blu260z Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 (edited) Mike I cant speak in regards to Unimig as I have never used a Unimig unit. The guys at toolshops talk them up to be a good little unit, but they dont use them as often as others do. I can recomend 2 other units for around the $1000 + mark. CIG transmig 175i, comes with mig/stick hand peices and reg but no tig setup $1150 +/- Lincoln Powercraft 180i, comes with mig/stick hand peices and reg but no tig setup $1400 +/- Hope this helps Edited February 27, 2017 by blu260z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike260LW Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 Thanks for the info and advice. I ended up buying the CIGWeld 175i. Price matched and got it from a local supplier for $1050.00 so I was happy. Too many choices! Andrew_L26 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blu260z Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 Good work mike. Good quality welder and for a very good price aswell. We use them at work for smaller onsite jobs and cant fault the unit. The handpiece has broken once but thats not due to quality, its due to heavy handed workers!!! Mike260LW 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew_L26 Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 Hey guys, Thought I'd chime in. I've been using a Cigweld Transmig 175i For about 6 months and it's been fantastic. I purchased it second hand for 700$ with a full E-Size bottle of gas, good quality welding helmet as well as all the regulators etc. The bloke had it for around 5 years and it still works perfectly. The gun could be replaced though as he ran it over with his car haha. For gas I went on the BOC "D-Plan" which is an absolute steal! I think it was $110 for one year of rent on a D-Size. The bottle comes filled and you get one free refill. Refills after that are around 90$ (Or you could just sign up for another plan) I haven't been able to find gas cheaper, $110 for two bottles of gas and a years rent is pretty darn good. Cheers, Andrew Mike260LW 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickers Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 For anyone running the lincoln 180c or cigweld 175i with a 10amp->15amp socket (the legal one with a breaker), have y'all had any trouble? Doesn't trip on cold startup? Looking to buy one in the near future and only have a 10 amp socket (although it goes straight to the main breaker which is an 80amp breaker). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cozza Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 (edited) If you have an 80A breaker I hope you have some fat cabling and not just your typical 2.5mm twin and earth normally used for 20A power circuits!! Good way to start a fire otherwise. Edited April 6, 2017 by Cozza Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickers Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 It's a rental so I have no idea. Everything but the garage appears to have it's own breaker (turned all breakers off but main breaker, garage still had power). I'm no electrician but seeing as the garage is the only thing using this particular cabling (ie garage is only thing on after turning off all breakers but main), and I plan on using the mig through a 10->15 amp adapter with a 10 amp breaker, would I really be pushing the cabling that much to cause a fire? I don't have an air compressor or any other high load machine hooked up in the garage, so it would simply be the mig. I would love to hear everyone's view on this, as I have little to no experience with electrical circuits and would rather be proven wrong then be stubborn and cause a fire. Cheers Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBR Jeff Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Rick What you have described is not safe, compliant, or legal in any way. Get the land lord to have an electrician take a look at it and rectify/clarify the situation. It takes quite a bit to trip an 80 amp breaker, if anyone was unfortunate enough to get "hooked" up on that circuit they would be in a bad way if not dead before the 80 amp main breaker tripped and cut the power. I am also suspicious that what you are calling an 80 amp breaker in not a breaker but a switch as is the case in many old installations, if this is the case your are completely unprotected. In a "work shop" situation with grinders etc working its fairly simple to inadvertently cut a live wire and have a nasty accident. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickers Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Hi Jeff, You're completely right, it's an 80amp switch. Kind of shows my inadequacy when it comes to electrics! I'll attach a picture to make sure I have been describing the correct situation. I guess I'll have to get on to the landlord... I hate renting. In the mean time, would using the described 10amp -> 15amp adapter with a 10amp breaker in it for doing ANYTHING in the garage be the right way to go? At least that way there's something that will trip... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cozza Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Do you maybe have a sub-board specific to the garage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickers Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 As far as I can tell, no. I can see where the cables enter the garage through the roof, and are navigated around the roof beams to the powerpoints. I assume the sub-board would need to be visible/accessible in case of emergency (so it wouldn't be in the roof...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBR Jeff Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Rick. Yep that is a switch. Yes doing what you described would add a degree of safety to your situation but it's still not correct. As it's not correct I would be worried how incorrect it is! What sort or wiring has been used etc. Just to confirm, if you turn ALL the breakers off and leave the main switch on you still have power in the shed? Cozza. If it has a sub board the sub board would still need a breaker in the main db to be correct. Jeff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickers Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 I'll grab a few photos in my lunch break of the cables. Correct, I switched off the breakers one by one until only the switch was active, and the attached garage never lost power (tested sockets/garage door/lights). The thing I did notice was the 20amp breaker on the far right didn't appear to have anything on it's circuitry as far as I could tell... (had a light I plugged into all sockets in the house and garage, tested the lights, a/c, heater etc.). Maybe the sparky was meant to put it on that breaker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickers Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 (edited) So good and bad news. Bad News: Went home for lunch and I was right, the powerpoints in the garage are not connected to a breaker... So that's no good. Good News: Whilst checking the cabling to the powerpoints, I noticed something... I followed the cable up... HAPPY DAYS! The 20amp breaker that I thought wasn't wired up is a dedicated circuit for this socket!! Thanks for the help! Oh and more importantly, found a free screw driver. Edited April 7, 2017 by Rickers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew_L26 Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 To reply to your question, the only time I've tripped the breaker using my 175i is when I was welding on nearly max power and there were a few other lights etc on in the house. If you're doing light panel work I can't imagine the welder drawing more than 4A so you should be fine unless you're welding some 6" + steel Cheers, Andrew Rickers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBR Jeff Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 Interesting... The power point that is connected to the 20A breaker is a 15A outlet so you should be ok with that, but It looks like evidence of further bodgie wiring with what looks like a single coming out of it??? It would still be advisable to get it checked out by a licenced electrician. Then you will be covered both for safety and insurance if something goes wrong. Jeff Rickers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cozza Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 Cozza. If it has a sub board the sub board would still need a breaker in the main db to be correct. Jeff. Your right but having a breaker in a sub board protecting the appliance and user would be better than nothing. Rickers, highly recommend bringing it to the attention of your landlord or agent. It's not legal but more to the point, not safe either. CBR Jeff 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickers Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 To reply to your question, the only time I've tripped the breaker using my 175i is when I was welding on nearly max power and there were a few other lights etc on in the house. If you're doing light panel work I can't imagine the welder drawing more than 4A so you should be fine unless you're welding some 6" + steel Cheers, Andrew I assumed that this would be the case, cheers! Interesting... The power point that is connected to the 20A breaker is a 15A outlet so you should be ok with that, but It looks like evidence of further bodgie wiring with what looks like a single coming out of it??? It would still be advisable to get it checked out by a licenced electrician. Then you will be covered both for safety and insurance if something goes wrong. Jeff Will do! Thanks for your help. Your right but having a breaker in a sub board protecting the appliance and user would be better than nothing. Rickers, highly recommend bringing it to the attention of your landlord or agent. It's not legal but more to the point, not safe either. Will do! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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