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TIG welder conversion progress report

I

Ignoramus2330

Jan 1, 1970
0
This is a little update on my TIG welder conversion. I am trying to
convert it to a multiprocess welder, CC stick, CC TIG, CV MIG, and
also plasma.

I have a PCTI SCR firing controller, and bought a Cubloc
microprocessor to control it. Readers of SED may have a little more
details, which I am not sure how deeply I should get into (maybe no
one is interested).

As of right now, after writing about 1000 lines in BASIC, and wiring
the microcontroller and relays into the welder, the following is
actually working:

1) Stick welding

2) TIG welding (gas, water, high frequency arc stabilization on
demand)

3) Arbitrary power supply mode where I can just dial in voltage and
current

I am quite happy in that the power supply can let me do all the things
that I could do before.

I already have BASIC code for pulsed TIG, but I have not yet tried
it. Just recalled that I had it, but it is ifdef'ed out for now.

Of interest is the fact that high frequency does not seem to damage
anything, even though the welder is open.

I hope to soon receive a Digimig wire feeder by L-tec/Linde. Perhaps I
could actually get it to work (it is kind of complicated, as I
learned). I have some MIG code, but likely it would need to be fully
replaced.

Also I do not have the foot pedal working yet.

i
 
J

Jon Elson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ignoramus2330 said:
This is a little update on my TIG welder conversion. I am trying to
convert it to a multiprocess welder, CC stick, CC TIG, CV MIG, and
also plasma.

I have a PCTI SCR firing controller, and bought a Cubloc
microprocessor to control it. Readers of SED may have a little more
details, which I am not sure how deeply I should get into (maybe no
one is interested).

As of right now, after writing about 1000 lines in BASIC, and wiring
the microcontroller and relays into the welder, the following is
actually working:

1) Stick welding

2) TIG welding (gas, water, high frequency arc stabilization on
demand)

3) Arbitrary power supply mode where I can just dial in voltage and
current

I am quite happy in that the power supply can let me do all the things
that I could do before.

I already have BASIC code for pulsed TIG, but I have not yet tried
it. Just recalled that I had it, but it is ifdef'ed out for now.

Of interest is the fact that high frequency does not seem to damage
anything, even though the welder is open.

I hope to soon receive a Digimig wire feeder by L-tec/Linde. Perhaps I
could actually get it to work (it is kind of complicated, as I
learned). I have some MIG code, but likely it would need to be fully
replaced.
Pretty damned impressive, I'd say!!!!! So, are you going to be building
all things to all people welders soon? Hate to see all that effort
going into just one unit.
Also I do not have the foot pedal working yet.
You should, that makes TIG so marvellous to do.

Jon
 
I

Ignoramus2330

Jan 1, 1970
0
Pretty damned impressive, I'd say!!!!! So, are you going to be building
all things to all people welders soon? Hate to see all that effort
going into just one unit.

I haste to add to my report that not everything is working
perfectly, for example the response of the power supply is not linear
with respect to current setting. Ie, I set the welder so that it does
50 amps when I dial 50 amps, but it does only about 90 amps when I
dial 100 amps, for some reason. (I have to dial about 114 amps to get
100 actual, I am going by memory)

But thanks for the compliment anyway.

One thing that I learned about this CC vs. CV is that it is mostly
about software, not hardware (although a transformer that only needs
to go to 36 volts, as in MIG, as opposed to 80 volts, like in TIG,
could be smaller for the same current, I think).

Maybe I will try pulsed tig tonight. I already have code.
You should, that makes TIG so marvellous to do.

I agree 100%, in fact I do have a foot pedal. I should do it. All I
need is the pedal, plug, receptacle, and a DPDT switch.

i
 
G

Gunner

Jan 1, 1970
0
This is a little update on my TIG welder conversion. I am trying to
convert it to a multiprocess welder, CC stick, CC TIG, CV MIG, and
also plasma.

I have a PCTI SCR firing controller, and bought a Cubloc
microprocessor to control it. Readers of SED may have a little more
details, which I am not sure how deeply I should get into (maybe no
one is interested).

As of right now, after writing about 1000 lines in BASIC, and wiring
the microcontroller and relays into the welder, the following is
actually working:

1) Stick welding

2) TIG welding (gas, water, high frequency arc stabilization on
demand)

3) Arbitrary power supply mode where I can just dial in voltage and
current

I am quite happy in that the power supply can let me do all the things
that I could do before.

I already have BASIC code for pulsed TIG, but I have not yet tried
it. Just recalled that I had it, but it is ifdef'ed out for now.

Of interest is the fact that high frequency does not seem to damage
anything, even though the welder is open.

I hope to soon receive a Digimig wire feeder by L-tec/Linde. Perhaps I
could actually get it to work (it is kind of complicated, as I
learned). I have some MIG code, but likely it would need to be fully
replaced.

Also I do not have the foot pedal working yet.

i

Damn..I wish you were closer..Id GIVE you the big Hobart CyberTig II
that I have and see what you could do with it.

Gunner

"If thy pride is sorely vexed when others disparage your offering, be
as lamb's wool is to cold rain and the Gore-tex of Odin's raiment
is to gullshit in the gale, for thy angst shall vex them not at
all. Yea, they shall scorn thee all the more. Rejoice in
sharing what you have to share without expectation of adoration,
knowing that sharing your treasure does not diminish your treasure
but enriches it."

- Onni 1:33
 
W

woodworker88

Jan 1, 1970
0
Wow. Nice work.
We should put one of those on our competition robot so that when it
breaks it can repair itself right on the field. No problem, just add a
few relays and some more lines in the code to control the Pic
controller.
 
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