Help Idealarc 250 is Wimping out hard

[duaneb55]

Originally Posted by fredf

Duaneb problem on input if no ground on input would get no output with 1 blown fuse

fredf, The object was to check for a short on the secondary side that would cause a primary side fuse to blow due to excessive current draw.

Unless I'm not reading your statement correctly.


edit: I missed the part where felon said it blows the fuse as soon as it's plugged in.

[duaneb55]

And now you know. . . the rest of the story.

felon, I just assumed you would have wired up your plug correctly so I focused in on the machine end. Missed the part where you said it blows the fuse as soon as it's plugged in. Appears to be another example of how one of those old bear of a welders just go for ever.

Keep us posted.

[Felonyass Monk]

Duane said"I just assumed you would have wired up your plug correctly"(remember im electrically challenged)
When i bought the welder the lad said he couldnt use it because it was blowing the fuses on his 30 amp dryer circuit.So when i got it rigged up , plugged in then finding the blown fuse i 'assumed' well maybe it wasnt his wimpy circuit that was causing the fuse to blow instead of checking my own work
felon

ps ill update after a trip out to buy a fuse
Pss after i said ill pick up a meter in the am i found one like this on sale at the local Canadian tire and went out and snagged the last one for 20 bills,hence the testing last eve

[transit]

I re-read all the posts again and looked at the photos very closely. Get the welder running again. I don’t know all the Canadian electrical codes, however I see some not too safe conditions that need to be addressed, but before pouring more money into the welder lets first get it working and then bring it up to 2009 standards. Now that you have a volt meter, we’ll need to know what the input volts and amps are from the tag on the unit and what the voltage is that you are supplying at the dryer outlet.

[Felonyass Monk]

transit said"what the voltage is that you are supplying at the dryer outlet. "
It was the previous owner using dryer outlet, i have a 60 amp dedicated line.However the problem was with my shoddy plug workthanks to fredf for that find,the ground wire was shorting on one of the hot leads in the plug.
The machine is now up and running.After a good cleaning and paint job i will post some pics but it may be awhile i have been shirking the to do list for a while now.Thanks to everyone for your help.
Felon
ps transit what are the unsafe conditions?

[transit]

Ok, you have answered some of my questions. Is the welder 110 or 220 volts? What is the current draw listed on the machine tag, 30 amps? The 60 amp rating for the branch circuit you are using may be ok,….. may. Once I have more info I’ll be able to assist you bring the unit forward to 2009 safety standards.

[CheneyKid]

Start simple and clean all the conections inside and out. Sand paper does the trick.

[transit]

The cable from the plug to the on-off switch looks to be Romex house wire and is not suitable for a line cord, too stiff. The wire gauge MUST be able to carry the full load rated current, for a line cord at, 30 amps you would want to be using# 10-3, flexible 3 conductor cable. The plug and outlet MUST be rated for the full load current although the bare copper is a ground conductor, if it were insulated there would be no concern of it shorting to any other conductors. The color for a ground conductor insulation MUST be Green, Green with a Yellow Stripe.

The wires to the cap should be replaced, it’s time. If at all possible, look closely at the cap, there should be a part number, value in micro farads and working voltage, if the cap should ever need replacing now is the time to have the while the information is still readable.

[fredf]

Originally Posted by duaneb55

fredf, The object was to check for a short on the secondary side that would cause a primary side fuse to blow due to excessive current draw.

Unless I'm not reading your statement correctly.


edit: I missed the part where felon said it blows the fuse as soon as it's plugged in.

Dwaneb55
if it was on secondary, fuse would blow, yes, but the primary circuit would no longer be complete and the fan would not run and Wouldn't get ANY output
because of the ground on the hot pin, he had 110v across the welder so it sorta worked no ground. no power. period.

fred

[duaneb55]

Originally Posted by fredf

Dwaneb55
if it was on secondary, fuse would blow, yes, but the primary circuit would no longer be complete and the fan would not run and Wouldn't get ANY output
because of the ground on the hot pin, he had 110v across the welder so it sorta worked no ground. no power. period.

fred

Absolutely correct Fred - no argument from me here. That is why I stated "Does the fan attempt to run? Would have to happen before the fuse blows though."

Bottom line is, you read felon's post correctly which I didn't and you caught the plug wiring error right off.

[Felonyass Monk]

Thanks for the Help guys,heres the finished product,its up for sale now as i have a lead on a tm 300/300
Felon

[JohnnyWelder]

Sweeeeeet.