Arc starting issue Everlast 210 ext

[ToTu]

Hi
I have proplems with my everlast 210 ext tig welder.
I've noticed the arc starting getting harder and harder and now I have to touch the work piece to get things going. Welds fine after that. I had tested all issues what i foud from this forum and nothing heps. I notised also that HF buzzin was getting weaker and weaker and now i do not hear HF buzzing anymore.
I exammed the machine and notissed that the green light
Turns on when start to weld and there is also litle board where is very small green light and it turns on when the hf shoud go on and it shut off when arc turns on(after i touch the part).

The problem is exactly like (green box) is having
https://www.everlastgenerators.com/f...starting-issue


If the HF module is broken, is that expensive?

[christian]

Yeah,

I've got a 210EXT also, but mine is a 2015 model, which has a HF daughterboard that doesn't use any gapped points for the arc starts. I thought that was an advanced feature over the points method, which sometimes call for adjusting, but Everlast apparently went back to gapped points on the newer 210EXT's HF daughterboard for some reason, as maybe low-tech is better in that area.

Is your 210EXT the type with points or no-points?

If it has points, I'd check the adjustment and set them to about .028.

If it has no-points, a HF daughterboard with points appears to be fairly easy to install from a video I've seen.

Otherwise, I've never looked or noticed a little green light on the HF board, but maybe I'll try to remember to take a peek sometime. And, I'll often touch the work piece with the tungsten first, but then lift up before arc starts, to discharge any static, which seems to give more predictable arc initiation, as that's reportedly not uncommon on various brands. I'm not talking about scratch starts, though. Who knows, maybe Everlast sets their units to have less intense HF arc initiation for added safety from HF straying and leaking, which it certainly can, causing needless shocks in odd places on the body.

Also, keeping the tungsten dressed and shrouded with enough post-flow gas is helpful in having more predictable arc starts, I believe.

Please let us all here how it goes and what does finally solve your problem.

[performance]

Do you see a light (LED) or an arc inside? The buzzing means there is an arc inside. It shouldn't be green, unless contaminated.

Your tungsten could be bad, or contaminated. That will stop an arc. If you touch the tungsten to the metal before you try to start the arc then try to start the arc, you might need some cleaning on the points, or the gap may not be just right, and sometimes they just do that, with any brand. But if you have to lift or scratch start it to get the arc going, that is not normal. May need a point gap adjustment, or may have a board issue on the points.

[christian]

Gee,

It occured to me further, since you're in Finland, and since you have the iMIG 250P, which I don't know when Everlast carried it here in North America, that your 210EXT might even be a pre-2015 model, which is quite a bit different than my own 2015 model (with only one knob).

Anyway, I did notice how that earlier model did apparently have hidden menus that can be accessed and which did have setting for HF arc intensity, if I recall correctly. Of course, Mark would know better about that and how to do it. But I think the earlier model had that ability. And I don't accuarately recall if it had points, but I think it probably didn't. So, if you have that model, there'll probably be no points gap to adjust, and then I'd undoubtedly try to learn the procedure for adjusting the HF settings in the firmware.

Here's a pic of the pre-2015 (two knob) model:

[ToTu]

I bouht my tig 2012 or 2013 if i remember right. So my 210 ext model have two knops, so it is the pre version and it have hidden menu.. i have try to change the settings and nothing works. My tig do not have any point/tips what i can clean or adjust (like old cars have on ignition systems)��. I took a picture from that litle board, and i pointed the component where the litle green light turns on.

[ToTu]

Or if this machine have point what i can fix or adjust, i can not find it. :-)

[Rambozo]

First thing I would try is to clean that board with circuit cleaner. Because there is high voltage present, if any of that dust on there is carbon, there could be voltage tracking going on and leaking your HF to ground through the dust.

[christian]

Nah,

It's obviously gapless. And I see it does have a tiny LED.

Otherwise, below is a thread link that talks about how that model has a lot of adjustability in the HF arc starts, regarding duration, frequency, and amps.

I don't know what the procedure for involking those codes and hidden menu is, but I'm sure it's something simple, like holding down two knobs at the same time for 5 seconds, or something like that. It doesn't mention the procedure. Maybe you have the manual which does say how to do it, though. Or, someone on the forum may know.

https://www.everlastgenerators.com/f...verlast+210EXT

So, that's what I'd do first; maybe increase the HF time a bit, try changing the HF Hz a bit, and maybe maybe increase the start amps a little (on my 2015 model that is a setting on the panel itself).

Please let us all know how it goes and if there's any improvement. Otherwise, maybe Mark, with Everlast, knows if those daughterboards are still available and what it might take to get one moving in your direction.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
In the second menu,have 10 channels
D01: Vacant
D02 ：High voltage stricking ARC time :0.5-2S
D03: High voltage stricking ARC frequency :10-100HZ
D04: DC High voltage stricking ARC current :10-100A
D05 :AC high voltage stricking ARC current :15A-100A
D06: Vacant
D07: AC DC LIFT starting ARC current :10A-100A
D08: For Adjust the fingertip AMP control TORCH."00" --4T power off ;"01"-- 4T is on
D09:For adjut the VRD ."00":VRD is ON ;"01"VRD is OFF
D10: For the AC Pulse selection. "00" means single Pulse ,only AC ;"01" means double Pulse .

