HELP... miller 330 a/bp

[bullgod6998]

Hi everyone just picked up a miller 330 a/bp machine.Never ran one before wonderd if anyone had any pros and cons on them and also any start up help .Have not fired it up yet was wondering what are the recomended settings for tig on this machine to start it up and see if it works properly . Have heard these machines are bullet proof minus the sore back from picking up this beast luckily came on a cart with casters.Came with 3 totes of acceseries tig torch, pedal ,3 stick leads,mig spool gun and millermatic box.Seems in good condition for its age I paid $500 for it any advice suggestions before I fire it up would be greatly appreciated.Plan on hooking it up to 100 amp service with a 60 amp breaker hard wired directly to a seperate breaker.The guy said the points needed to be adjusted.Plan on using it for strictly tig mainly mild steel.:cool2:

[zapster]

I have the same machine and I LOVE it!
All I do is tig with it..
Set it up and start small but the range of what you can do with it is unreal..

Member 7A749 can fill you in on anything to do with these machines...

...zap!

[turk]

i have one too and love it. if you send me your email i can send you the technical repair manual for it.

[bullgod6998]

Thanks just got it home this morning.Was surprised how good of shape it seems to be in very little dirt dust on the inside wires cables contacts seem to be in very good shape thinking I did ok for $500.Not to sure what these models go for. Have not had it powered up yet (knocks on wood) the high freq and everything works.Does anyone have one of these or know how much power this machine will draw.Hoping my power bill wont go up to much plan on hooking it up to a 100 amp service and a 60 amp breaker.Probally running it between 50 to 75 amps mainly 12 to 16 guage mild steel.

[duaneb55]

At $500 for everything you got with it and the shape it's in you got a steal or a deal. A 60A breaker will likely get you in the 200A output range but much more than that and you be tripping it. Of course you'd have to be doing a whole bunch more than 12-16 gauge mild steel to get up to and above 200A.

If your load center has thru power terminals at the base of each breaker feeder leg just run your outlet from there (thru a disconnect box) and you'll have the full 100A required by the machine for 230v operation. Only problem is if you trip the breaker now you'll loose your lights too.:mad: Not sure if that set up is OK with NEC so maybe Sparky, MoonRise or someone else can clarify.

For your set up to do 12 to 16 gauge mild steel you're definately looking at the LOW range setting and Fine Current control probably down around 20-30 is my guess. DCEN polarity switch setting, 1/16" tungsten, #4-6cup, 12-15CFH on the 100% argon. That's where I'd start and go from there.


Oh, and congratulations on the 'new' machine.:drinkup:

[millrat]

WOW! What a clean unit and with all the accessories you did good.

Manuals available through Miller site.

60 amp breaker with the correct wiring , it'll be fine for what you describe.

You didn't mention it and I don't see a water cooler. Did you get one of those also? If it's an air cooled torch the duty cycle will be what the torch can handle. Either way, you have a machine that will serve you well.

The biggest thing at this point is to pay attention to the bar on the left side under the HF panel. Connection for "Inert" and "Metallic". It DOES make a difference. Inert = TIG, metallic = Stick. Double check the gas hose to make sure it's on the gas valve and not the water valve.

Tig on M/S. Set the HF to start not continous. That will give you nice arc initiation. In the off position it's a scratch start.

millrat

[zapster]

Double check the gas hose to make sure it's on the gas valve and not the water valve.
millrat

That is impossible to screw up..
One has left hand threads..The other right hand threads..

...zap!

[Rbeckett]

Damn you Zap!!!! $500.00 is a STEAL. Wish I was where you were, woulda dropped the cash fast. Never used one, but I read the specs and they are pretty impressive. If it works properly and with the extras I think you did great on the $$$'s. Good luck with the new tool!!!!!

[zapster]

I paid 600 for mine...
Got it last October..


The Original Poster paid 500..

Either and or.....Good Deals!!!

The machine in the pic looks just like the one member 7A749 had for sale..
And he is in Michigan also.....

...zap!

[Ken Dennis]

I paid 600 for mine...
Got it last October..


