Hi guys

About to purchase my first MIG welder and could do with some advice. I'm 
looking at the following 2 models from Clarke (right price range, local, 
seem to get postive reaction on the groups) but not sure which would suit me 
better - they seem to be pretty similar ! Need something that will cope with 
a restoration project so probably bodywork and chassis

Clarke 151TE - Hobby Range 223.19
Clarke 160TE - Automotive/Industrial Range 234.94


                                            151TE                    160TE
Max Amps                            150                          150
Amps at 60% Duty                65                              75
Min Amps                              30                             30
Open Circuit V                       19-31                     18-28
Weld Thickness                       6mm                       4-5mm

The only other differences I can see from reading the specs are that the 
151TE  needs a 30amp supply and  the 160TE has electronic wire feed control

Does one appear to be better than the other or is there anything else out 
there I should be looking at

Thanks

Jim

"Jim"  wrote in message 
news:bH1Pe.15598$5m3.7858@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

> Hi guys
>
> About to purchase my first MIG welder and could do with some advice. I'm 
> looking at the following 2 models from Clarke (right price range, local, 
> seem to get postive reaction on the groups) but not sure which would suit 
> me better - they seem to be pretty similar ! Need something that will cope 
> with a restoration project so probably bodywork and chassis
>
> Clarke 151TE - Hobby Range 223.19
> Clarke 160TE - Automotive/Industrial Range 234.94
>
>
>                                            151TE                    160TE
> Max Amps                            150                          150
> Amps at 60% Duty                65                              75
> Min Amps                              30                             30
> Open Circuit V                       19-31                     18-28
> Weld Thickness                       6mm                       4-5mm
>
> The only other differences I can see from reading the specs are that the 
> 151TE  needs a 30amp supply and  the 160TE has electronic wire feed 
> control
>


Are you sure it needs 30 amp supply? Most of these little MIG welders plug 
into the normal mains via a 13 amp plug and I can't see why it should draw 
30 amps. OK it might provide 30 amps output, but that's different.

Rob Graham

> Are you sure it needs 30 amp supply? Most of these little MIG welders plug
> into the normal mains via a 13 amp plug and I can't see why it should draw 
> 30 amps. OK it might provide 30 amps output, but that's different.
>
> Rob Graham
>

According to the website it does 
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=010110152&r=2029&g=105

Not a problem as I have a suitable outlet in the garage for the compressor

Jim

"Jim"  wrote in message 
news:Qv4Pe.15700$5m3.14605@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

>
>> Are you sure it needs 30 amp supply? Most of these little MIG welders 
>> plug
>> into the normal mains via a 13 amp plug and I can't see why it should 
>> draw 30 amps. OK it might provide 30 amps output, but that's different.
>>
>> Rob Graham
>>
> According to the website it does 
> http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=010110152&r=2029&g=105
>
> Not a problem as I have a suitable outlet in the garage for the compressor
>
> Jim


I'm using a 160te at the moment and also have a hobby 100emk2. The 160 is a 
far better machine and is fan cooled for a longer duty cycle.

>
> 

On Wed, 24 Aug 2005 17:58:47 +0100, Jim  wrote:


> Hi guys
>
> About to purchase my first MIG welder and could do with some advice. I'm
> looking at the following 2 models from Clarke (right price range, local,
> seem to get postive reaction on the groups) but not sure which would  
> suit me
> better - they seem to be pretty similar ! Need something that will cope  
> with
> a restoration project so probably bodywork and chassis
>
> Clarke 151TE - Hobby Range 223.19
> Clarke 160TE - Automotive/Industrial Range 234.94
>
>
>                                             151TE                     
> 160TE
> Max Amps                            150                          150
> Amps at 60% Duty                65                              75
> Min Amps                              30                             30
> Open Circuit V                       19-31                     18-28
> Weld Thickness                       6mm                       4-5mm
>
> The only other differences I can see from reading the specs are that the
> 151TE  needs a 30amp supply and  the 160TE has electronic wire feed  
> control
>
> Does one appear to be better than the other or is there anything else out
> there I should be looking at
>
> Thanks
>
> Jim
>
>
>
>


It's the 60% duty cycle that gets to you, waiting for the welder to ccol  
down starts to wind you up after a while.

"Gary Millar"  wrote in message
news:lb5Pe.73$p4.31@newsfe5-win.ntli.net...

>
> "Jim"  wrote in message
> news:Qv4Pe.15700$5m3.14605@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> >
> >> Are you sure it needs 30 amp supply? Most of these little MIG welders
> >> plug
> >> into the normal mains via a 13 amp plug and I can't see why it should
> >> draw 30 amps. OK it might provide 30 amps output, but that's different.
> >>
> >> Rob Graham
> >>
> > According to the website it does
> > http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=010110152&r=2029&g=105
> >
> > Not a problem as I have a suitable outlet in the garage for the
compressor
> >
> > Jim
>
> I'm using a 160te at the moment and also have a hobby 100emk2. The 160 is
a
> far better machine and is fan cooled for a longer duty cycle.


Personally I can't see the point of a fan for working on cars and hobby
jobs.
I have a Clarke 120E Mk 2, which hasn't got a fan.
Last week I was using it nearly all day to make a special rack from 1"
square by 1/8" thick tubing. Rack was only 5ft x 4ft x 14" but it's
construction took over 120ft of tubing, so there was quite a lot of welding.
It never cut out once.
Maybe it would if one were continuously welding very long seams at maximum
power, but how many hobbyists would doing that?
It also plugs into a std 13 amp socket, so can be used wherever there's a
mains supply.
Mike.

In article <430d2e7b$0$97119$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net>,
   Mike G  wrote:

> Maybe it would if one were continuously welding very long seams at
> maximum power, but how many hobbyists would doing that?


Likely to cause warping on car stuff too?

-- 
*If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried *

    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.