Choosing an inverter welding machine

Having a private house or dacha, from time to time you are faced with the need to weld something. It is expensive to pay for services to a welder every time, especially since many jobs do not require special qualifications. Then there is a desire to purchase a welding machine and learn how to cook it yourself. The easiest way to learn welding is with inverter welding machines. They are electronically controlled, so they have several functions that make life much easier for the novice welder. These units allow you to get a high-quality seam even without a lot of experience. Now the matter is small: you need to learn how to choose a welding inverter.

How to choose a welding inverter for home or summer cottage, if there are dozens of brands?

About categories and prices

All inverter manual arc welding machines working with consumable electrodes are designated MMA conditionally can be divided into two large groups:

• Household - for occasional use and simple work. If you are not planning a large-scale construction, you will need the device once every two to three months to fix something, weld, etc., then the working resource of the units of this group is sufficient. These are the cheapest of inverter welders. They cost 3-5 thousand rubles or so, and are produced in China.
• Professional - for many hours of daily work. This is an option for those who will use the inverter in production or plan large-scale construction: build a summer cottage or house, weld a metal fence and stairs. The cost of these units is about $ 300-400.

There is also an intermediate class - semi-professional. In terms of characteristics and price, they are approximately in the middle. This is a good choice for those who like to craft something and also like a good instrument. All gradations are very conditional, but if you tell the seller what class you want the device to have, he will understand you and offer you several options.

The assortment even in an ordinary hardware store can be confusing, but in a specialized….

There are also universal or combined welding inverters. They can cook in several modes, one of which is usually manual arc welding. These units belong to the class of professional, are convenient for their versatility - some can work as a cutter, as well as cook in an inert gas environment, which makes it possible without problems weld thin metal and stainless steel. This equipment will come in handy if you also have a car - you can make repairs yourself, as well as cook all sorts of "little things" around the house.

Determining the characteristics

Choosing a price category is good, but you also need to select technical characteristics. First, let's decide on the power supply. If you choose a unit for private use in the house or in the country, most likely, you will be more satisfied with the power supply from the 220 V. There are also welding inverters from 380 V, but it is unlikely that anyone has such sources at home. And if there is, choose three-phase inverters. There are much fewer of them, but they also exist.

Welding current

How to choose a welding inverter according to technical characteristics? In this case, they proceed from those products and their thickness with which you plan to work. First of all, select the maximum welding current that the unit can produce. It is denoted by Imax, the unit is Amperes.

There is a fairly clear relationship between the thickness of the metal you want to work with and the current that will be needed for welding. This dependence is presented in the table.

If you are going to cook ferrous metal (corners, channel bars, etc.) with a thickness of no more than 1 cm, it is enough for you that the inverter can produce 160-180 Amperes. If at least from time to time, you will have to work with a greater thickness, you need a current of up to 200 Amperes. Iron sheets thicker than 2 cm are not used anywhere in everyday life, so 220-250 Amperes for a house or a summer residence is clearly too much. It is hardly worth overpaying for unnecessary power, then it is better to spend money on purchasing a unit of a higher class (or good chameleon mask, without which it will be difficult for a novice welder).

In addition to the welding invetror, ​​you will also need protective gloves and a welder's mask. A chameleon mask is recommended for beginners in welding

The minimum current Imin is required at inverter welding of thin metals... If you need to weld steel or stainless steel up to 2 mm thick, you will need to heat the parts to be welded as little as possible. This is where the minimum current is needed. As a rule, the lower limit of adjustment is 10 A, but there are units on which you cannot set less than 30-40 A. They are good for those cases if you have special equipment for "delicate" operations (for example, a semiautomatic welding machine).

The organization of the current regulation is also important. It can be stepped or smooth. Smooth adjustment is better - it allows you to more accurately select the operating mode for each metal and electrode.

Open circuit voltage

This characteristic is measured with the equipment turned on, no load. It is designated as Uxx, the unit is Volts (V). It determines how easily the welded arc will strike and how stable the arc will be. The range of values ​​is 40-90 V. The higher the stated open-circuit voltage, the easier it will weld.

Technical characteristics of the welding inverter Fubag in 160. Open circuit voltage can be described as follows

Supply voltage

As already mentioned, most of the inverters operate on a 220 V network. But on Russian networks, a more or less stable voltage is maintained only in large cities. In rural areas, a voltage of 190 V is already good. But inverter welding machines are good because they are undemanding to the supply voltage. They easily cook at 180-190 V, and some models even at 150 V can "pull" an electrode 3 mm in diameter.

