I am going to edit this Thread to include data/info/opinions from other sources:
I learned to TIG weld in 1974 on a Heli-Arc welder, no pulse, no AC balance, no square wave just AC or DC.
Since this thread talked about the Precision TIG 225 I thought I would comment as I am an owner of this welder (2011). The pulse feature is not as robust as any of the Inverter Welders. The range is 0.1 to 20.0 Hz, which is 10 seconds to 50 milliseconds (1/F=Time). As the pulse frequency increases the waveform begins to look like 2 DC levels, EP and EN. Remember the PT-225 is a square wave TIG welder, and pulse modulating a square wave (pulse-on-pulse) produces a complex pulse train with discreet changes from Max Amp setting to 50% of Max Amp DC levels, and increases the molten metal agitation. That said, when you are welding the outside corner of lets say...11 gauge (0.0907) or thinner, the application of pulse can focus the arc so that you do not have to manually pulse the output with the foot pedal. So, an improvement in weld bead appearance, and consistent weld bead penetration without over penetration is the result. With the pulse set between 0.3 and 3 seconds you can dab the filler with the beat of the pulse (Which on the PT-225 you can visually see the pulse enable light so you can get in sync.).
The most important criteria I used prior to buying was "can this welder weld what I need to weld", then cost. For me, knowing that I have other welders to handle welds that require higher current, the low current capability of the PT-225 was ideal. Ok, I did take a long look at the Miller Dynasty 200 DX, but at $3,600 I had to pass on this one. So I purchased a full-up
PT-225 Runner, everything included to weld including a cart for $2,062.
When I was researching the PT-225 I located a very interesting review, and I think you may enjoy it also, so I am going repeat it here.
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WWW.WELDINGWEB.COM
Thread: Lincoln Precision TIG 225 Review
Review By Rottguinness, From weldingweb.com
Lincoln Precision TIG 225 Review
I just bought a PT 225 and I thought I would share my thoughts of the machine for anyone looking at it as well.
For months now I have shopped and drooled over several TIG machines.
I asked many people what they thought and I mostly heard, “You have to buy Red” or “You have to buy Blue”, “NASCAR uses these”, “EAA uses those” and so on! The problem I had was, I didn't really care about all that. I wish I did. It would have made my decision much easier, but I am not really a brand loyal guy. I want value. As a matter of fact, my last truck was a Ford and I now drive a GMC. So truly I am not loyal.
I own a Synchrowave but does that mean thats all I can shop??? Of course not! This is america!
I loved my Synchrowave but lately I needed something larger. I have recently started doing more and more with aluminum projects. I wanted a TIG welder that had enough power to routinely do 1/8” to 1/4” aluminum and not break a sweat. Like most hobbyists, I also am on a budget. Even though I save a ton of money building things myself, I had to set a limit. That meant the Dynasty and Invertec were out! So was the Synchrowave 250 and the Precision TIG 275.
I finally settled on the Precision TIG 225! I purchased it from Harris Welding Supply in Monroe Oh. They were the cheapest on the web by several hundred dollars and offered free shipping. I emailed the store on a Saturday even though they were closed I got a response within a few hours. Tod, “The owner” offered a further discount if I picked it up. When I called a few days later, he answered all my questions about all the machines I was comparing. When I got there, Tod had shirts waiting for my son and I and assisted me with a problem I was having with my plasma cutter. Its a brand they didn't sell but he still worked with me, solved my problem and threw in a free inline filter for my plasma. WOW!!! That kind of service is hard to find! Well worth the long drive. Thanks Tod, we will be back!!!
I got the PT home and I was pleasantly surprised. All of the components were high quality and went together with ease. In 10 minutes I was ready to weld. The torch even comes with a collet, tungsten and cup. I opted to stay with my favorite gas lens but a nice touch. The cart is a show stopper. Very sturdy and only an inch off the ground so no lifting of the bottle. I liked this especially because I run a very large argon bottle. I attached the pre-connected safety chain, connected the regulator, pedal and torch and I was off and welding.
My first weld was on .100 aluminum. I had scrap left over from a project that I just completed with my Synchrowave 180. I made a console for my boat using 3/32, 2% lanthanated tungsten and 20 CFH argon and 125A .
I used the same settings for my new PT and to my surprise I burned right through the metal. I found that this machine consistently welds much hotter and with only 80A. I looked at the set up guide and it confirmed what I just found out. The PT welds hotter. I repeated the same weld using the pulser, and what an effortless weld.
While trying a corner, lap and butt, I noticed it did an equally good job. I saw my tungsten starting to blue a little and bumped up my post flow from 15 to 17 CFH with the touch of the knob and problem solved. New tungsten stayed grey. This machine holds a really tight arc even down to 10A. I am sure it would hold tight lower if I switched too smaller tungsten.
The next weld I tried I used the pulser. If you haven't used on before they are really cool. It really helps a new TIG welder make the “Stacked dimes” effect with a simple lay wire technique. Just match your pulses to your travel speed and you look like a pro. Next tried a fusion weld on .125 steel at 20 Pulses Per Second. It made perfect little ripples crowning the edge just right. A quick buff with the flap disk and HOLA, a perfect corner.
