Dynasty 200DX Reliability/Repair Cost

[Too_Many_Tools]

I would be interesting in hearing of any problems anyone has had with the Dynasty 200DX and how much it cost to fix them.

Thanks

TMT

[HAWK]

TMT,

I have both the Dynasty 200DX and 300DX. They have been used daily for several years each. Both machines have a dunp truck load full of hours on them. I have never had any problems with the D300DX. The 200DX did give some trouble. The beads were not penetrating and the cleaning action was poor. I ran a few tests and then took it into my local dealer for service. The polarity switching IGBT's had gone bad. Since it was warranty there was no charge. My 200DX was an older unit that still had a few bugs. The newer units have all the problems worked out and the reliability is excellent. I have never had another problem out of mine. I know a lot of guys that have them and all of theirs are doing great. We have one contractor here in town that has 50 of the D200DX units. They are used for SS piping and AL cooling system field installations. I think if anything were to go wrong it would surely be within the 3 year warranty period. Hope this helps.

[Too_Many_Tools]

Thanks Hawk...this is the type of information I am looking for.

Have you any idea what the repair to the 200DX would have cost if the warranty had not been in effect?

I (and I suspect many others) keep a welder longer than the warranty period (in this case three years). When one considers that a 200DX off Ebay costs ~$2700, it means the machine runs one about $900 a year. If you are a weekend welder, that is a substantial amount of continuing expense as you continue to buy new welders to maintain an active warranty.

Now one can sell the machine before the warranty elapses but anyone who is knowledgable of inverters and their higher repair costs will not (or should not) pay much for a machine that is off warranty. Any significant problem and it will cost more to fix the welder than it is worth.

I ask myself would I buy a car that I would have to sell every three years and the answer is "No".

I am surprised that Miller doesn't offer an extended warranty for customers who might want them.

Now that the 200DX has been out for a few years, it will be interesting to watch as we start seeing used 200DXs start showing up on Ebay as their warranties come to an end. Any one want to guess what they will bring?

Anybody else have any experiences with the DX200 that they would like to add?

TMT

[Teeps]

So your trying to talk somebody into selling their 3 year old welder, I don't blame ya. I'd try to as well. But most of these guys that own these machines, I think it would be a heck of a fight to get one away from them. They seem to like them quite a bit!!!!

I'm hoping I'll get lucky, and find somebody with a 200, that is looking to upgrade to a higher power model one day.

Keep me in mind guys!!!!

[HAWK]

Too Many Tools,

I will not argue the fact that inverters are "probably" more expensive to repair should a major component fail: (power IGBT's, PC dirver boards for the PS IGBT's, or the PS IGBT's). However, for the performance and portability this machine affords I could not let the repair costs keep me form buying it. Typcally inverters work or they don't. If they are going to fail I feel sure it would happen within the warranty period. I have enough hours on mine to accomodate your weekend welding for a several decades if that makes you feel any better about their reliability. If mine had been one of the later models it would never have been in the warranty shop anyway.

[Paul Seaman]

A business person will not worry about warranty but depreciation is 5 years and after that they really don't have any book value. That being said if a company was to have a machine failure during a job they would be either buying another or renting till theirs was fixed or job finished. If a business was so worried about warranty as to trade every 3 years they probably will not make it. Machinery montra in business "use it for every dollar it is worth and buy another"!

my.02

[HAWK]

pj,

I depreciate over 5 and 7 years depending on the dollar value of the equipment. You are absolutely correct that this is not a realistic worry for a business. However, for TMT and his weekend welding it is a legitimate concern in theory. The reality seems to point toward failure within the warranty period or not at all. As I said the machine benefits far outweigh its pitfalls of possible high repair cost.

[Paul Seaman]

Hawk:
I agree, My lawncare equipment is on a trailer in the back and until last year it was only being used for depreciation. I quit lawn care and landscaping 5 years ago when 2 of my best customers died 3 monthes apart. Now the Kubota tractor just wants a new home, you know the bit.

Peace,

[Too_Many_Tools]

Thanks for the discussion guys...I do think it is a topic that others will find interesting.

I agree that a business can and will depreciate any asset. As noted, the usual periods are 5 or 7 years while the warranty is 3 years. That time difference is still a significant amount of time remaining after the warranty period where the business could suffer a inverter failure and come up short dollarwise.

