Help me buy a welder Options

[Chuck]

I was going to use my brother's 220 volt Lincoln for my car restoration (new pans, hell hole kit and long stiffening kit). Unfortunately, due to the limitaitons with the 100 amp panel in my new house, an additional 220 volt tap would be VERY expensive (think new line under the street from the city into my house with all new panel). Sooooo . . .. back to 110 volt options.

I was looking a the Lincoln SP135T. However, for $150 more I can get the 135 Plus with the variable adjustment (versus the click stops with the 135T). Is the variable adjustment worth the extra $150?

[So.Cal.914]

You don't need to add 220, you have it. Tap into two 110 breakers, neutral and

ground. Just make sure that the breakers are for circuits that are light duty and

you can turn these items off when you are welding. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Chuck]

You don't need to add 220, you have it. Tap into two 110 breakers, neutral and

ground. Just make sure that the breakers are for circuits that are light duty and

you can turn these items off when you are welding. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

That's the problem. The previous owner already has everything in the panel double and triple tapped for when he installed the 220v hot tub and 220v whirlpool in the basement. So the panel is already at max and I need to add 220 for my compressor yet. Could it be made to work? Yes. BUT, I wouldn't necessarily feel comfortable with how it would work. To do it right and reliably would require a new panel.

So, update my panel so I can borrow a welder or just buy a 110v unit. Plus, this way the unit is mine versus borrowed and I think a 110 volt unit will suit my needs just fine.

[jasons]

That's the problem. The previous owner already has everything in the panel double and triple tapped for when he installed the 220v hot tub and 220v whirlpool in the basement. So the panel is already at max and I need to add 220 for my compressor yet. Could it be made to work? Yes. BUT, I wouldn't necessarily feel comfortable with how it would work. To do it right and reliably would require a new panel.

I had a similar problem when I needed 220 for my compressor, so I ran a sub-panel in the garage. I would think you could do something similar and maybe relocate a few of the doubled circuits to your sub-panel to make space for the breaker the sub-panel will require.

Also, if you are adding 220 for a compressor, you could use the same outlet. You just can't have both plugged in at the same time.

Either way, probably won't max out a 115v welder. If you want to do thick steel, like 1/4" you just can't MIG it. You have to convert back to Flux core wire.

[Chuck]

That's the problem. The previous owner already has everything in the panel double and triple tapped for when he installed the 220v hot tub and 220v whirlpool in the basement. So the panel is already at max and I need to add 220 for my compressor yet. Could it be made to work? Yes. BUT, I wouldn't necessarily feel comfortable with how it would work. To do it right and reliably would require a new panel.

I had a similar problem when I needed 220 for my compressor, so I ran a sub-panel in the garage. I would think you could do something similar and maybe relocate a few of the doubled circuits to your sub-panel to make space for the breaker the sub-panel will require.

Also, if you are adding 220 for a compressor, you could use the same outlet. You just can't have both plugged in at the same time.

Either way, probably won't max out a 115v welder. If you want to do thick steel, like 1/4" you just can't MIG it. You have to convert back to Flux core wire.

Immediate welding chores are install of an Engman long kit and hell hole kit, new floorpan, some other rust repair and install of some flares. Heaviest duty will be the 1/8" long kit steel.

I gave SERIOUS thought to a subpanel. But I thought that if I was going to go the route of adding a subpanel and then moving some of the double and triple taps into it to clean up the main panel, might as well just do it right the first time and do a new panel; which I may do at some point in the future.

It's just that for right now, the only thing driving that would be to borrow a welder whereas I can just go buy a 110v that will do what I need. Plus, the money I save in not doing the panel right now I get to spend on my car. (Now, don't go telling anyone, especially a signifcant other, that for what I will spend on a MIG welder, tank and accessories I could cover the panel upgrade and borrow the welder, because this way, I get to buy a welder. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ).

I'm leaning towards the Lincoln SP135T. That being said, I'm also going to give the Northern Tool 135 a look. The Lincoln is $460 locally (Home Depot and elsewhere) and the Northern Unit is about $340.