Esab

[FrankT]

I'm looking to buy a Voltmeter kit for my Migmaster 250. Who's got the best deal on the web?

[DDA52]

Back when I had my 250+, I got all my stuff here....http://www.southern-tool.com/store/E...GEquipment.php

Meter kit is almost all the way down the page...item # 32857 @ $84.60.

[soutthpaw]

I am picking up an L-Tec Migmaster 250 on monday that I bought at auction last week. Hoping it works. consensus seems to be that they are pretty nice machines. One thing I will be looking for is the 8 pin male plug for an ST 23 spool gun. the machine does not have the spoolgun but my Airco spool gun is the same gun (AKA Profax) any ideas where I can get a deal on one. retail showes $48 for a silly plug. may end up changing the plug on the machine and then buying 2 females and 1 male generic plug so Its easy to swap between the airco and the Migmaster. Also liked the ESAB/L-tec as I am very satisfied with my ESAB plasma cutter

[soutthpaw]

Yay, got my new Migmaster 250 home, spent a couple hours cleaning it and had to install a new gas hose as someone had removed the hose from the machine and subsequently disconnected one of the main taps in front of the hose fitting from the contactor. had me a bit worried at first that it may have issues, but hooked it all back up and everything is working great. here is the before (at auction) and after cleaning it up pics.. Anyone have a good color match for ESAB yellow paint? Krylon Sun Yellow seems pretty close but not exact... Paid right at $500 out the door with tax and buyers premium...
Before


During


After

[farmall]

Looks good.

I'd paint it the classic L-tec green again. Nice cool color, and chips won't show as much.

[lugweld]

Excellent snag. I got one just like it except its yellow.

[ccawgc]

Only two week point with that welder. Do not weld to max duty cycle a lot or the cap bank may fail. If you do a lot of tacking the contactor will fail. The 40 amp contactor does hold up. If it has a 60 amp contactor it already has been replaced. ESAB only sells the 60 amp now.
If the welder starts buzzing. check two things, First take off the gun and short the trigger sockets together. see if the buzzing stops. If it does you have a short in the miggun between the trigger wires and the weld circuit. If there are no cuts in the cord, check in both ends. All it takes is one strand of wire to make a short. Piece of tape and all fixed.
If buzzing does not stop, pull the covers off the ice cube relays and blow out the dust.
Check for burnt contacts, Contact good, put back together.
If the wire drive stops working sent me a pm before you buy a pcb. There is a bad connection you have to find and clear.
These are just a few of the common problems I have run in to on the machines that came into my shop. Easy fixes and these machines weld real nice.

[wearetheromans85]

This is my new esab. I like it. I haven't used it much for anything other than tacks and some small welds but it's really nice and welds great.

[soutthpaw]

Only two week point with that welder. Do not weld to max duty cycle a lot or the cap bank may fail. If you do a lot of tacking the contactor will fail. The 40 amp contactor does hold up. If it has a 60 amp contactor it already has been replaced. ESAB only sells the 60 amp now.
If the welder starts buzzing. check two things, First take off the gun and short the trigger sockets together. see if the buzzing stops. If it does you have a short in the miggun between the trigger wires and the weld circuit. If there are no cuts in the cord, check in both ends. All it takes is one strand of wire to make a short. Piece of tape and all fixed.
If buzzing does not stop, pull the covers off the ice cube relays and blow out the dust.
Check for burnt contacts, Contact good, put back together.
If the wire drive stops working sent me a pm before you buy a pcb. There is a bad connection you have to find and clear.
These are just a few of the common problems I have run in to on the machines that came into my shop. Easy fixes and these machines weld real nice.

Thanks, I think my contactor is stuck closed cuz gun/ wire is always "hot" will have to get around to taking the cover off again and checking

[soutthpaw]

Anyone know if the old L-tec/ESAB mig gun connector and a Euro connector are the same thing, thus interchangeable if I buy a new gun

[farmall]

Same end. No idea why they call it the "Euro" since it's older than dirt.

[soutthpaw]

This is the first dumb design idea I have come across on all the ESAB stuff I own. I recently bought 2 300AVS wire feeder parts machines. neither worked and each one had a different circuit board that was bad so ultimately I was able to make one working one and have a bunch of spare parts for it if problems down the line. Now although it is a Voltage Sensing feeder you have to remove the inside cover and then switch 2 dip switches on the main circuit board to change between CC and CV mode. Why the heck they did it this way I have no clue the LN25 i have has a small toggle switch inside that you just flip to change. no unscrewing the case and trying to flip two tiny switches with a piece of electrode wire.
So I got a small toggle switch that is DPDT and about 6" of 4 conductor telephone wire, removed the circuit board and just soldered the wire to each of th back side of the dip switch terminals and set both dip switches to open and ran the switch thru the spare hole in the front panel.

used a dremel to label the switch settings

[Rick V]

you have to remove the inside cover and then switch 2 dip switches on the main circuit board to change between CC and CV mode... used a dremel to label the switch settings

Yeah, the original set up was "dippy" for sure.
As for your labelling... well it's better than Dymo-Tape... but not to 'artistic'.

