Passport Plus help

[Mega Arc 5040DD]

I recently bought a pass port plus and am still trying to get a feel for it I think I like it:rolleyes:. Anyways I have a some what lare job to do on 16ga and only have 110V avalable on sight. I've been reading in the owners manual an it say that at 80A @ 18V the duty cycle is 100% my question is on the voltage dial how do i know if i am at 18V its just labled 1-10 its not labled in volts. Can some one please help me to understand this.

[cruizer]

Now why whould you really care about that anyways, just look at your weld, is it penetrating the base material in a neat and orderly fashion, or is it globby and gross. You'll be running a max wire size of 030 in that setting anyways.

[duaneb55]

I recently bought a pass port plus and am still trying to get a feel for it I think I like it:rolleyes:. Anyways I have a some what lare job to do on 16ga and only have 110V avalable on sight. I've been reading in the owners manual an it say that at 80A @ 18V the duty cycle is 100% my question is on the voltage dial how do i know if i am at 18V its just labled 1-10 its not labled in volts. Can some one please help me to understand this.

The voltage control settings are there merely for reference and represent the minimum to maximum (100%) voltage available rather than an actual voltage. Too easy to get hung up on trying to set to a 'specific' voltage. As wire speed (another % reference only) and voltage increases so does amperage but I don't have a copy of your manual to see what kind of information is available to go beyond that but it should include recommended settings to start with and then adjust from there to obtain the quality result required.

[Mega Arc 5040DD]

the reason I want to know is I want to be running at 100% duty cycle or close to it not at 20%

[cruizer]

Well if you blow the duty cycle, your machine will overheat and shut down, so its a no worry situation.

[Broccoli1]

the reason I want to know is I want to be running at 100% duty cycle or close to it not at 20%

If you set the machine for 16g .023 Solid wire you'll most likely be at 80A @ 18V & 100% dooty cycle:)

[duaneb55]

If you set the machine for 16g .023 Solid wire you'll most likely be at 80A @ 18V & 100% dooty cycle:)

Broccoli1,

I've never looked at these units before now but they look pretty neat. I don't have a need for one but how do you like yours? How is the spoolgun performance? Just curious.

[Mega Arc 5040DD]

Well if you blow the duty cycle, your machine will overheat and shut down, so its a no worry situation.

yah I know and thats what I might have to do but every I don't realy want to stop welding every 2min and wait around for 8 or i will never get the job done:( and the customers bill would be huge:rolleyes:

[Broccoli1]

Broccoli1,

I've never looked at these units before now but they look pretty neat. I don't have a need for one but how do you like yours? How is the spoolgun performance? Just curious.

It is sweet!!! Fits in the back seat of the truck and the dual voltage has come in handy- that is what sold it for me- gotta lotta friends with 120v :)

I was able to try one out before I bought it while visiting a friend- KB Fabrications-

Aloomeemum is just too good.

[chrisgay@sbcglo]

I'm with Cruizer.

I would think your first order would be to set up your machine for a sound weld for your application, not worrying about the duty cycle.

You will either have a duty cycle issue or your won't. Your machine will let you know, and you'll either have to wait or ...

Am I missing something?

[Mega Arc 5040DD]

Yes setting it right for the job is the thing to do however you can welde 16ga and get a good weld on a number of different settings. If I know what settings I can get 100% duty cycle then I have a starting point for setting the machine as aposed to having the machine set high and having it quit then turning it down a bit, reset my wire speed and try it again and so on and so on until it stops quiting and I am still getting a good weld.:( And the time it take on this job is important.:D

[Broccoli1]

You are not going to hit the dooty cycle on 16g- if you do you will most likely have made a pretzel outta whatever you were trying weld.:)

[duaneb55]

Yes setting it right for the job is the thing to do however you can welde 16ga and get a good weld on a number of different settings. If I know what settings I can get 100% duty cycle then I have a starting point for setting the machine as aposed to having the machine set high and having it quit then turning it down a bit, reset my wire speed and try it again and so on and so on until it stops quiting and I am still getting a good weld.:( And the time it take on this job is important.:D

Mega, Did you not see post #6?

[Sberry]

Yup, much worry over nuthin, you will get tired before the machine does on 16.
Its not an all or nothing deal anyway, at some point the duty cycle (basically wide open) is 20%, as the current is reduced the time is increased. My 175 has 30%, used it a lot, never hit the cycle. Did some pretty good sized jobs with it too. Foot after foot once inside a tanker on 11 ga.

[BBchevy396]

I've ran many rolls of wire through mine, at every setting and input voltage, from 24ga to 1/2" material, in shorts bursts and extended intervals...... never once hit the duty cycle shutdown. Now,... it's no 300A+ industrial machine, but VERY, VERY handy and capable.

The aluminum performance is far better than I expected. fairly limited on 120v, but does the little jobs, on 240v, it's quite good. I wouldn't make it my heavyweight shop machine by any means,.... but all in all, it is quite impressive in a small package.

IMO it was money well spent, has earned it keep, and makes my life alot easier on alot of little PITA portable "nuisance" jobs. I love it!

[jallcorn]

My passport is a good little machine but won't penetrate heavy base material w/o significant preheat. Normally, that is not an option for the jobs I use it on as they are typically done on site. The internal CO2 bottle is handy and I have a couple extra ones. In the shop I have a CO2 tank and will use it or my mix gas tank.

It is great for art metal projects. I'm an artist blacksmith and do lots of things like welding leaves on stems and the stems to other stems, etc., etc. for those jobs it is good.

For heavier stuff, I use heavier machines (Lincoln 215, Trailblazer w/ wire feeder, SA-200, etc.). On occasion I will use it to lightly tack things together and then come back with more power, depends on the situation and the location.

If I were a structural welder (barns, fences, buildings) I don't think it would be a good choice.

[IRONLORE]

I really like mine. It does perform much better on 240v, but it sure beats loading up the bobcat for small porable jobs. Since mig welds look better than stick welds, I use it where cosmetics are important on the jobsites.

Glenn

[FusionKing]

I don't believe it would be possible to hit duty cycle on 115v on a dual voltage machine. But I could be wrong about this.
The dial will still likely set where it was with 230v.
Don't know this for sure but that is basically how my 200 Dynasty works,
you will pop your breaker before you will overheat because it is a higher amperage machine. You can turn it up untill the arc starts acting funny (BTDT) and then back off a bit.
I would read the chart on the 115v setting and see what max is then you would know the duty cycle for that amperage.
I realize the Passport and the Dynasty use 2 different systems so ymmv.
My opinions are based on my exp. using MY Dynasty daily in any situation that comes up.
16 gauge is pretty thin so I think all this is a needless conversation.