"New" Trailblazer 302

[Extreme Steel]

Anyone have input on running a miller suitcase wire-feed on a trailblazer 302??? I was gonna buy the bobcat 250 but for another $400.00 bucks I figured it was worth the investment.

[MAC702]

Don (dda52) runs that setup now. Several others as well.

I have a TB301G and run a really old Miller remote-controlled feeder from it. I am very glad to have that capability, and would never buy a Bobcat for a welding business. It's a great generator that makes a decent welding machine. But the TB is a GREAT welding machine, designed for the pros.

[trevwelder]

I have a Trailblazer with the RC12. The Trailblazer does a really good job with a feeder. Its nice having the amps available for wire feed and still be light weight and portable. I have the MM175 and its heavy and does not always have the amps I need. AS for the TB with the RC12 I am very happy with it.

[garth]

Hi i have the TB and the 12RC and it is great very reliable just make sure you get the control extention cord with it maybe you supplier will throw it in if he realy wants to make the sale.

[Extreme Steel]

thanks for the input guys, just waiting to get my machine now

[DDA52]

Yup, the 12RC is the way to go. I have also run my 8VS and Super S-32P off of the TB. They both welded much nicer with the TB than they ever thought about with the Bobcat. Never thought a VS feeder could be that smooth. I use my RC when I am 75' or less from the truck. If I am farther away, I use the VS feeders. Seems to work fine so far.

[MAC702]

Don, did your Bobus die finally, or are you just supplementing it?

[DDA52]

Mac, the Bobus still works per se. Runs like a house afire. The weld output is severely reduced. It also isn't steady. You will really notice it when running flux core or dual shield. Can't keep the flux out of the puddle at all. Can you say swiss cheese? Since I got the TB, I haven't had much time to get it in the shop and see what's is going on. I plan on getting the AC side up and going if possible. I'll use it as a backup generator for the folks. If it isn't possible, I'll part it out maybe. The engine has less than 100 hrs on it. May get a chance around the holidays....no work going on then anyway.

[Bareback Jack]

I've heard that the RC gives a much better arc and is way better for running small diameter wires (.030FC or .023solid). Any truth to this? I've got a Trailblazer 302 and think a feeder would be a good investment for the amount of fences I'm building. The question is that I'd really like to get out 100-150' off the truck so I'm not having to move the truck all the time, but I also do work with light sheet metal often, so I need something that handles low voltage and small wire. How much better is that RC vs the VS? Any thoughts?

[MAC702]

Another option, Bareback Jack, is to just get a MM140 or a HH140 and run it off a #12 extension cord from the aux. power. That would be better than a VS feeder for that work, IMO.

A Millermatic Passport would be better yet, with an internal bottle for shielding gas.

Yes, not as bulletproof a set-up as a dedicated feeder, but it'll also put all the controls right there with no remotes necessary.

[Bareback Jack]

I've thought of that, but a 140 type machine really limits larger wire and work capabilities. Also, I've been told that they really don't hold up to outside type work. It would get drug through allot of crap (literally in many cases!) and I don't think one would hold up very long, making a 12RC or 12VS a more economical decision in the long run. A big plus for the 140 and an extension cord is the proven capabilities on small wire; however, I would be severely limited on the larger jobs.

I know several people here have used both the RC and the VS and can tell me the low end capabilities of both.

[DDA52]

Lowest I have been with either is 1/8...no complaints. I see no reson why the RC would have any issues. The VS feeders won't go below 14-15 volts...below that and it won't operate at all. You are also limited to 75' with a RC. Miller doesn't recommend going over that.

[MAC702]

...I've been told that they really don't hold up to outside type work. It would get drug through allot of crap (literally in many cases!) and I don't think one would hold up very long,....

You should see our ancient MM130. It's got more crap all over it from exclusive outside work than you could imagine. I've drug it or an HH135 more places than I care to describe.

But the Passport is built into the same Pelican case that the feeders are built into. Granted, it has a fan and a power supply and things that feeders don't, but it'll be even better in extreme environments. And it will also give you the bigger wire capability without the range restrictions of the RC feeder. Just run the exact same extension cord from the 240V aux. power instead of the 120V.

[Bareback Jack]

DDA52, what do you mean "1/8"? I know that the RC isn't recomended for over 75' away from the machine, but how about that low end of the VS. You say that a VS won't work below 14-15 volts (partially because it derives the power to run from the arc current), so how does this affect the performance running .030 FC? I'm going to need to turn a unit down to do thin stuff as well as cranking it up a bit.

[MAC702]

Don't get me wrong. If you need a feeder, you need a feeder.

FWIW, I own/use an ancient Millermatic 80A (dedicated old style 115V RC feeder) as well as a Lincoln LN-25 VS feeder from my TB301G.

But I do an awful lot of the work you described, and my Passport gets the job first.