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  1. #31
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
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    6,439

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    Hi Glivo,

    Yes a capacitor across the supply will help smooth the voltage ! But do use one with a voltage rating of at least double the voltage you expect, and if its an electrolytic one make sure you connect it the right way round. A motor start or run cap would be best. you can connect those either way round ! No danger of damaging anything then.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Gosford
    Age
    63
    Posts
    173

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    Thanks. I will have something here. If I can just determine this then a substitute drive motor assembly should be easy to rig up.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

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    Yep, a cap across the motor will smooth out the pulses and may be enough for you to get a handle on the voltages at play. As you also said, fully cranked up should be close to 100% meaning that apart from some switching noise, it should almost be DC, albeit a "dirty" DC. One thing I forgot to mention, if your DMM has true RMS reading ability then it may give you a more meaningful reading.

    Just out of interest, does your feed motor assembly look like this?

    If so then i guess its somthing for me to look forwar to as well!

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Gosford
    Age
    63
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    173

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    Quote Originally Posted by simonl View Post

    Just out of interest, does your feed motor assembly look like this?

    If so then i guess its somthing for me to look forwar to as well!

    Simon
    That is the unit. It is exactly what mine used to look like before it disintegrated.
    Did you or do you always release the tension? I did but it made no difference.

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

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    In truth I have only had this machine for about 4 months. I bought it second hand for about $100 so I have not got into any habbits with how I store it when not used.

    My previous machine which I still have is a cheap and nasty SIP and I NEVER stored it with the tension off. It's now 19 years old and still works*

    *Well it works in a round about way. It's terrible to use because it was cheap.

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Gosford
    Age
    63
    Posts
    173

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    I used to leave the screws that hold the spool and feed compartment cover in place out so I could easily access the mechanism. Stupid idea to have it inside a screw shut compartment. There is one on Gumtree for $200. I wouldn't touch it at that price.

    You never know you may be lucky and get a few more years out of it. I'll keep this post updated with any mods I make and parts used, where obtained etc. You may need it one day.

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

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    Thanks. I appreciate that. Yes, both my mig welders have screws holding on the cover to the chassis. They got removed in first use and never replaced!

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    56

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    I know my Cigweld 135 Turbo Mig was sold as the Clarke 135 in the UK. That is where I found many spare parts listed. The UK market is bigger than ours and appears to be well catered for in spares.
    Bill.

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

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    In the event that you look at the UK for parts, I have given the link for

    https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/

    This forum has been around for along time and somebody might be able to advise on parts


    Grahame

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Gosford
    Age
    63
    Posts
    173

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    Quote Originally Posted by zbm View Post
    I know my Cigweld 135 Turbo Mig was sold as the Clarke 135 in the UK. That is where I found many spare parts listed. The UK market is bigger than ours and appears to be well catered for in spares.
    Bill.
    The Clarke 130EN and 135TE Models appear to use the same or similar feed unit as the Cigwled Transmig 135. It is different to the older 130 twin in shape but would probably be adaptable to do the job. The biggest issue is the $100 AUD or mare it will cost to obtain it. That's $100 that could go towards a newer machine.

    I wont be too worried about the welder for a month or so with a THR surgery next week.

  11. #41
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Gosford
    Age
    63
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    173

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    Recovering now so time to work out the welder.
    I've made an inquiry about a generic wire feeder and suitability but I've also found a possible replacement welder. (could be very cheap)

    Does anybody have any knowledge of the Weldmaster i-Mig 175 MIG / TIG / MMA Inverter?

  12. #42
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Gosford
    Age
    63
    Posts
    173

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    FWIW: Weldmaster on eBay sold for just under $185.00 at Auction after the Buy it now price of $180.00 was disabled by the first auction bidder.

    The CIG Technical support line could not tell me the rating of the original feed motor. The guy I spoke to was very helpful and understanding but the information apparently just doesn't exist.
    Anyway, I now believe the original assembly drive motor from the 130 Twin to be 24 V. There are 2 reasons for me coming to this conclusion.

