OK, neighbors here I go...

[zoama]

Thanks zoama, do I take that to mean that it does have fault protection but it's not reliable? Buy fault protection I mean like the machine will not weld until it rights itself? And that protection is not a fuse but a real auto reset fault protection breaker?

The official word will have to come from Everlast. I have nothing to do with tech support.
I believe the protection is reliable but welding until it shuts down repeatedly may still cause damage. I know that sounds contradicting, but that's my understanding from what I've read.
I've never overheated one of my machines, but I have tripped some sort of protection on my mig welder when I first struck an arc. In that instance the machine stays running and the wire still feeds but won't arc. The machine has to be turned off and back on to reset.
I'm sure you can get much better info by calling tech support and talking to Ray, Mike or Mark http://www.everlastgenerators.com/Technical-support.php

[performance]

Ok, let me try to answer this again. I have tried to indicate this before, but want to make it a matter of public record here again, not in PM.

1) The reason the unit does not put out a full 24V is that because Voltage determines the speed that at which the wire feed motor drives the wire. Wire speed controls amps. To exceed a certain voltage would mean that the unit would have to put out more amperage than the unit is capable of.
2) Larger diameter wire does not need to be fed as fast to get to spray mode, because of the dynamics of a larger diameter wire able to provide the same amps at a lower speed. That is why it feeds better in general.
3) Yes. Yes. Yes. You can "fry" the unit. This is what we've been trying to say again and again and why it was recommended you get a larger unit. Duty cycle protection is the same as a Redline on a car. Do you want to just sit and redline your cars engine day after day for hours on end??? Even if you keep it a hundred rpm's below the "rev" limiter? No. There's a reason there are "idiot" lights on cars to prevent damage. But when they come on, damage may have already been done, whether its a temperature gauge or oil pressure gauge. Sure you can start the car back up and run it, after adding oil/fixing oil pump or allowing the engine to cool, but damage to the rest of the engine long term probably has already happened. This is the same for the duty cycle.

[Yofish]

For the heck of it, I tried the MiamiRatWelder on some heavy stuff. I tilted it once, the red light came on, so unless something else happens that would shut the machine off after a point, I guess one can assume that it cooks if you're not paying attention. This kind of welding is not the plan for the machine but I want to know its limits. This is a masthead out of 3/4" bar on 1/2" plate:

[performance]

The machine if it hits the duty cycle "as stock" stops putting out power. Damage probably has already been done, and it won't be long now.

[zoama]

For the heck of it, I tried the MiamiRatWelder on some heavy stuff. I tilted it once, the red light came on, so unless something else happens that would shut the machine off after a point, I guess one can assume that it cooks if you're not paying attention. This kind of welding is not the plan for the machine but I want to know its limits. This is a masthead out of 3/4" bar on 1/2" plate:

Thanks for sharing...
Were the edges beveled and did you pre-heat ?
Did you weld it all in one go or were there breaks ?

[Yofish]

Thanks for sharing...
Were the edges beveled and did you pre-heat ?
Did you weld it all in one go or were there breaks ?

No bevel. As shown, the assembly is upside down and will socket into a mast that is slotted to receive it. YES! I nearly always pre-heat anything over 1/4" for starters. I did not time the welds but I did not 'go for it' and stopped in between. No weld was over 6" long. 23V and 230 rat bites per min. on the wire.

I'm curious as to how the machine in its 'stock mode' shuts itself off; does the weld current circuit open or the wire circuit? I can't imagine it being the wire unless the protection does not work in stick or TIG mode THAT IS if you just dead-shorted it by say, mashing the electrode into the work? Everlast doesn't have to worry, I wouldn't think of making any sort of claim should it fry but I don't really expect an answer that is understandable, either. Maybe if I hooked up my Tweco rod holder and ground to the machine it would be confused and not tilt? Must be something magical at work somewhere?

So zoama, as I sniff around this site I've caught whiff of a catalogue that 'is for industrial users' but for the life of me I can't find it. Is that some urban Everlast legend or is it real but not for the unwashed?

[performance]

When either an over current or an over heat is sensed, inverter output is shut down. The wire feeder will continue to roll, the fan will run but the inverter output is interrupted. It must cool and then it will reset itself if it's an overheat.
We send our industrial catalog out to industrial customers all over the world. Just sent quotes out to our S. African distributor. If you have 30k-50k dollars with financials to put up for minimum qty purchase for production, I'll send you a copy. The MTS 400 is one of the cheaper units we have in our industrial line...for example. That's why we put it on our regular site for promotion. Boards are fully potted and the unit has had no issues since its introduction 3 years ago.

[Yofish]

When either an over current or an over heat is sensed, inverter output is shut down. The wire feeder will continue to roll, the fan will run but the inverter output is interrupted. It must cool and then it will reset itself if it's an overheat.
We send our industrial catalog out to industrial customers all over the world. Just sent quotes out to our S. African distributor. If you have 30k-50k dollars with financials to put up for minimum qty purchase for production, I'll send you a copy. The MTS 400 is one of the cheaper units we have in our industrial line...for example. That's why we put it on our regular site for promotion. Boards are fully potted and the unit has had no issues since its introduction 3 years ago.

Here we go again with the 'sort of' answer. So what is so different with how the machine shuts down with your gun as opposed to the 30A? I know I'm ignorant, but I have to assume OVERHEAT or OVER CURRENT is a physical phenomena and not dependent on what is causing the condition. Would it not be more honest to say that?

