TIG foot control CT518D

[speedmaster06]

I see on ebay that you sell 2+3 pin TIG foot control pedals. I have a CT518D with 2 pins on the front panel. Will your foot control work with this arrangement. If so, does the foot control control the full range of amperage or just the top 15%. How is the control transferred from the front panel to the foot control? Do I need to add a switch to transfer control? What is the 3 pin connector used for?

Do you offer 2 different controls - one with range control and one without?

Thanks

[EVERLAST_SUPPORT]

The 2+3 would be 2 pins for turning the torch on, the 3 pins would be for the pot to adjust the amperage range off the foot pedal. If you have 2 pins, that is on and off, no amp range control.

There might be a kit to adapt it though, I will look into that. Another option is to upgrade. We have new models shipping in 2 weeks.

[speedmaster06]

Thanks for looking into an adapter to use with the older style machines. I assume that the cost of an adapter and foot control would be substantially less than the cost of a new machine - unless you are offering a significant trade-in value for my unused CT518.

Lacking an adapter kit, if I had a schematic of the 518 I could fabricate an adapter from parts. Please describe the difference between the "range control" foot controller and the non-range controlled that you offer for sale.

Frankly with some information I could make your foot controllers work - and there are probably hundreds or thousands of older style machines that would benefit from a foot controller.

The solution is not to discard a $600 machine in order to get a foot controller.

[speedmaster06]

It occured to me that you must have electrical schematics for the CT518D since you are an authorized repair facility. Can you send them by pdf? I am sure this information would be of value to many of your clients.

I hope that this forum is not limited to discussing sales and shipping information. If you want to really support your products you need to support the fielded units as well as the sales.

Thank you.

[EVERLAST]

PM SEND

alex

[speedmaster06]

Thanks, I think. What does "PM SEND" mean?

[specter]

I maybe wrong but I think that means he sent it to you in the form of a private message rather than posting it as an attachment here.

Try going to midway to the right side of your screen. nYou should see you user name listed and right below it a listing of Private Messages.

[speedmaster06]

Thank you Specter - I did find a PM where you said it would be.

Alex has promised that Mike would look into an adapter and has quoted a price for a foot pedal.

I still don't know if the foot pedal controls the entire range of current or just a portion. Does anyone on this site know how the two different foot pedals work?

Also I did not receive any wiring diagrams. I would assume that everyone who owns a machine would like to have a wiring diagram - even if it is only to take to the LWS for repair service. Anybody out there have a wiring diragram for a CT518D that they could send me? I will gladly pay for shipping and whatever.

Thanks.

[EVERLAST_SUPPORT]

Thank you Specter - I did find a PM where you said it would be.

Alex has promised that Mike would look into an adapter and has quoted a price for a foot pedal.

I still don't know if the foot pedal controls the entire range of current or just a portion. Does anyone on this site know how the two different foot pedals work?

Also I did not receive any wiring diagrams. I would assume that everyone who owns a machine would like to have a wiring diagram - even if it is only to take to the LWS for repair service. Anybody out there have a wiring diragram for a CT518D that they could send me? I will gladly pay for shipping and whatever.

Thanks.

I'm aware of no welder company that will send anyone schematics for their welders internal circuits (outside of their dealer repair centers).

It sounds like the unit you have has ON/OFF control (2 pins) via the torch and the current control knob (on the front panel) controls the current. If you pulse those pins on and off it will probably damage unit.

Best thing to do would be to PM me a phone number and I will call and explain what you need to do if you want to make your own. Not recommended for sure and warranty is done..

If you know electronics, basically bypass the current knob on the panel and use a foot pedal with the same value/current_rating potentiometer inside. Only 3 wires are require (5 if you don't want to have to hit the torch button to weld; solder the foot switch across the remote pins if so). You should not need a schematic to do a simple mod like this, just a pedal with a pot matches what is on the front panel. Again, do this at your own risk.

Mike

[speedmaster06]

This is a test my reply did not show-up on this site.

[EVERLAST_SUPPORT]

This is a test my reply did not show-up on this site.

Speedmaster,

Do not post your phone number, click on the everlast_support on the left and send it in a private message.