    1) Measurement of DC voltage using my DVM with the motor connected and running: The lowest speed setting reading around 2.5 - 3 Volts and highest speed measures around 18.5 Volts. I was reading around 12 V DC at 7/10 on the control. I know these are averaged readings from the DVM but it did indicate voltages higher than 12 V DC.

    2) RPM observation. Running the motor directly from a 12 V battery did not provide a fast enough rate of rotation compared to the maximum feed setting of 10/10, whereas running it from 2 12 V batteries, connected in series, produced a rate of rotation closer to the full speed setting. Probably a bit faster and I measured the combined battery output at 23.4 V. No heat was detected from the motor after allowing it to run on for a few minutes.

    Now I will try to find a suitable generic 24 V feed assembly and adapt it to suit. This shouldn't cost much and if it doesn't work I'll investigate a replacement welder.

    SCA currently has the 135 Twin MIG on sale for only $277 so another 10 or 15 years for that money is justifiable.
    Either that or the 135 Inverter (MIG / Stick) is available for $449 from TT and ST. SCA will price match and this allows for use of Afterpay.
    The 155 3 in 1 Inverter (MIG/TIG/Stick) is also available in a few places including SCA (special order product) for $549.
    Of course I would also look around at other brands models etc etc and second hand but really for the amount of welding I'll do I can't justify much more than that sort of money. So many of the brands are all made to sound the same or similar and it appears that some don't hang around long. Boss, Bossweld, Ross, Rossi, Rossmark etc etc.

    If anybody has a good report about any particular little machine I'd be grateful of their review.

  13. #43
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Gosford
    Age
    63
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    173

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    $17 for a generic 24 V 10W wire feed unit from ebay delivered yesterday and after very minor case modification it is fitted to the welder, operational and I have performed a simple test weld. Nothing spectacular but it showed that basic functionality has been restored. I took my Argoshield bottle back to BOC as I wasn't sure how long I would be without a welder so I used 0.8 mm flux cored wire. I wont be signing up to the BOC D size plan again and I'll also soon return the Oxy and acetylene bottles. (Different subject but we know the story.)

    The roller supplied with the wire feed unit is 0.6 and 0.8 V groove. It pushed the gasless wire through but I've now ordered a knurled roller for an extra $10 (from a different seller) which should be here next Wednesday. I had to wait because I wasn't sure which roller came fitted to the unit. They come with either V or knurled groove but I just went for the cheapest I could find and it wasn't stipulated. The individual eBay sellers don't always know what they're selling, don't sell both types and often don't sell spare rollers as well, so you have to shop around.

    I'm going to do some more demanding testing today to see if it's up to continued use but I suspect I'm going to be frustrated and will most likely be considering a replacement welder (or 2).

  14. #44
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Near Bendigo, Victoria, AUS
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,102

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    I've had one of the plastic wire feeders distort and then crack on me within a few weeks.
    I replaced it with a metal one like this https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/332640433363
    and it is still fine.
    The voltage you measured by the way is the open circuit voltage of the welder. As soon as you strike the arc, the motor gets only 17V or so - which is then adjusted by the feed potentiometer. Most Mig welders use the welding voltage to drive the feed motor. Some people have successfully fitted a separate 24VDC power supply inside the welder to separate the feed voltage from the welding voltage. They say that keeps the feed at a constant rate. The other school of though it=s that using the welding voltage, the feed rate gets adjusted automatically as you vary the arc length.... I don't know which is better.
    Cheers, Joe
    retired - less energy, more time to contemplate projects and more shed time....

  15. #45
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Gosford
    Age
    63
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    173

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    Was this in a Cigweld 130 Twin or a different welder? I notice that the feed is for 0.8 and 1.0 mm wire. The capability of using down to 0.6 wire is more in line with my welder (and light work) so I'm wondering if there are other size grooved wheels suitable for fitting this wire feed unit. Also knurled groove for gasless. I'll ask the seller.

    Thanks for your reply.

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