Looking for a cheap, reliable and fully working MIG.

Prefer 160A or greater.

[Edited on 16/2/05 by chunkielad]

Dont forget that anything over 150A runs the risk of tripping out a normal domestic supply mate.
If you just want it for welding your chassis, anything over 100A will do it fine.
Mark
(105 amp will do 1-4.5mm)

Ahhh, the local welding geezer said nothing under 160A!!! I think he's misunderstanding my needs

Anyone with a welder over 100A?

I've got a 160A, never had any problems until I strated using it through a 16A RCD. On the two highest settings the RCD would trip out, so I took a feed off of the back of the main 32A RCD and no problems. Switched the 16A for a 20A and bingo no problems. I think the welder must have been instantaneously drawing more than 16A enough to trip out the RCD but not long enough to blow the 13A fuse in the plug.

In short, I'm not an electrician, but if its manufactured with a 13A fused plug then you should be able to plug it into any 13A socket.

I believe in the bigger the better, a big transformer running at half pelt is better than a small transformer running at full pelt, it wont overheat as quickly for one thing, heard of small welders having problems doing aluminium, but haven't tried myself so can't properly comment.

Geoff