[Hastelloy-X]

This is my new esab. I like it. I haven't used it much for anything other than tacks and some small welds but it's really nice and welds great.

Sweet machine!! I'm trying to decide on getting an ESAB (caddy 200i) or go with a 185 amp red/blue machine.

None of the dealers around me have any yet.

What does the wire feed running gear inside look like (metal or plastic)?

Have you tried welding aluminum with it yet?

[BB70Chevelle]

Anyone have any experience with the esab caddy arc 151i a33 tig welder? How did you like the machine if so? How does it compair vs a maxstar 150sth when tig welding?

[antcull]

Hi,
Maby im posting this post in the wrong section but im just looking for some information on an esab aristo lud 320w with Aristo™Feed 3004 U6, U8 wire feed unit.
My local steel yard has one of these for sale thats not working and am thinking of buying it as its very cheap.
there seems to be a problem with the LUD 320w, the wire feeder is new and looks perfect.
does anyone know where you can get spares for these machines? thanks

[Northeaster]

There is a used Migmaster 250 a few hours drive from home. And, i see a coupel of Miller XR push pull guns on ebay, reasonably priced.

Anyone know if / what it owuld take to get the push pull guns working with the Esab?
Woudl it require a separate control unit?
The Esab is about 10 years old.

[ccawgc]

To get the XR guns working you might need the XR control box and some wiring to the migmaster. The migmaster does not have stall factor and if you could connect the XR gun. The main drive would push the wire to fast. The two drives have to run the same speed or the welder drive has to be very weak and stall out so it doesn't push to much wire into the gun faster than the gun motor can feed it out.
antcull Before you buy the aristo mig. Find out where the closest ESAB service center is.
And find out if they have got their training on the aristo and have a ESAT.
ESAT allows a laptop to talk to the computer inside the welder and the feeder.
My guess they are selling it because it broke and they can't fix it or it needs a pricy pcb.
I have had the training but I am still waiting for my copy of ESAT.
News flash ESAB may become an American company. Colfax is trying to buy them.
All parts are available from EASB through a LWS or repair shop.

[Northeaster]

Well, I ended up buying a Miller XR feeder and XR15 push pull gun. Now, what does it take to connect the new wire feeder (running alumimum) to the Esab Migmaster250?

The XR feeder has the old style Miller 2 curved prong remote plug. Does the Esab hve a female connector for that (don't see one in the pics of front cover), or can you get an adapter to fit?

[Northeaster]

A guy on the millerwelds formum told me taht the prevoius owner likley had changed the connector.

I figured it was a stock connector, as it fit the deltawled 450 front panel.

Anyway, after reading his advice I took off the other end of the cord at the feeder (feel really dumb for not doing thos before, but just assumed it was stock) and sure enough it is a 14 pin connector. So, I can get a new 14 pin connector, or a new cord, with 14 pin connectors on both end ( It would be nice to have it longer anyway)

So, now that I will have a 14 pin connector, will this feeder diretcly connect up to an Esab Migmaster 250?

[soutthpaw]

The migmaster is an 8 pin connector, I bought my connector from mouser.com. abour $35 I think. Its designed for the profax guns.

[farmall]

There's an outfit who make adapter cables for (any power source) to (any feeder) and though I posted the link here in the past I can't find it.

[Northeaster]

I would love to hear a few opinions, if you guys think it would be a good choice to get the used Esab Migmaster 250, likely for $800 in order to connect my XR feeder and push pull gun, or to spend double that and get a Miller XMT 304. I am just a hobby welder (mostly stick and some Mig) I am just getting into welding aluminum - want to practice for a while then build a small alumimum boat. (hopefully in a few years, a much bigger alumimum boat)

[soutthpaw]

If its 100 % working thats a fair price for the Migmaster.. its a even better deal if it has the digital gauge option and/or the spot stitch timer controls. The great thing about that machine is that is has a 50% duty cycle at 250 amps and max rated output is 280. very soft/smooth arc of that machine too..post #104 has a pic of my Migmaster 250 FYI. I sold it recently as I replaced it with the 300VS is post 112.

[Northeaster]

Southpaw - thanks for all of the help and info. I know the Migmaster is about 10 years old, but don't know which features it has. The guy said he owns two of them, and that is the reason for selling.

Just to make sure, you don't think it would be a big deal to either but an adapter cord - 14pin to 8 pin, or buy a 8 pin connector and wire out the important leads to the proper pins, is that correct? (in order to use it with my XR feeder and push pull gun)