Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi,

I have been reading for a while and now have a question. I'm looking to expand my fleet, and have been offered a Transmig 255 transformer GMAW (MIG) power source (victor technologies, sold as Cigweld in Australia). The old 195 I have is hammered and the cost of all the bits (that are still available) is high.

The 255 is designed to work with a remote feeder (nothing built in) however this unit has been stripped (just the source left). Are all wire feeders close enough to the same that I could make something work? Money is an issue so I'd be scrounging for a second hand unit so don't know what brands I could find (probably a different CIG, WIA or even ESAB).

Apparently it came with a '2R' wire feed unit that is no longer current, with a 24V control signal and 7 pin connection.

LWS just wants to sell me a whole new setup, no help.

Any advice would be appreciated!

OK, you have a MIG machine without an external wire feeder. I would have thought you might be able to adapt one without too much problem. After all, the wire feeder usually only starts / stops the feed-motor (with speed control) and gas supply. The switching of power to the torch comes from the machine itself (into the wire feeder)

What about spares from this unit?

Just spoke with cigweld, and apparently there are all sorts of issues with the feeder control on the 255's - need custom pcb's etc plus poor spares availability They apparently configured it different to all the rest.

Speaking with a couple of other repair shops it's going to be ~$1200 to get something to work.

Think I'll pass, possibly get a Chinese pulse mig or something to play with instead. It'd be cheaper, and probably have better spares availability :O

Ring around welder repair shops. Macroweld in Shepparton Victoria sell lots of second hand machines. Also Angus welder repair in Bendigo.