Bought a new to me Airco Dip/Stick 160 multiprocess welder

[ryanjones2150]

I think it's a funny name for a machine. Dipstick. Ha!

[Hondacivic247]

Good news my new whip weldmart made for me got shipped out yesterday so hopefully I'll have it next week and finally get to learn how to mig weld.

I was reading about filter capacitors and diodes and I bet the reason people like these old machines and they have good arc characteristics is cause it's got 5 decent sized I'm unsure of the filtering they do or whatever you call it but there's 5 and most I've seen are run in a row. Mine has 3 on one side and 2 on the other side of the rectifier I believe it is.

Can you replaces just the diodes on the rectifier or does the entire thing need to be replaced. I figured if it isn't to expensive I could replace them sense there 25 years old.

Also do new machines pull voltage from the transformer when the wire feeder is running. I read some info in the manual saying the higher the wire feed speed the more voltage it pulls from the transformer which in turnew gives me less voltage to weld with. Is it possible to do anything to give more welding voltage from the transformer???

Thought I had read by adding filter capacitors you can increase the voltage on the high end but it limits the low end and changes the duty cycle

[ryanjones2150]

Don't over think things here. And if it's not broken, don't fix it. Just because something has some age to it doesn't mean you should replace it. Learn to mig weld, then decide if you need more out a machine. If you do, look at a newer, more adjustable machine for your needs. I'm not really familiar with your machine, but I understand it to simple with basic functionality, which is perfect for me and nearly everyone else's home shop.

Unless of course you just like to tinker with stuff. Then by all means, tear into that mammerjammer and get busy.

[Hondacivic247]

I'll leave it alone. I'm not sure Ifor I did something the machine but it seems to weld better and hasee a different sound to it, noticed it with the stick leads. I had lubed up the bolt that slides a big block of phenaloic wood inbetween the 2 sets of copper windings and I was also dusting often the rectifier bridge. The diodes look like there heavy duty.

I still have some questions about parts inside the machine and what they do.

There's these little orange circle diodes? That are on the rectifier bridge and on another part of the machine I was wondering what there called and there purpose?

Then there's a long brown tube that says ohm, there's a few of them in the machine.

Why on my machine did they not run all the capacitors in a bank style configuration like miller's, I have 3 on one side of the rectifier bridge and 2 on the other side?

[Hondacivic247]

[Hondacivic247]

hi

[Aeronca41]

The little orange round things are disc capacitors and are generally used to shunt high frequency/narrow spikes/transients to ground or around a semiconductor. They do not hold large amounts of energy and are generally not potentially dangerous like the big electrolytic capacitors at the bottom. I haven't looked at a schematic for your machine but they may be placed across the diodes to protect them from transients. The brown tubes marked ohm are resistors, used multiple places in electrical circuits. They should have a value before the "ohms" indicating how much resistance they have. As to the capacitor question, it's probably just how they could best fit everything in the case. Physical location does not necessarily equate to their electrical connections. Not to talk down to you but it sounds like you don't have a lot of electrical knowledge. Be careful poking around in there. If one of the safety discharge resistors across a capacitor bank has failed, there could be a significant ZAP stored in them even if the wall plug has been out for some time. I've witnessed some significant shocks, as well as nasty gashes when people caught their arm on a screw or sharp metal edge while jerking away from the cap that bit them. Saw one guy get a 10" gash down his forearm; LOTS of blood. Have fun, enjoy, but always be safe.

[Hondacivic247]

I don't know much about this type of stuff. The guy I work with is my go to guy as these machines are simple compared to the million dollar plus printing presses he is always fixing. I do have a schematic that's on the inside door for the machine. I'm trying to learn about all this stuff. I have some basic knowledge of electrical when it comes to wiring receptacles and the basics. Diodes and capacitors I have no clue lol.

How exactly does the amperage change when the board inside slides back and forth.

I think the capacitors said they were rated at 10000 each. I'll get pictures of other things I have questions on.

Thanks for all the info guys

[Hondacivic247]

[Hondacivic247]

How do you test the diodes? I get you take a reading then reverse the leads to get the other reading. If it flows both ways it's no good? Do you need to test these with the machine on ? I would assume not for risk of shock .

I plan to talk with the guy at work and borrow his tester I'll also have him show me on some equipment at work

[Meltedmetal]

Diodes are tested with the power off and disconnected. Make sure that the big capacitors are discharged before you stick fingers or test equipment into a machine. One lead of each diode that you test needs to be disconnected to be sure the current flow you see is only though the diode and not via some other path---Meltedmetal

[Hondacivic247]

How do I make sure the capacitors are fully discharged?

I just picked up a basic multimeter it's a klein mm2000 for $45 as it seems like a good tool to own as I only have a a voltage tester, got the klein off ebay. I would of liked a higher end like a fluke or the top of the line klein but I figured for home use its more then I'll ever need and get the job done.

[ryanjones2150]

You can never go wrong by investing in quality tools, especially test equipment.

[Meltedmetal]

How do I make sure the capacitors are fully discharged?

.

Wait 10 or 15 minutes after you have unplugged the machine to let them bleed down as they should if the resistors are not open then carefully short across the terminals with a screw driver that you don't love cause it burn a chunk out of it.
Or build one of these https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Constru...arge+Tool/2177 ---Meltedmetal

[Hondacivic247]

I figured the klein was a decent model it says it's a true rms and is in the middle of their line up.

I pulled the 220v fan out of the welder to clean it up and oil the shaft. To my surprise someone was in the machine at some point and had broke the wire and soldered it to the on off switch where it pulls 220v from so I cut it and plan to fix it. The soldering job didn't look good prolly a cold joint as it was being soldered to some thick copper. The fan was making a funny sound on start up then it would quite down. There's no wobble. I pulled the fan case apart and it doesn't use any bearings it rides on bushing.

I didn't have the small wire tab thing for the fan wire so I'm going to grab one from work and put it back in tonight.

The fan says to be oiled every 3 months which seems like a lot being inside the welder and having to pull it out