Powcon 300 ST... Got a few questions before purchase

[Jeffvador]

Heyooooo! This Saturday I am going to pick up a Powcon 300 ST. It doesn't have any leads. What other brand tigs will fit this machine? And have no experience with this brand, are they good with tig? I'm assuming it's a DC machine. Can it run 6010?

[Jeffvador]

I'm trying to figure out how to add pics but I'm on my iphone and seem to figure it out.

[greenbuggy]

From a manual I found here: https://arconweld.com/custom/Powcon_...00ST/300ST.pdf

Looks like they might be fitted with Tweco, Dinse or Cam-Lock connectors. Without seeing the machine I can't say which it has, but all you need to do is find a tig torch that has the correct size DINSE connector (if its fitted with dinse - there's only 2 sizes) or an adapter to go from Tweco or Cam-Lock to DINSE to fit most tig torches from Weldcraft, Miller, Esab, etc.

[Jeffvador]

Not the greatest pics but it's all he sent me.

[greenbuggy]

Unfortunately none of those pictures show the place where the torch needs to connect to

[Jeffvador]

[WNY_TomB]

Heyooooo! This Saturday I am going to pick up a Powcon 300 ST. It doesn't have any leads. What other brand tigs will fit this machine? And have no experience with this brand, are they good with tig? I'm assuming it's a DC machine. Can it run 6010?

.
6010 needs higher voltage to pull a 1/4" arc length and tig at same voltage you could pull a 1/2" arc length and get poor gas shielding. so they are at odds with each other. basically tig machine should break arc automatically that is too long or over 1/4"
.
some machines have a 6010 port or plug or switch so welder dont get confused and try tig welding at high voltage.
.
read welding machine info it should say what welding rod types it can run. unless it says specifically it can run 6010 i would assume any tig welder will not run 6010 with a long arc.
.
ocv or open circuit voltage dont mean much. a 60 ocv machine that can maintain 60 volts with a long length 6010 arc is quite different than a 95 ocv machine where voltage drops back down in a millisecond after arc started. inverters can change voltage 100 times faster than a old fashion transformer welder
.
what voltage you start arc at and what voltage it can maintain a long arc at for many seconds are often very very different

[DanD78]

Mine takes the large Tweco ends. I don't recall having issues with 6010 but 7018 burns fine.
I never made a direct plug TIG set up. I use a scratch start with a gas valve in the torch. Yes. They are a good TIG machine.

You sound excited but I would be concerned with the amount of filth in the machine. Look at the fan and front air screen. You may want to open it up and take a look before buying.
Round up some leads and a plug. Try it before you buy it. Inverters and dirt don't go well together.

Dan D.

[Jeffvador]

Mine takes the large Tweco ends. I don't recall having issues with 6010 but 7018 burns fine.
I never made a direct plug TIG set up. I use a scratch start with a gas valve in the torch. Yes. They are a good TIG machine.

You sound excited but I would be concerned with the amount of filth in the machine. Look at the fan and front air screen. You may want to open it up and take a look before buying.
Round up some leads and a plug. Try it before you buy it. Inverters and dirt don't go well together.

Dan D.

Yea I'm very excited about checking it out! I wish I could try it before I buy but he doesn't have any leads and I don't think he has a capable power source. But if I get it I clean crap out of it.

[Jeffvador]

I wish I knew exactly which tweco ends to buy, amazon has sooo many haha.

[DanD78]

If he wants to sell it bad enough he will find a way for you to test it. With out testing the price should be dirt cheep. No more than a couple hundred bucks. Ask the guy about his back ground and where the machine came from. Seems fishey he has no way to demo the machine. Don't be afraid to low ball him or walk away.

Dan D.

[Jeffvador]

If he wants to sell it bad enough he will find a way for you to test it. With out testing the price should be dirt cheep. No more than a couple hundred bucks. Ask the guy about his back ground and where the machine came from. Seems fishey he has no way to demo the machine. Don't be afraid to low ball him or walk away.

Dan D.

Yea I hear what you are saying man. I am trading a $150 gun for it. So I am getting it pretty cheap.

[Jeffvador]

Well, I went ahead and pulled the trigger and got it! The guy told me he bought it from a friend that got layed off about 4 years ago. And just never plugged it in. He have me about 60 ft of lead to go with it and it has some quick connects. So now I have something to go by when I buy some new connectors. I'm about to pop it open and clean it up real good!

[Jeffvador]

Im trying to wire this thing up. The plate says its wire for 460 with a 4 wire cord. Im only set up for 3 wire. How do I go about converting this thing over?

[greenbuggy]

Look at the manual. If its anything like other powcons there's a couple bus bars you've got to switch and maybe a capacitor board that needs to have bolts removed, rotated and reinstalled so the correct voltage label is at the top. As for single vs 3 phase you pick 2/3 of the connections going into the power switch and hook your wires for your L1/L2 to those, and hook your ground to where its currently connected. If you picked right the unit will power on, if you picked wrong move to a different 2/3 connections on that switch and try again until unit powers up.

[Jeffvador]

It works!!!! After ready the manually like 8 times, I finally started understanding what I needed to do to convert it from 460 to 230. I put a new male outlet on it and BAM!!! It turned on and sounds beautiful. Now I have to order a few male and female tweco connectors. Can't wait to use it. I may make a step by step tutorial on converting it.

[ccawgc]

There are always two places to make changes for line voltage.
One behind the front panel and one in the back.
The one in front is 4 studs and one or two links.
The one in back is either a pcb with lots of screws or a set of links just like the front.
Depends on model welder. Should also be instructions on yellow plastic sheet inside case.

[Jeffvador]

There are always two places to make changes for line voltage.
One behind the front panel and one in the back.
The one in front is 4 studs and one or two links.
The one in back is either a pcb with lots of screws or a set of links just like the front.
Depends on model welder. Should also be instructions on yellow plastic sheet inside case.

Thanks! My welder has 3 places I had to make changes to.

[DanD78]

Have you welded with it yet?

Dan D.

[Jeffvador]

Have you welded with it yet?

Dan D.

Naw not yet. I had to order some tweco connectors. They won't be in until next week. And I need to buy an argon bottle for my tig setup.

[Jeffvador]

If the rain ever stops and it dries up outside I'll run some 7018 with it!!! I bought a scratch start tig but I will need an argon bottle before I can run that.

[Jeffvador]

I finally got a chance to burn some rods with Ol' powcon and she welded flawlessly!!! I used Hobart 3/32 7018.

[Jeffvador]

Alright, now I'm ready to get the tig going on the thing. What other brand foot pedals can I hook up to this? I have a scratch start set up but I also want to run a pedal setup with another torch.

[DanD78]

There is one on ebay now for $190.00. Not sure if thats a deal or not. I have never used a pedal but I have only tig welded SS and carbon. I know the plug is different than a Miller because my 30A spool gun will not fit a Powcon plug.
There are threads in this section about plugs and pins. Probably about any can be adapted but have never tired it.
Glad it works for you.

DanD.

[stevenopolis]

Go with the ssc pedal. I use mine quite often for big Carbon steel. Talk to the guys at arcon about a diode across the output caps before you CAG with it. Trust me. Also don't let it fall four feet to earth while welding. Trust me. I've got a 300st and two 300sm machines. The bifilar resistor on the output pcb doesn't like hard impact.

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