[Joeneels]

I am a 60 yr old hobby welder/tinkerer. For years, I could accomplish everything I needed to build, repair whatever with my little Lincoln weldpak 100. I know that with my little 100, I was very limited and I had always wanted to explore aluminum welding. After learning an incredible amount about welding here and on the Internet, I decided I needed to get a AC/DC tig welder. I started saving money and decided to watch the local Craigslist. This spring I found a 2011 Diversion 180 which had never been used along with a cut 50 plasma, a nice Miller auto dark hood and some other misc. stuff for 1500.00.

Last Sunday, I was doing some tig practice on steel and the Diversion made a loud pop and I saw smoke from the air vent.I know enough about PCBs to be dangerous and I was well aware that I blew the board. I went to the Internet to investigate where I stood on this and quickly realized that it would cost me around 1200.00 for Miller to get it running again.

I also found an electronic repair company who said they repair them for 350 to 500 depending upon what blew. So, my quandary is whether to have it repaired (I read a nightmare story of a guy who did this and it blew again a yr later) or start saving all over again for something new with a warranty so I don’t end up in this situation again.

I resisted the cheaper Chinese tigs and really thought that paying more even for a used name brand was the right thing to do. Has anyone been in this situation? What did you do?

[cj737]

I would take the machine to a certified Miller repair shop. Get an estimate and explanation. Then decide whether to have them do it, an electronics repair shop, or to bite the bullet and scrap it.

I have had very good luck with my local Miller repair shop. They repaired a used used Synchrowave for me that I paid nearly the same money as you, but did so for under $300 versus the $1800 Miller cost. I then used the box for a job, sold it, and still recovered all my money.

[bruce991]

Agreed get an estimates and look at the Squarewave 200 if you decide it is DOA. I have one and after two years I am enjoying welding steel and aluminum with no complaint.

[Joeneels]

Thanks guys for the quick replies. I've got to say I might be becoming a "red" fan. My little Weldpak 100 is about 18 years old now and has never given me one problem. This Diversion probably has 5 hrs total on it. I'm telling you it made me sick. It took me a couple of years to save up the money. I really thought it would last me many years into my retirement. I'd hate to permanently dislike Miller over this but this is how people become loyalists. I can't let this discourage me from improving my skills. As a tig newbie, it's too much fun when I get it right to quit.

[LtBadd]

I understand how you feel, any color machine can fail and it's never good when it happens "to you", as a side note the Diversion isn't Millers flagship product line, still one expect a name brand to work well.

I hope you find a solution that doesn't break the bank

[FuelieNova]

I have a Diversion 180, so far no problems.
To me this is not a red, blue, yellow or green issue. It is the newer technology issue.
I was at the LWS this weekend, there were two reds and one blue on the dock for repair. All bad circuit boards.
They are all going to fail sooner or later, the reliability days are gone....
Tom

[Poland308]

I have a Diversion 180, so far no problems.
To me this is not a red, blue, yellow or green issue. It is the newer technology issue.
I was at the LWS this weekend, there were two reds and one blue on the dock for repair. All bad circuit boards.
They are all going to fail sooner or later, the reliability days are gone....
Tom

Amen
I’ve cooked 2 Millers and 1 Lincoln at work this year.

[Coldman]

Hey Josh, don't you know smoking's bad for you?

[Poland308]

Not bad for me. I made enough money off those machines that they just bring me another one from the shop.

[Joeneels]

UPDATE.... I'm the guy who toasted the board on my Diversion. I sold it on Ebay with a full disclosure about its condition, and made enough to purchase a new AHP 200DX tig "With a Warranty". I could not be happier. My first welds were noticeably better than any I had done with the diversion. I am also able to learn about pulse and AC balance. In short, I'm a happy camper again. Now on to master aluminum! I have so much to learn and the rest of my life to do it.