Finally welded with the new TIG...kinda

[Jason]

The HF helmet doesn't even work if I pulse the pedal, it just clicks on and off....sort of like welding while being at a rave! Otherwise it just stays off during welding and your eyes hurt afterwards.

Sounds like you need a better helmet. I started with one of those cheap HF helmets and had a hard time with vision and my eyes. My Miller helmet darkens just by tapping the pedal without even starting an arc. The HF I used seem to darken pretty well.

[youngnstudly]

The paper manuals are a running joke, like the included plug. Download the US written manuals from the website. They are much better, but still a work in progress.

http://www.everlastgenerators.com/manuals.php

That lighting doesn't look too bad. Can you also power up that pair of 8" tubes on the wall?
What doesn't look good, is that 40° under them. Time to set something on fire in there.

I thought it was strange that they would include such a short manual with such a sophisticated piece of equipment! As for the shop lights, I think most everyone took my remark about the 4 watt LED bulbs in the heat lamp to mean that I was welding next to a candle or something. The lights aren't really that bad, plus I have the 4' fixture that belongs above my job box (the blue box I'm welding on top of). That heat lamp is portable, which is nice for shining light where I need it. The 8' shop lights are a luxury that simply isn't in the budget right now (one switch turns on 7 individual fixtures!).

I'm running the LED lights plus a few small power tools off of solar panels for short periods of time. My ongoing health issues are keeping me from doing any more than about 2 hours of work in one period (a few times a week at best) so I don't really need much power....Just enough to hobby on "piddly" projects to keep me from going crazy!

Sounds like you need a better helmet. I started with one of those cheap HF helmets and had a hard time with vision and my eyes. My Miller helmet darkens just by tapping the pedal without even starting an arc. The HF I used seem to darken pretty well.

From what I've read on here, some people have had okay luck with the HF (cheap) auto darkening helmet, while others like me have had no luck using them. If I win the lotto (haha), I plan on getting this nice Miller replacement lens for the spare Matco Tools helmet my dad used years back. Everything about that helmet screams "quality", unlike the HF helmet.
http://store.cyberweld.com/miauwelefish.html

Alright, I'm off to bed...a little too much excitement for me today. My yellow lab put herself to bed 2 hours ago (she's a good influence on me! ).

[fdcmiami]

thank you; you see studly, i'm not alone in my thinking, just a lot less diplomatic than mr rambozo. by the way, i'd check that mic because i have never heard of a saw blade that is .017 in thk., and i'm still trying to decipher that mitering explanation but it's early, perhaps it will come to me later.

maybe some heavy woolen socks would help.

good luck and happy welding

[performance]

The paper manuals are a running joke, like the included plug. Download the US written manuals from the website. They are much better, but still a work in progress.

http://www.everlastgenerators.com/manuals.php

That lighting doesn't look too bad. Can you also power up that pair of 8" tubes on the wall?
What doesn't look good, is that 40° under them. Time to set something on fire in there.

No, Rambozo, they are not a work in progress. The 160 manual is complete and up to date. Way more detailed than some other name brand ones.

[Rambozo]

No, Rambozo, they are not a work in progress. The 160 manual is complete and up to date. Way more detailed than some other name brand ones.

That may be but it still has errors and omissions in it.

[performance]

That may be but it still has errors and omissions in it.

What errors and omissions? Be nice to know so if there are we can correct it.

[Rambozo]

What errors and omissions? Be nice to know so if there are we can correct it.

One thing missing is the question that has been asked about how the 160 readout works with a pedal. Perhaps that could be explained briefly so new users understand what to expect.

Errors:
Page 15: "The foot pedal allows full range of amp operation and the panel AMP knob is not overridden when connected."
The word not should be removed as the panel amp knob is overridden by the pedal. Or the word overridden could be changed to functional. I suspect someone was thinking along those lines and just got things transposed. Pick one.

