Dialarc HF

[MAC702]

...we have the ground clamp wire at 10mm which is rated around 50 amps and we have our 15 to 20 amp- 14 gauged wire that directly hooks to the grounding wire to the circuit board....

I'm an electrician and I don't know what you mean by this. What exactly are you measuring at "10mm"? What is the duty cycle of the job being done by the 14-ga wire? How many amps is it expected to carry during that duty cycle?

china is cheap naturally.

I'll try replacing the 14 gauge wires with 10mm...

Actually, China produces crap in some factories and very good products in other factories. After the costs of tariffs, which do you think is going to be purchased by American importers?

[Bushytails]

Try it on 240V.

[weldslikebutter]

Well I did not want to take the cover off the plasma cutter too soon, hopefully you can see the picture we have the ground clamp wire at 10mm which is rated around 50 amps and we have our 15 to 20 amp- 14 gauged wire that directly hooks to the grounding wire to the circuit board.

See how that's a rip off now, same 14 gauged wire is on the cutting side
I have a cleaning brush pointing to the coil looks like there using a hall effect like a coil off a car distributor that goes through a set of points and the wound 14 gauged wire wraps around some magnets or steel and they have a small primary wire wrap a couple of times coming from the points.
inducing the primary current, both 14 gauged wires are hooked to 50 amp cables.

I wonder why it does not cut 1/8th material Mean while it's saying it will cut up too 1/2 plate at 110V it's a tinfoil cutter or a cheap *** cookie sheet cutter, I could do that with pair of tin snips.

Like buying a welder that has 200 amp cables and it only welds on cookie sheet tin pull off the cover and see 14 gauged wires running to the 200 amp cables HuH!
You can take your sorry China *** back where it came from!
Vevor says we don't what your taking about you just sound unhappy with product - yet there is 10 positive reviews for this particular model, I wrote a bad review and they won't post it either.

They don't want to do a refund either. I thought someone must have just put the wrong plug wire on it, as most times these machine don't have a plug on them as you can wire for 110 or 220 and china is cheap naturally.

I'll try replacing the 14 gauge wires with 10mm and see if that makes a difference, for science and North American ingenuity vs the cost of playing the shipping game $$$$.

I'll keep a running post going after I play with with it.

[Sberry]

Not everyone needs to study code line for line but its worth a little reading AFTER a guy gets a little experience. I am a slow learner, taken me a long time to know what I dont know. I really dont care anymore in a certain way, my own interest is more forensic about the learning process and in the real world want my equipment to meet code standard.
I see very little in fundamental circuit design when these questions are answered, becomes,,, what I did was put a 6 on everything and its right and code cause someone told me so.
While the code is not a design book good design follows the code and the welding people find a way to me it vs changing it to meet machines. A little history is interesting and the DVI has really brought out some details regarding connection to service and equipment protection, specifically faults.
When I start to do a little study, nothing serious but finally really following owners manual with code and the allowances etc got interesting and on a couple occasions called Miller during that time. Was during the evoultion/birth to the inverter so to speak and I happen to get newer engineer on the phone, I had a couple compliance questions and I am sure they were hired for genius with the new teck did not have specific background in this connection.
I ask elsewhere and (not a Miller thing) but like other PHD types you can get degree without opening electric code book,,,, dozens of other books but this one not required to open in many cases.
I can see how the welding machine co needed the new guys, they got othgers that do for sure but was neat to talk to someone 2x as bright didnt fully understand this connection and I am actually surprised how many trades guys do not really grasp some of the basic principle the whole thing operates it on.
I dont know squat and barely count to 10 so myu ability is limited but after a while and with some pecking I kinda get it. There is a difference in understanding all the particular math to it than having a picture of how it works. We have done a good job with 3 and 4 wires but kind of missed otyher fundamental along the way and it now blurs the rest of the picture. Same for fundamental paint booth design, there is always the guy gonna tell us about the pressure booth he built, etc and doesnt have a concept difference of clean room and paint booth. Can a guy design,,,, even working design it without having a basic concept?

[Sberry]

AWG12 wire can handle 50A, completely to code, in many circumstances.

I mention that on tractor forum and they come unglued. After all they been wiring for 40 years and taught Edison everything he knows. Seems with that long, that much experience,,, got it all, industrial, new wire etc that someone would explain how a circuit breaker works. I feel like saying when I hear,,,, All the breaker does in protect a wire in the wall" I got to wonder,,, how one can get a fuggin license if that is ALL they know about it.
Mac eluded to equipment,,, its worth a look at 90.7 I believe,,, they describe in a general way equipment listed in code needs to comply. Generally,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, the internals follow the fixture, the tap and cord allowances.

