Thread: BOC Smootharc 200 ACDC Foot Pedal Connections.

Does anyone know the foot pedal connections for the Smootharc 200 ACDC?

Is there a service manual?

Thanks. Anyone would think it is a trade secret.

Jack

Is this the new one?
I think there has been a few 200 acdc's over the years.

Originally Posted by Commander_Keen

Is this the new one?
I think there has been a few 200 acdc's over the years.

Yes, the new (current) one.

Thanks

Originally Posted by Jack Ryan

Does anyone know the foot pedal connections for the Smootharc 200 ACDC?
Is there a service manual? Anyone would think it is a trade secret.

I suspect there might well be in a manner of speaking.

BOC or who ever made the unit for them, will have taken pains that the connector block is non standard being their own "special" shape .

Can't let the punters make their own footpedal, can we ? We will make the connector block so as they have to buy an expensive BOC pedal with matching connector, won't we.

If you can get the manual with a wiring diagram just change the male and female connector blocks to am industry standard pair and Bob's your mother's brother.

Grahame

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

I suspect there might well be in a manner of speaking.

BOC or who ever made the unit for them, will have taken pains that the connector block is non standard being their own "special" shape .

Can't let the punters make their own footpedal, can we ? We will make the connector block so as they have to buy an expensive BOC pedal with matching connector, won't we.

If you can get the manual with a wiring diagram just change the male and female connector blocks to am industry standard pair and Bob's your mother's brother.

Grahame

Even secreter than that.

Both the standard torch and the OEM pedal are digital - there is no trigger switch or 10k pot.

It is possible that an analogue pedal may be compatible but it is not mentioned in the manual and there are no pin connections. Commander_Keen pointed me in the direction of a plug supplier and passed on some useful information (thanks). I have ordered some plugs - we'll see.

In the process of discovering what's inside the pedal, I also discovered why its operation was so rough and fixed it. It is now at least usable.

I think Australia is seen more as European than American when it comes to the use (or not) of pedals.

Jack

Connector blocks. I was thinking of something else. Now I understand what you were talking about!

Ok I think this may bea manual, but not a service manual.

https://d2avly8h3zb2z7.cloudfront.ne....pdf?version=1

I see the Connection block ,middle bottom , AKA multi pin socket in the graphic. How many Pins?

These connectors are pretty standard, probably
Token Tools https://weldingstore.tokentools.com....lding-torches/

or one of large independent welding suppliers will have one in their cattledog.

Grahame

It is not a commonly available plug - it is called GX16,Reverse Type, 8 Pin, Male Plug, Straight, Cable.

I can get the plug, it is a matter of how and if a standard analogue pedal can be connected to the welder. The standard pedal on this welder is digital, not analogue.

Jack

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

I suspect there might well be in a manner of speaking.

BOC or who ever made the unit for them, will have taken pains that the connector block is non standard being their own "special" shape .

Can't let the punters make their own footpedal, can we ? We will make the connector block so as they have to buy an expensive BOC pedal with matching connector, won't we.

If you can get the manual with a wiring diagram just change the male and female connector blocks to am industry standard pair and Bob's your mother's brother.

Grahame

Despite popular belief, it's not that sinister. I think where people will fall over finding this sort of stuff is running out of skill and ability in sourcing niche industrial parts, and blaming the tool before their own shortcomings. Trust me, seen it all before! I spent some time on RC components and Mouser to find some bits, but settled for a Chinese supplier.

I went down the path of finding the connector late last year with mine. The plug is not super common, but it's not a one-off unicorn either... I got mine from the below elecbee site, shipped ex china they are relatively cheap... if I went hunting thru my stash of connectors, I may even have another in reserve (IIRC I bought a few because the shipping was more than the parts!).
In my situation, I needed to get a trigger wired onto my fav torch, and didn't want to hack up the factory connection with a spade-terminal abortion as some may have the tendency to do. For $1.60ea plus shipping, for a factory plug,why not. Pins 1 and 2 do the trigger switching.

https://www.elecbee.com/en-10373-gx1...plug-for-cable

Originally Posted by Jack Ryan

It is not a commonly available plug - it is called GX16,Reverse Type, 8 Pin, Male Plug, Straight, Cable.

I can get the plug, it is a matter of how and if a standard analogue pedal can be connected to the welder. The standard pedal on this welder is digital, not analogue.

Jack

Machines are going digital... it's just how it is. Machines now can have bluetooth foot pedals, for cripe's sake! What a time to be alive!

While I don't want to give away all my secrets, the SR26 torch this machine is supplied with has some sort of digital board beneath the buttons (I pulled it apart), so more likely than not it pulses to the machine to send an 'amps up' or 'amps down' signal to the machine. The little module in these torches just plugs in and plugs out... if I ever felt the need for a rotary amp control, I might have a play with some of the other board options that are available out there (and hopefully not blow anything up!). If I put my practical hat on... the control circuit of these things should be properly protected from being damaged by rogue signals. At least I hope so. Normally the consumer side of things are pretty much designed to be idiot proof.

Originally Posted by Commander_Keen

Machines are going digital... it's just how it is. Machines now can have bluetooth foot pedals, for cripe's sake! What a time to be alive!

I have no problem with digital things except that during the transition period, there are no established standards. There are very few after market digital foot pedals.

Even now, some manufacturers and many of the cheap imports struggle to get the mechanical connection between the pedal, a microswitch and a pot to operate smoothly and reliably. A digital solution obviates all that mess and usually can be had in a prebuilt module.

Bring it on.

Jack

I understand the frustration. But I also live in the real world where not every accessory can and does work with every machine. For example, I don't resent the fact that my metabo battery doesn't work in a milwaukee, even though they are both 18V lithium ion batteries.

I only modded mine to work on push button (simple), a mate had a whole different torch on his which he got to work with a rotary amp control dial. It's neat, but doesn't set the world on fire either.

If I really needed a pedal for that machine, I'd probably buy it- doesn't take long to go backwards on a pedal for a few hundred, when you throw a heap of time and effort into understanding a system where there is already an off-the-shelf solution. IMO. I don't always take the easy way out, but for this, and if I were you, I'd carefully consider the options.
I did make an old kemppi foot pedal work with a different machine, but it was a mammoth effort, and If I'd spent that time working on the job at hand rather than fart-arsing around, I'd probably have had more billable hours in the job and made up the cost of the pedal in any case! After a good few hours invested, the control didn't get to full amps (it topped out at 170A).
Us Tig welders can be funny guys, it's like we are the mad scientist types of the welding game- cobbling together torches and buttons and pedals, and building a torch setup to suit that one weld position out of a kit of 30 different cups, collets, backcaps and torch front-ends. But in the end, just know your limits, it can pass a point of diminishing return.

Actually it's more like every Milwaukee tool used a different battery.

Don't get me wrong, I've been dealing with engineering issues for decades - I'm immune from frustration.

I simply state what is.

Regards
Jack