miller tig inverters fail often....??.

[Tryagn5]

So i have noticed that there seems to be a pattern of miller tig inverters....ie dynasty 200, 300, 350, and diversion which fail with low hours...or with in 3-4 years of build date. Is this normal for tig inverters across the manufactor lines? Do other companies have these issues?
Also i have always had inverter multi purpose machines, and they have never failed. What i did to my Maxtron 450 made me believe they were very durable. Infact i replaced it with an xmt304 when i went with newer equipment(would have been an xmt 456 if they would run single phase like the maxtron). Is there something to the ac tig inverter machines which frys them?
Kevin

[WillieB]

Mine purrs like a kitten.

[kize]

Mine purrs like a kitten.

They all purr like a kitten, Until they die.

[cruizer]

There are quirks with all machines. The millers require basic maintenance yearly, ya don't and yes there are problems. I make rental firms open new units up , inspect and tighten the backs of the output studs. Red loctite is added so they don't come loose. And yearly to tighten all connectors, and mod screws as they always heat loosen.

also there is a problem with the plastic strain reliefs on the backs of the machines, as they overly squish the primary's together. This causes electrical noise. And ends up taking out the machines over time. I replace them with a standard. Sleeved version.

KInda buying a car, never changing the oil, then wondering why it broke down...

[ja baudin]

There are quirks with all machines. The millers require basic maintenance yearly, ya don't and yes there are problems. I make rental firms open new units up , inspect and tighten the backs of the output studs. Red loctite is added so they don't come loose. And yearly to tighten all connectors, and mod screws as they always heat loosen.

also there is a problem with the plastic strain reliefs on the backs of the machines, as they overly squish the primary's together. This causes electrical noise. And ends up taking out the machines over time. I replace them with a standard. Sleeved version.

KInda buying a car, never changing the oil, then wondering why it broke down...

Thats all great advise Cruiser, thanks! Wish you could make tutorial videos.

[maxstar300LX]

Electrical noise…

"as they overly squish the primary's together. This causes electrical noise. And ends up taking out the machines over time. I replace them with a standard. Sleeved version."


Hey Cruiser,
i have seen in the manuals for the units labelled CE only- i think they use a 400volt input supply, where there are 'filters ' installed in circuit ( one would usually be on the cooling fan and the other somewhere close to the input contactor/ input supply wires).
Would these be for electrical noise?
and if so,
can they be fitted retroactively to the non-CE units? Or would these filters be designed only for 400volt CE models?
or would your method of sleeves take care of that problem only cheaper?

[cruizer]

Well, for 5 bucks you can stick a rubber sleeved strain relief in. I mean all the filters in the world are not going to help problems with the primarys jammed together.

[Cgotto6]

I think the perception of inverters failing is partly due to this being a technical forum mostly used to help diagnose broken machines. If somebody has a healthy dynasty they have no reason to post about it.

[H80N]

I think the perception of inverters failing is partly due to this being a technical forum mostly used to help diagnose broken machines. If somebody has a healthy dynasty they have no reason to post about it.

At the risk of angering the gods of good fortune...

I have had my three Miller Inverters for several years now... with ZERO Problems..

My Dynasty 350DX Tigrunner, Dynasty 200DX & Millermatic 350P... have performed flawlessly and do things that no transformer machine could hope to equal....
those inverters add refinement to the process that is not available with a transformer...

Would suspect that my experience is probably typical.... out of the hundreds of thousands built... would expect only a small percentage to fail from defects... some from abuse.. but the vast majority to be chugging along for many many years...

[cruizer]

Well, that's true too, however, you may get a noticeable change for the better by merely loosening off the plastic strain reliefs from the backs of the machines

[Cgotto6]

I have a FD rx-7, anyone who comes into our forum would walk away wondering why anybody would bother with such a problem ridden machine. But that's just cause happy owners are out driving for the most part and people with issues are the ones to post.

[cruizer]

I have a FD rx-7, anyone who comes into our forum would walk away wondering why anybody would bother with such a problem ridden machine. But that's just cause happy owners are out driving for the most part and people with issues are the ones to post.

Wankels were great high rev engines, few apex seal problems. But so quiet and so fast. If you always ran premium and a high grade oil, they would seem to last forever. It was the low grade fuel, which they ran just fine, but tended to carbon up on, and crap oil that ended them.

[ja baudin]

Well, for 5 bucks you can stick a rubber sleeved strain relief in. I mean all the filters in the world are not going to help problems with the primarys jammed together.

I wouldn't mind spending 5 bucks, where can I find one? Tried looking on line, sure you could put your hand on the right one pretty quick for a 200dx? Part number and manufacturer?

[cruizer]

Just a standard 3/4" sleeved strain relief. Available at pretty much any hardware store, depending on the machine hole might need a couple of step own plates

[ja baudin]

Just a standard 3/4" sleeved strain relief. Available at pretty much any hardware store, depending on the machine hole might need a couple of step own plates

Thank you sir!!