The Original Poster paid 500..

Either and or.....Good Deals!!!

The machine in the pic looks just like the one member 7A749 had for sale..
And he is in Michigan also.....

...zap!

Not any longer!
That one is sitting in my shop now! :D

[CEP]

I just decommissioned mine, placed it in the very back of the barn. I see them go as low as $200.00 sometimes. Couldn't part with it for that!:nono:

They are also a very fine SMAW machine, I'd say even better than my Dynasty 300. I had mine on a 95-amp breaker.

When your capacitors for the high freq go out there is a guy on ebay who sells them really cheap. Miller wants over $100.00 each.

[millrat]

That is impossible to screw up..
One has left hand threads..The other right hand threads..

...zap!


OMG How could I forget that. Sorry:blush2:

[millrat]

When your capacitors for the high freq go out there is a guy on ebay who sells them really cheap. Miller wants over $100.00 each.


Who is the seller or keyword search? Thanks.

[CEP]

Oh gezzs, it's been about five years now. I remember he was a Canadian. If you used the keyword “capacitor”, that would probably be about two weeks worth of reading.

Seems as I remember reading something about him selling capacitors here recently on Hobart, or was it Miller? Sorry for not being any more help!:blush2:

Oh I do remember reading on one of these sites where people said a good electronics supply house will have them also.

[turk]

i got mine for 150 with spoolgun, and water cooled torch.

[bullgod6998]

Thanks for the replies..........Picked it up from a guy who took it as payment on some money he was owed.He had it in his garage never used it was to big for what he wanted to do.Have the electrician coming over this evening to wire her up.Didnt come with a cooler just a torch 2 stick leads a 25 and a 50 footer quick disconectand a millermatic box with spoolgun.Just gonna run it aircooled picked up a new weldcraft wp-9 torch over the weekend and a new ground clamp.took of the panels and blew her out yesterday very little dust inside wires all look like new.The bar out of the conector will be in the inert posistion correct?if I have it pushed down into the conectors it will be in metallic correct?

[7A749]

Thanks for the replies..........Picked it up from a guy who took it as payment on some money he was owed.He had it in his garage never used it was to big for what he wanted to do.Have the electrician coming over this evening to wire her up.Didnt come with a cooler just a torch 2 stick leads a 25 and a 50 footer quick disconectand a millermatic box with spoolgun.Just gonna run it aircooled picked up a new weldcraft wp-9 torch over the weekend and a new ground clamp.took of the panels and blew her out yesterday very little dust inside wires all look like new.The bar out of the conector will be in the inert posistion correct?if I have it pushed down into the conectors it will be in metallic correct?

That's a nice machine.

Alas, as was mentioned, I was not the previous owner.

I bet it has a selenium rectifier inside it. The Gold Star sticker was an indication of that.

That's quite a clean machine. You got yourself a good deal. :)

The spoolgun was gravy on top. :blob3:

Yeah, the throw switch stays in the out position to bring in the balance resistor for TIG. Metallic for stick.

Have fun with it.

[bullgod6998]

AHHHHHH..............SHE RUNS LIKE A CADILLAC!!!:cool2:

Finally got her hooked up today and fired on the power and layed a bead .Gonna take a little gettin used to till I fined her sweet spots.But breathes a sigh of relief everything works !!!!Best $500 I ever spent.:drinkup::drinkup::drinkup:

[duaneb55]

Sweet!!!

What'd you wind up doing for your power hook-up?

[zapster]

AHHHHHH..............SHE RUNS LIKE A CADILLAC!!!:cool2:

Finally got her hooked up today and fired on the power and layed a bead .Gonna take a little gettin used to till I fined her sweet spots.But breathes a sigh of relief everything works !!!!Best $500 I ever spent.:drinkup::drinkup::drinkup:

These things have many sweet spots...:D
Wait until you do Aluminum...


...zap!

[yorkiepap]

Hey bullgod,
As the others have commented, that is a really clean unit..... you did good. With all the accessories you got, a real bargain at the price.

