New to welding - Airco CV-250 - Airco AHF-T Feeder

[JimFritzMI]

I am new to this forum and reasonably new to welding. I have done a handful of repairs by brazing with Oxyacetylene, and another handful with an old Lincoln stick welder. Well I have always wanted to learn and be able to MIG weld. I am always working around the fact that I can't weld by bolting my creations together, well no more. I just became the proud (I hope) owner of an old Airco Aircomatic CV-250 welder with an Airco AHF-T Feeder. They were both working just recently, when taken out of service. Now I just have to figure out how to get it all hooked up and working, then teach myself to weld. LOL I know I'm going to have to get a MIG gun and figure out how to hook up the gas. Yeah it's looking to be a long journey, but I'm sure with some help it's going to be loads of fun.

I have attached some images to give you a look at what I am starting with. Could anyone point me in the direction for finding a manual, or possibly offer any information about this welder or feeder? I know Airco is no longer in business, however does anyone know whether or not this was actually built by Airco, or is it possibly just a re-branded model from some other manufacturer?

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Thanks,
Jim

"Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds."

[JSFAB]

Well,,,,, first thing I see,,,, right off the bat "three phase"

Unless, of course, you have three-phase power supply???

[69FordTruck]

I believe that is a miller built unit..... and yes it requires 3 phase power. but if you have the power available should be a good machine.

[JimFritzMI]

I do have 3 phase.

I do have 3 phase although I am going to have to do a couple of upgrades shortly. 1) Build a long extension cord, so I can haul this back up out of my basement, after I have it working I plan to clean it, replace a few items (hoses for one are very bad looking), and then paint it. 2) Once I have everything running well and I've started on my way to learning to MIG weld, I'm going to have to upgrade my three phase converter. I currently can only pull 20 amps at 230, or should I say I only designed it to reliably provide 20 amps. Will I really need that much amperage when I am starting out if I stick with thickness less than 3/16 of steel?

Thanks for the comments. Does anyone have any idea how old they are, or maybe what a "MIGet Control Receptacle" is?

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Thanks,
Jim

"Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds."

[bevestockton]

Please check to make sure your converter is up to pulling a resistive load. Usually they are best at powering electric motors. Converters often suffer from power inequalities across the three leads that motors can handle esp after down grading the rated HP.

[JimFritzMI]

This is a home-made rotary phase converter. I have the line voltages pretty well matched, the output then goes through not only a 15KVA transformer but also a 15KVA line conditioner. After all this I have a 3 phase voltage monitor installed with alarm tolerances set pretty tight. I think I went over board with the system build; however, when I first put it all together, it was to power a very finicky VFD. Since then I've had many motors and VFD, a huge computer UPS, a couple of old PDP-11 mainframes, and even for a short time a small heat treating oven hooked up to it. Wouldn't the oven have been a resistive load? Anyway, it's only tripped the alarm twice, and both those time were as a result of my own stupidity. I am willing to rebalance the line voltages if required and I have a new 15KW motor I am going to be installing as part of my upgrade.

[Tryagn5]

Converter-

I have never had much luck running welder from phase converters, welders are not like electric motors which can take power differences. Also I would not dump any more money than u have to in that welder. At best that welder is worth more in scrap than in value.
Kevin

[bevestockton]

Jim, sounds have it well in hand, I am fortunate to have 3 phase, good luck.

[cruizer]

If'n you gave me the long model#, I might be able to cross check it to a relevant Miller...

[JimFritzMI]

Do you mean this?

Cruizer,

Do you mean the stock number, I hope? On the front it says I need to use:

"AIRCO INSTRUCTION MANUAL AD11761"

then there is a blank line were the serial number is suppose to be, and below that it says:

"STOCK NO 1346-7007"

Does that help? It's been painted so many times and before I try and refurbish it, I would like to properly identify it. Is it possible that the serial number is stamped somewhere inside? Please just let me know what I need to look for. Also I have a more images and they are all at a much higher resolution, that I would be more than willing to email to anyone would needs to see them.

[weldersales]

New to welding - Airco CV-250 - Airco AHF-T Feeder

This is not a Miller machine, it was built by Midstates. There are probably manuals around under the Airco, Air Products, or Midstates names. The one pound gun that you now see as Profax or earlier as Miller 20E gun was known by Airco as Miget - with the MIG in different letter styles to suggest 'mig'. The Miget receptacle is for that gun, I believe. The feeder you have was built by Airco and was known as MIGty - see that 'mig' business again? - or simply, the 'T' feeder. Has two pc boards in it that are still in stock around the country. weldersales

[Apollo172]

Please check to make sure your converter is up to pulling a resistive load. Usually they are best at powering electric motors. Converters often suffer from power inequalities across the three leads that motors can handle esp after down grading the rated HP.

I have one too no 3phase ,also have a 3 phase 2hp motor with 3 phase converter how can ya get 460 volts ?

[Apollo172]

I need 3 phase power or at least some way make some

[Apollo172]

So did ya get it going it's been a long time since this posted

[Apollo172]

This is a home-made rotary phase converter. I have the line voltages pretty well matched, the output then goes through not only a 15KVA transformer but also a 15KVA line conditioner. After all this I have a 3 phase voltage monitor installed with alarm tolerances set pretty tight. I think I went over board with the system build; however, when I first put it all together, it was to power a very finicky VFD. Since then I've had many motors and VFD, a huge computer UPS, a couple of old PDP-11 mainframes, and even for a short time a small heat treating oven hooked up to it. Wouldn't the oven have been a resistive load? Anyway, it's only tripped the alarm twice, and both those time were as a result of my own stupidity. I am willing to rebalance the line voltages if required and I have a new 15KW motor I am going to be installing as part of my upgrade.

I need to build one can you share what or how ?