[speedmaster06]

I think that Everlast is missing a wonderful opportunity to promote healthy technical discussion of their products. Yes I can and probably will call their tech support to resolve my questions. But, one of the knocks on chineese welders is that no one knows anything about them, you can't get them fixed at the LWS and they are fragile. An open discussion of their design would go a long way toward creating the type of confidence that people need to buy a product sight unseen.

Now to the technical issue. It seems to me that if your 2+3 pin configuration footpedal must operate as follows: The two pin lead from the footpedal plugs into the existing 2-pin female plug on the panel front - providing on/off and post flow gas. The 3-pin on the footpedal is the potentiometer wiring. In the old units a 3-pin female receptacle needs to be added along with a 2 or 3 pole double throw switch. The leads to the panel mounted pot need to be lifted and taken to the common on the 3PDT switch. One side of the output on the new switch goes to the old pot on the panel front. The other side of the output on the switch goes to the new 3-pin female plug. The footpedal 3-pin male plugs into the new 3-pin female.

Operationally the 3PDT switch selects either the panel pot or the footpedal to control the amperage and the on/off. The footpedal operates the machine from 0 to full amperage. If this is how it works I need to know the rating of your footpedal(s) to determine if it will work with my machine. I believe the panel pot is 10k ohms.

You also offer a footpedal "with range control". What does it do? Does it restrict the top-end amperage on the footpedal? If so can it be used with a 2+3 pin configuration as described above or can you suggest chages to the design to make it work?

So here is your opportunity to promote a healthy technical conversation of your product. I hope you take it.

Thank you.

[speedmaster06]

Still interested in a good technical discussion.

In fact I have been thinking that a simple on/off, 100k ohm linear slide pot on the the output leg of the 10k panel pot might operate very effectively as a hand amptrol for the chineese TIGs. Any thoughts on the design or the 100k value pot? I choose 100k so as to have a minor effect on the voltage dividing operation of the pot. I am concerned that the 100k may have a small mechanically "active area". Any thoughts?

[specter]

Hi Again Speedmaster,

You might have better luck directing your electrical technical question to the Welding Web Disciplines Forum, and to the Electrical sub forum.

After I bought that CUT 50D plasma cutter, I wandered around this site and seen that of the different manufacturer's units appear to be similiar. (Not sure if same manufacturer in China makes them all). But within the Electrical sub forum I see that someone else has what appears to be a similiar problem with a Longevity TIG footcontroller. You may want to post a duplicate of your question to that forum.

Hope that helps. (and no! :) I am not a Everlast employee)

[speedmaster06]

Thanks Specter,

I looked at the "Electrical" forum as you suggested. Most of the discussions involved wiring for the input power circuit. The one (old) thread involving the footpedal didn't seem to get resolved as far as I could tell (it sounded to me like the pot was wired backwards).

I posted the same questions I posed here on the Longevity board and got a response from them that indicated that my assumptions about the control circuits were correct and that the solution I proposed is indeed the way to go to add a foot pedal control.

So -- I am going to give it a try. I will be lifting the leads to the panel pot, installing a 3PDT switch, attaching the old pot leads to the 3PDT common, connecting one set of output terminals from the 3PDT switch to the existing panel pot, replace the old 2-pin with a new 7-pin receptable, and connect the other set of output terminals from the 3PDT switch to the new 7-pin female receptacle. Longevity is sending me a 7-pin foot pedal with "range control." I don't yet know how the pot or variable resistor on the foot pedal is wired. It may or it may not work with my machine - anyway I am going to give it try and I will let everyone know how it works.

Thanks for your constructive participation in this conversation.

[EVERLAST_SUPPORT]

As long as your impedance is the same I would think it would work. OHM out the pot pins on the pedal and use the meter to find the switch/remote pins.

Everlast has a 5 pin pedal that has 2 on one plug (switch on/off) and 3 on the other plug (pot), but the 7 might cost less to make if you mount the male connector on the front of you unit and plug in.

Cheap version might be, the 3PDT switch and small hole below it, wire pedal right to the switch (via the hole), then add the pot wires and control wires to it (center).

Good luck..

[specter]

Glad to assist. Despite the fact it must have felt like pulling teeth with greasy fingers.