Portable Welder ..

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Tapage

Tapage

Club 4X4 Panamá
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After quick search in the forum .. dunno if it's here any write up about this ..

Time ago Mobi Arc was hot in this area ... and know there was few other options but that was the more popular by my knowledge ..

Still the best option for portable weld .. ?

thanks !

David
 
Got one from someone on one of the forums, 2 deep cycle batteries from Costco and a marine float charger deal on eBay.
It welds very nicely and I can bring on trail as well. I think I am good for up to 1/2" with two batteries.
I use my Hobart 135 for smaller stuff
Tapage said:
did you use with 2 batteries ..? ( 24V ? ) to field welding said something like broken steering rod or TRE's ?
Click to expand...
 
Portable as in you can use in both your wheeling rigs or just mobile with the vehicle?

Tool's idea has worked well for me in the past as well. Have you looked at adding a second alternator setup just as a welder? A buddy has a GM alt as a second unit in his 40 that's setup just to weld and it works surprisingly well. I found an article online on how to modify it to work for welding.
 
Hobart Trek 180 is a pretty slick setup. Internal batteries as well as 110V in a compact size. Welds approx 100" on battery power. Spendy, though.

I bought a Miller Passport, and although I don't plan to need it on the go very often, I should be able to get by with an inverter if I needed to.
 
How do you like the Passport so far ? Been looking at one but the limit of actual current output at 150a kinda sucks. I'm a bit worried that moderate fabrication will overtax it's output board and shorten the lifespan. Nice unit for around $1700 , though....

Also, how well is the arc stabilization in the field on straight CO2 ? The video looks good , but they always do...lol .
Sarge
 
Keep ideas coming ..

Talking about Passport and Trek 180

1. Can be the Passport be run through 2000amp inverter ..? ( thinking you have good alt behind )

2. Can be the Trek recharged from 2000 amps inverter .. ?
 
Tapage said:
did you use with 2 batteries ..? ( 24V ? ) to field welding said something like broken steering rod or TRE's ?
Click to expand...
Yes we use two batteries, I use RV wing nut style connections on my batter so it's pretty easy to get out.

Yeah, the last Rubicon trip one of the guys hit a rock on the Forest service road out and broke the nut off the TRE at the steering arm. We welded what was left of the TRE directly to the steering arm on the inside.

Action shot
DSCN2992.jpg


We welded a broken drag link on a Bronco once, and I think we have fixed a couple of other trucks that weren't with the club as well.

It's nice to share the cost of something like that across a few people.

Edit: Before anybody gets their jockies in a knot Shawn was wearing gas welding goggles with the correct lens for arc welding in them.
 
Weber Sarge said:
How do you like the Passport so far ? Been looking at one but the limit of actual current output at 150a kinda sucks. I'm a bit worried that moderate fabrication will overtax it's output board and shorten the lifespan. Nice unit for around $1700 , though....

Also, how well is the arc stabilization in the field on straight CO2 ? The video looks good , but they always do...lol .
Sarge
Click to expand...

Runs very well with 100% CO2. Welder was designed to run on 100% CO2. Has inductance controls too.

My passport is used for portable work only. I have other welders for moderate to heavy fabrication.
 
Last edited:
Tools R Us said:
Batteries, jumper cables, welding rods, filter lens, etc, good to go.:hillbilly:
Click to expand...

I'm with you. I always carry a handful of 6011 with me and some cables and a lens. It costs next to nothing, but it can weld up anything made of steel and save the day. Use 1/8 inch rod with two fresh batteries and then drop down to 3/32 rod after welding a few minutes.
 
Weber Sarge said:
How do you like the Passport so far ? Been looking at one but the limit of actual current output at 150a kinda sucks. I'm a bit worried that moderate fabrication will overtax it's output board and shorten the lifespan. Nice unit for around $1700 , though....

Also, how well is the arc stabilization in the field on straight CO2 ? The video looks good , but they always do...lol .
Sarge
Click to expand...

Love it, but I couldn't answer any welding questions. I'm a complete novice and am still just boogering things together. I get by with a lot of grinding. :D It seems pretty bulletproof, though. I bought mine used ($550 on CL, double :D) People who have welded with it seem to like it a lot, too. I went with the Passport because everything I read about it seemed positive and I love the fact that it's pretty portable. It doesn't make sense to me to have your welder confined to a cart and have to always bring the workpiece to it. And that's not even mentioning the floorspace a welding cart plus a couple of tanks would take up in a 2-car garage. I would have preferred the Plus version so I had the option of a spoolgun, but for the price I wasn't about to be picky.
 
I sure like the Ready Welder. I had the opportunity to see one in action @ River Shiver this year
 
Pin_Head said:
I'm with you. I always carry a handful of 6011 with me and some cables and a lens. It costs next to nothing, but it can weld up anything made of steel and save the day. Use 1/8 inch rod with two fresh batteries and then drop down to 3/32 rod after welding a few minutes.
Click to expand...
It is also pretty easy and cheap to build an on-board stick welder from an alternator.

Pirate4x4.Com - Pirates of the Rubicon 4wd Club
 
rusty_tlc said:
It is also pretty easy and cheap to build an on-board stick welder from an alternator.

Pirate4x4.Com - Pirates of the Rubicon 4wd Club
Click to expand...



I had a second alternator like that on my 40 for welding, but I sold the 40 a couple of years ago. It was OK, but really no better than a couple of batteries. It depends on how much welding you expect to do. If stuff is breaking all the time then you can justify the expense and effort. If not, carrying a hand full of welding rods and accessories is not bad for insurance in emergencies.
 
Pin_Head said:
I had a second alternator like that on my 40 for welding, but I sold the 40 a couple of years ago. It was OK, but really no better than a couple of batteries. It depends on how much welding you expect to do. If stuff is breaking all the time then you can justify the expense and effort. If not, carrying a hand full of welding rods and accessories is not bad for insurance in emergencies.
Click to expand...

Agree, if you plan to do lots of repairs/fabricating on the trail, then get a nice one. I would prefer to never do repairs on the trail, so just carry the basics needed for the outside chance that it would be necessary.

We did a battery welding demo/experiment at one of our meets. Several members did some welding, got a feel for how it is done. The big shocker was the effect on the batteries, would have expected a big draw, hard on them, but it was difficult to detect any effect. Would need to do a ton of welding to significantly discharge the batteries.
 
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