no amp control... econotig..

[cruizer]

Well in this case the power is off for this check, so no worries.

[buk]

Well in this case the power is off for this check, so no worries.

ahhh well then let me see if i can find my meter lol

if not then ill just take it to the shop on monday

[zipzit]

Jay,

I sent you an email based on your craigslist posting.. Call or email me... I'd be happy to come by and look at machine with you. I can bring my Fluke clamping ammeter (VOM) and I'm pretty sure we can figure this out.

Should be a fun puzzle. If we fix it you're buying dinner.. if not, I'm buying...

--zip

[treflip]

Hey Buk,

How are you? I am having the same thing with my econotig. I haven't tried checking with a voltmeter, I was using the tig setup and was getting around 70-80 amps on startup.

I am tacking 1/16" ss together and am using a foot petal. I have tried changing to lift-arc and turning my amperage down to 0. I still around 70-80 amps on startup. I just bought this thing off a buddy and know econtigs aren't high end tiggers.

My econotig's serial is KF788280. Not sure what year though. Do these things start off with 5-10 amps usually?

Just figured I'd keep this thread going, since it's what I'm going through also.

Update: I read on and found out the later year econotigs don't adjust by the knob in lift-arc. So I hooked up a hand remote, that had worked for me in the yard, and still got no control. That means it's internal.
-Tre

[Broccoli1]

They don't go down that Low.

For yours:
DC- 30-160amps
Ac High- 50-165amps
Ac Low- 20-50amps

[treflip]

Nice. That'll work just fine, once i get it figured out. I'm brushing up on schematics.. I chose welding instead of electrical in the skill center. Then I'll compare my readings with good ones.

Thanks for that info.

So I checked my Potentiometer? and it's fine. I took out the board(see pic) and notice Sup1 and Sup2 were broken.


I also read Danielson3 had similar issues and replaced other closely related components with success. If I digikey, my parts won't be mailed till the 4th, which kinda sucks. I'm off to radio shack to see what, if anything, they can provide. Luckily I got into Rc helicopters the last year and have learned how to solder tiny boards and connectors. This may give me the incentive to get that oscilloscope I've been wanting... .

I'm going to replace those and see what happens. I priced out 165 872, which supercedes my board and it's $430. I wouldn't be able to get in that deep, not until the layoffs over, for shure.

[kbraby]

Looks like somebody let the magic smoke out of those suppressors...

[buk]

airgas called back

875 to replace the main board def not something i can afford..

where did you price out the board at? calling miller direct?

i wish i had taken apart the welder better to inspect the board but then again i didnt want to walk around replacing things.. and spending more money..

875 is def not worth it for me to fix.. i wonder how much i can get for a junk welder

everyone i know keeps saying just pawn it off as a welder that you know nothing about but i believe in karma.. so heh im stuck with it!

im getting back with airgas.. i think imma get in on a rent to own kind of deal..

i need to go pay the 100 bucks and get the welder back asap..

[cruizer]

Use: miller4less.com

[buk]

little update.. .

went to pick up the welder.. he said it was the board 100% sure.. he swapped in a test board and it worked fine..

paid my 100 bucks inspection fee went out back to pick up the welder and the tech made me an offer i couldnt refuse on the board..

he told me to just swap it and ittl work..

took welder home cracked it open swapped out the board... fired up the welder.. and nothing.. wont weld.. welder powers on and fan comes on and thats it.. push foot pedal and you hear it "engage" but it wont strike an arc..

cracked open the welder again looked inside everything looked ok... closed it back up tried again still nothing

opened the welder back up and swapped in my old board and that doesnt work either!

now im pissed

going to see if i can talk to the tech tomorrow