I do not mind paying more for an inverter based welder (I hope Miller marketing doesn't read this board ) versus a transformer based one...that is the cost of adopting new technology. What I am noting is that I would expect Miller to have a longer warranty if the inverter truly was more reliable...it would cost them nothing to offer the longer warranty if the inverter was really more reliable. Being that earlier inverters had a well deserved reputation of having more frequent failures and high repair costs, one would think that Miller would have a longer warranty in place to use as a selling point over the competition. For them not to have it makes me suspect that the failure rate of an inverter based welder is still more than a transformer machine and the average repair cost is likely higher. That is why I am interesting in hearing what problems the 200DX has had and what it cost to repair them. For what it is worth before I buy a car, I check out reliability reports and parts costs before signing the check.

For weekend usage in a hobby where one cannot use tax depreciation to defray the cost of the welder, long term reliability beyond the warranty to lower the overall ownership cost of the welder is important. For that usage, I would suspect a transformer based machine like the 180SD is a better fit.

I agree that portability, multi-voltage capability and the better performance of the 200DX is very attractive but from my viewpoint it still does come at a cost.

And no, I am not trying to talk someone out of their 200DX ...that would be darn near impossible considering the following this machine is acquiring. The point of the discussion is to try to persuade myself to buy a 200DX in the near future.


TMT

[fun4now]

home hobbie

well if you want to look at wekend hobby guy's i think the dyn. is a beter bet even at the higer caust up front.
first off most hobbie guys will have problems getting a 22V/55A circuit to run that syncro on.
as for the warente it is the same for the inverter as it is for thier transformer based. its not like they said lets offer 10years on transformers and only 2years on the inverters

i was looking hadr at the syncro180 but in the end decided the dyn.200 is the way to go
i wont need a special high amp circuit for it
it will not affect my house power bill nearly as much if at all
i can pop it in my 20A/110V circuit i set up for my MM135 untill i run the wires for it's own circuit and will only need a 220V/30A circuit
so as a person that just plays in the shop and dosent make a $.01 there i still think the dyn. is a better fit .if you can aford the initial expence it will make up the diferance in the electrick bill over its life time

[fun4now]

still saving

oh yea
i'm still saving to get it as i realy think it is werth the wait.
i could get the syncro tomarow but it will be mid-Nov. befor i will get to take home a dynasty

as another note i have been watching e-bay and havent seen 1 dynasty200 on it for sail (other than new1's)for over 6 months good new's for thouse that have them bad new's for thouse of us looking to get 1 at a deal to save a lil $$.
that has got to say somthing good for the lil fella's

[HAWK]

Fun4now is right about having a beefy electrical circuit to fully maiximize the potential of the Syncrowaves. I have not figured the S180DX, but the Sycro 250, which is more comparable to the Dynasty 200DX for aluminum welding, requires a 100 amp circuit to run it out a max amperage and balance. That's just not an option for most residential users.

[lramberson]

Have not chimed in in a long time and have just been rideing the information output. I am really glade and reassured of the units quality and dependability that I have a large cash output on & when you hear of very little problems..
What happened to the thread a short while back on the DX that seemed to be on melt down mode, I am curious as to the issue & the resolution of the problem? I last saw it heading in the direction of improper wiring but if there was a solution I would like to hear the update
Now I am saving up for the 302 unit and will be in the delema of which engine to go with...
Thanks for this forum & all the helpful members, especially HAWK & FUN, you guys keep it interesting.
Now if I could only tig better on aluminium

[fun4now]

lramberson

What happened to the thread a short while back on the DX that seemed to be on melt down mode, I am curious as to the issue & the resolution of the problem? I last saw it heading in the direction of improper wiring but if there was a solution I would like to hear the update

it seems to me that it was realy starting to point to operator mistakes, due to not knowing his welder. having welded for years he felt he knew all about it but knew nothing about inverters(big operating differances)this being the implied case he went into atack mode atacked all that tryed to help him find the problem and hasent been herd of sence.

IMO he got his feelings hurt and left.

i for 1 feel sorry for miller for replacing the unit 3 times, however the repair shop he took it to should have asked if he was aware of how to operate the welder( may have asked and been told oh yea i been TIGing for years)