miller pound gun?

[Timewarp]

Hi, got a new welder Miller200dx, inverter tig 200A - the model without ac . Is it possible to add a pound gun to this unit for welding Al?

Thanks, Paul L

[Ries]

I thought all 200 DX were pulsed AC/DC units?

Anyway, the answer is no.
They are a constant voltage power supply, and for a spool gun you need Constant current.

If you want to run a spool gun on an inverter, you need to buy a CC/CV model like the XMT series, not the tig specific models like the Dynasty.

If you dont need AC for tig welding aluminum, a 304 XMT is a helluva welder- I use mine to power a spoolmatic gun, and XR push pull gun, or my S-22 series wire feeders, but I also stick weld with it, and do scratch start and lift arc tig on steel and stainless and copper alloys.

[macona]

Not quite right.

Dynasty or Maxstar 200DX, I am going to assume Dynasty.

Its a maybe. the 200DX is a CC machine. For steel you want CV. Mig aluminum actually likes CC and often runs better that way.

But here is the problem. The 200DX has a low OCV feature that drops the OCV down to 9v when not welding. But this option can be turned off in setup so it may work.

Next issue. The control box for the spoolgun (Assuming you are using the Spoolmatic 30A with adapter box) wants 24v to run everything. You will have to add an external transformer to provide this power.

So it ought to work, but no guarantee.

[Ries]

Okay.
I gets confused, about CC vs CV. But most tig machines wont take a spool gun.

I think it sounds like a fair amount of makeshift jiggery to use a transformer, and then get inside it and reset the voltage.
Seems like a spool gun is enough hassle as is- I have never really liked using mine, especially with aluminum- without the added hassles of it not really being compatible.

[macona]

The setting I was talking about is set up though the front panel settings. There is a setup menu accessible by holding a button down while turning on the machine.

If you got one of the cheaper Spoolmates there is a control box for it that just plugs into 120v. That would be the simplest.

Mig is the only way for me to weld thicker aluminum. With my XMT and CK Spoolgun I can weld 1/2" aluminum plate in one pass no preheat.

[Ries]

I am spoiled, as I have an XR push pull, and that works a LOT better on aluminum than my old spoolmatic gun.

[macona]

Yeah, me and my dad have one too. Its the way to go if you can afford one.