You really make me laugh! OK I get it, I'm never going to see a catalogue unless I plunk down 50K, cool! Can you at least let us know if there is a REAL push-pull wire feed system you can get for 50K?

At the bottom, this is what I do not understand: in my career I've had AirCo (with cheerful willingness) help me hook up a Hobart Linear II feeder to one of their machines, with the same alacrity Hobart helped me hook up a Miller XR feeder to their power source and so on so forth, but you guys have some sort of mandate to be as obscure and resistant as possible to do the same! Do you not see what you are missing out on?

[Yofish]

Adios. To The Gary and kempy best to you, you guys are the salt and the kind of folks that I'd love to have a beer with any day.

Those that are interested in aluminum boat building you must read this:

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/met...ats-50445.html

This guy is a genius. His designs do not appeal to my taste but his approach and skill is astounding. I love the way people parse something in a way that is diametric to my way but opens my eyes to another way of seeing.

My little effort is here:

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/met...new-50315.html

Wherein I apply my limited knowledge to the craft. BTW, there WILL be discussion of technique that may include what BLUE proscribes. Morin kinda went there but bailed because, unlike me, he's mellow.

This has been interesting and I hope that Everlast sees that there have been a lot of hits to this thread. To stifle a poster for 'drama' is flattering but stupid, frankly.

[TheGary]

Yofish, take care and I hope your retirement supplement plan works out for you. I will try to find you and Kevin on some of the other forums. I have learned a lot about miging alum. already from you guys. I have welded alum. many times with mig but welding and making welds with the most strength are 2 different things. I believe this site would be better with the both of you here but it is what it is. I too believe there has been a difference in jargon that has caused more problems than should have. I believe Everlast products are headed down a good road and are a welcome option to the industry. There is no substitute for thousands of hours doing a welding process for gaining knowledge . To me the "spray arc" " short arc " thing was closed minded. What I learned is that the finer adjustment between those two forms is very important to find the max strength of a mig weld in alum. In the past on ocasion I have experienced the foamy pores welds that were mentioned but did not realize what I needed to do to correct it. I will continue on this forum and realize that Everlast tech is not all knowing but also is a good source of help. They build and sell machines and doing a pretty good job. No Company will ever supply use with everything exactly like we want it so there will always be the guy that wants/needs to modify,adapt a product. It is sad that leagle concerns must cloud everything because a few fools spoil the pot. I also believe that fdcmiami caused more problems than anyone on this thread. I have no ill will toward him and I can learn a lot from him too in some areas but it just goes to show that just because we are in a niche does not mean we know everything about that niche . The work done is more important than the tools used to do it. Yofish and fdcmiami are very similar but with different viewpoints. Both feel the need to call a spade a spade, both feel they need to call out another to keep things right. I was the same for many years and in my experience it caused me more problems than it was worth.

[Kempy]

Adios. To The Gary and kempy best to you, you guys are the salt and the kind of folks that I'd love to have a beer with any day.

I will bring Canadian beer to go with the American beer. Yes I did find your welding very interesting over the ones I got out of my machine it is a lot in the technique and using the right tools to make it work right the machine is not always the problem but the welder and the technique one person can make a perfect weld with it and the other make a mess just knowing how to make it work right.
Working on a push pull gun using a spool gun as the puller, it a lot of work but if it dose do the job it will make aluminum welding easer still looking for a used 30A. Yes Mig welding aluminum is all new to me with the inverters technology did it many years ago but it was not ease now using the MTS250S I am going back to it just for the ease and how fast it is to do a job with it a little more help and I might get close to Yofish's welds.

Yofish quote on post 48 (Hey! My posts are being deleted. I guess that is what being 'on probation indefinitely' means) I hope not you have given some very nice aluminum Mig welding pictures made aluminum welding look like Tig welding.

Marks quote (No he was in jail for one week. And he's on probation indefinitely. Forum broke after his release.) boy all most sounds like you broke it some how . Words can be taken many was but the right way.

[zoama]

My last post may have come off sounding a little ruff, but things had broken down at that point to making digs on other forums and a never ending cycle of jabs back and forth. I never wanted to see any of that. I like for us all to share knowledge... then use what we can and ignore the rest. I like working on boats and I'd like to be better at welding aluminum so I'll listen to anyone and try their advice. If it helps me that's great, if it doesn't then no harm done.
I'd like to see all parties involved just forget what happened and start over.

[Kempy]

Must have been sleeping not rereading the sentence, it should of said: Words can be taken many way's, but the right way. not Words can be taken many was but the right way. Amazing what one missing letter can do.

Zoama your right, we will learn more not jabbing back and forth because someone made a mistake or was misunderstood by what they wrote. I have been taken back by other peoples comments and it was hard not to say something that I might later regret. I appreciate this forum for what it was made for to help people fix problems or share welding skills and projects they have made welding, cutting or just sharing things.

[Blaster]

This was a very interesting thread, (and by the Read Count, I wasn't the only one who felt that way) it's too bad things went the way they did...

Ruffled Feathers,,, Thin Skins,,, despite Yofish's very first claims that he had no desire for this to turn into a pissin' match, it unfortunately did

Plenty of blame to go around, no one was completely at fault and no one completely innocent, that's the nature of posting though, happens all-too-often. With only the written word, no facial expressions or humanity, no "eye" to look at for further interpretation,,,, this is what you can get.