Denny

[FusionKing]

Those are super machines. I had the exact same in an Airco, I gave a grand for it and sold it to one of my old bosses for $900....not bad after many years of service.
They weld aluminum very nice,esp. if you rig up a remote button to the contactor. Then you can bump weld like an old pro.

[bullgod6998]

Works fine .Still miss my Syncro 300 though!!!!!!Nothing against the 330 .

[bullgod6998]

Anyone of you guys with a 330 notice a big increase in youre electric bill

[turk]

electric is included in my rent, so no.

[DSW]

electric is included in my rent, so no.

:laugh::laugh: Ouch! Thats one the landlord probably never thought of. "Honest, it's just that we have a large toaster..."


Figureing 125amps @ 230v, that would give you roughly a bit less than 29 kilowatt hours per hour welding, assuming you run that machine balls to the wall the whole time. Take that and multiply that by the cost per kwhr on your electric bill and how long you weld for a worse case senario. My guess is if you are like most guys, the actual cost is probably 1/4 the worst case or less once you figure actual amps used and how long you actually weld.

[Ken Dennis]

Just hooked mine up a few weeks ago so I can't say fer sure.

But I wouldn't think that the bill will go up any more than any other time I got a new toy "er" tool to play with!

[jrstudio]

Hi Gentlemen, I just picked up a 330 A/BP in similar shape to bullgod's, everything but the argon and the power cables. I'll need about 15 feet to where I'll be installing a new socket - don't think that the existing socket has thick enough wire. Jumpers are set on 230, and have a solid 245 at the existing socket. Any suggestions for the gauge I'll need for the power cables?

Thanks,

jim

[LawsonWeldingLLC]

LOL @ electric is included in the rent, thats sweet.
I have the ab/p 360 model , i friggin love it paid 100 bucks for it on craigslist, its paid for itself so many times there is no way i could ever part with it !

[DSW]

Hi Gentlemen, I just picked up a 330 A/BP in similar shape to bullgod's, everything but the argon and the power cables. I'll need about 15 feet to where I'll be installing a new socket - don't think that the existing socket has thick enough wire. Jumpers are set on 230, and have a solid 245 at the existing socket. Any suggestions for the gauge I'll need for the power cables?

Thanks,

jim

Jim the answer to that will depend on how big a breaker you can run in your panel. I know a few guys here who are making do with minimal breakers (50-60 amp). They can't run full power or they will trip the breaker, but most can usually get by doing most light steel and some light alum projects with those. Remember the breaker protects the wires, not the machine, so you would use heavier wire for a 100amp breaker than say a 60amp. My 50 amp is using 6 ga and the 100 amp panel for the shop might be 2 ga ( it's the old service cable and panel that I had the electrician move when we upgraded to the 200 amp service) When in doubt, always check with an electrician before doing any electrical work.

You'll probably get more answers if you post this as a seperate question in the electrical section.

[crwelding]

I have the same machine and I am having problems. I have always tig welded with newer machines such as a syncrowave 250 and not sure if I have everything set up correct. Welding .090 aluminum with the amps around 90 argon flow at 17-20 hi feq at 80 and start control around 6. It makes decent looking welds but it does not seem correct. The tungsten is always dull and there seems to be a yellowish powdery look to the cup. I have asked my local welding shop and nobody seems to know what it might be. I have changed argon bottles thinking it might be a gas problem but it did not help. Any thoughts would be helpful.

[jontheturboguy]

I have the same machine and I am having problems. I have always tig welded with newer machines such as a syncrowave 250 and not sure if I have everything set up correct. Welding .090 aluminum with the amps around 90 argon flow at 17-20 hi feq at 80 and start control around 6. It makes decent looking welds but it does not seem correct. The tungsten is always dull and there seems to be a yellowish powdery look to the cup. I have asked my local welding shop and nobody seems to know what it might be. I have changed argon bottles thinking it might be a gas problem but it did not help. Any thoughts would be helpful.

Make sure the machine is set to AC, and the hf switch set to continuous. If you don't have a gas lens yet, get one.