Everlast 225 LX or Miller syncrowave?

[brad3579]

I have never even picked up a tig torch but have used stick and mig.
I was thinking of purchasing a 225 LX Everlast welder but have since ran into an opportunity to take my pick on one of two used Miller Syncrowave welders.
Both are about three years old.
One is a 200 DX with runner package for about $500 less than the 225 LX with a water cooler and cart.
The other is a 250 DX without the runner package but does include a Bernard water cooler for about $200 more than the 225 LX with a water cooler and cart.
Thoughts about going with the transformer type verses inverter type and cost.
Thanks
Brad

[DVA]

An inverter machine will pull much less power out of the wall with comparable output at the torch as the old transformer machines are not as efficient. Also if you go with an inverter machine they are much more versatile with pulse settings and ac settings. I would go with the best inverter machine you can afford. If you want a bullet proof machine the syncrowave machines are hard to beat with the provided draw backs.

[dyethor]

If it were me I would go for the most amps for your money. I don't have too much torch time on a transformer I've mostly used inverter. Do you want a portable unit or is it going to be only used in your shop?

[srp]

I have never even picked up a tig torch but have used stick and mig.
I was thinking of purchasing a 225 LX Everlast welder but have since ran into an opportunity to take my pick on one of two used Miller Syncrowave welders.
Both are about three years old.
One is a 200 DX with runner package for about $500 less than the 225 LX with a water cooler and cart.
The other is a 250 DX without the runner package but does include a Bernard water cooler for about $200 more than the 225 LX with a water cooler and cart.
Thoughts about going with the transformer type verses inverter type and cost.
Thanks
Brad

The Sycrowave 250 may be a problem if have it at home because it pulls 96 amps at 250, the 200 will pull close to 70 amps at 200.

[SeanMurphy265]

For me warranty is a big deal. I have to save up my pennies, so I'm one of these who will buy the extended warranty plan for the right price! The cooler would add some value because they are not cheap. I like inverter machines because of their functions and portability; which opens up more doors to earn money. Get a good generator and all of the sudden you have a mobile welding business.

[brad3579]

If it were me I would go for the most amps for your money. I don't have too much torch time on a transformer I've mostly used inverter. Do you want a portable unit or is it going to be only used in your shop?

The Sycrowave 250 may be a problem if have it at home because it pulls 96 amps at 250, the 200 will pull close to 70 amps at 200.

It would be used in the shop where I have the power to run it on one end of the shop.
I only have a 50 amp outlet by my lift but would assume that I could still run it to tack weld an exhaust etc. and then weld it up by my welding area?

For me warranty is a big deal. I have to save up my pennies, so I'm one of these who will buy the extended warranty plan for the right price! The cooler would add some value because they are not cheap. I like inverter machines because of their functions and portability; which opens up more doors to earn money. Get a good generator and all of the sudden you have a mobile welding business.

One of the reasons I was looking at the inverters was the light weight if needed to be used off site. I have mutiple generators the largest being a 10 kW.
The warranty on the used I am not so worried as they are working now so I should probably be ok.

[dyethor]

I'm not an electrical engineer. However I think it would be fine it you run it at lower levels. You could experiment to see how high of a setting you can get with a sustained weld. See what trips your breaker. Then try to run lower then that threshold. Again I'm not an engineer, I dont know if your shops wiring is up to code, nor can I test your equipment over the net.

Having a portable unit is nice especially when it can be run off of a generator. I can run my dynasty 200 off of my 8500kw generator at up to 130amps without tripping the breaker on the gen set. I need a bigger generator...

[jp2code]

An inverter machine will pull much less power out of the wall with comparable output at the torch as the old transformer machines are not as efficient. Also if you go with an inverter machine they are much more versatile with pulse settings and ac settings. I would go with the best inverter machine you can afford. If you want a bullet proof machine the syncrowave machines are hard to beat with the provided draw backs.

The Sycrowave 250 may be a problem if have it at home because it pulls 96 amps at 250, the 200 will pull close to 70 amps at 200.

