Anyone know how to add a spool gun to a Lincoln Wire Matic 255?

[Tags]

Ok, this just maybe stubborn on my part but I'll ask anyway....I own a Lincoln Wire Matic 255, I stupidly purchased it years ago WITHOUT the spool gun control kit. The spool gun control kit is no longer available from Lincoln, I have been looking for a used 255 with the kit with 0 luck. I don't use it a ton, I mostly use it during the winter months when I'm not busy with my excavation business to weld up buckets and some odd jobs here and there, so it doesn't have a lot of heavy use. I really don't want to buy a new Mig welder with all the electronics since mine works just fine. That being said, does anyone know if it's possible to add a spool gun to this welder any other way?? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Big Barn]

MIG/TIG/Stick Welders & Plasma Cutters | USA Weld

Terry

 

[Arc weld]

Hopefully this works. You need a spool gun adapter kit as well as the spool gun. It's an older machine so probably the best bet is to call Lincoln directly to see if everything is still available. Make sure to get the code number off your machine, not the serial number.

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/assets/servicenavigator-public/lincoln3/im534.pdf

 

[Big Barn]

You may need an adapter for your amphenol pin out but I THINK a Miller WC24 controller and 30A spool gun will work on any CV machine, if Lincoln can't supply you with OEM.

 

[yomax4]

I had a Wirematic 255 back in the day. It had the module that went on the bottom of the front panel. You weren't dumb to buy it without the panel. That panel was $450.00 and the Lincoln spoolgun was $695.00. The welder was $1100.00. The Wirematic 255 is a fine welder for what it is and has a great Arc. Now days you can buy an import spoolgun for $300.00 and hook it to your welder without the module. You wont have quite the control you would have with the OEM module set up but you can do aluminum with the spoolgun. Or, The 255 is still worth what it was new and you could probably swap for something that already has a spool gun without spending much and it might even be a Mig Tig Stick unit. Options options options.

 

[Tags]

Thanks for all the help so far....the original control kit is no longer available from Lincoln, I've checked with them and even some of the local welder repair shops with no luck.

I am also not an electrical wizard or even a wizards apprentice, so I would be up for trying anything if someone can point me in the general direction when it comes to wiring something up.

The simplest so far seems like the setup from USA weld, I'm gonna give them a call and see what they say.

 

[Tags]

Ive looked into the USA weld setup and after doing some research it really seems that people are not really happy with that setup...


Is there any other way to get a spool hooked up to this unit or should I just give in and start saving for a new mig welder??

 

[Industrial Toys]

I bought a couple of 255s last fall and was going to sell one to friends company to use with an existing Lincoln gun they had. We "assumed" being the same make, it would work. As it turned out, the guns are machine specific and I lost the sale.

Just for starters, the connectors were different, and I could have changed that, but Lincoln told me, it still would not work.

 

[Tags]

The parts are available for a POWER MIG 255, just not for the older less-full-of-electronics WIRE MATIC 255....lucky me...if anyone comes across one that's in parts (or not) but has the original control kit on the bottom front panel I would be very interested in buying it. I've had an ad on Craigslist now for a couple of months looking for one but it hasn't garnered any attention yet....

 

[yomax4]

The parts are available for a POWER MIG 255, just not for the older less-full-of-electronics WIRE MATIC 255....lucky me...if anyone comes across one that's in parts (or not) but has the original control kit on the bottom front panel I would be very interested in buying it. I've had an ad on Craigslist now for a couple of months looking for one but it hasn't garnered any attention yet....

I know a lot of repair facilities in multiple states. I'll make a few calls and see what's out there. I'm surprised this item is so hard to find. It was a popular welder and spool guns were coming into their own at that time. Lincoln didn't make that spool gun but they sourced it in the USA. I'll check with that company to see if they offer anything as well. The spoolgun module for this machine was complicated with pre flow / post flow timers on the board.