Hello, From Charleston,

[ro635]

Hi,

Just recently purchased a PowerPro 205S, sadly it had a little board level infant failure and its replacment is in route... It was an odd failure, I had used it a few times on DC and AC TIG and Plasma modes with no real difficulty and at the time I was trying out the pulse function, AC on an 1/8" 6061 sheet and after a few test beads at various currents and pulse settings it just stopped giving power to the arc, HF start would fire but no arc power and the overcurrent light would come on and not go off until power was cycled, then just come on again when you tried to light up..... Gas flow was fine and everything else was working but something cooked in the power output i guess..

Anyway, anyone seen anything like this before? At any rate hope this is just a fluke failure and not a weak link in the design, I wasnt really abusing it at the time..... Oh well, I hope to be able to use the unit primarly for 6061 fabrication and 440 Stainless work mainly with some 4130 tubing and mild steel framing etc. work for various projects. Artwork, and shop support functions, building tooling/fixtures for work and kinfe fabrication and what not.. So far I really like the unit in so far as its design and use, seems like if it runs and is reliable it should do everything I need... hope to report good things, soon,

Thanks!
GaRy H. Charleston, SC - RO635

[everlastsupport]

Welcome aboard GaRy,

Looks like you are on..

Our infant mortality rate is a lot lower the 5 years ago, but it sometimes happens. We will get you back online.

Post up picture when you are.

[ro635]

Thanks Mike, Cant wait to get the replacement and get some seat time and make some COOL STUFF..

;-) take care
GaRy

[geezer]

Welcome to the group,,,,as they say shiiite happens,,,and it will always seem to happen to you,,,main thing is you seem too have a good attitude towars such things and that's half the battle,,,once again welcome to the group,,,look forward to your postings..

[ro635]

Thanks guys... I look forward to playing with the welder and having some good discussions regarding them... And yes, I am a little more relaxed these days, and I don't get too worked up with equipment mortality, I'm no stranger to the "shiiiite happens" theory or the phrase f--k it... as they say... And a good thing too... The replacement 205s arrived tonight, got everything unpacked, hooked up, cranked up the argon, flipped the switch and no sound... Rut, Roe.... Unit goes through post test, you hear the relays and everything charging up and front panel looks and responds correctly so electronics seem fine, but no fan running.. Joy.....

I pulled the back grill cover off and upon inspection, fan and grill where both wrecked, the fan blade center was cracked and out of alignment as a result, so it was binding..( the shipping box was pretty banged up, but didn't look like the damage that I found inside the box, so that was odd... Anyway, I had to break a small chunk of the fan center cover off to bring it back into alignment, but it runs now.. However, I will probably return it, but still, i might just test the hell out of it and if everything else works well, just request a fan and grill and I will fix it on site, rather than go through another week of no welder... Also another odd thing, when I pulled the cover I realized that one of the fasteners was the wrong type head and length for that assembly, didn't match the others on the cover, no big deal mind you, but something more happened here than meets the eye...

Oh well maybe third times a charm... Will keep posting, hopefully I will have an intact and functional welder soon..;-) but in the mean time working on other projects and taking some time doing some coping cuts on various types of tubing/pipe and preping some welding practice assembly's and projects so I will have a lot to practice on when it finally gets finished...
GaRy

[everlastsupport]

Sounds like a shipping issue on the fan and bezel. Make sure the fan has all the blades and is moving air before you use it, but you should call in asap for new parts. Get Ray in repair and make sure everything is good. On the screw. Few and far between these days. Could have happened in the US as it went in for repair and came back.

[ro635]

thanks, and yes the fan has all its blades and is moving air and once i snaped it back in line it didnt rub so its moving freely and no balance issues... for lack of a better term, since the fan is one molded peice, "the hub area" was the only thing cracked, the bezel was fine... see image



Anyway I sent ray an email. will speak to him later..... will let everyone know, and will probably do a little playing with it tonight before Katya sends me the shipping label and I have to box it back up thanks everyone...

