Torch hand control questions

in posting about the hand control, my thought was to use a cheap rotary or sliding logarithmic pot to control a digital pot. that should give the fine control, if used correctly with the settings on the front of the super200p. if i am in any way mistaken, please advise.

i can build or buy all of the necessary parts, or if your company jobs it out to an electronics factory, then the cost can be minimal, especially if your company design the schematics. i can build my own, but not everyone can. just a suggestion.

If you build one please post pictures and details for others.

I sort of forgot about making one when thinking about how hard it would be to use with gloves.

I think a trigger type pot would be better than a slide or rotary though.

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Originally Posted by hammerbait

in posting about the hand control, my thought was to use a cheap rotary or sliding logarithmic pot to control a digital pot. that should give the fine control, if used correctly with the settings on the front of the super200p. if i am in any way mistaken, please advise.

i can build or buy all of the necessary parts, or if your company jobs it out to an electronics factory, then the cost can be minimal, especially if your company design the schematics. i can build my own, but not everyone can. just a suggestion.

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This is a very good point that you have made and in fact it is one of my pet projects for 2010. I have discussed this vey thing on a number of occasions with Alex and it will be one of my prioritys on my next visit to our Manufacturer.
Cheers
Oh Yes and Merry Christmas

It could be hard to work with gloves on. At least the knob will ,the slider will work better.

If on top of the touch, I would have better access as I hold the torch underhanded. Something to think about.

The 200 PI foot pedal has a second pot does that adjust the high end of the current? like a current band width control.

On the PM-256 does the current control on the machine still do that function, when the pedal is in place?

Does the ramping function continue then also?

Just trying to clear up an issues with my PM-256!

Maybe this should be a poll on the control functions.
When will the new up to date manual be released?
Is there a ruff draft other than the PowerTig 250 EX as a comparable manual ?
Thank You
dwdw

On, the PM 256, you the max current is set at the panel. The foot pedal functions within that parameter. The 205 however, functions via the foot pedal only and the primary rheostat adjustment limits the amperage.

The "ramping" I assume you are referring to pulse. The pulse should continue to operate, in scale proportionately

I was thinking about the homemade hand control proposed by hammerbait. Depending on how the circuit was done in the welder the 47k pot might not be a standard linear potentiometer. You might have to use a log scale part (?) to have even adjustment across the entire range when you set the upper current limit.

Just curious does anyone know if the welders use microcontrollers to "read" the potentiometer values and adjust the welding parameters or is there some complicated analog circuit doing all this? Any other electrical (electronic) designers out there had one apart!? ;-)

Cheers,
Sparky.

I worked at a shop that we did a lot of tig on stainless and there was a tig welder that had a helmet with a pot that was controlled with your jaw. Don't know if it was homemade or a prototype. The welder that used it did most of the out of position welding, guess it never caught on. Must have been carpal tunnel of the jaw!!! LMAO
We did welding inside SS ducts and burner plenum's with Maxon 6.2M BTU burners.
dwdw

Being a chronic sufferer of TMJ, with little or no recourse for treatment, even the thought of that hurts. I also so the jaw operated helmet that flips the dark lens up and down constantly to be a substitute for auto darkening helmets. I doubt any personal with a medical specialty in the mouth and tmj region would give their stamp of approval.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sparky

I was thinking about the homemade hand control proposed by hammerbait. Depending on how the circuit was done in the welder the 47k pot might not be a standard linear potentiometer. You might have to use a log scale part (?) to have even adjustment across the entire range when you set the upper current limit.

Just curious does anyone know if the welders use microcontrollers to "read" the potentiometer values and adjust the welding parameters or is there some complicated analog circuit doing all this? Any other electrical (electronic) designers out there had one apart!? ;-)

Cheers,
Sparky.

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Seems like this would be a good solution:

http://www.ckworldwide.com/amperage_controls.htm

The torch I had on the Miller diversion has the wheel on the top just in front of the trigger and It was easy to get used to even with tig gloves on , if you hold the tourch like a pencil but might be tougher if you hold it using your thumb for the switch it might be ackward ,but I found that I did not use it that much once the amps are right I never really touched it again. Some times on a peice that had a lot of welds I would turn it down a little after the piece got hot and didnt need as many amps but after using one I would like to just have one setting beside me on the bench so I dont have to go to the front panel once heat is built up. I see that miller makes one like I am talking about. It is just a pot with a on off toggle switch that you can set beside you on the bench. And if I remember correctly the pot for the PP256 is a 47k pot , not sure if the other models are the same, so it would be easy to make one up .
Gary