Mig welder upgrades

[Weld65]

I would like to upgrade my current mig welder with a new mig gun.
The problem is ..........
I bought the mig welder several years ago & I didn't do any
research prior to purchasing it.
I ended up buying a Chicago Electric flux mig welder 150...........
I know, I know I shouldn't have bought it & in hind site I know why.
Althought, it does seem to a pretty good job.
Anyway, I would like to purchase a better quality mig gun assembly..
but when I looked at the current mig gun, there is only 1 wire from
the trigger switch to the circuit board in the welder.
I don't understand this & I know that any mig guns available
have 2 wires from the trigger.
How does the this mig gun work?
Am I missing something?
Can I modify the welder to acccept a 2 wire gun?
Any help woulkd be appreciated.
Thanks,
Tom

[cope]

Rather than invest $125 or more in that machine I would look into a name brand welder. You may be able to determine what back-end is on the gun, or it may be a proprietary set up.

Are you sure it's 1 wire and not a molded 2 wire?

[Mike W]

Maybe there is only one wire if they are using the welder output voltage to drive the motor. I would price a new gun before you go any further.

[bigwelder]

i would look at the new roughneck series mig guns from miller

[cope]

i would look at the new roughneck series mig guns from miller

For a 150 amp HF brand welder? I doubt they make one to fit it, and its not worth the $$ to upgrade the machine if they did.if they did.

[hankj]

Weld65,

I think the only function of the trigger on your gun is to start the feed motor, and welding power is probably what drives it. There is no contactor, and the welding wire is hot as soon as you turn on the power switch, yes?

The two-wire guns in machines like Hobart, Miller, and Lincoln, send a closure to the circuit board to do several things - start gas, close the welding power contactor, and start wire feed.

Therein lies the delimma!

Hank