[ro635]

Mike,

Katya is sending me a replacement fan and bezel so I will do a quick internal inspection just to be safe and fire it up and see how it runs, then replace the fan when it arrives.... It seems that Ray has seen this before and I agree, he figured that the damage was from a drop during shipment and caused by the big 6-50P power plug being sandwiched in between the foam and the unit so when it hit it poked right through the bezel into the fan....And the screw mismatch was done at the factory, thier way of dealing with a stripped thread in the sheet metal... Oh well, it happens... hopefully nothing else was damaged from the shock... We shall see..... Thanks for the comments and I will keep ya posted, hopefully this one will be a keeper...

Thanks
GaRy

[geezer]

GaRy ,,when it rains it pours,,,hang in there buddy,,,you have people as far North as Canada and probably in Europe too,,,wishing you have better luck in the future....

[ro635]

Thanks so much. the tought is very much appreciated! Well it looks like I am going to have to dig into this critter, before I even get to weld with it... For me I guess thats best anyway, get to know its internals before I go abusing it ;-), if she runs I will be working on her for a long time to come......So, if I'm not too tired tonight, I will go ahead and pull the cover completely this evening make sure all the connections and boards are cool after the impact and maybe check the HF point gap before I charge up the caps, just in case... I'd hate to fry it from a loose peice flying around in the chassis that I could have avoided.... And then take it for a little spin.... ;-) run a few beads on AC and DC TIG just to be sure...

Thanks again and have a great evening,...
G

[ro635]

Okay I promise to quit posting to this thread soon... But would like to report, so far so good... After dinner, I opened up the chassis fully to inspect, and everything looked and felt okay, all the little sub assembly's and daughter boards and attachments/cables looked good, nothing rattling around, relays still tied down etc. etc.. Found the HF point adjust, didn't bother to stick a gauge in it (so far it's fine)... As for the fan replacement, 4 nuts and two solder joints and some heat shrink and that will be done. Katya sent me the tracking#, the parts will be here on the 27th I think.... I must say they have been on the spot about taking care of these problems so far... Thanks guys...

Anyway, after that I hooked her back up to the 26 torch, and my gas/air valve assembly and fired her up, let it idle for 10 mins or so while I rummaged around for crap to weld on, and ran a few beads and a root pass on a 1/4" butt weld on some rusty old structural steel unkownium... So ran in DC w/the 26 and 3/32 2% lanth. Just using the switch.. No problems... Then switched over to the wp9 and the foot pedel, for the first time really, using 1/16 2% lanth on AC... Just ran a few beads on 1/2" 6061 and then did a lap joint on some 1/8" scrap pieces.. Looked like crap but it was a weld ;-) it ain't coming apart...

I ran it for about an hour off and on in between grinding tungsten ;-) a few times... Just ran TIG both DC and AC didn't run the plasma or stick yet on this unit... And didn't try pulse mode while welding either, still nervous as that was when the first welder croaked, was 10 seconds after trying pulse on 1 PPS, 30 and 30.. It probably was a fluke, bc it worked great right up until it failed..

And I am kind of fibbing, b/c I did cut pulse on, and set it and watched it cycle on the panel, but didn't light up on anything while it was pulsing...

Okay well I might post some stupid pictures tomorrow as I know everyone likes pictures ;-), we are men (well most of us anyway) and we like to see toys... But if not I will try a few more things tomorrow night if I'm not too tired and see if I can get my damn hands to work together... All I can say is as of now, my gas brazing and silver soldering is much better than my TIG welding... ;-(. Will see if I can correct that' but it might take a while... It is like gas welding but at the same time it's not, I have a hard time wearing glasses under the hood and holding that damn big ### 26 torch/hose and feeding rod at the same time and trying to get a good pace and keep the tungsten out of the friggen puddle or from getting too high etc.. Oh well it will come with time I guess...

