Featuring Kondinin Group’s premium Research Report and community information
November 2010 No. 10
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Which welder most impressed?
nin Gro di
Exclusive to Kondinin Group members, this month’s Group Talk meshes with inverter welders and reveals which units performed best in terms of operation, price and ergonomics, plus a reminder to get your vote in for the 2010 Farm Photo winner.
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RESEARCH REPORT PREVIEW INVERTER WELDERS
FREECALL 1800 677 761
Interest in inverter welders sparks tests
Josh Giumelli KONDININ GROUP
Sometimes it seems when you’re not operating farm machinery, you are repairing it. A farmer’s bag of tricks needs to include skills from a vast range of areas, and welding and fabrication is a big one. But just as having the know-how is important; having the correct tools for the job is a necessity. In this month’s Group Talk, the results from the latest inverter welder testing provides farmers with the confidence they need when buying one of these handy but pricey units. Old and new: the inverter technology has seen an increase not only in performance, but also a reduction in size and weight. Lifting the welder onto the back of the ute is no longer a backbreaking task.
At a glance The welding units, tested by Kondinin Group during 2007, have been significantly upgraded or superseded by new models. Compared with transformer welders, inverter welders weigh less and are more transportable and ergonomic. Kondinin Group tested 21 different inverter welders by subjecting each machine to a five–minute maximum output test. Some low-cost, Chinese welders performed quite well. Farmers need to ensure parts and service backup is available before purchase.
Most farmers are familiar with the heavy transformer welders of a decade ago; the difficulty of wheeling them out to a job, connecting them to a long extension cord, and then discovering there was not enough spark left in the box to weld with. Kondinin Group’s first test of inverter stick welders during February 2007 was a hit with readers, with the article still being requested. With the changing face of welding technology, most units reviewed during 2007 have now been updated or superseded, so the time was right to review inverter welders again. What’s so good about inverters? One only has to put an inverter welder and an older transformer welder side by side to see the difference. The sheer difference in weight and size means that for convenience alone, inverters win hands down. They weigh as little as four kilograms, and can be worn on a shoulder strap and carried from job to job with ease.
Then there’s the incredible efficiency offered by inverter welders; they waste less electricity in the form of heat, so there is more available to weld with. And on the end of some rural power grids, that’s a pretty important consideration.
4 Farming Ahead November 2010 No. 226 www.farmingahead.com.au
Versatility is the key Inverter welders are a DC (direct current) welding power supply, as opposed to an AC (alternating current) supply. DC welders are far more versatile than AC welders, as the electrode can be connected to either the negative or positive terminal, leading to deeper penetration or higher deposition rates. Anybody who has ever welded with an old Lincoln tractor-pac will appreciate the usefulness of DC welding. But most machines can also be used as a TIG welder with the correct attachments. But only DC tungsten inert gas welding is possible, ruling out aluminium work, which requires an AC supply. Turning up the heat Kondinin Group tested 21 different inverter welders by subjecting each machine to a five– minute maximum output test. This basically involved welding at the highest current setting nonstop for the entire period. This is similar to the Australian Standards 10–minute 100 per cent duty cycle test, but at half the time, similar to equivalent five-minute European tests. All machines were operated off a large generator to ensure welders received a regulated power supply, that was capable of handling the machines at their maximum load. The tests certainly sorted the men from the boys, with some cheaper units shutting down after a few minutes due to overheating. But there are several excellent low-cost welders available that survived the torture test intact without shutting down.
RESEARCH REPORT PREVIEW INVERTER WELDERS
An in-depth performance and specifications table includng each welder’s test results and product details such as price and warranty period.
TABLE 1 Welders tested
Twenty-one inverter welders were subjected to a five–minute maximum output test. A generator was used to ensure a continual and reliable power source.
The report provides an explanation of how inverter welders operate as well as what sets them apart from the older transformer welder, including their ergonomic features and improved power efficiency.
CONTACT Josh Giumelli is an engineer and writer for Farming Ahead. josh.giumelli@kondinin.com.au
Maximum rated output (amps)
Toolmart
200A
Toolmart
150A
Lincoln Invertec
145A
Lincoln Invertec
160A
CEA Rainbow
150A
Fronius Transpocket 1500
140A
CEA Rainbow
183A
Essetti
160A
Unimig
140A
Unimig
170A
Unimig
190A
CIGweld
130A
CIGweld
170A
BOC Smootharc
130A
BOC Smootharc
170A
BOC Smootharc Elite
150A
Kemppi Minacr
120A
BBT
200A
Weldsmart
160A
Weldsmart
200A
Ross Welders
200A
Photos: Ben White
Model
Independent information you can trust!
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Photo: Ben White
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Members can find the full inverter welder Research Report inside this month’s Group Talk.
Do you want this information delivered directly to you? Become a Kondinin Group member today and see how you can get more!
Contact 1800 677 761 or contact@kondinin.com.au Non-members can purchase Group Talk at $50 per copy (inc GST)
Farming Ahead November 2010 No. 226 www.farmingahead.com.au
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