Airco Dip Pak 200

[hhowell1990]

Got a guy local to me selling an airco dip pak 200 for $450, is that a good deal for that machine?

[thegary]

Do you mean Dip Stick 200 ? If so I had one several years ago. It was the first multiprocess mig/stick welder I ever saw. Mine was a Dip stick 160 though. I was not impressed with it and sold it as soon as I could.

[hhowell1990]

It’s a Dip Pak, mig only

[Welder Dave]

Too much $$$ in my opinion. Where do you get drive rolls and other parts?

[hhowell1990]

Welder Dave, what do you think would be a fair price?

[Welder Dave]

Maybe $300 if it's in good shape and works properly. Parts down the road could be a problem though. Do you have any pics?

[hhowell1990]

Here’s what I could screenshot off of the listing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Welder Dave]

It's kind of an oddball machine and not very common anymore. It looks OK but it's probably 30+ years old. It seems relatively cheap for a 200 amp machine and looks like it has a Euro type Mig gun. Find out what contact tips and nozzles it takes. Lenco/Profax may carry them as well as drive rolls and possibly wire guides. If consumable parts are available I think $300 maybe $350 but it's a gamble on how long it lasts till something goes wrong and no parts are available. When Airco was split up some went to Esab, some went to Lincoln, some went to Koike, etc. Apparently it has been obsoleted by Esab but was a good machine back in the day. Looking online they were selling for under $500 in 2007.

[bigfoot]

My old boss bought one in 1988 we must have put 5000 lbs of .045 lincore m wire through it still works they just run .035 hardwire now I don't know if there are any parts available

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

[hhowell1990]

It's kind of an oddball machine and not very common anymore. It looks OK but it's probably 30+ years old. It seems relatively cheap for a 200 amp machine and looks like it has a Euro type Mig gun. Find out what contact tips and nozzles it takes. Lenco/Profax may carry them as well as drive rolls and possibly wire guides. If consumable parts are available I think $300 maybe $350 but it's a gamble on how long it lasts till something goes wrong and no parts are available. When Airco was split up some went to Esab, some went to Lincoln, some went to Koike, etc. Apparently it has been obsoleted by Esab but was a good machine back in the day. Looking online they were selling for under $500 in 2007.

I ended up offering the guy $350 and he took it. Hooked it up before I loaded it into my truck and it worked great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[hhowell1990]

My old boss bought one in 1988 we must have put 5000 lbs of .045 lincore m wire through it still works they just run .035 hardwire now I don't know if there are any parts available

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

Do you still have that machine?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Welder Dave]

I ended up offering the guy $350 and he took it. Hooked it up before I loaded it into my truck and it worked great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good deal. If it lasts 6 month's it's paid for itself.

[hhowell1990]

Got the machine home and the wire feed speed want very consistent and seemed slow for the numbers posted inside the machine. The wfs potentiometer obviously has been replaced and I’m curious if it was replaced with the correct resistance value, would anyone happen to have one that they could ohm out the wfs potentiometer on?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Welder Dave]

Is the wire dragging in the gun or contact tip or the drive rolls slipping? You can measure wire feed speed by measuring how much wire comes out in 10 seconds and multiplying by 6. As long as the wire feeds smooth at the speed you need the numbers don't matter. They just help to set the machine but what would you do if the numbers weren't there? You'd adjust by experimenting. Numbers and dials are just reference points. Every machine will be a little different.

[hhowell1990]

Is the wire dragging in the gun or contact tip or the drive rolls slipping? You can measure wire feed speed by measuring how much wire comes out in 10 seconds and multiplying by 6. As long as the wire feeds smooth at the speed you need the numbers don't matter. They just help to set the machine but what would you do if the numbers weren't there? You'd adjust by experimenting. Numbers and dials are just reference points. Every machine will be a little different.

I contacted Esab this morning and they actually still had documentation on this machine. The customer service person I spoke with told me how to check the speed control board for voltage in and out and the voltage out was all over the place which in turn was causing my issue. He got me in touch with a shop that remanufactures boards for old transformer based machines and I got it sent out this afternoon.

Edit. I was basing the inconsistent wfs issue off of watching the wing nut on the roller for how fast it was spinning


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Welder Dave]

Hopefully it's a simple fix. I thought you said it ran great when you purchased it?

[hhowell1990]

Hopefully it's a simple fix. I thought you said it ran great when you purchased it?

It did. I’m guessing the terrible roads bumped something loose. Still strikes and maintains an arc just fine but I was maybe getting 75-100 ipm and that was maxed out. Thought it was maybe the potentiometer so I threw one on it and the issue persisted that’s when I called esab.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bigfoot]

Do you still have that machine?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I do not but I think my old bosses son does

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

[labparamour]

I have a Hobart Beta Mig 200...probably just as old (bought it new).
Had erratic feed issue. Lower speeds were iffy. Higher speeds seemed to be better. Turned out to be permanent magnet drive motor-glue for one of the magnets let loose and magnet was sticking to/riding on the armature. Cleaned it up, put epoxy on it and spaced it evenly back in housing.
She’s still running- just played with it again today.

[hhowell1990]

I have a Hobart Beta Mig 200...probably just as old (bought it new).
Had erratic feed issue. Lower speeds were iffy. Higher speeds seemed to be better. Turned out to be permanent magnet drive motor-glue for one of the magnets let loose and magnet was sticking to/riding on the armature. Cleaned it up, put epoxy on it and spaced it evenly back in housing.
She’s still running- just played with it again today.

I used to have a beta mig. I wanna say it was a 225 or 250, might have been a 200 and that thing was an absolute tank. Esab still supports the airco brand to an extent and one of their customer service representatives told me how to check voltage out on the speed control board and it was all over the place

[BaTu]

I've got one of those! It's always worked great for Me...

[hhowell1990]

Update: got the board back from York electronics yesterday and got the thing fired up and it welds great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Welder Dave]

Great. What did the board cost to repair?

[hhowell1990]

Great. What did the board cost to repair?

$85 including shipping


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Welder Dave]

Good deal, you should have a good machine now for many years.