Stick Welding Tips, Certification tests, machines, projects
UniqueTouch
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Hey guys. Been watching Jody for years. He has fueled my desire to become a welder. Much respect. I just bought a brand new Lincoln gxt 250. At my house I was not able to get 220v without spending thousands so got great deal on this machine. I unboxed it and in the back where the battery is and the rear there is this foam packed in there. My question is, is that supposed to be in there for sound dampening or does it have to come out? Not sure thank you
SCsoldier04
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    Mon Feb 03, 2020 10:27 pm

If you are speaking of the dense black material that creates a seal around the fan yes it is suppose to dry there. If you have other foam you are talking about I am unsure of that. My does not have any other foam material that I can find.


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UniqueTouch
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Thank you SCsoldier yes that’s is exactly what I am talking about. I have been trying to get into welding and the necessary tools to practice but I wasn’t able to get 220v in my house without upgrading to a 200 amp service so I found a Lincoln gxt 250 new in box for 3k so I jumped on it but to be honest don’t know much about them and when I hooked battery up I noticed it and wasn’t sure about it. Thank you for your help. Also if your a veteran thank you for your service.
UniqueTouch
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Just bought this machine recently like explained on other forums. I got a box with a new stinger along with leads and tweco Part no. 9510-1110 and also praxair pro star part number prs99578. Im wondering do the 9510-1110 bolt onto the machine where the pos and negative ports and do the leads get hooked up to the prs99578 and plug into the machine like how my ground and tig torch plug into my square wave tig 200? Or are those part numbers I listed for Mig welding? thank you for your help I appreciate it.
SCsoldier04
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Unsure of part numbers but if you go to praxair and tel them what u have and what you want to do they can easily point you in the correct direction. Shouldn’t be hard for them to pull up the I fo on what connectors are needed. If they can’t or won’t help you find another supply store. But really I’ve never had a problem with praxair myself. Use them for my fabrication business. And yes I am a veteran. Thank you.


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UniqueTouch
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Hey guys. Got to use my machine today for an hour or two while we had some nice weather and most importantly some time. I was running 7014,7018,6013 rods. I think i was running them too hot. Can someone help me with the settings on this machine. if it is on max 130amps does that mean from 5-10 that if the dial is in the 5 is 80 ,6 is 90, 7 is 100, 8 is 110, 9 is 120 and 10 is 130 amps? hope that makes sense. Im talking about the setting dial. Also if my slack was taking a little bit to get off does that mean I was running to hot? Also is the ground always plugged into the positive and the stinger in negative. If you want to change it do you just always leave the stinger and negative in the same spot but just use the dial to change from dc - or dc + or ac?
SCsoldier04
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    Mon Feb 03, 2020 10:27 pm

Correct leave them plugged in where it says. Plug labeled work is ground. Electrode is stinger. Change via selector switch as you were saying. As far as the heat you would be correct in your heat settings. Find the range of heat for the electrode you are running and try on top end, middle, and low. See what runs the best. Also the thicker the material you can run a little higher heat. As the piece heats up if u were running multiple passes you would be able to lower the heat some. Really just gotta run some tests and see what you like. Good luck and glad you were able to run it some.


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UniqueTouch
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Thank you ScSoldier I appreciate it and thank you for taking the time to answer me I really really appreciate all your help. Im excited. Getting better. Think I found a welding school/class that I am going to be able to make while working full time. Everything is a decent distance away from me but think I found one that is manageable. Now what I want to make tomorrow is a Testing Fixture. I have a base of a asphalt hand tamper which has a 2 inch hole on the bottom. I was planning on buying some 2 inch pipe tomorrow and some 1 and 3/4 pipe and some other material I have home and hopefully making one or one that comes out the back of my trailer hitch. Figured that way I am already a 1ft off the ground.
Simclardy
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That sounds like an interesting welder.
On another note, i am skeptical if you really needed to upgrade your existing service to a 200amp. This may seem like beating a dead horse but some day you may want another welder;) that's the problem with welding.
Back to the 200amp.
Most homes are fed from a 25kva transformer. That's 104amps. This transformer will feed 3 or 4 or sometimes 5 homes. If you ever pulled 200amps for any duration you would have some fireworks. The reality is most homes don't draw much power. If you have electric baseboard heat throughout the house that's a different story.
If you have an old 60 fuse style service then yes go for the 200. But if you have a standard 100amp service with gas heat or oil i would question another electrician.
Cheers

