Miller XMT 304 CC/CV control panel

[mandylad]

Hi..Ive just picked up a Miller xmt 304 and I've noticed that that I only have a choice of 6 when picking a process. I see on other ones machines that there is eight. Also on mine there is no picture for the wire feeder. Has anyone else one like this? Or can anyone shed any light ad to why mine is different from any other one I've looked at? Is there a difference in the machines??

[M J D]

There are CC only machines. Take a picture of the front panel.

[davec]

+1 ... Does it say XMT304 CC/CV or just XMT 304 CC

[Munkul]

My CC/CV has 8 pictures, but only 6 selector positions.



I started a thread on this a while back, puzzling over how the selector worked, there's some good info in here

https://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthrea...-Mode-selector

[mandylad]

I read through some of that thread and your selector only has 6 modes the same as mine but mine looks different ill try put up a few pics..yours is showing 8 pictures of functions mine 6.

[mandylad]

well it doesnt say either lol. It is a cc/cv because it has the mig function and mig pulse and tig as well.

[mandylad]

I Posted a video on you tube about it just showing the controls...

[Munkul]

Different generations of these machines have different controls and options... post up the serial number? you can get the right manual for your serial number.

I have a feeling that my machine has the same control board and selector as yours, but with the 8 position panel - presumably it came with an 8 position board at one point, probably burned out and someone fitted a 6 position board to replace it. Mine doesn't have electrode-hot TIG or V-sense feeder, but has everything else... same as yours.

Why do you care? You have the excellent stick welding and mig welding modes, as well as pulse option. It's a great shop machine

[Stick-man]

Like the others, I believe you have a CC only machine.

[Munkul]

It's not a CC only machine, or it wouldn't have the MIG selector position. It's the same as mine

[leightrepairs]

Looking at a manual for some of the XMT's it looks what is not on yours is a position for Voltage sensing wire feeder and Scratch start Tig.

[ccawgc]

very curious. every picture I could find all show 8 positions.
if you wouldn't mine, send me the serial number by private message.
Let me look it up using the serial number. See what turns up.

[mandylad]

Different generations of these machines have different controls and options... post up the serial number? you can get the right manual for your serial number.

I have a feeling that my machine has the same control board and selector as yours, but with the 8 position panel - presumably it came with an 8 position board at one point, probably burned out and someone fitted a 6 position board to replace it. Mine doesn't have electrode-hot TIG or V-sense feeder, but has everything else... same as yours.

Why do you care? You have the excellent stick welding and mig welding modes, as well as pulse option. It's a great shop machine

I don't really care LOL im i was just wondering about it thats all i'm very happy with my machine. I couldn't see any others like mine so i was wondering if anyone could give any info on it. I'd say your machine is the same as mine with the 6 position board but maybe someone put a new sticker on it front that shows 8 positions ours is probabbly one of the first types .My unit does everything it's definately a CC/CV model.I want to get a wire dual feeder for it and get it set up for pulse mig thats the main reason i bought it. I only paid £400 for it and for the money i think its a great machine.I bought a Optima pulse box on Ebay last week it's coming frommthe USA i'm excited about that also. Have you had your one for long? doe you use if for mig welding?

[Munkul]

I did similar to you had mine maybe 2 years? It's a great machine, I'd recommend one to anyone. They're awesome on stick, so very controllable... and same with MIG... crisp arc starts, and beautifully smooth, spatter free CV output makes it as good as any top end machine on the market today.

I also bought a pulse pendant for mine. In the end, I realised it's better on plain CV MIG for steel, but the pulser is perfect for aluminium. I'd still like to try the stainless programs, but need the right gas, and the job to justify it.
If you've never used pulse MIG before, it sounds like the holy grail for welding, but it's unfortunately not... it's fun to experiment with though.

https://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthrea...ghlight=miller

https://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthrea...ghlight=optima

https://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthrea...ghlight=miller

This is on aluminium pulse, 1/4" base to 1/8" PFC.

[ccawgc]

For those who would like to know I think I know why the differences in the welder front panels. appears there are 8, 6 and 5 position front panels.
From what I can tell all CSA built CC/CV welders have 8 position switches.
CE built CC/CV welders only had 6 positions and CC machines had 5.
CSA = Machines built for USA and Canada. CE = machines are built for Europe.
Small differences for the market they are built for.
One difference between CSA and CE machines. CSA machines can use auto link to connect to 230 or 460 volts. CE machines can only run on one voltage 200 or 400 volts. Auto link is not allowed.

[mandylad]

your welds look really good. is it not the same gas you use for stainless and aluminum? pure argon?.everywhere i read anything about the xmt 304 its all good reviews. the optima pulser seems a good add on too good reviews on it. for a welder of that age 1999 it really performs its hard to believe until you see for yourself. Yes im new to pulse welding so this is all a learning curve for me. I'm waiting on the optima pulse box to land should be here next week i'm hoping. ill go looking for a wire feeder then i'd like a miller dual wire feeder it would really make my day.im going to take my time and do my research and see whats out there the right one will come up for me.im currently making a railing system in the shed for a wire feeder to slide up and down the shed ill post pictures when its all done.im going to get set up for doing mig aluminum also that is partly wht i bought the optima pulse box.

[Munkul]

Cheers nah, aluminium takes pure argon, but you need a slight amount of CO2 or O2 mix (like 2%) to MIG stainless properly... the weld bead doesn't wet in properly and you'll get spatter otherwise.

It's a great MIG power source. Every bit as good as the Kemppi transformers in our workshop, which to me are the benchmark in how a MIG set should perform. We have every fabricator who comes through our doors use these Kemppis and they'll say they've never used a smoother machine. I had a lad come to talk to me the other day, he'd just spent £3k on a new Esab 3 phase MIG set, and he was really disappointed, because his new set wasn't as smooth as these 10 year old Kemppis.

But the Miller... I reckon it's smoother than the Kemppis, even. And more flexible, of course.

I'd love a dual feeder too, it would be really handy...keep us posted, whatever feeder you end up with. The S64 I have is bombproof, I'd reccomend one to anyone.

[mandylad]

Yea I'll keep you up to date on how I get on.i was going to buy a esab welder away back but my welding instructor said stay clear and told me to go for a used Miller but I ended up getting a new Lincoln 305c mig and still have it.its a great welder I think nothing fancy but it runs great and so easy to set up and adjust. I've used murex migs before same as esab I think. They are ok but the bigger ones I used were bad for spatter and bad starts and wernt that nice to use at times but they were solid and go all day . Do you think a 40 volt wire feeder will work in the Miller xmt 304? I think the dual feeders are 40 volt I don't know much about that kind if stuff yet lol that's why I'm asking ye I case I buy one and it wouldn't work on the xmt 304 ..

[M J D]

As far as I know the Lincoln welders have 42 volt output. I use a suitcase feeder on my xmt, but I believe they have 24 volt output on the pin connector.

[ccawgc]

Depends on which feeder. Some of the 40 volt Lincoln feeders will work on the 24 volt millers. You will have to check the specs on each feeder you are looking at.
Not all will work. But Lincoln has a 115 volt adapter box that will run a 40 volt feeder on a welder that only has 115 volts. Check your Miller and see if it has 115 volt and 24 volts for wire feeders. A CE machine will not have both voltages.
Older CSA machines will have both. In the newer miller welders they dropped the 115 volts from the plug. There will be 1 or 2 push button circuit breakers on the back panel. A,B and G are for 24 volt feeders. I,J and G are for 115 volt feeders. G and K
both connect to the same place. use one for ground and the other for neutral.
Some Lincoln machines build for the CE market have both, but have a selector switch so one one at a time can be used.