What does the owner’s manual say?

 

I'll bet it switches between 90 & 105.

 

It is another tap off of the main transformer.

 

Same one I have. :waving:

Straight from the manual:

POWER SWITCH - Controls the main power to the
welder. There are three positions to this switch. The
center position is off, removing power from the control
and main power circuits of the welder. The position to
the left is for power range 1 which is up to 90 amps
output. When operating the welder on a 20 amp
branch circuit, select this position. The position to the
right is for power range 2 which gives maximum power
output. Use this setting when operating on a 25 Amp
branch circuit (requires a 20 amp wall receptacle and
optional power cord kit part number 4040).

 

Thanks dodis,there is one on ebay and not enough info in the description to maybe bid on it.Now I know(lol),thanks.....doug

 

I hope you get it and it works good!

Everything I have read on them so far (and several years ago) has said they work just as well as a Lincoln/Miller/Hobart equivalent, just that when the "spider" circuit goes out, that's where the problems are, finding another one.

Now that I remember, I was reading that info back in the newsgroups, before Al Gore finished inventing the internet :jester: And I still ended up buying the Century because I preferred the non-tapped range adjustments (as if I knew what I was doing back then). Now Lincoln does offer a 120v. MIG with variable range adjustments, the Power MIG 140C, and the Millermatic 140 doesn't say if it is continuously variable or not. No on the Hobart 140.

Mine has lasted quite a while, though part of that was 6 years in storage while I was living in an apartment... But I bought it about 1995 and have run 25-30 lbs of wire through it.

 

Newbie question
I found somone selling this welder, with an auto darkening helmet and two rolls of wire for 200 dollars, its a brand new welder, is this a good deal?

 

If things go bad and you blow the “spider” rectifier assembly their is enough talent here to engineer a replacement from off the shelf parts.

 

If it really is new and unused, it is a great deal by itself. As long as you are not worried about replacement parts though. Lincoln has bought the rights to the Century name (I don't know how well IF they will support the old ones).

I paid just over $500 about 12 years ago for mine. Only have about 20 lbs of wire through it, due to 7 years in storage during the apartment years...

 

That's what I am hoping for, just in case...

If it does die, I will most likely replace it with something 220 to get more capabilities, but having a 120v unit is still very handy. Will still try to get it running again. It has made several trips to Mexico to fix the in-laws fence, as well as some other small projects for friends.

I may even get with our radio guy at work to get him started on a design to be ready...

 

most of the parts are available from lincoln. if not, you can check with the century div. of lincoln for the names of other places that have century part. AA hydraulics is one.
I just put a new motor relay in one last week.

 

I'm thinking about buying one for 150.00. Is a gas mig or flux?

 

This is interesting. I bought one of these 25 years ago and did a lot of welding with it. Never had a lick of trouble with it. I even used it to weld up parts of my shop where 11 ga steel was used and for my last trailer build on 3/16".

I don't think it had a number associated with it but it had the 90/105 switch. I kept it at the 105 setting and ran it off 15 and 20 amp circuits all the time. I am curious why it is called a 130 though.

I just sold it last weekend to a friend for $200 plus a bunch of steel drops and scraps, with small gas bottle and original regulator. Could have gotten more but I scored a brand new never used HH187 for $450 so I figured I'd pass on some of my good fortune.

Steve in Central TX

 

Am invisible here? I really need to know if the century 130 is a flux welder or a gasmig welder

 

Both, just a polarity change to go between MIG and Flux-core welding.

 

Thank you so much! finally a good asnwer.

 

I've had this same welder for about 16 years now and I have probably over 100lbs of wire through it. Thing is, I've had my share of problems with it and they started after about a year. Had an issue with the speed control which was covered under warranty. The cooling fan died and again the speed control went bad. Just a relay that needed to be replaced but still an issue. Now the speed control is acting up again and to top it off, I lost power to the wire. Still turns on fine and feeds wire (at the wrong speed of course) but no juice at the wire. Any idea what would cause this loss of power? Even with all of the issues, I like the welder and want to keep it running. Thanks for any help guys.

 

No worries m8. I bought an HD 140 for 400.00 in great condition. I've gotten back in the swing of things per se. It had been years since I used one.

 

If your century 130 is a model 117-052. The pc board is still for sale by Lincoln. Cost is over $200 us. Should have a gas valve and polarity connections on the wire drive frame.
So it will weld both wires types.

Daniel Send me your e-mail by private message and I can send you the service and parts booklet. Just find the model number on the printing on the out side of the welder. Starts with 117-xxx and send it along.
If you are getting wire feed and no weld voltage. We need to see if the 24vac supply is getting to the pcb on top of the transformer and if J3 through J10 all have weld voltage AC supply. J3 toJ4 should have 42 VAC along with the rest of the pairs. Also should get 24 VAC from the positive weld terminal to any of the J3 to J10 wires. No voltage here, no weld out put.
The 24 vac supply. Supplies the power needed to operated the weld control pcb and the drive motor. There is a motor speed control pcb. I am guessing the drive motor brake relay is going bad again and you may have lost the weld control pcb. We may have to disconnect the wire drive system from the weld control pcb to make sure it does not have a short in it causing the weld control to act up. Good luck and get back to me.

