Questions about the new 2014 PowerPro 256D (digital)

[carsonc1974]

I just saw a post about these on another site and have a few questions? I originally was planning on picking up a Powertig 250ex, and a Powerplasma 60s. What, if any advantage is there to buying separate machines versus going with the Powerpro 256d? Is warranty the same? Is a watercooler still an option? Duty cycles the same? etc.

[geezer]

Single units give you less of a hassle in the event of a break down and you also avoid changing leads every time you want to cut or weld something,,,the water cooler is a must have option if you intend to get the most performance out of those units...I'm cutting at one end of the shop and welding at the other end,,,the idea of moving the TIG unit to a place to cut undoing the hoses etc and setting it up to cut every time does not appeal to me..many 256 owners get by with that and are quite happy with their units but I like a single unit for each job...and with a single unit setup having the plasma available for CNC plasma cutting doesn't tie up my TIG welder...

[everlastsupport]

Duty cycle is not the same. You are on the right track if the funds are there on the 250EX and PP60. 256 is normally a hobby level machine, multiprocess as well. And swapping hoses would drive me nuts too.

[DaveO]

Welcome to the forums, CarsonC1974!

I couldn't find duty cycle specs for the 256D version. For the non-digital version, duty cycle is 35%. The 250EX duty cycle is 60%.

Speaking to your other questions, a water cooled torch is required above 200 amps, so to get the most out of the machine you'll need a cooler.

Call and speak to Mark (screen name Performance on this forum)- he can quote attractive prices for you. (He's been under the weather recently- you may need to leave a message.)

DaveO

[Gman]

I have the 256, and as said it's more for the hobbyist. I have had the machine about a year and I use the tig a lot but the plasma only a few times and never used the stick. The times I've used the plasma I "save up" all I need to cut and do it all at once.
As far as change over it's not bad the leads are quick connect, so it's twist them off and twist them back on. Change the argon line to a air line*. Flip the switch to the desired function and you good.

*Their is some pix on here of some tees and valves to make the gas air conversion easy. I'll try and find them and post a link.

[Gman]

http://http://www.everlastgenerators...ighlight=argon



Mine is set up like the one in post #27,, Thanks zoama585

[ljdm1956]

Still need to fab a better mount, but basic setup works. Someone mentioned seals leaking over time, but the $2.00 to replace the quick disconnect is worth it.

[Kempy]

carsonc1974

Nice to see a another welder on the forum welcome Carsonc1974.

[ptwat]

I saw the 256D on another forum and got very interested. Feedback there for my application (hobbyist at this time) was to not get a multi-process machine for multiple reasons (reliability, lack of flexibility, etc.) So as a it stands, I am still struggling with 256D vs (the recommended) 200DX DV vs 255EXT. My real dilemma is I am relatively new to welding but not a young guy. What the at means that I can afford more welder due to approval of my requisition by wife while not interested in waisting money. 200DX DV can probably do everything I can imagine right now but 2-5 years down the road I don't want to think "I wish I had..." Everlast has such a plethora of machines that change almost every year it is a little undaunting to choose. I have watched all the youtube videos I can find but still a little overwhelmed. I mostly want to to be able to weld aluminum and stainless. Frankly I am ready to pull the trigger on something and want to be sub $2.5K. Any gems of wisdom on this would be appreciated.

[TheGary]

With not knowing your knowledge base it is difficult to say. I will make an attempt to help. If you are doing things for a hobby for yourself I believe the 200dx would be plenty of machine for your stated purpose. The only question would be what kind of alum. welding you want to do. I say that because if you will be welding heavy ( thick ) alum. like 1/2in. or more pretty often then the 250ex might be a better choice. You can weld thicker alum. with the 200dx but you may need to preheat thicker pieces to 200 deg. This is not a big deal unless you nee to do it often. As far as steel or stainless the 200dx is plenty unless you plan on ship building or trying to tig weld 3/4 plate in a hurry. I would buy a separate machine for plasma and would stay away from the hobby models unless you are going to be a very occasional user of the equipment. If you are really into welding and will be doing some 6010 stick welding you will want one of the dedicated stick machines with the 6010 port. I do a lot of welding and I still think a 200dx would fit my needs fine but if you are one that wants to be ready for everything then get the 250ex or equivalent . The plasma will only work well if you prepare correctly. THe air must be dry and you must have the correct cfm and pressure or you will be disappointed . So invest in something to dry the air and a compressor that will supply the needed volume.

