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Syncrowave 200

15K views 18 replies 17 participants last post by  vwguy3  
#1 ·
I was going to order a new syncrowave 200 at my LWS.The salesman said there was a lot of problems with this unit and tried to steer me to a dynasty 200 instead at twice the price.I thought the syncrowave was the industry standard in squarewave transformer machines.I would appreciate any and all input from sync 200 owners.Thanks in advance. Ray L
 
#2 · (Edited)
I've never had any issues with my Syncrowave 200, nor have I heard any major issues from anyone on them. The tech school has almost a dozen Syncrowave 250 of various ages and almost none have had any major issues even with the abuse the kids give them. I think the salesman is blowing smoke up your azz to get you to make a bigger sale. If you haven't, you can always go to Millers site and check the forum there as well.


If I was you I'd look at what is available used. I frequently see Syncro 200's used on CL for $1000-1500 in like new condition. Older Syncro 180's used run a bit less, say $850-1300. You can usually find nice Syncro 250's for waht you will pay for a new Syncro 200, and I've even seen some super deals down as low as $1500 on occasion. I'd have no issues buying a used Syncrowave if I could test it 1st to make sure it welds. The way the economy is I've seen any number of hobby guys selling machines they really don't use, as well as small businesses who used them somewhat, but the business dried up and now they need the cash. If you go to Millers site and download the manual it will tell you the start up sequence to tell you how many hours are on the machine as well as the arc starts. I know one guy here who picked up a Syncro 200 with less than 40 hrs on the meter for less that $1100. They are out there, but you have to look and be patient.

Add your location to your User CP at the upper left so we all know where you are located and someone here might point you in the direction of a good deal. Also You might try using Searchtempest.com to search CL listings if you haven't already. It allows you to search CL listings based on search term and distance. I usually use "welder" as my search term and sort the list manually to hunt for "deals" This picks up listings where they just list "welder" or don't use the actual model, but might post a pict that can clue you in. In your case I'd probably set my search area to say 250 miles, and type in "Syncrowave" as my 1st search term, then try "Miller tig" followed by "Welder" and see what pops up.


Oh welcome to the forum as well.
 
#3 ·
Another vote for a used syncrowave. Syncrowaves are generally very reliable.

If you want a good basic TIG, without spending a lot of money, it is hard to beat a used Miller Syncrowave 180 or 200. I have owned both, both are good. Both have High Frequency, AC and DC, so you can weld any metal, including aluminum. Both include stick and TIG. The original version of the Syncrowave 180 is arguably better for beginners, as it has minimal controls, three switches and one knob, simple to use. The later version of the 180 (180SD) added an AC balance knob and digital displays. The 200 has lots of bells and whistles, including pulse, which I like for thin copper. The 180 is a little smaller, but both are relatively big and heavy, around 200 pounds. Figure on at least a 50 amp 220V circuit for either welder, which is what I use. Some recommend a 60 amp 220V breaker.

I bought the 200 for $1300, too good a deal to pass up, and then sold my Synchrowave 180 for $1150. The 180 price that I got was probably higher than average, and the 200 price that I paid was lower than average, so I did very well, paid only $150 to upgrade.

Anyway, for somewhere between $1000 and $1500, you can buy a used Syncrowave 180 or 200, and have a welder that will probably serve all your needs for decades. If you buy used, and you decide you need a bigger or fancier welder down the road, you can get almost all your money back when you sell it. You will take a big depreciation hit if you buy a new welder and sell it later. With these Syncrowaves you can TIG weld any thin metal up to about 3/16 inch, and you can stick weld any steel 1/8 inch or thicker. I used the 180 as a stick welder for months before I got around to buying an argon bottle. Some report that the 180 had a higher than average repair rate, but my original version 180 gave me no trouble.

I am not a big fan of the Miller Diversion because it lacks stick. Stick is what you need to weld thick steel. The Dynasty is a great welder, but way too much money unless you have to have easy portability, or need 110V. (Note that a 20 amp 120Volt outlet will only run a welder at very reduced power, so 110V operation is not that great an advantage). The Miller EconoTIG looks good on paper, but a Miller factory guy said that it was not that great, that the Syncrowave 180 was a much better machine. Lincoln makes the Square Wave 175, and Precision TIG 225, similar to the Syncrowaves, look for a used Lincoln as a possible alternative. Many if not most inverter welders are DC only, so you can’t TIG aluminum. (Examples: Multimatic 200, XMT series, Maxstar series, the new Thermal Arc multi-process welders, Lincoln V350 and C300, etc.)

Note that many inverter welders, such as the Dynasty or Invertec series, do not come standard with a TIG torch, regulator, and foot pedal, so they are even more expensive than they look at first glance. The Syncrowaves come with everything you need except a gas bottle. The welder manufacturers are pushing their inverter machines, but it is hard to justify the much higher cost, especially when you can find a used Syncrowave for not much more than $1000. They have sold a lot of Syncrowaves, so you should be able to find a used one if you look.

Just for comparison, a new Syncrowave 200 retails for $2900, a new Dynasty 200DX with torch, regulator, foot pedal, etc., retails for $4680. On the used market, the Dynasty 200 welders are hard to find, and priced around $3000. The Syncrowaves are easier to find used, and priced right.

The Syncrowave 250 is an industry classic, a great machine, but big and heavy, and more expensive. It should probably have a 100 amp 220V circuit, especially if you want to get full power out of it. The 250 is just more welder than most folks need, unless you need to TIG 1/4 inch thick aluminum.
 
#6 ·
Got an older but clean Sync 250 (power unit only) for $850. Couldn't test it, but it worked just fine. It will probably outlast me.
 
#9 ·
@ RND RACING - http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/tls/3789816664.html, if you are still looking to score a *used* Synchro'200. The setup looks complete. You may be able to rip for $1.6-1.7k.

PM me if you want me a test-drive the rig for you. Currently in the general vicinity of the seller. Understand it's a hustle from NY to VA, but may be able to work out a logistics solution.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I have a 2006 Syncrowave 200 that I bought used with 8 hours in 2008. It's the perfect machine for a Hobbyist or a professional with work that matches its capabilities. There are bigger machines and there are machines with more features but the Syncrowave 200 (or 250) will do most of your work done nicely.

The inverter machines are in a different class. They are very nice indeed and I' had a chance last year to try out a Dynasty 200. It's a great machine with all of the capability that most anyone could use but at a list proce of $3,800 it's out of my league. I paid $1,400 for my Syncrowave 200 and it works for me.