Thunderbolt XL vs inverter

[bdog]

I have a thunderbolt XL AC/DC welder. It works fine. I am not a professional welder by any means but I burn about 100lbs of rods a year on average with the vast majority being 6010 with some 7018. I have been eyeing these everlast inverters and see how well the 200 & 300 are recommended and how well they weld. My question is do these machines weld significantly better than my current machine as in I will notice the difference? Is it worth the cost to upgrade or should I just use what I have since it works? I know this probably just boils down to personal preference I just have no idea how different the welders might be and what I might be missing out on.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Yes, you'll notice a difference, especially on starting the rods, and also in the smoothness of the arc. The arc force control is something you don't have on the thunderbolt as well that can make a huge difference...But whether you want to trade or not is something that is going to depend entirely upon you. Worth it to me might not be worth it to you. You can always sell your unit if it doesn't look like it's still useful to you.

 

[bdog]

Thanks for the reply. Reason I am tempted is I think I can sell my machine and put a hundred bucks with it and get a power arc 200. It seems like a worthwhile upgrade but it also feels kind of strange since my thunderbolt new was nearly double the cost of the power arc 200. I think I am upgrading performance wise but I would be going to a machine half the cost.

Then the next dilemma is if I am going to make the leap should I settle on a 200 or go with the 300? Bigger is always better right but realistically I don't think I will ever need over 200 amps. I have been welding about 25 years and have never used over 200 amps and honestly don't even know why I would need to.

 

[Arc weld]

Duty cycle is about the only reason to go to a 300 if you plan on burning 3/16" or bigger rods. I think the 200 inverter has a significantly higher duty cycle than the Thunderbolt anyway. You'll notice a difference with the inverter for sure.

 

[Shield Arc]

I've never used a Thunderbolt, seen them just never used one. I have a 1970s Montgomery Ward AC/DC buzz box. There is no comparison in the quality of arc between it and my PowerArc 200. In your case is it worth up grading to the 200, I just don't know! Now upgrading to the 300 where you have adjustable arc force and hot start, YES! I wish I would have waited until the 300s came out, I just might not have bought the V350-Pro.

 

[Jesse masterson]

Mark if it's not to much trouble send me a price of the 200 and 300. I'd appreciate it.

 

[zzvyb6]

I also have a Thunderbolt XL and started all my welding experience with a very old Craftsman AC box with at least three of the selectors burn out. My (used) Thunderbolt came with 60' extra long cables, which I considered to be a 'feature' of the sale. But, it was kinda disappointing because the initial arc strike was always a problem. However I learned to live with it.

Someone on here mentioned that coiled cables could cause problems because they acted like a transformer and therefore had inherent inductance. I always had coiled the extra long cables around the welder's handle to keep from tripping over them. (If there is an air hose, water hose, extension cord or welding cable within a yard of my feet, it will manage to coil around at least one of them).

When I weld now, I always uncoil both cables and lay them flat. All the problems I had with this welder have now gone away.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I'll pm you Jesse.

 

[bdog]

Well I am going to give the power arc 300 a try. Talked to Mark and he is shipping me out one today.

 

[Shield Arc]

Great!:thumbsup: I'd love to get my hands on one of those.