New Welder For The Service Van

[platypus20]

Last week my Miller Maxstar 200, decided it had met its expiration date, apparently the cooling fan blade shattered and threw shrapnel through the output section of the welder. It threw a series of error codes and is deader than a mackerel.

The welder is going into the repair shop for an estimate to get it up and running, I’m not real keen on throwing any serious money at a 15 yr old welder, but we shall see. As a pro-active plan I ordered a new Miller Maxstar 210 STR, the LWS said if they could fix the old welder, the new welder would go into stock.

This morning I dropped of the old welder, they looked at the error codes and said, yes they could fix the welder, but probably $500+ in parts and labor, so they are now going take it in as a trade in and I picked up the new welder.

So there is a new welder for the service van, a Miller Maxstar 210 STR, a 200 amp DC stick machine, that can work on 120/208-240/480 vac single phase and 208-240/480 vac 3 phase, weighs about 38#. For its size it has a high duty cycle, low amp draws, digital volts/amp readout screens, and a good warranty.

As the company does no AC welding, no mig or TIG welding, just DC stick welding, this model does exactly what we need.

 

[lis2323]

Nice !

 

[dr_clyde]

I love my maxtars. They are very good machines.

Just out of curiosity, if you're only doing stick welding, why not a CST instead?

 

[lis2323]

I have a small Maxstar that I found cheap on eBay. I really like it but it gets more use lending to friends needing the 110v capability.

 

[Wrench97]

Your service van has a welder the runs on electric?

 

[dr_clyde]

Your service van has a welder the runs on electric?

Customers usually have shore power for small welders.

I keep a Maxstar in my service van.

 

[Wrench97]

Don't see that a lot around here, lucky if you get a 110v hook up

 

[platypus20]

I repair industrial boilers for a living. Most customers will not allow engine drives on site, so it’s electric welders. I own a CST 280, but the inability to run on 120 vac and it’s higher amp draw, means I’d also have to carry a Maxstar 161S, I’d rather not have 2 welders in the truck.

 

[Robinson1]

Different trades with different requirements.

You've not got a serious service truck around here unless you've got either a generator or engine drive welder on board

 

[xela456]

I love my maxtars. They are very good machines.

Just out of curiosity, if you're only doing stick welding, why not a CST instead?

I believe the CST IS 230V 1PH OR 480V 3PH only so less versatile there. However ive used one extensively and owning a maxstar 161s for the 110 side the CST 280 would by my next choice up as they are excellent welders on 480 be er really experienced one on 230

 

[platypus20]

I believe the CST IS 230V 1PH OR 480V 3PH only so less versatile there. However ive used one extensively and owning a maxstar 161s for the 110 side the CST 280 would by my next choice up as they are excellent welders on 480 be er really experienced one on 230

The CST 280 is 208-230 vac single phase or 208-230/460 vac 3 phase

 

[xela456]

The CST 280 is 208-230 vac single phase or 208-230/460 vac 3 phase

My mistake, I didn't have one in front of me to look but I do think they are both great welders. If it were me I'd also spend the extra money on the maxstar. Let me ask a question since I've also owned a maxstar 200 about the same vintage. Have you ever plugged in, run your lead a long way or up a ladder, turned on and went to weld and realised you forgot to switch the output on?? ������
That would be the ONLY thing I didn't like about that welder! It got me like that a number of times.

 

[dr_clyde]

Hey, the Maxstar is a better welder , I just figured if you’re only doing stick then why pay for the extra features you’re not using. I didn’t realize that the CST couldn’t do 120v.

There is a time and a place for a generator, but for quite a lot of work I just don’t need one. We do mostly TIG on stainless tubing and sheet metal, so the Maxstar is perfect for us. 90% of the time we’re indoors so it’s way easier to just plug into a 20 amp 120v circuit instead of running 200’ of lead from a Trailblazer. I bought 161 STH machines so we could keep them small and light for field work but still have the ability to use a foot pedal with high frequency in the shop. They’re outstanding little welders.

 

[platypus20]

My mistake, I didn't have one in front of me to look but I do think they are both great welders. If it were me I'd also spend the extra money on the maxstar. Let me ask a question since I've also owned a maxstar 200 about the same vintage. Have you ever plugged in, run your lead a long way or up a ladder, turned on and went to weld and realised you forgot to switch the output on?? ������
That would be the ONLY thing I didn't like about that welder! It got me like that a number of times.

Turn on the welder, crawl under the boiler or tank and realize you forgot to turn the output on, I’ve done that once or is that 20+ times. The Maxstar 210 STR, has the ability to turn that function on or off, I set mine to turn the output on, when the welder powers up. I also set the open circuit voltage to the max, 76 vdc

 

[xela456]

Hey, the Maxstar is a better welder , I just figured if you’re only doing stick then why pay for the extra features you’re not using. I didn’t realize that the CST couldn’t do 120v.

There is a time and a place for a generator, but for quite a lot of work I just don’t need one. We do mostly TIG on stainless tubing and sheet metal, so the Maxstar is perfect for us. 90% of the time we’re indoors so it’s way easier to just plug into a 20 amp 120v circuit instead of running 200’ of lead from a Trailblazer. I bought 161 STH machines so we could keep them small and light for field work but still have the ability to use a foot pedal with high frequency in the shop. They’re outstanding little welders.

I bought a used 161s (stick only) and I agree they are a phenomenal machine. I've used mine primarily for stick, welding 6010 on pipe on 110 volts and it's pretty hard to tell your using such a small machine. I wish it was at least an st (lift arc and foot pedal capable) but when you find a deal you don't really get to choose. I use it as a scratch start from time to time and have no complaints. Though my tig experience is pretty lacking.

 

[xela456]

Turn on the welder, crawl under the boiler or tank and realize you forgot to turn the output on, I’ve done that once or is that 20+ times. The Maxstar 210 STR, has the ability to turn that function on or off, I set mine to turn the output on, when the welder powers up. I also set the open circuit voltage to the max, 76 vdc

Yeah I've been gotten by that a number of times. The company I work for believes mostly in buying only 1 type of electric welder. Something robust enough to handle any stick or air arc capabilities. So we own probably 15 Miller 350xmt's and a few 304s. Weighing in at about 81 pounds. We only have 1 maxstar 200 and it is in high demand!

 

[platypus20]

I don’t own a Miller 350xmt, but I own a Lincoln Invertec V-350 Pro, a very similar machine, a CC/CV power source that’s built like a tank, weighs about 85#, hardly a portable machine. I have as part of my 15+ welder inventory, a Lincoln Invertec V-275S, a machine similar to the Miller CST 280, but is larger, heavier and also built like a tank, I keep it around because it capable of running on 575 vac 3 phase, primary use is in paper related jobs, paper mills, printing companies and jobs on the Canadian border.

 

[sberry]

I have a Max S I carry in the van. It has nearly put the engine drives to sleep.

 

[Wrench97]

Last year when I retired from a fleet shop we still ran a Miller 225D I remember it being almost new when I started in 86..........................for mostly trailer repair it's more then we needed