Add Spool Gun to LS-200PI?

[JJW]

I almost forgot,
you can buy a suitcase MIG wire feeder to hook up to a CC welding machine. These are voltage sensing and the wire feed motor runs off the arc voltage I think. (example the old Hobart "Hefty" units)
but
I don't know of anyone ever offering a voltage sensing spool gun.
Regards,
John

disclaimer: I'm over the half century mark, check what-ever I said.

[jakazz]

I dont understand the whole cc cv discusion.


but what I'm wondering here is the output as long as its constant instead of alternating is mute, because you can figure voltage from amps with ohms law..... increase amps you increase voltage?

So the spool gun has a wire speed dial on it, it has a hose for the gas which should be a standard conection. so all you have to do is dial wire speed and amperage/voltage and you have mig.

I believe the old power units just dialed a/v and the wire feed add on dialed the wire speed.

am I missing something?


I found this:

If you've already got a stick welder or a combination generator-stick welder, and you want to get into wire-feed welding, you can do so with this 29-pound device. It's the Miller Electric 3045 FC wire feeder, a machine that takes a constant-voltage or constant-current power source, such as an existing DC stick welder or an engine-driven generator welder, and converts it to a wire-feed welder.


OK I checked miller and lincoln sites looks like a 150 amp machine tops out around 24volts acording to this :
The Econotig is a CC machine as required for a SMAW/GTAW powersource. However, at 150 amps your arc voltage is around 25 volts. This is peaking the upper end of the machine capacity. I doubt the 3045 will perform well if at all. The Econotig is a nice little GTAW machine capable of a variety of tasks within its amperage range. I do not believe it has the "fortitude" required to drive a wire feeder that adjusts its speed according to the arc voltage. In the CC mode this is how the 3045FC operates. If you have such a set up available, you could test it. I think you will be disappointed, but I would like to know for sure.

[junes]

your over thinking it all you dont have to increase voltage to increase amps. The wire feed speed is what really determines the voltage and so does arc length it gets really in depth and confusing for most people. Just do alot of searching on the web and read everything you can on mig welding votage and tig welding. You will learn more becuase they can describe it alot better. The thing that you are refering to (3040fc) is millers old voltage sensing wire feeder. It is replaced today by the 12vs and 8vs feeders. The current voltage curve on a tig mahine such as the econotig as you mentioned is not well suited for voltage sensing. It is called a drooped curve and is actually more of a curve. The current voltage curve for stick welding is alot better becuase it is more verticle therfore more receptice for the wire feeders. If you go to millers website and go to the brochoure and look at it it gives you the tig curve and the arc curve. These are very important when buying a new machine and most people overlook this. Again it is hard to see especially in the new inverter machines but there is a difference and the graphs can be hard to get. Sorry if this confused everyone.

[robrob]

With CV (constant voltage) you vary amps and resistance but keep the same voltage, with CC (constant current) you vary voltage and resistance.

[Bikespot]

Argon on Mig should be used for aluminum welding. You should not use it for another metals, unless you want non proper sheilding.
I dont know what will happen if you do , but there is a reason why for different gases.

co2 75% argon 25% for all steels on mig. You can get special mixes but normally thats the case.

[junes]

You can use it for steels but you loose alot of pennetration and is not as controllable.