Airco CV 250

[53eldorado]

I have one of these 3 phase units but I don't have 3 phase power.

Is it worth anything? If it isn't I'm thinking of gutting it and using the cart and shell for my 120 volt welder.

Is there a market for the parts?

It has the Airco MIGet Aircomatic Gun Model AH20E

I've been lurking for awhile but this is the first serious question I've had.

Thanks, bf

[DesertRider33]

Yeah they have some value to the right buyer. Your Airco is probly similar to a Miller CP250. I used to have a CP250TS I got from my old job. It was a 3-phase machine too.

I had no use for a 3-phase power supply, but I wanted the XR feeder and torch that came with it, so I bought the whole thing and sold the power supply by itself for almost as much as I bought the whole setup for. Put an ad up on Craig's List and with 2 days it was sold, to someone 800 miles away who bought it sight unseen. He sent his relative to come pick it up and bring it up to him.

Give selling it a try, you might make some money. Make a very detailed description and take good pics and if the right buyer sees it at a good price, it will sell.

[53eldorado]

Thanks for the info.

The cooling fan runs on single phase and I've read of a Miller that was converted to single phase. I'm going to do some research to see if that is an option. I think the gun is single phase too so I may look into using that on my Lincoln as an Aluminum spool gun.

Hate to trash a working machine, but if no one can use it as a 3 phase unit I might consider using pieces of it.

I have put it on Craigslist but I haven't taken pictures yet to put with it.

If anyone has any better ideas let me know.

Thanks again.

[fastopel]

It would be helpful if people knew where your from and some pics of the machine. Darrell

[53eldorado]

OK,

updated profile so you can tell I'm from Colorado.

I'll take some photos this afternoon and try to figure out how to post them.

Does anyone know how big a phase converter would be needed to operate it? Tag says it is 30 amp at 240 volt 3 phase.

[DesertRider33]

Originally Posted by 53eldorado

Does anyone know how big a phase converter would be needed to operate it? Tag says it is 30 amp at 240 volt 3 phase.

I'm sure a bigger one than is worth investing in compared to the value of the machine. You'd also need a healthy supply of amps of 220v single phase to get enough 3 phase out of the converter. Better to sell it and buy something that will run on the power you have available.

[53eldorado]

Here are some photos of the unit.

[lars66]

That looks like a very nice clean unit. I have 3 of the old Airco CV welders dating back to the 1960s, good tough machines and run wire excellent. A good 10 horse RPC will make that a usable machine.

[53eldorado]

Thanks,

It came out of a school body shop. Hasn't been used in years.

That is the information I need to see if I can make this work.

I'd like to hear about the spool gun. Is it a good one or not?

Will it work for aluminum?

thanks,

[lars66]

I had a spool gun just like that one years ago, that will work great with alum. 1# spools.

[53eldorado]

Looking at the wiring schematic, the cooling fan, controls and spool gun all run off leg 1 and Leg 2. Leg 3 just goes to the rectifier. So I thought.... maybe it will operate on single phase will a little less power available.

Hooked it up to single phase 240 and everything seems to work fine. Haven't welded with it since I have no argon but an arc did flash when triggered. It has 4043 in it right now.

Think it will work?

bf

[7A749]

If you want to hack it all up inside & add some caps plus additional goodies to smooth the current out you'll make it work, but all you'll have is an underpowered, inefficent, hacked up 3 phase machine worth little more than it's worth sitting there now.

Just sell it. I would pull the spool gun off for separate sale or either keep it to run on a Miller WC 2 control.

The power source is probably worth a couple hundred to someone. I really wouldn't waste the time hacking it all up to run it on 1 phase.

A 10 HP RPC will run it, but you won't get much out of it & unless you have the stuff lying around to build one, buying one will be expensive & not really worth it in the long run. Realistically, on 220 volt input power, a 20 HP RPC would be more in line to do the job. You'll be looking at a good 100 amps to run it tho. Yeah, if you're a whiz at that stuff & got the parts & time to build it, great. For most of us, time is the big commodity tho.

I got a buddy with a 5 HP RPC & he uses it to power up 3 phase machines before he sells them. It does little more than that. You get roughly half the input voltage out of an RPC as you put in it. That's a really rough comparison, but it gives you an idea what you'll need to run a resistive load like that with one.

After all the money & TIME you'll spend on it, sell it & buy a good used MM 250, or other single phase power source with a feeder that you can also use the spool gun on.

IMHO, of course.

[53eldorado]

And I do appreciate you humble opinion.

OK, it's officially for sale. Make me an offer I can't refuse.

If it is still sitting here when I go to build my welding cart, it may become transformed.

Thanks for all the info guys.

bf

[lars66]

Originally Posted by 7A749

If you want to hack it all up inside & add some caps plus additional goodies to smooth the current out you'll make it work, but all you'll have is an underpowered, inefficent, hacked up 3 phase machine worth little more than it's worth sitting there now.

Just sell it. I would pull the spool gun off for separate sale or either keep it to run on a Miller WC 2 control.

The power source is probably worth a couple hundred to someone. I really wouldn't waste the time hacking it all up to run it on 1 phase.

A 10 HP RPC will run it, but you won't get much out of it & unless you have the stuff lying around to build one, buying one will be expensive & not really worth it in the long run. Realistically, on 220 volt input power, a 20 HP RPC would be more in line to do the job. You'll be looking at a good 100 amps to run it tho. Yeah, if you're a whiz at that stuff & got the parts & time to build it, great. For most of us, time is the big commodity tho.

I got a buddy with a 5 HP RPC & he uses it to power up 3 phase machines before he sells them. It does little more than that. You get roughly half the input voltage out of an RPC as you put in it. That's a really rough comparison, but it gives you an idea what you'll need to run a resistive load like that with one.

After all the money & TIME you'll spend on it, sell it & buy a good used MM 250, or other single phase power source with a feeder that you can also use the spool gun on.

IMHO, of course.

I have tried to think of a nice, gentle, PC, round about way to tell you, you are wrong about the 10 hp RPC not being able to run this machine to its capabilities, but I can't. So now I will flat out tell you, you are wrong. Want to talk to the horses mouth that has been doing it for 30 years PM me.