Millermatic 200 issue?

[ZeanonJenkins]

Hey all, so I’m not to familiar with welding etc, but it is something I’m wanting to get into.

Currently where I work there is an old Millermatic 200 (black faced model, 1987) which hasn’t been used in a while.

Someone told me it was used and got “burnt up” from welding thick material for too long.

I was wondering what the “burnt up” would be referring too? The transformer? And could this be repaired? If so what would you estimate the cost to be?
I think if I’d be able to repair it they may let me use it to learn to weld with, or if it would be worth repairing I’m wondering if my employer would let me purchase it, as we’re currently already using a millermatic 252.

 

[dr_clyde]

If someone let the magic smoke out it could be a wide variety of things.

Something got too hot and shorted somewhere. I don't remember if those had a thermal cutoff or not. I'd have your welding supply triage it and tell you. If it's something like a thermal switch that's bad, easy fix. If the main transformer had been damaged then you're SOL.

I wouldn't spend more than a couple hundred bucks fixing it though, you can find working ones from $350-1k depending on local market.

 

[bdbecker]

No way of telling what is really wrong with it based on that info. Sure there could have very well been some sort of failure, or he might have been pushing past the duty cycle and not letting the machine cool down enough and got mad at it. I'd be tempted to plug it in and see for myself how it runs. If it doesn't run, a manual can be downloaded for free from Miller which gives you some troubleshooting remedies.

https://www.millerwelds.com/support/manuals-and-parts

 

[sberry]

I have ran in to these that didn't work back in the day. I don't recall what went wrong with them. I would say to look a little at the environment, is this a fab shop with lots of heavy plate? Different than a maintenance operation or light work with small wire. But I have seen a couple sitting in the corner over the years.
I wasn't out there in the world with some of the newer models but didn't see much go south with the 251 up on the Miller forums which I followed for 10 years.

 

[MJD1]

It's pretty common for the capacitors to be burnt. It's been a while but, if memory serves right, they still would make an arc, but very hard to control. There should also be fuses on the back that may have popped. Another thing to check is if it's set to the right in put voltage, should be a changeable shunt for that

 

[MJD1]

Another thing is the cables and receptales for high and low range are suspect to burning up.