.ckworldwide.com/trim-line.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWHII Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 None of the add on high frequency boxes I have scene will allow remote control of a Dialarc. The Dialarc uses the RFCS-23A remote control and is not compatible with the 14 pin connector. I don’t think there is any way to connect a Dialarc to a high frequency box and have it function like a normal TIG machine. The advantage of a wet torch is they are smaller for the same amperage and usually have a higher duty cycle. I uses the gas cooled TL26V from CK Worldwide for my dry setup. It is a little smaller then most other gas cooled torches and has 100% duty cycle at 200 amps. http://www.ckworldwide.com/trim-line.htm You can hook this box up but you wil not be able to control the amperage remotely and you would have to turn the panel remote switch on and of manually to control the high frequency. How ever there is another option. Miller makes a Dial Arc remote kit for a 3 pin connector and you would have to find a older style foot pedal with a rheostat in the pedal. The new pedals have a potentiometer in them. I called Miller tech support and these kits are still available they only have 60 in stock and when they are gone thats it. The cost is $60. I have seen the older style foot pedals on Ebay go for as little as $150. They still make the new ones for $450. Tech support will help you hook it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiack Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 I’m still a little confused as to how this will all work. The RFC-23A pedal with the rheostat has two cords one for the amp adjustment and one for the contactor. The one with the amp adjustment will have to connect to the welder. The other will have to connect to the HF box to control the gas and HF. How does the contactor then connect to the welder to start the flow of electricity? Also what HF box can you connect the old style contactor to? I suppose you could change the plug over to the 14 pin since it’s just for the contactor. Where does the kit you mentioned fit in? I have looked at this before and came to the conclusion that by the time you buy the welder, HF box, pedal, torch, and regulator it was just more economical to buy a complete used TIG setup. If Aluminum welding is not required you can find a new 200 amp inverter Stick/TIG machine for close to the same money. I’m of the opinion if you need more than scratch start with a gas cooled torch buy a TIG and sell the Dialarc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWHII Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 I’m still a little confused as to how this will all work. The RFC-23A pedal with the rheostat has two cords one for the amp adjustment and one for the contactor. The one with the amp adjustment will have to connect to the welder. The other will have to connect to the HF box to control the gas and HF. How does the contactor then connect to the welder to start the flow of electricity? Also what HF box can you connect the old style contactor to? I suppose you could change the plug over to the 14 pin since it’s just for the contactor. Where does the kit you mentioned fit in? I have looked at this before and came to the conclusion that by the time you buy the welder, HF box, pedal, torch, and regulator it was just more economical to buy a complete used TIG setup. If Aluminum welding is not required you can find a new 200 amp inverter Stick/TIG machine for close to the same money. I’m of the opinion if you need more than scratch start with a gas cooled torch buy a TIG and sell the Dialarc. It was explained to me by the tech that the the 3 pin connector kit wires into the Dial Arc and has a female 14 pin connector on one end. For some time Miller made the old style foot pedals with the rheostat with a 14 pin connector. I agree with you about just buying a new machine, but if you can pick up these items from surplus at a good price it is a option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulsepushthepopulace Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Wow guys! Thanks a ton!!!! I'm going to get on the horn with miller ASAP and fetch that remote kit, then hunt down the rheostat foot pedal... There has been a lot of back and forth with my friend (professional welder by trade). He keeps on telling me the machines capable of this and that, and I can't find a lick of insight anywhere on the interwebs, including the millerweld forums... Again I snagged this welder up ubber cheap @ $300. As it stands, it's capabilities as a stick machine exceed my needs as a hobbyist. So deciding to add all these gizmos and attachments are far less expensive than a new tig setup, and as far as the ends justifying the means is concerned a far better and more capable tig machine than I could ever afford... If I can find the right deals on the right equipment, I could easily have a dependable, capable machine, that could last me my entire life, for right around the $1100 mark including the purchase of the machine... Point me in the direction of a less expensive option, with the same "industrial" capabilities, in that same price range... I'm not knocking IGBT technology and tig specific setups I'm not trying to be the all-knowing nooberwitz tossing weight around here, because despite a few "guiding" familiarities I know about welding machines, I really don't know squat about squat. Familiarities: - You get what you pay for! - Domestic setups= $$$$$ - Foreign Setups= $$$ - GO BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Newer inverter technology has a shelf life far shorter** than the domestic dinosaur/transformer units that haunt the local craigslist... ** caring for said equipment plays a huge role Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiack Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I’m not convinced that you can set up the Dialarc to function the same as a true TIG welder. If you talk to Miller technical support you should be able to find out for sure. I have been down this path before, setting up a stick welder for TIG, and anything more than scratch start with a gas cooled torch is a false economy. Unless you get a smoking deal you will end up spending as much or more than you would have on a used TIG machine. With what you have now you still need a HF box, torch, cord kit, pedal, regulator, and gas bottle. If you include the cost of the Dialarc you are going to be well over what you can by a complete used TIG setup for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.