If the voltage in your village is low, pay attention to this indicator. It is usually prescribed simply as "voltage" and a minimum and maximum value is put down through a dash: for example, 150-245 V. Sometimes you can see the following record: 220 V + 10%, -30%. This means that the machine will normally cook if the supply voltage is in the range from 154 V to 244 V (220 V - 30% = 154 V, and 220 V + 10% = 244 V).

Operating mode at maximum current

If you have to work at the maximum possible current, then the unit will have to be given time to cool down. That is, cook for a while, rest for a while. These intervals are counted for 10 minutes, denoted in the technical data as "duty cycle at maximum current", measured in percent -%.

For example, if the characteristic contains PV at a maximum current of 40%, this means that out of 10 minutes 4 you can cook, and 6 you will wait until the apparatus cools down. At least 50-60% are considered normal characteristics, 70% and more are good.

Technical characteristics of inverter welding TORUS-165 MASTER (Torus 165 Master)

Please note that this requirement applies only to the maximum current, or close to it. At medium or low currents, there is no need for forced stops. You still have to change the electrodes or position from time to time, move the part. So there will be pauses.

That's all the technical parameters you need. Now you know how to choose a welding inverter according to its characteristics. But that's not all. There are also additional functions. For beginners, they can be very helpful. And some operational points can also affect the choice.

Additional functions of inverter welding machines

The presence or absence of service functions is not critical, but it makes life much easier, especially for a beginner. Their set is usually standard:

• "Hot start" HOT START - affects the ignition of the arc. During ignition, an additional impulse is given, which makes it easy to start welding.
• "Arc Forcing" - ARC FORCE - with a sharp approach electrode to the metal, the welding current is automatically increased. This prevents the electrode from sticking.
• "Anti-sticking" - ANTI STICK - turns off the power when the electrode sticks, turns it on after it is torn off. A convenient function, especially useful for novice welders.

There are some more useful features. For example, indication and automatic shutdown in case of overheating. This is a useful addition - it is not always possible to keep track of the time, or the overheating indicator. Automatic shutdown saves from burnout and costly repairs.

Welding machine for manual electric arc welding allows you to weld almost all metals, except non-ferrous

Pay attention to the complete set: in addition to the welding machine, there is usually an attachment cable (sometimes it is removable, sometimes stationary), two welding cables - one with a clip for attaching to a part, the other with an electrode holder. It is best if the cables are lightweight, flexible and long. But this luxury is not always there. More often work cables are about 2 meters long, which is not always convenient. When looking at cables, pay attention to how they are terminated, soldered (better), or clamped / rolled.

Pay attention to the availability of the warranty period, as well as how close the nearest service center is to your home / summer residence. The lack of a service network is a worrying sign. This means that even in the event of a warranty breakdown, you will repair it yourself, for money. You will not send the device for repair through half of our rather big country ...

How to choose a welding inverter manufacturer

Now you know how to choose a welding inverter according to technical specifications. The most difficult task remains: to choose the brand of the device, or rather, the manufacturer.

Chinese welding machines or?

In the category of household welding inverters, almost all units come from China. There are brands completely unknown to anyone, there are brands that have been working for years and have earned a certain prestige. Well-known Chinese brands are, as a rule, equipment produced by reputable factories equipped with modern equipment.

The "owners" of the brand are Europeans, Americans and even Russians, and production facilities are located in China. This scheme has been worked out for a long time and is well known. That is why recently even two lines have appeared in the descriptions of the devices: “the homeland of the brand” and “the country of origin”. It's not entirely correct to call these inverters "Chinese", but they were produced there. In general, it's up to you.

Chinese inverter welding machines well-known on the market have not the lowest prices. But they are checked, and most of them have a network of service workshops or a repair contract with some of the similar services. Here are a few of these brands that have generally good reviews:

• Resant welding inverters. The birthplace of the brand is Latvia, the manufacturer is China... There are three lines:
  • SAI - models with a maximum welding current from 140 A to 250 A, supply voltage from 170 V to 250 V. Price from 6.5 thousand rubles for AIS 140, up to 14 thousand rubles. for the 250 amp model.
  • SAI PN - models operating at reduced voltage - from 150 V. Price from 11 thousand rubles. for a 160 ampere unit, up to 18-19 thousand rubles for a power of 250 amperes.
  • SAI K - compact models with less weight and dimensions, and the characteristics are the same as for AIS. At a price of 7.3 thousand rubles for a 160 amp device, up to 12 thousand rubles for 250 A.
    

    Resant's welding inverters of the SAI, PN (reduced voltage) and K (compact) lines (To enlarge the picture, right-click on it)

• Welding inverters Svarog: the birthplace of the brand is Russia, the manufacturer is China. Permissible deviation in supply voltage 220 V +/- 15% (190 - 250 V).
  • Household models ARS 165, ARS 205;
  • Professional PRO ARC-160 PFC, ARC-205B, ARC-315.

