New to welding - given machine - now got to get it to work

[Mic]

I have been wanting a new welder (and to learn how to weld) for a while now. Well, by the luck of the draw, I mentioned it to my neighbor the other day and he says, "Oh...I have one that ???? gave to me when she moved. Said her husband wouldn't miss it. All she told me was that it needed a new coil. If you want it, come and get it."

Cool.... So I did....

Now for the fun part. It is a Lincoln SP-170T MIG welder. I have downloaded the manual from Lincoln's website and in it they say this is a 230V machine.... BUT, this thing has a 110V cord on it! It is also pretty beat looking - cobwebs all over the insides, etc.

So, here's what I want to know:

Do coils frequently go out on these things?

Is the coil problem likely that the thing has been getting the wrong input voltage (the way I figure it would probably still work like this, just not properly)?

Is there anything else I will want to do besides change the cable to 230V and clean it out good with alcohol and an air-gun before trying to fire it up and test it out?

Anything else I am missing would be nice. It will be great to get this thing running since I got it FREE. Hopefully it will not cost me an arm and a leg from here.

Thanks in advance.

Mic

[Supercharged S10]

i would open it up and check out that cord, then replace it with the correct cord and try it. i have a bunch of stuff that was said to be bad, or just had a blown fuse, and it all works fine now. i just got a 5 disc cd player, they said it doesn't work, i hav yet to try it, but i bet it works.

[Mic]

Thanks Supercharged. I did get a cord (too short, but worked to test it) and ran it from my hot water heater outlet. Haven't done any welding with it, but...

I did get the wire feed motor moving and I had an arc to a wrench.

Very cool! Looks like it will be a super deal. Now I just have to get a new coil of wire, some metal to weld, a FACESHIELD, and a clue about welding.

Mic