Eastwood TIG?

[KTMrider]

Vertical is an option.
If you look closely, my SP135 is buried on the left side of my welding bench behind the red Honda. I really need to add on a parts storage area!

[Jon K]

Originally Posted by DSW

Understood. the problem is many newer guys overlook the ratings of the machine on 115v power and don't understand how that will limit the machine.The max on 115v power is rated at 125 amps, not 180 amps. Also to get that 125 amps at 35% duty cycle, you need almost a 27 amp feed. That means a dedicated 30 amp 115v outlet. Run the machine on a standard 15 amp outlet and you won't even get that. If you have to run a dedicated line, why not simply run 230v and use a machine with more power and options?

125 amps will do 3/32" alum IF you can feed the machine 27 amps. That means you probably might get to do 1/16 " alum off a 20 amp breaker. Running of a 15 amp breaker, alum is pretty much out of the question for most guys who the machine is marketed towards. They simply lack the tig skills to do low amp very thin alum tig.

Even the more expensive Dynasty's with all the advanced functions that will let you get the absolute most out of a 115v outlet, won't tig 1/8" on a standard household outlet. You simply can't get enough input from the outlet.

If you are doing steel, then yes on 115v power, you can do 3/32" and less with no issues probably on a 20 amp dedicated breaker. However, you'd probably been better off with a Maxstar 150 and saved some cash. The AC feature of the Diversion jumps up the price, but on 115v power, it's pretty much useless for most users. The only time the AC option on the Diversion makes any sense is when the machine is run on 230v power.




Understand I'm not knocking your purchase. I hope the unit will do everything you want it to. I just see way to many new tig users that want to do do alum who think this will solve all their problems without having to go to 230v power. It won't. These people lack the knowledge to make an informed choice about what they really need to get to where they want to go. Been there, done that with all sorts of things myself, before I gained enough knowledge to make informed choices. I hate to see guys shell out a ton of money, only to get frustrated because they can't seem to do what they think the machine can, when in reality it won't. Hopefully they finally realize they either need more input power and move to 230v power where they needed to be at the start, and don't get frustrated a quit.

FWIW I had the machine cranked to 125A on AC today. I was welding a cracked cast aluminum wheel. I learned a few things - 1, I needed more than 125A. Probably 150A based on my short experience so far. 2, I needed thicker filler rod than 1/16 because it'd ball up before it even reached the puddle. 3, you can run the machine on 125A on 110v 20A box/break/line with no issue at all. I was waiting to strike the arc and have the breaker pop in about 3 seconds. Nope - I went on for a minute or so without issue. I had a dedicated quad box w/ 2-20A 110 circuits put in. Seems to work alright!