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SCsoldier04
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Pretty sure he he is just speaking about a 230/240 outlet being available at his house. I’m assuming he has a piece of equipment that requires it. But this is an 11,000 watt generator he now has so he can actually have a transfer switch installed at his main breaker panel and if his area were to lose power he could plug into his house directly with his ranger and supply enough power for his whole home. In my area to have a large enough transfer switch installed it is around $800-$1,000 USD


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UniqueTouch
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I appreciate the advice. I ended up just buying a gas powered machine. Definitely would like to get it where I can plug the house in. If i could get that done for a around a $1000 Id do it in a heart beat. ScSoldier im sorry to keep bother you I just dont know who else to ask and when i call the local welding supply they arent too interested in helping unless im buying something lol. I am not going to do it now but eventually I would like to be able to mig weld. I know other than the gas I need is all that is need is a gun and wire feeder? I have been reading a lot about LN 25. I was wondering how that works. Does it just plug into the remote location on the gxt250. Of course it looks like another $2500 bill to purchase one. I dont know if there are other brands less expensive but figured since I have all lincoln now and I have my square wave tig200 a wire feeder would complete the deal. let me know your thoughts. thanks buddy appreciate ya
Simclardy
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I got you. I was picturing a battery welder. What you have looks much better. I just wanted to cover the topic, its a pet peeve of mine when electricians go around selling 200 and 400 amp service when they are not needed.

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I've been looking at wire feeders lately as well. Yes, you plug your ground cable as you would with stick, pos cable plugs into the feeder. From what ive read, there are 2 types of feeders, remote controlled, and voltage sensing.

With voltage sensing feeders you can only adjust the wire feed speed from the feeder, you have to go back and adjust the voltage on your power supply, your case the gtx250.

With remote controlled feeders you can adjust both wfs and voltage from the feeder. But you need a 3rd cable running from the feeder to a plug on your gtx. So you have more adjustments at the feeder, but also more cable laying around. My bobcat 250 doesn't have that plug, so I can only use Voltage sensing feeders. Not sure if yours has it.

Lincoln now has what they call CrossLinc. Same options as Remote controlled, but they do it without a 3rd cable. However you do need CrossLinc enabled power supplies and feeders.

That LN25 is a very popular model, pretty bulletproof apparently. It is voltage sensing so it should work on any power supply

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SCsoldier04
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Yes the LN-25 is an option. Prob find one used for much less than the $2,500. That being said if you aren’t doing heavy duty repairs or new construction (i.e. making a living with this machine) I would go for the Lincoln powermig 210 mp aluminum one pak. Msrp is $1,723 and it should handle any of your needs. Even if you were using for handrails, supports, or other stuff. Has 115/230 power capability and has aluminum wire feeder with it also. If I were you I would be heading down this route just for portability reasons. Coming from a guy who has a 250gxt and makes money with it. If u have small stuff u don’t want to deal with getting it out if all u need is a ~50 lb machine, drop cord, and cylinder of gas.


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snoeproe
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UniqueTouch wrote:Thank you SCsoldier yes that’s is exactly what I am talking about. I have been trying to get into welding and the necessary tools to practice but I wasn’t able to get 220v in my house without upgrading to a 200 amp service so I found a Lincoln gxt 250 new in box for 3k so I jumped on it.
I wouldn’t buy or build a house unless it had 200 amp service line to it. Heck, a friend of mine built his house with 200 amp service feeding the house and another 200 amp service line feeding the garage/shop.
UniqueTouch
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thank you soldier I appreciate the advice. I was looking at those machines online too. I have a square wave tig 200 that i have been using and getting a lot better on. If you were me would you sell my tig200 and buy the machine you mentioned or should I just buy a straight up mig machine and keep the square wave tig 200 I have and get another bottle of gas for that of course.
SCsoldier04
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If you feel the MP will satisfy all of your welding needs and what it provides overlaps everything the tig 200 does then yes the squarewave just becomes a backup welder/dust collector if you aren’t running a business and have other people that could use it. If your looking for around the home use and fixing a buddies trailer/truck I would go with the MP and ditch the squarewave.