• Welding inverters Fubag (Fubag), the birthplace of the brand is Germany, the manufacturer is China or France. The IN series is assembled in France and the IR series in China. Permissible deviation in supply voltage 220 V +/- 15% (190 - 250 V).
  • The Fubag IN series of welders can operate in MMA and TIG modes (welding in argon atmosphere, for TIG mode you need a special set of equipment - purchased separately). Price from 11.8 thousand rubles for a device with a capacity of 16 amperes, up to 18 thousand rubles. for a power of 220 amperes.
  • IR series inverter welding machines are only MMA welding, they have “anti-stick” and “hot start” functions. Price from 7 thousand rubles. for 160 amperes and up to 9.5 thousand rubles for 220 amperes.

• Another representative of the Russian inverters produced in China is the Kedr inverter welding machines.
  • Cedar MMA series - work only with consumable electrodes. There is a "hot start" and "anti-stick" function. Prices from 7.5 thousand rubles. for the smallest (170 Amperes) and up to 9.5 thousand rubles. for a unit with a capacity of 220 Amperes.
  • The "Cedar ARC" series are units of the professional series, they also have an arc stabilization function, the price is from 10.5 thousand rubles for a unit with a capacity of 160 amperes, and up to 28 thousand rubles for a 400 ampere unit.

• Interskol inverter welding machines. This is another brand originally from Russia, producing equipment in China. Feature of the complete set: the plug for connecting to the mains is not included in the set. It is stated that the device works with a power supply from 140 to 240 V. There are two lines:
  • Interskol ISA, for MMA (manual consumable electrode arc welding). Prices from 6.5 thousand rubles. for a device issuing 160 amperes, up to 10 thousand rubles. for a power of 250 amperes.
  • Intersokl ISP series - in addition to MMA welding, it can operate in MIG / MAG mode (in inert or shielding gases). The price for an ICP 160 amperes is 19 thousand rubles, for an ICP 200 amperes - 21 thousand rubles.

• Welding inverters FoxWeld ("Foxveld") - Chinese production. Decent performance, wide selection. There are several lines of budget welders for summer cottages operating at reduced voltage.
  • FoxWeld Summer resident - price from 7.2 thousand rubles for a unit with a capacity of 160 A. A digital display with large numbers makes information easier to read. The supply voltage is 180-240 V, though not the best performance at the maximum current: 40% duty cycle. Open circuit voltage 56 V.
  • FoxWeld Corundum - With similar general characteristics it has the best current-voltage characteristic: open circuit voltage 78 V.
  • FoxWeld Master can work with a set of argon arc welding. PV at maximum current is even lower: 35%. There are functions of "hot start" and "anti-sticking", arc afterburner.

Russian welding inverters

There are few welding machines produced in Russia. Several years ago, Torus inverters appeared, which meet the declared characteristics and give a stable arc. What pleases me is a long warranty - 3 years. Such a period is very rare, so this already gives hope that everything should work well. There are two lines:

• Household appliances "Torus" - 165, 175, 200, 210 (this is the power in amperes). Price from 13 thousand rubles. for 165 ampere model up to 15 thousand rubles. for more powerful - 200-210 amperes, PV at a maximum current of 60%.
• Professional line Torus 235 Prima, 250 Extra, Torus 255 Profi (from 17.3 thousand rubles to 20.5 thousand rubles), PV at a maximum current of 80%.

The declared supply voltage is 165-242 V. Please note that welding cables are not included in the basic package. They need to be purchased separately.

Tests of the Torus 250 inverter welding machine, see this video.

Inforce inverter welders are also produced in Russia. They belong to the professional category, there are only two models for 200 and 250 amperes. They can work both in MMA and TIG modes (torch and gas cylinders are purchased separately). Continuous current regulation - from 50 to 200/250 amperes, work / rest ratio at maximum current - 60%. The price of Inforce inverters is 16-21 thousand rubles.

In Nizhny Novgorod, the ElectroIntel enterprise produces Neon inverter welding machines. This technique is designed to work in harsh conditions: it cooks normally at temperatures from -40 ° C to + 40 ° C. The devices are universal - I also work both in the manual arc welding mode and in the TIG mode. For devices of this type, the price is very low. For example, the welding inverter NEON (Neon) VD 160 costs 9.7 thousand rubles. The second modification, which may be suitable for domestic use (for construction, for example) This NEON VD 180 is sold at a price of 12.5 thousand rubles. The devices have all service functions and a multi-board structure (more maintainable than single-board counterparts). Work / rest ratio PV at maximum current - 80% (measured at + 40 ° C).