When a homebuilt trailer fails...

[Bodybagger]

I can't tell you how frequently I see homebuilt trailers with a solid axle welded to the frame without spring suspension. This fatigues the spindle and lugs and can lead to catastrophic separation. Manufactured axles are not immune to this type of failure when installed incorrectly this way. Most of...

[Bodybagger]

What Bob said...

Just take it to a machine shop and they can make one easy.

[Bodybagger]

The allowed processes should be spelled out in the welding procedure specifications of the design or contract plans, the "how" of the project.

The prints are the "where" of the project.

[Bodybagger]

I am almost 100% certain that your pulley is a predominately zinc die casting alloy that is virtually unweldable. It's not very fatigue resistant either. You should consider redesigning with a stronger material.

[Bodybagger]

Frankly, it looks like 75/25 or 98/2.

[Bodybagger]

If it's dividing the number of posts by the length I've been signed up, I'll never have any bars!

[Bodybagger]

Does "when it's turned on" mean it trips when the breaker is turned on or it trips when the 200dx is turned on?

If it trips when the breaker is flipped, ohm out the power cord and check for shorts.

If it trips when the switch on the welder is flipped on, I'd suspect...

[Bodybagger]

Checking the capacitance of the high voltage capacitors is an exercise in futility. The capacitance can be fine at the couple volts the tester puts through it, yet turn into essentially a direct short at a kilovolt as it arcs internally. High voltage RF capacitors are so cheap, they should be replaced...

[Bodybagger]

Vacuum dessication does not work with the flux in 7018 rods precisely because it's formulated to be so hygroscopic. They have to be baked at around 700F or whatever the manufacturer recommends. Once you've welded with good dry rods, you'll see how much better it runs. Now one you've baked them, you...

[Bodybagger]

Onans seem to run really cold venturi temperatures. I've had to fight condensation building up in the air filter box on my Marquis genset and carb ice on some days. Is the air filter getting wet? Another issue I've had is when running Mobil 1, it foams in the Onan sometimes enough to trip the low oil...

[Bodybagger]

Oil at 350? I'm starting to think there's a secret blend of twelve special herbs and spices.

[Bodybagger]

To start out, the 30x8x1 cavity will house 1800 gallons, not 1600. For each helical 2" pipe, assuming it's 100 feet long, there's another 16 gallons. If there's 6, that brings it to 1900 gallon capacity. If the oil is high in benzene content, you can use benzene as an upper limit for expansion...

[Bodybagger]

A good rule of thumb for mineral oil is .00036/deg F

So 1600 gallons at -20F would become x at 350F:

(1+[370*0.00036])*1600gal=1813gal.

This is based on mineral type oils and assumes the tank is not pressurized and all the oil is isothermal... Figuring...

[Bodybagger]

Capacitor C2 is open, HF knob R5 is open, or coupling transformer T3 has some junk in it, or lead 58 or 59 had a poor connection. Any of these will still allow HF to be made... It's just not getting to the work lead. C2 needs to be a good, heavy duty capacitor rated for 10,000V.

[Bodybagger]

I'm assuming since you mentioned a mix for solid and no mix for flux core, you're taking about NR211MP?