Maxstar 140 on European 220v?

[plasmaboy]

Hi,

I just moved to Denmark, and was curious if anyone knows for certain whether or not I can use a Maxstar 140 inverter on European 220v outlets? I checked the manual over and really couldn't find any definitive answer... has anyone out there done this already?

Thanks,
ben

[MAC702]

Yes, plug it in and go to town. I owned one and used it from 120V and 240V in the USA. You'll operate it from 220V and 50Hz instead of 60Hz. The frequency will slightly lower your duty cycle, but you'll be able to use it just fine.

[fun4now]

i cant see it being a problem it runs in canada wich i think is also 50hrtz insted of 60. seems like i saw something in the miller TIG book about it and the only diference is the arc being 50hrtz insted of 60hrtz. i'll see if i can find it again.

[MAC702]

It will not change the frequency of the arc as the power is rectified immediately upon entering the machine. In fact, that means it probably won't even affect the duty cycle now that I think about it.

The arc is a very smooth DC, coming from a second rectifying process after the inverter's HF transformer.

Canada is on the same grid as the US at 60 Hz.

[MAC702]

My only question is how many amps do you get out of the circuit you have available?

[bob_e95482]

The way I understand it, European 220v is 1-220v leg and a neutral. U.S. 220v is 2-110v legs. I don't know how this would affect your welder.

[WolfmanJack13]

The way I understand it, European 220v is 1-220v leg and a neutral. U.S. 220v is 2-110v legs. I don't know how this would affect your welder.

How the 220 volt is achieved at wont affect the welder. He'll need an adapter plug though one on the welder definitely wont fit.

[fun4now]

bob_e95482, makes an excelent point. they have a 2 prong outlet at 220V with one hot 220V and one nutral or return leg similer to our 120v setup . so it will only have 2 wires creating the 220V as aposed to our 3 wire 220V system. i would supose he would wire it as if it were a 120V setup and let the welder figure it out ???
perhapse its not as simple a question as we had first thought. maybee a call to the miller teck guys is in order as i'm not shore how one would go about wireing it for a 2 wire 220V system.

[MAC702]

The welder won't even know the difference. All it knows is that it senses 220V and internally switches (Autolink) to compensate. But I have always wondered exactly how they got their 220V, so thanks for that detail!

[WolfmanJack13]

Heres a great link for world voltages, frequencys and types of plugs required there.

http://kropla.com/electric.htm

[fun4now]

its funny we generaly never think about our power as strange till we look at all the options. kinda neat to see all the diferent plugs.
i wonder why we chose a 120V/240V system as aposed to just strait 220V like europe??? seems easyer to stick to just 220V. i remember selling all my electronics befor returning home in the service. kind of a bummer i has some nice stuff but who wants to use the dryer outlet just to play the stereo. besides they used even stations so i dont think it would have tuned in.

[MAC702]

To really confuse things, (at least in the UK) they use 120V power just like ours to power their tools on construction sites...

[plasmaboy]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

The single-leg 220v vs. two leg 220v is exactly what i'm concerned about. If there was a transformer in the unit it for sure wouldn't matter, but since they run the unit directly off the lines (there's a basic block schematic in the manual) it seems like something could possibly go wrong running off the single 220. Most obvious pointed out to me by a friend was that if the caps are only rated to ~150 or so volts, then they're going to blow soon after plug-in...

Guess I'll have to just open it up and see if I can see the rating on the caps, and if they're okay, then just give it a shot. I've got 8 weeks til the thing gets here, so no hurry for now.

-ben

[fun4now]

are you there now or in the U.S.A. ??
i can give miller TIG teck's a call to make shore for you if you cant call them from where you are. just let me know if ya need me to.
James

[MAC702]

Whether there is a grounded conductor or both conductors are hot makes absolutely no electrical difference. It is 220V and that is all the machine sees. It is more than rated for it. It is rectified as soon as it enters the machine, too.