which wire feeder?

[shade tree welder]

i am thinking about investing in a portable wire feeder, and after reading all the info on the rc feeder and the vs feeder i am trying to figure out which is best for my situations. One day may be fixing constuction equip, next day doing a 12 inch waterline, never know whats next out in the field. iI have a trailblazer 302, which one will work best with the least amount of extra equip,ie control boxes ,cables, just more or less plug it in and spend less time hooking up other cables, control boxes, just more crap to break down or get damaged and add to the cost of owning a portable wire feeder.Hey dda52 hows the weather down that way ,i notice you have a rc feeder, whats your opinion?

[dabeldesign]

I have the same set-up as you with a Trailblazer 302 and I run a suitcase 8RC. It's set up right now with .035" Mig wire and I use it all the time in the shop. I have a spool of NR-211 innershield that also runs great through it. I still need to get a gun an drive rolls for some bigger flux cored wire (the .035" doesn't cut it sometimes). The great thing about using the Miller suitcase is being able to plug it into the remote and control the voltage from the feeder instead of going back to the welder. When you buy one though, you will need a remote extension. I bought a 50' extension brand new for about $250

[MAC702]

This must be a different "shade tree welder" than the one we're used to! Ron's already got everything!

Anyway, do you plan on the capability for doing short-circuit GMAW on thinner material? Or mostly FCAW in field conditions? The RC feeders will do it all (with more cables), while the VS feeders are best for the latter, and much simpler and hardier.

[DDA52]

Gettin' hot, Shade. A tree would be nice where I was today.


I use both the VS and RC, mainly because it is easier to just set one up for a wire and leave it. I guess I am getting lazy in my old age.

If I had to choose between the RC and VS, and only keep one, it would be the RC. As Mac said, it will do it all.....as long as you are within 75' of the machine. I have run both VS feeders with .035 solid and C-25 on 1/8 MS. They both performed flawlessly. That was at 17vdc. At 15vdc, the contactor will cut out, so that will limit the low end. That isn't a factor with the RC. Yes, running the extra cable is a big pain, but then so is that freakin' voltage sensing clip. The VS feeders are fairly sensitive to bad connections. Sometimes, you spend more time getting a good connection with the clip, than actually welding.

How far away from San Antonio are you? I'd let you run them side by side to see what you think.

[fun4now]

just wondering would some thing like a passport work or is the low amp top end a problem ?? just wondering as it wouod seem lik just running an extention cord would be nice. probly no help to ya but i'm cureous what you guys with then feeder think about the passport as an option and why the feeder is a better choice??

[DDA52]

For me, having one unit that will run .023 on thin stuff and then turn around and burn .045 solid or 1/16 or 5/65 FC at 300 plus amps is the better way. If I didn't have the TB, then maybe a Passport might be a better feeder.

[shade tree welder]

sounds like the rc feeder is the better of the two, more versatile, i guess no way around the cables. Thanks for the info gang. Hey dda52 about 140 miles or so.

[fun4now]

Hey dda52 about 140 miles or so.
you planing on doing mobile work without taking the welder out of the shop.? the extention cords are not only going to be expensive but heavy and hard to role up.

[ranchersam]

So if you have a Bobcat 250, your only option is a VS. Looks like I'll be looking at a 12 vs xtreme soon.

[DDA52]

Yup, you are limited to VS only, Sam. No short circuit, but it will run a mean flux core and dual shield. FWIW, there was a Super S-32P in the San Antonio Craig's List the other day. It was the model that preceeded the 12VS. Mine works great.