inverter arc welder (1 Viewer)

[Gold Boy]

what is an inverter arc welder, what makes it different from a regular arc welder?

 

[Pin_Head]

Inverter power supplies use IGBTs (insulated gate, bipolar transistors) to derive a lower voltage, high current DC welding power from a higher voltage AC source.

Conventional old school buzz boxes use transformers to step down the voltage (and step up the current) and silicon rectifiers to derive DC power.

Inverters are smaller light weight and more efficient. Most welders are inverters now, so they are "regular".

 

[Gold Boy]

Inverter power supplies use IGBTs (insulated gate, bipolar transistors) to derive a lower voltage, high current DC welding power from a higher voltage AC source.

Conventional old school buzz boxes use transformers to step down the voltage (and step up the current) and silicon rectifiers to derive DC power.

Inverters are smaller light weight and more efficient. Most welders are inverters now, so they are "regular".

that's interesting, thanks for the replie Pin_Head.

so could a 110v inverter welder could be used with a 2000w generator because of the less amps?

 

[Pin_Head]

Only at a maximum power of 20V and 100 amps and that is if the generator is accurately rated. You will find out when you pull the trigger if the breaker pops.

 

[Gold Boy]

20v x 100a = 2000w

interesting...

cheers

 

[bsevans]

Only at a maximum power of 20V and 100 amps and that is if the generator is accurately rated. You will find out when you pull the trigger if the breaker pops.

One of the differences between some inverter Mig welders is they have a soft start. By this I mean that in older conventional Mig welders when welding at 100 amps the start amperage may reach 1000 amps to start the arc and in an inverter Mig welder like my Miller Passport the starting amperage for the same 100 amp setting is around 300 amps. That is why some inverter Mig welders are not recommended for welding aluminum. It takes a lot of amperage to start the arc in aluminum. When I do repairs in aluminum with my Passport which is rated for 180 amps at 220v the arc will sputter for 1 to 2 seconds before it starts laying a good weld. I can live with that as I do not do much aluminum welding and have to change the liner to weld aluminum. It is different with a Tig welder with inverter technology as you are using AC and not DC to weld aluminum. Most smaller Tig welders are DC only and will not weld aluminum period.