Multihandler 200 reviews anyone?

[zdatwelder]

Anyone got feedback on this new multiprocess welder? I have been considering an MVP 210 up until now.
I am just learning how to weld so not large production needs here.

[Dan]

Just ordered one today. Probably be a week or two before I can provide any feedback

[Brand X]

Just ordered one today. Probably be a week or two before I can provide any feedback

Did you finally ditch some of your other machines?

[Dan]

Did you finally ditch some of your other machines?

Making a mild attempt right now to sell the 181i. When the weather and hopefully this covid situation gets better later next year I'll make a serious attempt at selling the Ironman 230 and the 181i. The Wife's rule is that the Migmaster 250 stays until I die.

Lost my Dad in April. Since his property has been in the family for over 100 yrs my brothers and sister don't want it sold. So I get the privilege of being the caretaker. I am not going to leave a welder out there. So I am looking for something simple to operate and light weigh that I can throw in the car to take to Dad's . This Multi Handler 200 looks like it should cover both. Yeah my Multimatic 215 would cover both too. It was my 25th anniversary present from my Wife so don't want to accidentally damage it transporting it back and forth. Plus I am curious to see what Hobart has with the 200. Since the governor has us trapped at home, I am buying it to play with.

[Brand X]

Tough deal when you loose family members.. Same deal with my mom's house in Portland. in the family since 1904.. Have to admit would hate to be Hooked up there now..Over here in Central Oregon we don't listen too much to what the Governor says.. Meaning we are not going to call the man if we see something she does not like.. In fact our Sheriff already was the first to send a letter to her, and tell her to pound sand..

I understand keeping certain machines nice, and in the shop.. The Thermal LM-200/Esab Caddy 160/Esab Lorch 220i are my shop units. Anything else will travel well.

PS-After you are gone, the Migmaster 250 will be the first machine on the chopping block..

[Dan]

Hobart has told me that the MIG arc is slightly softer then my 215 mig arc. That could put it being similar to a Handler 190 or 210. I am hoping so.

[Dan]

Hobart's expert fed me inaccurate information. The Multimatic 215 has the slightly softer arc over the Multi-Handler 200
Ran the 200 in MIG mode with C25 and .030 wire on some 1/8" T joints. The arc is crisp. Weld puddle wet out can be sluggish. Impossible to dial all the spatter out. Can get it reasonably fine though. Best running wire on the machine so far has been Hobart HB-28.

Between .030 and .035 wire, .030 looks to be the better performer. Based on experience a crisp arc tends to perform better with an .030 wire.

[Brand X]

My last roll of this ran super nice in my Esab 160. Wets out nice, and I am using C02 To be fair, the Esab runs CO2 excellent .$16.49 on some special deal. I was not expecting too much, but think it's great wire..

https://www.amazon.com/Weldcote-030-.../dp/B0082BX1RS

[Dan]

Well TIG didn't go so well. Tried it without a remote first. Real good lift arc start and nice smooth arc. Now came the foot pedal attempt. Placed the tungsten on the base metal pushed down the foot pedal and in an instant about a 1/16" of the tungsten totally disappeared. Looks like I'll be calling Hobart on Monday.

[Dan]

My last roll of this ran super nice in my Esab 160. Wets out nice, and I am using C02 To be fair, the Esab runs CO2 excellent .$16.49 on some special deal. I was not expecting too much, but think it's great wire..

https://www.amazon.com/Weldcote-030-.../dp/B0082BX1RS

The arc on this Hobart unit is real crisp and consistent.Probably a little to crisp because it is easy to end up with a ropey bead. Bump the voltage up .1 or .2 and it tends to get rid of it. Love the way the voltage dial works on this unit it has the little click detent in the travel. Each detent is .1 of a volt, so fine adjustments are easy to make.
As crisp as the arc is i was think about giving CO2 a try.
INE wire didn't seem to perform as well on this unit. Always looking for good running wire so ill have to give the Weldcote a try.
The arc on this unit just isn't quite as good as my Multimatic 215. Once I got use to it, I really like the MIG on the 215. There is such a wide range to the arc it makes it incredibly easy to dial in. The auto-set portion of the mig sucks on the 215 though

[Brand X]

Reason I went with C02, is I wanted a portable gas shielded unit.. The last #20 pounder cost me $2.50 to fill.. Just happens the little Esab does a nice job with it..

[Rondo]

I tried to find out in the online manual but didn't see. Does the Multi Handler have adjustable Inductance ( to help your arc issues ). Miller engineers always preferred a more raspy arc where Lincoln always went with a softer arc. Curious how it will run stainless.

[Dan]

I tried to find out in the online manual but didn't see. Does the Multi Handler have adjustable Inductance ( to help your arc issues ). Miller engineers always preferred a more raspy arc where Lincoln always went with a softer arc. Curious how it will run stainless.

No inductance adjustment. Just voltage and IPM. IPM switches to amps while welding.

My Multimatic 215 doesn't have adjustable inductance either.

The Multi Handler is made in China, so who knows if Miller Engineering had any design input. Before Hobart got moved to Wisconsin i use to have communications with the lead engineer behind the Handler 187, 190, 210, and Ironman 230 arc characteristics. Don't think he would have took the multi handler mig arc to this crisp level.

[Dan]

Called Hobart tech support about my TIG issue. That was a total waste of my time. The guy I talked to made me feel like I was bothering him. Told him without the remote the lift arc worked normal. With the remote I touch tungsten to base metal hit the pedal. Immediately there is a quick pop at the tungsten and small portion of the tungsten disappears. It's like there is a real quick current spike. After that nothing happens. The guy told me to hold down the foot pedal first then touch the tungsten. Tried explaining to him that lift arc doesn't work that way, but that was the end of the conversation. So just for the fun of it I tried lift arc with the pedal pushed down first before touching the tungsten to the base metal as expected nothing happened when I lifted the tungsten. Tech support guy doesn't even know his own product that he suppose to be supporting.

[Dan]

Hopefully my TIG with remote issue will be solved here soon. Even though my SSC Controls foot pedal is suppose to replace the Miller RJ45 P/N 300 432 SSC Controls has added to their product page that the foot pedal will not work on the Multi Handler 200. So a few days ago I ordered the Miller foot pedal.