[MAC702]

...The machine has only got a 3G2.5 mm cord coming out which is only rated at 14 AWG = 15 amps
but two models listed in the owners manual require 35 amps at 110v or 40-45 amps at 110v.

The "rating" depends on the governing body and the circumstances. The manufacturer is not limited to the extra safety measures in the typical electrical construction codes. And separately, welding equipment (plasma cutters are often the same in this regard) has a duty cycle that allows for different ratings on wiring. It is actually common that a welder with 30A input might be made with a AWG14 cord.

AWG12 wire can handle 50A, completely to code, in many circumstances.

[ryanjones2150]

I have never liked a 115v plasma cutter. Makes me want to grab the plasma cutter and bludgeon it against the metal I’m cutting. Only good for cutting auto body sheet metal, downhill with a tailwind.

[Bushytails]

Those generic chinese plasma cutters are a gamble at best... No one has much good to say about them other than the price. Keep an eye out for a used miller or hypertherm. It'll probably work better off 240V, but you get what you pay for.

[weldslikebutter]

I just got a Miller foot controller, I was one of those bidders Now I was talking to an electrician, I'm in Canada, trying to get good used machine is hard to come by, delivered. The electrician has estimated the job at $1200.00 that is including the plasma cutter wiring etc.

The plasma cutter I got from Vevor called the "Cut 50" tried it on Sunday and it would not cut 1/8th steel? and the machine keep going into over heating mode and eventually popped the breaker to the kids bedroom breaker - computers - gaming and angry addicted children

The machine has only got a 3G2.5 mm cord coming out which is only rated at 14 AWG = 15 amps
but two models listed in the owners manual require 35 amps at 110v or 40-45 amps at 110v.

[Weld dr]

Not very easy to find a metal case foot control remote but i have four. And 4 sale to the correct bidder.

[jjohn76]

Just to take a step back, are you sure you want a Dialarc HF, and are you sure you want that one in particular (sounds like it's missing accessories)? It sounds like it will cost a lot more than many other more capable machines for AC Tig once you get all the accessories and electrical straight. Free may even cost you more than a more capable complete setup if you're planning to run it even close to it's duty cycle. And if you're missing accessories, you won't be able to fully check function. PFC helps, but has its own issues and limitations.

I am willing to bet if you get an electrician and read straight from the manual Bushy recommended, the electrician will figure out what he or she needs to buy. 8/3 SOOW probably isn't one of those items. Now, I won't guarantee you the connections will all be tightened after the electrician is done, at least not if you're in northern New Mexico...

[tarry99]

Some of those machines are "power factor corrected" and have a "P" on the front panel..I have one of those machines I bought new.........and ran it on a 50 amp breaker be it TIG or ARC welding right up to full capacity.......Now of course that is not a square wave machine but did me fine for many decades on all metals until I bought a new 280DX............Pay attention to the new Line coming from your main.....make sure it's oversized for the distance ran and amperage........and go back to your main and see if that is a 100 or 200 amp panel?......might even check your wire size coming from the street or pole......if it's rated at 200 amps as some are but only feeding a 100 amp panel.....upgrade the panel to 200 amps and send 100 amps to the shop..If it's only 100 amps total.....your going to have to share the usage btw the house and shop...can be done as long as you have proper protection along the path..

[weldslikebutter]

If I'm picturing what you are describing, you have two "100" levers on a 2-pole breaker that are connected together? That means you have 100A of 240V available at that breaker. When you have just one lever on a single-pole breaker, it's that amount of 120V. This will usually be limited to 30A breakers. To make matters more confusing, there will sometimes be tandem breakers in a panel, which put two circuits of only 120V on the same breaker. And then there will be combos of those.

Yes that is correct "2 100AMP " levers on a 2-pole breaker that are connected together, is that double pull single throw breaker? Now some are saying they run from 50 amp breaker through a 50 amp plug, others are saying the machine uses up to 70 amps or run there machine on 70 AMP breaker and some say it requires a 100 AMP breaker to be on the safe side, without causing the breaker to pop under full load. and the proper wire for that 100 amp breaker.

I'm only trying to determine what is required to safely run the machine at full load on HF as the machine could peek to 310 Amps with the duty cycle as it's designed to do that.

[Metjunkie]

Without actually seeing what your current electrical situation is, nobody here can tell you exactly what items you'll need to get your welder going. If you know an electrician, great. If not, hire one. Have him look at your situation and your welder requirements and decide what you need, then purchase the necessary items.

[MAC702]

If I'm picturing what you are describing, you have two "100" levers on a 2-pole breaker that are connected together? That means you have 100A of 240V available at that breaker. When you have just one lever on a single-pole breaker, it's that amount of 120V. This will usually be limited to 30A breakers. To make matters more confusing, there will sometimes be tandem breakers in a panel, which put two circuits of only 120V on the same breaker. And then there will be combos of those.