By Clare Goldsberry, Associate Editor

Most welders who want portability also want power and performance, and reducing the size of the generator and the welding unit, while boosting power to perform heavy duty jobs, has been the primary goal of companies that manufacture welding generators.

“It’s true that the customer is looking for smaller, lighter equipment that maintains a high output and high quality, and that’s been a tough hurdle to get over,” Joe Gitter, product manager for Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. (www.millerwelds.com), said.

“We’ve not been sitting still on this and we continue to work hard to make the most efficient generators we can. Developing models with less horsepower and more output for the given horsepower has been one of our strong suites.”

Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. (www.millerwelds.com) offers its Big Blue 400 and 500 Deluxe Model, Big Blue Air Pak and Pro 300 CC/CV diesel enginedriven welder/generators for portable welding applications. All contain Miller’s patented “Vault” technology that hermetically seals the circuit board and it impenetrable to dirt, dust and moisture, the company said.

The mobile welding world is changing, with more jobs requiring the use of wire welding, either solid or flux cored, and those perform the best with a CV type of output. Instead of buying multiple machines to perform a variety of tasks in the field, one machine can provide a variety of outputs to do the job, Gitter explained. “With generator welders mounted in truck beds, exposed to the elements such as rain and dust, we have chosen to put our main PC board into a Vault,” he said.

Manufacturers have devleoped several options – from large to small – to provide mobile power to remote welding job sites.

The Vault is created out of two aluminum halves sealed with silicone on the mating surfaces, as well as a watertight harness for connections, the Vault provides a clean circuit board environment, protecting the electronics – and controlling output – of the machine in heavy industrial applications. Without the sealed environment, says Miller’s information, circuit boards are exposed to harsh elements that can disrupt the electronics, and therefore the operation of a CC/CV welder/generator.

Gitter, at Miller Electric, said: “Many people are afraid of electronics because of the reliability issues involved. The Vault removes almost all of those issues while giving operators true CV performance and a more stable output. Further, you can fine tune the machine to match your application because now you have a protected PC board to accurately control the output of your machine.”

Zena Inc. began manufacturing portable generating units almost 10 years ago when its first patents were issued.

“We make generating units that can be retrofitted to things that can turn; real small generating devices with a complete range of controls that you’d typically find on the biggest and most expensive generators,” Blazina said.

ESAB’s Handy Plasma 250 uses

Zena’s equipment can be put on truck loaders, front end loaders, any equipment with small engines. The product, a 150 amp welder at 100 percent duty cycle that weighs 65 lbs. is Zena’s most popular model. The company also makes a product for military applications that can run at 150 amps, 200 amps, and 250 amps that weighs less than 100 lbs and can be powered by any fuel available, Blazina explained. “It weighs about the same as a suitcase welder and this one can be as small as a suitcase you’d carry on an airplane, and can produce the power of one you’d see on the back of a truck. The quality is the same as a larger welder, which is what customers are looking for,” he said.

Because of the compactness of Zena’s equipment, it’s possible to add an air compressor and ac generator and the welder, and package it together in a unit 24 in deep by 30 in high.

“It’s smaller than an engine-driver welder but offers more features and Zena makes a full range of these products, both diesel and gas powered,” Blazina said.

Blazina said that the 150 amp duty cycle was chosen for the company’s products because it offers enough amps to do all the jobs in the field, such as maintenance applications on a farm, but at a competitive price.

“Our equipment replaces welders that are $3000 and up, and ours about $1000, and get great power plus a 3-year warranty,” Blazina said.

All of Zena’s welders have remote controls in addition to conventional controls, and the user can make adjustments to the power without breaking the welding arc. “The user has complete control over the power and can literally adjust it at their fingertips while keeping the welding rod close to the puddle and eliminate contaminants. We stir the weld puddle so the center mixes with edge which creates a pretty bead,” Blazina said. The 150-amp welder - model MW150 - can be used on a diesel engine or a small lawnmower engine of 11 hp or greater. Blazina is the first to admit that when people look at Zena’s 150 unit they aren’t impressed. “It looks like part of an alternator motor. We anticipated that but didn’t plan for it by using that design. We inherited all that design work and then did studies to make sure it was sturdy and would last. It’s was already life-tested and stress-tested when we began this product. Because it’s small and light, there’s less stress and strain on the moving parts,” Blazina explained.

Two new products from Lincoln Electric Co. (www.lincolnelectric.com) that fall into the portable category are Lincoln’s Invertec V155-S base unit with stick accessories and its TIG Ready-Pak package for lift TIG and portable stick welding.

The welder weighs less than 15 lbs, yet stands up to the rigors of difficult and demanding job sites, company information said. With 115/230V auto reconnect operation, the V155-S can operate from a portable generator. It can also plug into a 200 ft. 230V extension cord, allowing users to weld almost anywhere without losing power.

The other new products being offered by Lincoln Electric in its Invertec line is an upgrade of the company’s Invertec V205-T AC/DC TIG welder and the new V205-TDC. Updates include added circuitry in the stick crisp mode for improved 6010 electrode welding performance, improved TIG arc starting and selectable start polarity, as well as adjustable TIG strike current, widened AC TIG start power range for minimizing tungsten erosion, redesigned power electronics for improved reliability and a Voltage Reduction Device (VRD), said company information.

ESAB offers its Handy Plasma 250 for instances where only 110/115V outlets are available, but you need a plasma cutter capable of cutting more than gauge material. Handy Plasma 250 is a cost effective, convenient way to put portability into the jobs. Just plug it into any 110/115V outlet, connect your compressor and do any job up to … in., ESAB’s said.