i-Mig 250, or i Mig 250p, or i-Mig 400?

[John71a]

I am looking for a new, larger MIG welder. I have several Everlast products which I like, but I cannot seem to find detailed info on these units on the site. The i-Mig manual is only for the 205p. The i-Mig 250 cannot be found anywhere on the sight (by me). So how did you guys who have these units find out about them? I'd like a feature comparison between the i-Mig 250 and the i-Mig 250p, especially since Mark has mentioned that the thinks the i-Mig 250 might have better features.

Also, I have a Miller Trailblazer 302 engine welder and wonder if Everlast has a controller/Mig gun combo for that? ...or a spool gun/controller for that? I've seen HTP's Trailblazer Mig spool gun setup and it look's pretty good, but I'd rather have a standard Mig gun/controller setup. I wonder if Everlast's 400 controller could be used for that, even though I'd be using it at 250 amps...

Also, why haven't users of the 250p been using the pulse? Mark implies you don't need it. I can't find much on it and Zoama here says he hasn't even tried it on his new 250p. I've seen several videos of the Longevity 250p "sister" model, a couple on Kevin Caron's Youtube, and Tim Robel on Longevity's Youtube site.

Is there any place to find out more about these units? I am very interested in the pulsed mig units since I do a lot of farm repair and think the lower heat input would help along with the gap filling potential. I cannot afford to buy a big machine every year, and I don't want to gamble a couple of grand on rumors...

[TheGary]

I do not have answers to most of your questions but I can answer a few and give you a little more insite. I have a miller 302 EFI. I have an older model miller spool gun that I purchased new in 1988 I believe it is a spoolmatic 3. It works perfectly with no modifications on my new trailblazer. You can pick one of these older spool gun up on ebay for $300-$400. Just make sure it has the 14 pin connector. I bought mine for my millermatic 200 that I purchased at the same time as the spool gun. The everlast 250 is about the same amount of welding power as my millermatic 200. I do not have the spot time feature and have never really missed it either. Gap filling is easy with any decent mig machine. pre flow and post flow for the shielding gas would be the only things I would look for if I were to buy a new one. That said I do not need them enough to make me want to replace my present machine. If you do a lot of auto body work and or other thin metal projects it might be worth considering but I have done some auto body with mine and it was fine for the occasional project here and there.

[zoama]

If you can afford the 400 that's the way I'd go... call sales and talk to them about it. That's one heavy duty machine.

[redbeard]

I agree with zoama, if you have the electric service to feed it, you really can't have too much machine.

As far as not trying pulse yet, I've gotta confess it is just lack of time to play and learn for me. The few things I have welded since I got it just haven't needed it.