So, would a Syncrowave 250 pull 96 amps ONLY when set at 250 and welding at 250?

I'm guessing the Everlast 225 LX would pull next to nothing until the arc was struck, and then only draw what the dial was set to. Correct?

[performance]

In rush current demands when the arc is struck is much greater than actual amps drawn once the arc is established, and settled in on an inverter.
But on a transformer, I think things are evened out a little more, but not in a good way. Idle current on a transformer is greater, but not a "max" current value either.

I may be reading your question wrong, but the output of the machine is not equal to the input of the machine. Input amps are much less than output amps, typically.

[srp]

So, would a Syncrowave 250 pull 96 amps ONLY when set at 250 and welding at 250?

I'm guessing the Everlast 225 LX would pull next to nothing until the arc was struck, and then only draw what the dial was set to. Correct?

I ran my Syncrowave 250 on a 70 amp breaker for about a week, it would trip on aluminum above 200 amps after about a minute or so of welding. It would not trip when welding at a lower amperage. My electrician said it will pull the most when starting an arc, but it is such a short duration that it normally does not trip the lower amperage breakers.

[jp2code]

Thanks srp. All this helps solidify my understanding of what's going on inside these boxes.

[brad3579]

An inverter machine will pull much less power out of the wall with comparable output at the torch as the old transformer machines are not as efficient. Also if you go with an inverter machine they are much more versatile with pulse settings and ac settings. I would go with the best inverter machine you can afford. If you want a bullet proof machine the syncrowave machines are hard to beat with the provided draw backs.

I believe that the Syncrowave does have pulse and AC balance controls

[brad3579]

I'm not an electrical engineer. However I think it would be fine it you run it at lower levels. You could experiment to see how high of a setting you can get with a sustained weld. See what trips your breaker. Then try to run lower then that threshold. Again I'm not an engineer, I dont know if your shops wiring is up to code, nor can I test your equipment over the net.

Having a portable unit is nice especially when it can be run off of a generator. I can run my dynasty 200 off of my 8500kw generator at up to 130amps without tripping the breaker on the gen set. I need a bigger generator...

Are you running 130 amps on a Dynasty 200or a Syncrowave 200 with your generator?

[dyethor]

That's running 130 output amps on the lcd display on the dynasty. My generator doesn't have an ammeter so I don't know what the welder is drawing

[brad3579]

Is that running on 120 vac or 220 vac?

[dyethor]

Its on 220vac

[brad3579]

That seems really low on the output for the inverter style welder.
Your generator should be putting out about 27 amps @ 220.
Looking at the specs on a EL 200DX it says.
Input amps max inrush 33.6 and input amps max running 27.0.
I was thinking a person could get a lot more from a generator in the field.

[dyethor]

Ok I was wrong. I looked at the generator in my shop, then looked for the specs online. The generator is a titan7500 the max output wattage is only 6800, that's a misleading product name. I'm not sure what the breaker is rated for there's no rating on the breaker, generator, nor in the literature online. My guess is its probably 20 or 25 amps.

[jp2code]

Ok I was wrong. I looked at the generator in my shop, then looked for the specs online. The generator is a titan7500 the max output wattage is only 6800, that's a misleading product name. I'm not sure what the breaker is rated for there's no rating on the breaker, generator, nor in the literature online. My guess is its probably 20 or 25 amps.

A diesel generator. I like that.

How long have you had it? How does it perform? Did you pay $5980 for it?

[dyethor]

It runs nice. My boss had it sitting brand new still in the plastic up on a shelf for a year or two. I brought it down changed the oil, put a new battery in and it fired right up. Electric start is a must have on this thing. Even with a compression release pull starting is damn near impossible. When the cylinder gets to the compression stroke it almost rips my hand off my wrist, and I'm not a small guy. I don't know what he paid for it but I can say with certainty he didn't pay that much. One nice feature is the remote on/off. Comes in handy when you are working on top of a trailer, are done welding and don't want to listen to the generator any more.
For what its rated for it works perfect. Its just not enough to run my welder at its full potential.