While the plug on page 19 is specified, on page 18 the drawing attempts to use one diagram for both 120V and 220V wiring and labels the plug 30-50 amp. The drawing is clearly a NEMA 6-50 and that is a very different plug from either a 5-30 or a 6-30. Several people have been confused about blade widths and which is the neutral blade. This is somewhat understandable because of the diagram, and the standard convention of swapping wide and narrow sides between 120 and 240 volt plugs. Perhaps it would be better to split this into two diagrams, one for 120V and one for 240V. Then you can show the proper plugs. NEMA 6-30 is so uncommon I would not even bring it up. Although it would be a great choice for some of these machines, anyone that would select it will probably know how to use it. I would say the two plugs to diagram are the 6-50 which is shown and a 5-15 / 5-20 for the 120V side. I think this would handle over 90% of users. While the 5-20 is the preferred plug, the 5-15 is so common and can be used in 5-20 outlets, that I think it has to be included. Here is an example of all three.



Of course it sounds like some of this will be moot if all the new welders are going to ship with plugs installed, and adapters included for dual voltage models. That in itself should be cause for an update of the manual, though.

[performance]

The manual will be updated for specification changes/additions coming on the PowerArcs in the next 6 weeks or so. The error with the word "not" had already been corrected in the master copy. But a 6-30 is NOT uncommon as nearly every single 6-50 amp plug comes this way with a 6-30 sideways slot and additional blade for adaptation, so the 30-50 amp is correct as that was cited directly from the packaging of the plug. But I don't see a work in progress here. One error, and one need for clarification. The way you put it, it sounded as it was not very reliable and needed a lot of work.

Edit: Changing to "not functional", would not necessarily improve the meaning. In fact it makes it sound like there will be no amp control at all. In an effort to be concise and work with limited space, the "overridden" would be correct. When anything "overrides" it takes control.

[Jason]

Edit: Changing to "not functional", would not necessarily improve the meaning. In fact it makes it sound like there will be no amp control at all. In an effort to be concise and work with limited space, the "overridden" would be correct. When anything "overrides" it takes control.

I may not have the full effect of it but after reading that line, not overridden doesn't seem correct in the context of talking about the knob. The Pedal does override the knob correct. The knob does loose functionality during the time the pedal has overridden its circuit and taken control. Maybe the proper solution is to remove the word not or change the sentence entirely to be more specific that the pedal does override the control of the knob but functionality is restored when the pedal is disconnected. Just my 2 cents.

[performance]

Jason, the word "not" was inserted as it was accidentally left in there after a rewrite of the note. It's very hard to convey a concise meaning of operation to someone who has no experience with your welder...so occasionally after literally a 100 hours or more staring at the same document, things sort of blur. Creating the drawings, correlating the information to be appropriate etc, is all a monumental task even for a simple manual like the PowerArcs. Each edition gets better, true, as I have created more detailed drawings that I can use for stock. Of course, with the level of the unit, more is expected. For example, the new manual coming on the 2013 250EX is a lot more detailed in it's drawings. Originally we used pictures, but in reality, sometimes photos don't transfer well to being able to physically see the subject matter. Technical drawings are typically better at representing the subject than even a photo can...so we've tried to incorporate that in more of the manuals. They also print better.

Here's a couple unfinished samples to show the improvements.

[Jason]

I understand how looking at documentation for a long period of time gets that way. When we let our technical documenter go, I took over that position and spent 63 hours over 2 weeks working on documentation for the next release that the previous had not started. My eyes started to blur and I got very tired/bored lol... I don't think I would ever last doing that full time.

[youngnstudly]

Mark, it looks like you guys are on track with making the needed changes and updates for the manuals (the samples posted look great). I looked through the 160STH manual on the Everlast site in October (right before I purchased my 160), and the manual that arrived with the machine was nothing like what was posted on the website. While the manual included with my welder isn't "bad", I was expecting some information to be included in regards to what plug needed to be purchased, as well as some other misc. info (that is slipping my mind at the moment!). I was able to cross check my neighbor's welder plug so I knew what model plug to purchase, but others may not.

Another thing I didn't see mentioned anywhere was what size torch parts are supplied with the unit...I ended up bringing the needed parts with me to the LWS in order to get the correct size tungsten and match up (additional) gas cups for my torch, so it was no big deal. However, I could see an unknowing purchaser buying incorrect consumables. A quick and simple write up on sharpening the tungsten might help those new to TIG welding too as that is "bare basic" knowledge that is needed to use a TIG welder for the first time. I did notice that the online manual covers a few of my suggestions, but as previously mentioned, the online manual was not what I received with my welder, (just FYI).

