Trouble with the new machine ! (Colossal Tech Super 200P)

**rustycase** · 03-15-2011, 05:25 AM

I have received the new machine. (Colossal Tech Super 200P) Very pleased with it's appearance, and have opened the cover to inspect innards for any loose connections from shipping.
Everything looked great, and most connectors were hot glued to prevent accidental dislocation.
One of the control knobs does not seem quite up to snuff, and I notified the distributor of a possible problem with it, by email.
...I ran a new 220v 30a dedicated circuit for the machine. Only 50ft from the main service panel, so there should be no voltage drop issues.
Powered the machine up and got a digital display and fans are working. HF toggles on and off.
...Next day I got the argon bottle plumbed and the torch and foot pedal hooked up.

Glitch in the matrix.

Current will not adjust in the TIG function and gas valve will not shut off once it is triggered. Must switch over to MMA for the gas to shut off. NOT good.

Emailed the distributor for assistance and Paypal, to get on the log that I was experiencing a problem from the gate.
I watched as the big brown driver carried the box GINGERLY from his truck to my dolly in the driveway, and there were no marks whatever upon the carton.

My first test of the unit, attempting to TIG weld some 18g SS at low amperage was spectacular. 200amps DCEN flat out blows holes in thin sheet!

That's when I determined the foot pedal was NOT going to allow me to set amperage.
I disconnected it and tried from the main panel, using the torch mounted switch only.
Another spectacular failure.

I hope to resolve this quickly.

Someone inquired about my experience... Many moons ago, when I worked as a cummins mechanic on construction trucks I did some maintenance and repair welding, and a small amount of TIG work under supervision fabricating some custom turbo manifolds for some of the trucks we worked on... Back then, some of the Owner Operators really liked pumping up the horsepower !

Years later I did a small amount of TIG work with a monstrous Linde machine that had it's own wheels and a tow bar to move it within the shop. At that time I was repairing broken motorcycle cases before we did the machine work on them.

Basically, I'm a beginner, with a little knowledge.

I will only be using the machine for hobby projects and light repairs to get it to pay for itself. This is a bit of a setback, and any number of people are watching to see how the problem is resolved. I haven't yet taken any flak !
rc

**Gadget** · 03-15-2011, 09:20 AM

Rusty,
Sorry to hear you are having problems. I hope you get it resolved quickly.

Dan

**KHK** · 03-16-2011, 12:45 AM

It will be fun after the problems are solved..

**gilly** · 03-16-2011, 10:26 AM

Hope you have good luck with your new machine.

**rustycase** · 03-16-2011, 10:41 AM

Thanks for all the good wishes. I appreciate.

...Gilly... THAT avatar is downright SCARY!
rc

**180guy** · 03-23-2011, 04:39 PM

Did you get everything figured out?

**rustycase** · 03-23-2011, 05:48 PM

We're still working on it, 180guy.... Thanks for asking!
Got an email from the marketer saying the part had arrived from China, and would be forwarded here shortly.
I repaired the transposed wires in the footpedal connector and it is now functioning as it should.
So far, the factory tech is batting 100 on long distance diagnostics!
Hopefully this will all be resolved soon and I can get some projects done.
Best
rc

**Charley Davidson** · 03-23-2011, 06:55 PM

Wouldn't it save time, money & face if they pre tested each machine and fixed any issues before it went out to the customer?

**rustycase** · 03-23-2011, 08:43 PM

Hey Charley,

Well, I think it might save time, especially on my part, if it had been tested through all cycles before shipping.

The problem has actually cost me money, for wasted argon, and a few small projects I missed out on.

Face?
Well, most people think I'm kinda funny lookin' anyway...

My bride, who sprung for this new tool, is sure I look like an idiot for buying a new machine when the economy is so bad. I just gotta take the risk that it will function well enough to pay for itself and bring in some extra over a period of time.

Charley, I DID hear mention of machines shipped from the Orient that were damaged while in transit. Some had noticeable damage to the carton, others were damaged internally from shock or vibration which caused connections to come loose.

The box we received was in nearly excellent condition when I met the Big Brown driver in our driveway with our dolly.
Everything was packed well enough, and all there.
First thing I did was pop the cover off the machine and have a look at the internals.
... and connections !

Everything inside looked stout, and orderly.
Two M4 case mounting screws lost their threads when removed, and I found one chassis ground wire that I felt could be rotated a few degrees, for less possibility of a problem in extended service... so I loosened the screw and moved it over a tad.

Charley, every single multi-wire connector in the entire machine had been safety anchored with a lite application of hot glue to prevent it fom coming out accidentally !
I was very surprised !

One odd thing, internally... There was a very light layer of dust upon one support panel of the chassis, as there also was upon one side of the foot pedal, which was packed, (and sealed), in a separate box within the large carton.
I might think it was evidence that at least some of the inventory had set within a storeroom for an extended period of time, even before the machine was assembled.
The entire machine came packed with some foam blocks and was within a large plastic bag within the large cardboard box, so the dust did NOT come from transit.
...Interesting...

The machine functions flawlessly in the MMA mode.
Perhaps that is the only function that was tested???

The gas solenoid control fails when TIG or Plasma cut mode are selected.
...and the foot pedal was wired improperly...

Hopefully it shall be fixed soon !
rc