I moved to stainless. I was very pleased with the control I was able to maintain. With in the first inch of my first weld, I was able to get great penetration and keep the edge darkening to a minimum. Routinely I was only getting color changes out to 1/4 inch off the bead. Pretty good for 1/8 inch stainless.
So far I am very happy with my purchase. I think it is of good quality and very easy to use. All of the controls are well placed. The components are well made and appear to be able to withstand years of use. The storage drawer is ok. If it were a few inches taller it would be great. It is plenty big enough to store the pedal and a few other items. I keep all of my extra TIG supplies in a small toolbox and I was bummed it didn't fit in the drawer. The cart is terrific and I cant say enough about it. The post flow control is great. You can adjust it very quickly with the turn of a knob. No change of menus or screens. When I researched this machine, I read a lot of welders worried about the duty cycle. I have to admit, I was a little concerned too. What I found was that the PT 225 welds hotter. Consistently 20-30 amps hotter than my Synchrowave. This means that the duty cycle scale is a little misleading. Compound this with 230 amps available, I think there is plenty of power for anything I am going to build for a long time. The “A/C Auto Balance” it probably the best welding option the PT has. Even being the control freak that I am, somethings are really better left to the technology inside. It produces the nicest welds with no extra frost. The pulser I could take or leave. A nice option for beginners who never learned to “Pulse the Pedal”. For everyone else its like having an electric can opener. Some say its the greatest, others say it takes longer than doing it manually. Either way it is cool. I prefer to use the pedal but I see that attraction. I also use a manual can opener soooo you be the judge. The top of the machine has a small storage spot thats about 7.25 x 4 x 3. The special part of this is that it has 2 cup holders on top. The cup holders are a nice touch. I gave the cup holders a real work out. I tried them with dark roasted coffee in the morning and beer in the afternoon. I especially like the way they worked with a few Saranac IPAs in the heat of the day.
I hope this review helps someone who is looking to make the same move I did. It is free of any brand bias ( Except for the beer ). I looked at a few of the imported inverters but they appeared cheaply made too me. Although I didn't weld with them, my first impression led me back to the home grown machines. I think that both Lincoln and Miller make great equipment as I own both. I think that it really comes down to personal preference and maybe even a little ergonomics of controls. If you are looking to buy a mid sized TIG machine and cant afford an inverter, I highly recommend the Lincoln Precision TIG 225. It has a ton of power and features that lets me enjoy welding even more than I did before.
RG
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This welder has another great feature which Lincoln calls Micro-Start II, for starting the arc at very low amps. They actually designed-in a low current power supply in addition to the main power supply. Upon studying the Duty Cycle capability, just thinking about the top end of the current range, I was hoping for a little more from this welder, but that was not the most important part of my purchase decision. And then I ran into a Duty Cycle test of this welder by Lincoln, I think this is an important point so here are the results (These tests can be observed on YouTube.).
Tests performed by Lincoln Electric
Lincoln Electric Precision Tig 225 20% duty cycle test -1
The welder was setup as follows:
Load: 0.161 Ohms
Voltage: 29.6 V
Current: 183.8 Amps
Power: 5,440 Watts
Time before welder thermal shutdown:
4 min., 40% duty cycle
Based on a 10 minute time frame.
Shutdown at 2 min. would be a 20% duty cycle.
Lincoln Electric Presision Tig 225 20% duty cycle test -2
The welder was setup as follows:
Load: 0.143 Ohms
Voltage: 26.3 V
Current: 183.9 Amps
Power: 4,836 Watts
Time before welder thermal shutdown:
3 min. 42 sec., 37% duty cycle
Based on a 10 minute time frame.
Shutdown at 2 min. would be a 20% duty cycle.
As you can see Lincoln has underrated the PT-225, I am not sure why, possibly they had to maintain a performance gap between the PT-225 and the V-205-T inverter welder. The PT-225 has a publicized welding range of 5 - 230 Amps, it will weld 0.25" plate, with Argon shielding gas you may have to preheat or 75% Argon 25% Helium without preheat.
Below is the listed Output Data in the manual for a Lincoln Precision TIG 225
1. Rated Output:
90A / 23.4V / 100%,
@ 104 ℉,
With 115 VAC Rear Mount Receptacle @ Max Load of 20 Amps
With Input Voltage of 230 VAC
The Output Duty Cycle and the Rated Output of the welder improves if the test criteria changes as follows:
2. Input Current at Rated Output:
The required Input Current will be reduced if:
The ambient air temperature is < 104 ℉;
The 115AC/20 Amp Receptacle at the rear of the welder is not loaded;
The Input VAC Source is > 230 VAC (238 VAC in my case)
To end this long post I guess I would have to ask myself, would I buy the PT-225 again, yes absolutely because it will weld what I want to weld and I am not overpaying for something I may never need.
I am adding a table I created based on the PT-225 welding current and duty cycle for Steel. I have another table that covers both steel and aluminum, I will see about bringing this table to the review, but for now here is the Steel table.
Wobulate
