Help with Cigweld Tig

Johnboy · Mon Feb 16, 2015 7:27 pm

Hi All,

I've been tig welding for years with Kemppi brand tigs, and I always use a foot control. Anyway I've just bought an old Cigweld tig machine, without a foot control(Transtig 16Pi) http://202.67.224.134/pdimage/29/257622 ... ig16pi.jpg
I am trying to get a users/ service manual for the machine, so I can make a foot control for it and wire-in a gas post-flow adjuster. I've tried contacting the manufacturer, though they've been bought-out and can't help me. Any help you can give would be most appreciated! Cheers Johnboy

Johnboy · Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:47 pm

Hi again, Thanks to all who have read my post above. I had success with the original manufacturer. I emailed them and they replied back within an hour and emailed me the original manual. It turns out the guy I spoke with at the store gave me the wrong information. Anyway thanks again for reading. Cheers Johnboy

Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:02 pm

Hey mate. Glad you found someone who could help. I think you should be able to buy all the bits for that.

Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:03 pm

I'd say it would have built in pre and post flow.

Johnboy · Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:59 pm

Hi Mike 27, Thanks for your response. I think my machine is around 16-20 years old?
Yes, the pre and post flow are built in. So what I am thinking is if I can wire in a timer delay relay onto the gas solenoid, then I could use that to adjust the post flow time at least? Something like this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-normally ... 3641.l6393

In standard form at 70 amps, the gas post flow is around 25 seconds, far too long for what I'm doing with it! Anyone done anything similar?? Cheers Johnboy

Coldman · Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:10 pm

Does this power source have superimposed full time hi frequency? (Is it square wave capable?) Not a lot of info available about this machine.

Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:02 am

I'm not an electronic minded fella, but I believe you have a fine machine to play with. Maybe just replace the solenoid all together. (would the inbuilt setting fight with any timer you might fit?)

Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:03 am

I'm sure that they are DC only.

Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:04 am

No hi freq. You can see the stick /lift tig switch.

Coldman · Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:36 am

I can't see squat. Haven't got my coke bottles on.

Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:37 am

Ah ha. We used to call them Buddy Holly glasses.

Coldman · Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:39 am

I thought it said mift pig

Tue Feb 17, 2015 1:33 am

Sift figs. Could be messy.

Johnboy · Tue Feb 17, 2015 3:54 am

Hey Mike and everyone. The machine is DC only, with HF start and lift arc and pulse. I have a little bit of electrical/ electronic knowledge, though it's always better I've found to find someone who has done it before.

Anyway, if I change the solenoid that won't help as the solenoid is timed by another circuit and that is governed by the amperage dial setting on the front panel, so my thought is to interrupt the power going to the solenoid with a delay timer relay. I hope that fixes my wasted gas problem!

I am open to any other suggestions! Cheers Johnboy

Tue Feb 17, 2015 3:59 am

Sounds good. Another user, named werkspace, is well versed in electronics, and we'll be able to set you straight, when he happens along. @WerkSpace

Maxstar300lx · Tue Feb 17, 2015 11:58 am

Hi Everyone,
1st post here, lurked for a couple weeks absorbing all the info, great stuff alround!
Saw the OPs pic and issues thought I could add 0.02c see where it goes…

My pic is of a LT-300 Thermal Arc dc only, hf, lift arc, smaw with pulse, pre/ post flow settings like the cigweld unit posted.
Old iphone pic is not the best.

I read somewhere where thermal arc shared parts with cig weld with certain units. My unit is a larger unit to the OP pic.
It was bought used off fleabay cheaply but with a argon hose stuck out from the rear fan vent with no explanation why from the seller( i think it was from a pawn shop). Anyway they said it worked and it does!
On receiving it and removing case to determine what the deal was with the black hose, the owner had disconnected the two spade terminals from the gas solenoid valve and bypassed it with two jumpers to connect to something outside the unit.
I reconnected the terminals to the solenoid valve and put the unit through its paces to find a reason why.
The soleniod energized with the 24volts like normal with foot pedal control and unit functioned normally on smaw.
So far so good, then hooked up the argon to try the tig functions.
The unit worked well, hf, lift arc, pulse- the pulse was soo quiet i had to put my ear close to the unit to confirm the noise as the units fan runs continuously- but not as noisy as the miller inverters. And it holds a very stable arc and the minimum 5 amp setting
I had hooked up a gas torch, and it was when closing and opening the torch valve i figured out why the hose was placed in the vent and the internal solenoid was bypassed as i was still getting pressure when opening the torch valve.
So it was either the solenoid valve was leaking or there was some grit stuck in the valve.
And playing around with the panel knob settings for preflow/ postflow confirmed a relationship with panel amp setting and postflow timing- meaning a little too much gas flowing for postflow. Just like the OP observation also confirmed by the manuals
Downloading the service manual from the obsolete product site and going thorough the measurement checks confirmed a couple anomalies with one of the boards.
You just dont get the full range of pre/ post flow seconds as labelled on the panel, you get a set minimum seconds count and a set maximum seconds count , no variation in between.
So i have replacement solenoids on the way-from flea bay while i hook up a 24 volt dc supply to open the original solenoid valve to blow out with compressed air.
So it looked like in my case the owner had hooked up an external solenoid valve using the 2 spade jumper wires and set the post flow from an external source.
But thats the only issue i have with the unit welding wise and of course sourcing obsolete spare parts!
So if i could find the equivalent cigweld unit to the lt300 maybe i could source a replacement board.

Maxstar300lx · Tue Feb 17, 2015 1:03 pm

I finally found the original fleebay pic from the phone showing the black hose through the rear vent and you can make out the spade terminals at the top with the rest of the input cable
I also use a amptrol slide switch with the clipon clips to a gas cooled #17 ck torch with valve when using HF and save argon during postflow--until I come up with a better solution to the board timer problem, just a little inconvenient for now.

xwrench · Tue Feb 17, 2015 1:12 pm

I think you could wire in another gas solenoid with a timer separate from the original. Unless the built in system has sensors for gas pressure/flow, it shouldn't be a problem. The built in post flow timer would still operate the original solenoid just without anything actually connected to it. Just a thought. Hope this helps.
Cheers.
-Eldon