 

I have this same welder for around 15-20 yrs. How many people have any of the original manual or any other paperwork that it came with?

 

Black Death,

Yes, still have my original manual, as well as additional info I downloaded from Lincoln's website. I have put it all into a single PDF, have PM'd you to get it to you, too big to attach here.


Mike

 

I have one. Bought it in 2004 used for $100, it included the gas kit but I don't use gas. I like the adjustments for both speed and heat since I weld anything from 11ga to dryer skin. Since it was my first welder I didn't know it at the time but it was actually pretty weak when I got it. After maybe 10 lbs of wire it finally gave out in 2009. 5 out of 8 diodes were shot. I replaced them all. But it still didn't spark, and replacing the optocoupler (the little white IC chip MOC3021) finally did the trick, so fixed it for around $30. After that it welded pretty amazingly! After about another maybe 20 lbs of wire it gave out again last week and I suspect it's the same thing. The board is pretty easy to check everything and rebuild if needed. I just haven't gotten a chance to take it apart again to confirm what's wrong this time.

 

Checked it out tonight. 2 burned diodes, a burned circuit board trace, and several spots where the solder blew out same as it did before. And 2 overheated resistors, one of which I replaced before. R8 I can't tell anymore but it reads 12 ohms. Photos of the board (#880-217-666) are not super clear but it looks like 12 ohms might be correct. Can anyone confirm R8?

I think it's time to rebuild this board and beef up some of the weak spots and maybe the heat sink too. And maybe add an extra fan over the board.

 

For the record it is fixed now. Turned out to be basically identical to what I had to replace in 2009. Diodes, 2 overheated resistors (a 12 ohm and 100 ohm), some cooked traces, and the optocoupler. I also did the same thing I did last time. Replaced it all, put it together, and it didn't spark. Opened it back up and replaced the optocoupler (to confirm it was really bad) and now good spark. The optocoupler is connected to one of the eight diodes and when that diode goes it must take the optocoupler with it. Last time it went it took 5 bad diodes before it got the one with the optocoupler. Like roulette I suppose. Looks like I'll be ordering some more sets of spares for when these go.

 

I recently bought a Century 130, and first used it last weekend. This was done with flux core wire. I doubt I'll ever add a bottle and run gas since this meets my needs as is.

This sure runs smoother than the HF 90-AC I've been using for occasional farm repairs. (But it can't take the place of the Wards/Century 230AC for big stuff).

First, thanks to Dodis for sending me the manual! I've spent hours trying to absorb everything.

Here's my first project with it, one typical for me. I repaired the rusted and cracked seat of a 30 year old tractor I just bought. After welding the upper and lower sides and grinding the upper welds near flush, I wasn't able to crack it again by flexing it with all my weight on it. Hopefully its good for a few more years.

I learned one thing after I finished this project - Dodi's additions to the Century manual include a supplement that clarifies how to wire it for DCEN. Since the prior owner left flux core in it, I assumed he knew more than me and it was set up right. Nope. I completed this project with it wired DCEP, before I went back to the manual one more time and discovered how it should be. Even so, it sure runs nicer than the HF-90. I think I'm going to like this welder.

 

California,

Glad you got it working good! Glad I could help too!

Now I just need to get out to the shop because I still owe BlackDeath a pic of the labels inside the welder. I'll CC you, California, as well and add it to my PDF for future requests. Lot's of family stuff going on keeping me out of the shop lately...

Mike "Dodis"

 

solar/century 2150 90/110 argon

Hello everyone I see you guys are good at working on centery circut boards I have never done any board work. Brought my welder in first time they replaced power cord i didn't think that was the problem seeing as it turned on before i brought it in Problem was, just a light or no spark at the wire. Got the welder home worked once put it away five months and its doing the same thing. Brought it back and now they say its the heatsink 880 217 666 The heat sink is hard to find and the ones I found are 270.00 to 570.00 there is a place that rebuilds the board for 105.00 I was wondering is this something one of you guys could teach me to fix? I already have 100.00 for the power cord and another 50.00 to check it the second time so I would like to try and fix this
My self.
Century 2150 90/110 gas nice welder when it works.
Thank you,
Rob


=dodis;3564531]California,

Glad you got it working good! Glad I could help too!

Now I just need to get out to the shop because I still owe BlackDeath a pic of the labels inside the welder. I'll CC you, California, as well and add it to my PDF for future requests. Lot's of family stuff going on keeping me out of the shop lately...

Mike "Dodis"[/QUOTE]

 

Stonecold1rob,

Don't know how much help I'd be on the circuit board, haven't done much more than re-solder corroded connections on other things. Haven't had to touch my welder's internals. Though I did take a look a while back. Thought my solenoid had gone out, so I was opening it up to check it out (turns out I had the hose pinched behind the tank when I had to move it :blush: )

But I did take the promised pictures inside the door for California and anyone else that may need them. Turns out, there was no amp and wirespeed chart, just a circuit diagram (already in the PDF I send out). I also took pics of the capacitor, in case anyone needs to replace it or is wanting similar for the HF upgrades. And a pics of the 30amp fuse, just FYI.

Mike "Dodis"