Review of Harbor Freight Chicago Electric welders

[smithdoor]

https://weldingncutting.com/top-3-ch...mplete-review/

Dave

[BaTu]

Yea but,,, you know the entire purpose of that site is to make money from Amazon sales. That's it, it's all they're there for!

I'm not even sure if there's anybody there who really knows the first thing about welding at all, just a collection of generic information and products for sale...

[smithdoor]

The Chicago 170 was same as my views.
The ground and power cord is short.
Most reviews today take about the led screen witch can not read with hood on.

Most of internet today can fall into that category.
Back in 1990's the internet was a lot better .

Dave

Yea but,,, you know the entire purpose of that site is to make money from Amazon sales. That's it, it's all they're there for!

I'm not even sure if there's anybody there who really knows the first thing about welding at all, just a collection of generic information and products for sale...

[jpump5]

The description for the 80amp machine starts with-
“It is inserted into the area where you are currently working “.
Is that a poor translation of English “ this welder is
portable “?

[Oldendum]

The 80 Amp toaster welder is called a MIG welder in the article.

My son got one on sale, later sold it to my bro-in-law. Then I got a virtually unused one off Craigslist with an auto dark helmet and a nice Craftsman carry bag. I sold the helmet. All in all, I think I may have $50 or less in it. I have some better spare leads left over from another deal, so I'm set.

[California]

Articles like that are a new phenomenon.

The author is paid by the word to write about anything whether they understand the subject or not. Looks like the 'writer' saw a couple of Amazon reviews or maybe just product descriptions, then just made stuff up. I'm sure he never saw a welder in person. And with the vague English, he's likely in India or Bangladesh where he didn't pay attention in his English class.

The purpose of the article is simply to earn referral payments from Amazon to the publisher, from anyone who reads the article and clicks a link. Some YouTube product reviews are like that too.

I've read that for news publishing, there are computers that can read a source or sources, and generate a fresh article that can't be distinguished from human-written. That might be the case here if someone applied a computer like that to a lot of Amazon categories. In order to generate the referral payments. Without understanding anything.

But the 170 is a decent welder. At least he got that right.

[smithdoor]

It could be a computer translation.
This is not a English class we are welders.

The important is does welder work.

If looking for a good book buy Lincoln book on welding.

Dave

The description for the 80amp machine starts with-
“It is inserted into the area where you are currently working “.
Is that a poor translation of English “ this welder is
portable “?

[smithdoor]

I agree 👍

I have used a lot welders and HF 170 and 180 Harbor Frieght did get right.
The 170 have I did 3 thing to improve the welder.
1) Longer power cord.
2) Longer & #4 ground with good ground clamp.
3) Install a heavy duty mag starter.
The welder did weld great out box too.

Dave

Articles like that are a new phenomenon.

The author is paid by the word to write about anything whether they understand the subject or not. Looks like the 'writer' saw a couple of Amazon reviews or maybe just product descriptions, then just made stuff up. I'm sure he never saw a welder in person. And with the vague English, he's likely in India or Bangladesh where he didn't pay attention in his English class.

The purpose of the article is simply to earn referral payments from Amazon to the publisher, from anyone who reads the article and clicks a link. Some YouTube product reviews are like that too.

I've read that for news publishing, there are computers that can read a source or sources, and generate a fresh article that can't be distinguished from human-written. That might be the case here if someone applied a computer like that to a lot of Amazon categories. In order to generate the referral payments. Without understanding anything.

But the 170 is a decent welder. At least he got that right.

[California]

I have used a lot welders and HF 170 and 180 Harbor Freight did get right.
The 170 have I did 3 thing to improve the welder.
1) Longer power cord.
2) Longer & #4 ground with good ground clamp.
3) Install a heavy duty mag starter.

What is a Mag Starter?

(I do have those other upgrades on my Mig-180)

[smithdoor]

What is a Mag Starter?

(I do have those other upgrades on my Mig-180)

A mag starter is a heavy duty relay.

Dave

[smithdoor]

The relay on the welder is light duty and will give up under use.
The one I had was a leftover from past. The rating is motor starting and running 40 amps America made.

Dave

What is a Mag Starter?

(I do have those other upgrades on my Mig-180)

[California]

A mag starter is a heavy duty relay.

Dave

Thanks.

[smithdoor]

Thanks.

This what did on mind to a relay/starter to the 170 in will work on most welders

Dave

[California]

This what did on mind to a relay/starter to the 170 in will work on most welders

Dave

Thanks!

Prior owner of my heavily-modified Mig-180 was an experimenter rather than a welder.

I found a variable-delay relay in there, that he told me was to let the capacitor charge for maybe a half second before the current starts. The wire starts before the current, so I have to be careful to not stub the wire too close to the work then melt it back into the tip when it gets current. I've gotten used to starting with short stickout that grows before the current starts.