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UniqueTouch
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sounds good. I think I will def do that. I have someone who wants to purchase my machine. So atleast I wont have to come out too much more out of pocket and atleast it will be a new machine that i know has only been in my possession which i like bc i know how i take care of my things.
SCsoldier04
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    Mon Feb 03, 2020 10:27 pm

Yes plus you re-up the 3 year warranty


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UniqueTouch
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You have a gxt250 correct? If so could you help me with how to set the amperage? Say I wanted 70 amps how would I set the dials. What if I wanted 105 -110 amps how would I set dials and if I wanted 190 amps how would I set dials. Thank you
snoeproe
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    Sat Dec 09, 2017 11:37 am

Most engine drive welders have a course amp selector and fine amp selector dials.
Some systems are slightly different from machine to machine. The principle is similar though for the most part.
My bobcat has what I call ranges or gears for the course amp selector range. The fine amp adjustment dial is usually just a percentage (1-10) of the course range or gear your in.
Some basic math will get you close to the amp setting your looking for. You get the machine set close to where you want it, burn a rod then adjust the fine amp setting up or down if required.
This works for most machines that don’t have a digital readout although there are a few exceptions.
UniqueTouch
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appreciate it think i figured it out. Also was hoping to have another question answered. I wanted to know can I tig weld with my gxt250 without the tig module? I have the argon bottle already and I have a ck tig torch with gas valve on the torch and a separate argon hose that goes straight to the cylinder insteads of a gas through. I found a video on youtube of a guy with a ranger 225 and he was tig welding and had the machine set on approx 110 amps but he did not show the setup just the amperage dials on the machine. If you can weld without the lincoln tig module what is the point in spending the money on the tig module if you can weld without it? Is it so you can do ac tig as well? thanks guys
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UniqueTouch wrote:appreciate it think i figured it out. Also was hoping to have another question answered. I wanted to know can I tig weld with my gxt250 without the tig module? I have the argon bottle already and I have a ck tig torch with gas valve on the torch and a separate argon hose that goes straight to the cylinder insteads of a gas through. I found a video on youtube of a guy with a ranger 225 and he was tig welding and had the machine set on approx 110 amps but he did not show the setup just the amperage dials on the machine. If you can weld without the lincoln tig module what is the point in spending the money on the tig module if you can weld without it? Is it so you can do ac tig as well? thanks guys
The Tig module typically isn't to convert to AC, it is so you have one or more of the following:

High frequency start (so you don't have to touch the tungsten to the metal to start the arc)
gas solenoid operation (so you don't have to mess with a valve on the torch)
remote amperage adaptation, such a a foot-pedal.

I would say just look up the manual for that tig module using Google search and I'm pretty sure it will be black and white. There's not much more that it can do.
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TraditionalToolworks
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snoeproe wrote:I wouldn’t buy or build a house unless it had 200 amp service line to it. Heck, a friend of mine built his house with 200 amp service feeding the house and another 200 amp service line feeding the garage/shop.
I completely agree with you. Problem is the house I bought 25 years ago only has 125 amp service to it, and I run my entire shop on a 30 amp 230v circuit including a 7-1/2HP RPC to power 5HP 3 phase machines.

The funny thing is I couldn't agree with you more, and currently in the process of building a house on a piece of property I've owned for 20 years. I am currently in the process of getting the electrical dropped to the property and got approved for a 320 amp continuous circuit. I don't want the same problem as I have at my current house. 320 amps is a 400 amp non-continuous service.

I plan to have 2 x 200 amp panels, one for the house, one for the shop. The one for the shop will use 100 amps for a Phase Perfect 20HP digital phase converter which I already have, it will provide 55 amps of continuous 3 phase. It will use the remaining 100 amps for both 120v and 240v single phase.

That said, the problem some of us face is that homes built 50 years ago, like mine, only got 125 amps, which made it almost impossible to run the old transformer machines on, some of which require that much power. Unless you don't have anything else powered in the home while you run the machine... :lol:
Collector of old Iron!

Alan
snoeproe
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    Sat Dec 09, 2017 11:37 am

The 250 gtx will dc tig weld fine without that tig module. Scratch start dc tig. Sometimes, simplicity is a good thing and that’s what scratch start dc tig is. Most stainless pipe is welded this way in the field.
Your machine is already remote control capable without the tig module.
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