P.S. If you use any machine on 110volt it will be very limiting on what you can do and that will be true on the 200dx also. It capacity will be reduced on 110volt so if you want to use its true potential set up a 220 volt outlet for both the plasma and the 200dx. 11o volt use sounds handy and it is as long as you know what to expect.

[RichardH]

Another factor to consider is that 200A is the upper end of air-cooled torches, and some like the CK FlexLoc top out at 150A. Meaning, if you need the headroom of a welder over 200A, you need to budget for a water cooler as well, or at least plan for adding one when you want to tap the upper-end of the range.

Also, think about power draw when you think about growth. A 210A welder can run on a 30A 240v circuit, but anything larger (and most decent plasma cutters) need 50A circuits. If you have to wire new outlets, do it for 50A. (And a good compressor for a plasma cutter will probably need a 30A circuit of its own.)

FWIW,
Richard

[ptwat]

Thanks for the input! I don't want to hijack this thread but the original consideration included the 256D. So three experience welders are telling me the same things so I think it is best to listen. To answer a few questions I am in a tech school taking welding after work and in my third class (stick). I plan on taking Tig next and have been doing some Tig on the side and really like that. Not a big fan of stick but it was required. That brings up a question about 6010 and why it is specially noted on many machines. I am doing 6010, 6011 rods now and it is more difficult for me but it does not take a lot of amps so why is it "special". About the kind of welding I probably will not do anything thicker than 1/4 in for the foreseeable future.
The last question then is 200DX vs 210EXT? The dual voltage is a "nice to have" for me but not a necessity so are the digital controls worth the extra $$. RichardH, what made you get a 210 vs 200DX? As far as the 240V wiring I can do that myself so the input is good. I only have 50 amps to my detached garage so certainly can't go above that.
Thanks again for the insights.

[RichardH]

The last question then is 200DX vs 210EXT? The dual voltage is a "nice to have" for me but not a necessity so are the digital controls worth the extra $$. RichardH, what made you get a 210 vs 200DX? As far as the 240V wiring I can do that myself so the input is good. I only have 50 amps to my detached garage so certainly can't go above that.

On the 6010, I read recently it's because it requires a higher start voltage. But that's the limit of my knowledge on it. ;-)

On the 210EXT… I would've liked dual voltage for portability, since a lot of my work is at lower current. I was first attracted to the 210EXT because of demos Jody Collier did on his Youtube site; it had the right set of features I was after, and to be brutally honest I really didn't look too hard at the analog versions. It was more of a gut feeling that the digital version would inherently be more adjustable, because features could be added without needing another knob.

E.g., being able to set upslope and start/end amps. And when working on some very thin stuff in the 7-Amp range, it was nice to be able to set the HF start amps lower (in the hidden menu), because the default of 35A was blowing through my material instantly. The 200DX will go down to 5A on AC vs. 10A on the 210EXT - I'm not sure this is a big deal, because you could probably play with AC balance to reduce the heat from there for welding aluminum foil. ;-)

I like the digital interface - it's clean and more intuitive to me than a bunch of knobs. Having memory is a nice feature, but I actually don't use it much.

Cheers,
Richard

[everlastsupport]

I currently use a 210EXT and a 255EXT (digital panels). I will tell you I miss the knobs. At a glance you can see everything. So do not let the knobs push you to a digital panel. The 200DX is a good machine. My next unit will be a 250EX, just miss it. The 210EXT does have a nice start.

[TheGary]

I do not trust most of the new electronics. No matter who makes it. I also like being able to see all the settings without hidden menus. So the 200dx or the 250 ex is what I would go for. They say the digital versions are simpler inside but to me most electronics sooner or latter seem to have problems that like to come and go at will. To me that makes them a disposable item. With an analog machine the inside of the machine may look more complicated but each part is separate and when one goes it is usually easier to find a problem and then change that part instead of having to replace the whole machine or a major part that makes it expensive to repair because a board or part does many functions. I know almost everything now has some digital electronics but to me, the fewer the better. I come from the day when you buy a tool and it will last a life time. With the new electronic versions of the same tools you are doing good to get 10 years out of them and they cost twice as much as the old mechanical version that would last a life time. It might be good for the economy but it is bad for my pocketbook.