I also found a relay like you describe that had been installed, then disconnected. He told me to just remove it, I don't understand why. Maybe I should trace the circuit and put that relay back in service, to match your diagram.

This welder is upgraded with 10 ft gun and removable ground cable (Dinse socket on the front), and capacitor, and everything works great. I'm still discovering features the experimenter added, such as a solid copper bussbar down to the inner side of the Dinse socket. This thing is a great toy! I wouldn't try to use it to earn a living but its great for my farm repairs and minor fabrication.

[smithdoor]

For me it great foe a garage welder.
Small for storage and does not flip the breaker like 120 volt welders.

Duty cycle at 60% is 64 amps and a 20% is 110 amps.

It does good job.
I would not let employee use the welder.

Dave

Thanks!

Prior owner of my heavily-modified Mig-180 was an experimenter rather than a welder.

I found a variable-delay relay in there, that he told me was to let the capacitor charge for maybe a half second before the current starts. The wire starts before the current, so I have to be careful to not stub the wire too close to the work then melt it back into the tip when it gets current. I've gotten used to starting with short stickout that grows before the current starts.

I also found a relay like you describe that had been installed, then disconnected. He told me to just remove it, I don't understand why. Maybe I should trace the circuit and put that relay back in service, to match your diagram.

This welder is upgraded with 10 ft gun and removable ground cable (Dinse socket on the front), and capacitor, and everything works great. I'm still discovering features the experimenter added, such as a solid copper bussbar down to the inner side of the Dinse socket. This thing is a great toy! I wouldn't try to use it to earn a living but its great for my farm repairs and minor fabrication.

[smithdoor]

Here duty cycle chart for the HF180 welder.

Dave

Thanks!

Prior owner of my heavily-modified Mig-180 was an experimenter rather than a welder.

I found a variable-delay relay in there, that he told me was to let the capacitor charge for maybe a half second before the current starts. The wire starts before the current, so I have to be careful to not stub the wire too close to the work then melt it back into the tip when it gets current. I've gotten used to starting with short stickout that grows before the current starts.

I also found a relay like you describe that had been installed, then disconnected. He told me to just remove it, I don't understand why. Maybe I should trace the circuit and put that relay back in service, to match your diagram.

This welder is upgraded with 10 ft gun and removable ground cable (Dinse socket on the front), and capacitor, and everything works great. I'm still discovering features the experimenter added, such as a solid copper bussbar down to the inner side of the Dinse socket. This thing is a great toy! I wouldn't try to use it to earn a living but its great for my farm repairs and minor fabrication.

[California]

Here duty cycle chart for the HF180 welder.

Dave

Thanks! I saved a copy.

With the capacitor switched in, there could be an additional line in the chart. Maybe Duty Cycle 10% (or less) @ 180 amps when the wire speed/current dial is turned all the way up.

The capacitor adds noticeable additional current for each step on the wire speed/current dial. At least one step on that 10 position dial. As well as making a smoother arc.


On this hitch adapter you can see where I got good penetration into the 1.25" solid bar. Most of my projects are like this, not welding long enough to hit the Duty Cycle.

(This was a HF 2" receiver intended for an ATV, added on to a 1.25" ball mount. I use it for a cargo rack, not for towing).

[smithdoor]

No capacitor is 120 cycle per second
With capacitor is smoth no wave.

The receiver hitch looks great.

Dave

Thanks! I saved a copy.

With the capacitor switched in, there could be an additional line in the chart. Maybe Duty Cycle 10% (or less) @ 180 amps when the wire speed/current dial is turned all the way up.

The capacitor adds noticeable additional current for each step on the wire speed/current dial. At least one step on that 10 position dial. As well as making a smoother arc.


On this hitch adapter you can see where I got good penetration into the 1.25" solid bar. Most of my projects are like this, not welding long enough to hit the Duty Cycle.

(This was a HF 2" receiver intended for an ATV, added on to a 1.25" ball mount. I use it for a cargo rack, not for towing).

[jpump5]

It could be a computer translation.
This is not a English class we are welders.

The important is does welder work.

If looking for a good book buy Lincoln book on welding.

Dave

Wasn’t looking for “a good book” or
commenting on grammar.
I do find “buying guides” and “reviews”
that make little sense and offer little or
no useful information to be pretty amusing.
Even funnier when written by someone
(or something)that knows nothing about
the product.

The welder may work fine.
The review is funny.

[smithdoor]

Try Lincoln books.

Dave

Wasn’t looking for “a good book” or
commenting on grammar.
I do find “buying guides” and “reviews”
that make little sense and offer little or
no useful information to be pretty amusing.
Even funnier when written by someone
(or something)that knows nothing about
the product.

The welder may work fine.
The review is funny.