[Rambozo]

...I have a hard time wearing glasses under the hood and holding that damn big ### 26 torch/hose and feeding rod at the same time and trying to get a good pace and keep the tungsten out of the friggen puddle or from getting too high etc.. Oh well it will come with time I guess...

Depending on your glasses, you can get "cheater" insert lenses, in various diopters, for your welding helmet. I would be lost without them for the close up work.

[DaveO]

Post away, no worries, that's why we're here! I use readers too, and I wonder if you're using an autodark helmet or a fixed shade. If you're tossing your head to lower the hood I can sure see glasses getting out of whack. Stay with it- it'll come together for you!

[ro635]

Thanks, and yes I agree I would be lost without them as well… I do have a 1.5D insert but I had it out, that’s a long story in and unto itself, but in short I tend to were 1.5 reading glasses for everything I do in the shop, so its tuff to flip up the hood or grinding shield and not have the glasses on already… I just started using reading glasses about a year or two ago and still having troubles adjusting to them, using them like bi-focals, and sadly it hurts, still working on that, and is uncomfortable with welding, but I am lost without them. I use them as safety glasses for every thing I do pretty much, grinding, milling etc. etc.. Do have saftey glasses with mag. but I hate them... Anyway, I guess we could start an entire thread just to discuss old eyes and how we adapt in the shop.. Its tuff when you had better than 20/20 all your life then boom, ya hit the late fortys and cant focus (or accommodate) on anything small or small print, without aides..

Oh well, anyway as promised here are the pics from the inspection and just a few of the welders new home…

[ro635]

Thanks Dave, and to answer your question yes, I have an autodarkener, miller classic digital (cant remeber which model), and an el cheapo Harbor freight autodark, (actually a half decent hood) as a back up and for visitors, the 1.5D insert fits either one... And I do have an old fixed shade that has a 13/14 in it I think. and gas goggels etc. etc.... But I am using the Miller for the most part, I like the grinding shield.. Still just trying to get used to all the apperatues in my hands and on my head while trying to do delicate work...

Oh well... will get used to it eventually.

[ro635]

Well, another hour and a half session and so far so good... No failures,... Actually got a good bit of real practice in tonight, and Did manage to remember to test pulse on a few beads just to make sure it was working...

Anyway, Tonight I used only the wp9 torch with the foot peddle with 1/16 2% lanth... I probably ran it a little hot, but it never gave me any grief... As for my welding... Holy crap, all I can say is hats off to those of you who have got your coordination down, and can concentrate on the technicals and the task at hand.... I'm doing so many things badly that the list is too long to mention... Yeah the welds are solid and I'm not blowing through everything or killing corners, (that much) but it feels and looks like hell, IMHO.... I haven't actually tried swapping torch and rod hands yet, which I have this feeling I may be a little goofy handed and backwards from most right handers, with this type of activity.... But I am trying everything else under the sun attempting to find ways to hold, feed and move the torch that feel right, while keeping hands supported and off the heat.. Also getting used to having a hood on all the time, bumping my head, getting the hood tangled up in my ceiling full of 2x72 belts, hanging all over the place, etc etc.... The eye hand thing kind of feels like learning to play the piano, or Drumbs, Or something to that effect... This feeling is familiar, trying to place it.... And Trying to be more analytical at the same time, I know how it's supposed to work, sort of and some of what I should be doing, but I feel like a dork and like I need to go backwards and just go on feel to get my mechanical memory programmed to do the eye hands and foot thing.... And commit some of the visual indicators of the various techniques, cause and effect of heat input and set-ups to memory... If that makes any sense..

I know it's not supposed to be that hard, but damn it sure feels like it now.... Ya know I don't even know what advice to ask for really, this may be something only time under the hood will fix... Got to pay my dues to the great welding god GTAW... ;-).. All I can say is I feel like I want to machine some metal, just to feel better.. Welding it can be depressing ;-)... J/k....