Or if this machine have point what i can fix or adjust, i can not find it. :-)

[ToTu]

I examined little bit more..
I found loose solders from the litle board, I soldered them again and I removed all the dust and metal out and sprayed the new lacquer on the surface . It didnt work. I know where is the hidden menu and i have try to adjust from there and it wont do anything.
I also noticed today when i was testin on ac that it wont get arc if i scrach a workpiece(i will get small arc and it will die after 1-3 sec), i have to do that three or four times and then i will get arc. On dc this wont hapend.
I also changed the ground cable.

[performance]

If you are having issues with that unit, there's not much to do except replace the whole board.

[ToTu]

The machine has been very little use, it has been unused for months and then I may have weld a little bit. the machine is at my home and i do not use it at work. I have cleaned the machine several times by taking the side panels off and cleaned it by blowing compressed air. I have also keep the machine on the wall(on the shelf) so that vibrations and shocks on the table will not be transmitted to the machine.

I will continue investigation tomorrow.

[performance]

Nothing short of a new board will fix it. We've been there done that with that model...main reason we switched production.

[ToTu]

Did you Mark mean only the small board? Or also the main board. I asked today from finish everlast suplier do they have the board to me. Now i am waiting their answer.

[ToTu]

For fun i calculated how much i have used the machine .
I know how much i have used argon it is about (if i remember right ) 5,5 x 8000m3 = 44000L off gas.
My argon flow is 8L/min so 44000L / 8L= 5500min and i divided that by 60 min, 5500min / 60min= 91.66h
Not much.. 91.66 hours of use. This is approx of use.

Then i can calculate also the cost off one hour. The machine cost ~1600 Euros if i remember right.
So 1600e/ 91.66h = 17.45e not so much for one hour....

But if i calculate also like this.
If i would use it at work and it would last, maybe 300 days in a year and i will use it on a one day lets say.. 5 hours. 300days x 5h= 1500 Hours
So 1600e /1500Hours = 1.06 Euros for one hour
And if the machine would last 2 years the cost would be half of that.

I like to calculate things...

[christian]

Well,

The machine isn't dead yet.

Get a new HF daughterboard in there, even if you have to pay a little, then some new calculating would be in order.

It would undoubtedly take more time to get one in Scandinavia via your local dealer, or if you bought it used, but maybe you can get one through the Everlast people on this continent, even though those earlier 210EXTs seem to be made by a different producer than most of their newer stuff, as evidenced by the surface-mounted circuitry rather than the more often used hole-through on the bigger boards that Everlast seems to prefer, except, maybe at their digital panel modules.

Please let us all know if you do procure a small HF board and if it solves your problem.

[ToTu]

I received a used board. Now the machine works. Jes

[christian]

Nice one!!!

[oleblu72]

I received a used board. Now the machine works. Jes

Good deal ToTu I'm glad you found one are you going to try to find a new board? I still haven't tried my 255 I hope it doesn't cause me any misery, if it does I'll probably get it fixed and then go back to blue.

Mark.

[christian]

Yeah,

I doubt you'll have a problem on your 255EXT that way, as the EXT line was changed 2-3 years ago, to a HF daughterboard that has gapped points, rather than the initial design of being gapless (which seemed more advanced to me, at the time).

My 2015 210EXT has the gapless HF daughterboard, which has become a bit problematic, I think, as I'd most often have to touch the base metal and then raise the tungsten before the HF would give consistent and predictable arc starts.

That wasn't a big problem, but Everlast personnel were kind enough to send me a newer HF daughterboard with the gapped points, after I verified my proof of purchase of the unit. And I installed it, no problem, but the configuration of the wiring to the board and a coil seems to be different. So I went back to the original HF board, which puts me back to were I was. And I some more welding to do, so I can live with the way the unit is for the moment.

But, when I have some idle time for the unit, I'll probably then call and get an RMA for the unit to get checked out. And about $100 in shipping costs doesn't bother me at all, as I had the unit for almost 3-1/2 years. So, I think it would be smart to get it in for a check up before the 5-year warrantee expires.

Otherwise, I did occur to me recently, that there's really no other supported, advanced-featured AC/DC TIG unit I'd rather have at the price-point of my 210EXT. I mean, the Blue Dynasty units are at a feature-parity with the EXT models (except EXTs have MIX TIG and Dynasty's have Amplitude Control, which is a proverbial push), but a Dynasty DX, after a pedal, torch, SD card upgrade, and CPS, is about three times the price of a EXT model, which has all those extras inculded.

[oleblu72]

You have that right Christian the blue machines will cost you a few more sheckles out of your piggy bank and your wallet and any other place you hide your money.

Mark