I can see how looking at staring at these manual pages for long periods would make things blurry! It's also hard to come up with suggestions when (naturally) you take your already existent knowledge of welding for granted and assume that someone new to welding would already know to do "this or that". Sort of like teaching a beginner to drive a car equipped with a manual transmission!

I can't figure out how to post my PDF scans of the manual I received, so I will have to try again tomorrow. It's late and I'm tired!

Anyways, keep up the good work!

[performance]

Andy for future reference, there are only two basic classes of TIG consumables. And within each class any diameter tungsten will fit, if you have the correct collet and collet body. You should make your purchase based off your use, and not necessarily what comes as a small starter kit. We try to inform customers that they should rely upon the online manual and not the box manual, but it always seems someone misses the information.

[youngnstudly]

My only point was that it would be nice to know what size collet and collet bodies are included with the welder upon purchasing it so tungsten could be purchased online or before the welder arrives. It's not a big deal though. The online manual wasn't mentioned at all when my welder was purchased. Does the Everlast factory include collets for 3/32" tungsten with all TIG welders they sell (as a common "one size fits all")?

[performance]

You mean collet bodies? Our collets are designed with a 3 way split instead of a 2 way split. This allows them to be used in a 1/8" collet body with a special taper. But the threads fit other collet bodies as well, which are what you'll find mostly here in the US. And that is subject to change depending upon which/what the torch factory supplies the welder factory. When something is subject to change (because these really are freebies) it isn't something we can guarantee.

[Jason]

It would have been nice to know exactly what was in the package but I went ahead and got the tungsten and such that I wanted anyways. I figured its simple enough to just get the pieces I may need after the package arrives. I am sure if it was important that we need to know, we could simply ask when placing the order of the machine.

[performance]

The website lists the torch that comes with the current units. As far as the torch goes, consumables are consumables. And torch consumables are cheap. You can buy a handful for 10 bucks locally at almost any welding supply store. Ours are there just to get you up and running quickly. I guess what I mean is that you should go ahead and buy the consumables you need, because as soon as you start using the welder, you're going to need more. Especially cups when you hit them a little hard on something, or crack them by hitting too high of AC frequency (as I have done).

[Jason]

The website lists the torch that comes with the current units. As far as the torch goes, consumables are consumables. And torch consumables are cheap. You can buy a handful for 10 bucks locally at almost any welding supply store. Ours are there just to get you up and running quickly. I guess what I mean is that you should go ahead and buy the consumables you need, because as soon as you start using the welder, you're going to need more. Especially cups when you hit them a little hard on something, or crack them by hitting too high of AC frequency (as I have done).

I still have and use my supplied components but I can see your point. Like I said, it wasn't a problem and I agree that buying extras are cheap enough to just have them sitting around as I have done with some cups in case I crack one. I guess my point was it would have been nice to know something like the flex torch comes with 2 #4 cups only and the size of the collets but definitely not something that is required to know or a problem in anyway.

[performance]

Yes, but unfortunately it isn't reliable as the torch company has been subject to change from order to order... Really most torches come with NO consumables from most manufacturers... so I guess they feel like they are doing us a favor.

[youngnstudly]

Mark, thanks for taking the time to explain everything. I totally see your point of view and I understand that the other manufactures don't include consumables with their welders. In reality, Everlast actually is doing a small favor by including the consumables. My experience with Airgas proved that the LWS does NOT always have all the consumables you need (in stock) and they can charge an "arm and a leg" for their merchandise regardless, so 10 bucks doesn't buy a handful of anything in a LWS around here! It makes sense that you can't guarantee what is in the starter packs when Everlast is changing torch suppliers so often.

Knock on wood (my head), I have yet to let the torch slide off the work table and onto the floor (breaking the ceramic cup!). I did buy extras, and I've been keeping an eye on myself in that regard by simply dangling the torch over my knee when finished with a bead. Wait until the hot cup and tungsten burn my leg (not the first time that's happened over the years)! I really need to whip up a torch holder from some scrap rod when I'm able to get out there next and work.