Okay sorry for jabbering, I knew I would feel this way for a while, all of a sudden brazing looks really good ;-). I just need to Have some project that I really want to weld up, then I'll, for better or worse be accomplishing something and I will feel good about it and the welds will get prettier.. I won't just welding for the sake of practice... That always helps a me a lot... Okay I will shut up now, Thanks for listening to my rambling...

[geezer]

Congrats on getting up and running,,,,don't worry about being left handed,,,most of us genius types are left handed,,,my own welding is somewhere between bird poop and medicore ,,,Some times it looks like I know what I'm doing,,,need more seat time...my gas welding is good,,,the rest is a toss up,,,like I said ,,need more seat time...good to see you are going...

[Rambozo]

It just takes practice. What you learn in one method will help you in others, though. Your brazing will improve from TIG practice. Also you can learn to TIG braze as another process. Aluminum welding practice will make you a better steel welder, as it amplifies mistakes and requires more concentration. It's all connected.

A tip for torch control is to hold the torch in such a way that you could write legibly if the tungsten was a pen. That also means having a way to prop your arm or hand on something stationary to what you are welding. You need to have that level of control to get pretty welds. Later you will want to switch hands anyway to get some practice that other way.

[everlastsupport]

It has been said many times. Practice practice practice.

Start on steel and get the hang of it, then move on to aluminum. Once you have aluminum TIG down all the rest will come together. Aluminum is harder to see as the color really does not change.

Also, don't leave stick welding out. It works well on a windy outside job.

[ro635]

Thanks for all the encouragement and tips… I make it sound a little worse than it is, (well maybe not .-) ) and as u might have surmised I did jump right into aluminum and really got the full dose of just how much less forgiving it can be. At the end of last nights’ session I switched back to steel on DC and wow, what a difference, nice smooth quiet arc, thngs melt like butter, was very easy doing cover passes between a tubing and plate intersection and while they weren’t beautiful, the welds had form and uniformity and I was in control of the puddle but my adding of filler is just lacking. And with a glove on my indexing the rod is just not good. I am one of those very physical folks that does a great many things by instinct, almost to a fault and completely on auto pilot, so I don’t have to think about it, subsequently if it doesn’t come naturally right out of the gate, doing the programming on my brain to train it do the task takes a little time, and being hyper as hell, doesn’t help matters….. I think they call that an LD ;-)

Anyway, I will keep at it, and Mike as for stick, yes, I really just need to make sure its running for one, I’m sure its fine if DC tig was functional but haven’t actually plugged it up and used it, and by the same token, while I tested the last units plasma cutter I haven’t tested this one yet… BTW that’s slicker than hell… I love nice clean band saw cuts but wow, plasma is like cutting butter!… ;-) and beats the hell out of running the cylinders dry every time you need to cut a bunch of crap…

But yes, stick wise, I think I have some 1/8” 6013 and 7018 kicking around... As we all have. I have had access to stick welders several times over the years, but just haven’t had one since I moved to Charleston 18ish years ago so I am way out of practice with that.. and as you might have guessed, TIG is brand new for me, (and really why I bought this thing,) hence why I am so lost… But I always have oxy/acet. and propane around, couldn’t survive without that,…

Sadly I am feeling really guilty too, which inst helping matters much… I need to be working on Christmas presents and not fooling around with welding practice as I am running out of time… I need to be making kitchen knives and bags… not happy about that… ;-( Oh, below are some quick examples of some of the crap I make that everyone always wants for Christmas, but I’m kind of getting tired of it, and want to work on other projects….

Knife examples... 440C SS and 01 tool steel mainly



Bag examples... The exterior are from our coffee import bags...


Oh Well, maybe I will try and weld up something akin to a bike framing stand and some fixtures I am wanting to make this weekend and still try and get a little sewing and grinding done.

Thanks again Guys! Will report on Welding activities as time permits..