Castolin Castotig 2002 ( mw2000?)

[Macfun]

Hi guys.

I visited a Castolin instructor last friday.
35 years of experience.
There was a 2002 AC/DC in his garage too, among tons of stuff.

Impressive amount of knowledge and ... kind enough to quickly test my 2002 in DC (stainless steel) and AC (5 mm aluminium).
My machine works well upon him.
He showed me "how to make manual pulse mode as there is no pulse mode with this machine".

So why was my 2002 dismantled (I bought it "as is" for peanuts) ?
Nobody will ever tell me, but finally ... who cares ?

So now I'll start to chase after a (original/copy) Castolin G220 UD/D 2 switches euro-connector (MIG/MAG like) with a 7 pins connector.
New or secondhand in good condition.
4 meters length is a plus, other length is welcome.

De-euro might be a solution if nothing shows up.

MMA stuff already ordered.

 

[Macfun]

Today after work I found some resistors, and after soldering them into the board the machine now is confirmed as working.
Also swapped out some dodgy looking condensors, they were not bad persé, measured OK but looked a bit worse for wear.
So as a future reference the Lastek suffers from the same problem that plagues the Magicwave (resistors failign after time) and can be fixed the same way.

Symptoms were the same as described by HughF and ..
Only one working power led on the main PCB, instead of 1 next to each driver (this PCB has the Drive leds next to each drive, not grouped together in one corner) , HF but no actual arc and 0.0 volt showing when on MMA.

Hi guys !

Saga goes on.
I finally bought a second 2002 ACDC with similar symptoms, for a decent price (the one I visited before containment).
Resistors burned, 2 failed.
With original G220 air-cooled torch, leads and clamps, and on the top (well, at the bottom, in fact) an original Castolin cooling unit 2020 !!!!
Cooling unit might go for sale, I missed an original Castolin 8m with cooling lines a few days ago.
Welder needs cleaning but all LEDs light up, HF works, ...

Dutch Welder, did you get them thru RS or Farnell or ... ?

I found the specs here :
https://shop.griederbauteile.ch/en/info/r/RDE-Vitrohm.pdf
So it's a 5w KH 208-8 Power Wirewound Ceramic Resistors, axial.

 

[Dutch Welder]

I bought them from Conrad

 

[Macfun]

I believe/hope that the 10% tolerance resistors sold by Conrad can electrically fit the board instead of the original 5% tolerance.

Is there a way to reduce the overheating of the resistance ?
For example by soldering them 5/10 mm away from the board ?

I know these components broke after 20 years and that new ones could last the same ...

Please note that KH208-8 serie was replaced in 2016 by KHS500 series.
https://www.mouser.be/datasheet/2/447/vitrohm_series_khs_-_201612-1826434.pdf

 

[Dutch Welder]

You could actively cool them with a small fan conencted to the same points as the resistors.

 

[Macfun]

You could actively cool them with a small fan conencted to the same points as the resistors.

Well then it changes the resistance at those points ...

I think I'll raise the resistors by 5 mm at least.
Maybe no effect, overheating might be due to design mistake.
It would need retro-engineering, which I'm far to be able.

Regarding the same board, further check showed a kind of overheat at another place, and a crack in the board.
Printed circuit is not broken, hopefully, but I might make wire jumps for future reliability.

My newbie's question is : what are these little CMS above in the pict ?





The crack :

 

[DavidL]

MELF resistors, I think? The top ones are 1k ohm I think (or 200 ohm, I can't quite make out another!!)

All "I think" so please do verify

 

[Jay1st]

I've heard Castolin bought Fronuis, and now all Castolin units are rebadged Fronius units ??????

 

[Macfun]

Thanks David.

I checked all overheated-suspected resistors and all of them show 11 kOhms.
Even similar ones out of "hot" zone.
So far, so good !!!

Waiting for new 270 and 560 Ohms resistors, more news in the coming weeks.

 

[DavidL]

Good news!

Thanks David.
I checked all overheated-suspected resistors and all of them show 11 kOhms.

I guess that must be TWO browns then Time for glasses!!

 

[Macfun]

Good news!
I guess that must be TWO browns then Time for glasses!!

Wouldn't it be Brown - Brown - Blue - Red - Brown ?
It gives 11,6 kOhms +/- 1% ...
Opposite doesn't fit the measurement.

Just for the sake of it !

 

[DavidL]

I think it's brown brown black red (then the brown tolerance) - that would be 11k +/-1

I'd initially missed the first brown - well assumed it was just patchy tbh and read it as a 4 band

Either way, I definitely need glasses

 

[Macfun]

So do I ...

Black ring is definitely not the blue ring as on the resistor below.
Can't blame the smartphone camera, it's sometimes tricky to make close shots without macro-mode.
Nothing broken, I won't replace them for the moment.

I'll ask my boss to find the 5W resistors, he's a kind of e-geek !!

 

[Macfun]

Fresh news from the second Castotig 2002 ACDC.
All 3 resistors were replaced on the NMW top board, all 8 LEDS ON.
The board was tested on the first good-working 2002 : OK, 45 volts displayed on MMA mode.
But ... installed on the second one, there still is 0 volt ...


So ...

Side panel removed to get access to BPS20 board and the 6 LEDS.
Interesting ...
One of the 6 LEDS does not stay ON after powering.
This one :


There are no obvious traces of burnt components.
I am not sure that the problem could be on this board, it may be a wrong command from the front panel boards.

Any idea is welcome, if you already met such symptom, or ...


I also capture the behaviour on videos (sequence : Power ON then Power OFF).
Wrong behaviour :

Correct behaviour :

 

[Macfun]

Hello everybody.

If it can help focusing on the suspected part, here is a summary of what I did recently.
Symptoms : 0 volt displayed in MMA Mode (in fact, it goes to 0,2 volt instead of 45 volts, both on display and on MMA connectors), HF works but no arc on TIG, one LED on right power board goes OFF after start (see post above).

What I did :
- replacement of the 3 burnt and broken resistors (270 and 560 Ohms) on the top board : no improvement on displayed voltage
- test of this board on a good working 2002 ACDC : 45 volts ok.
- test of the second top board on the good working 2002 ACDC : 45 volts ok.
- removal of the BPS board and visual check with magnifying glasses : no burnt traces nor components.
- multimeter basic test of the FRO169 dual diode : Go-NoGo behaviour ok.
- multimeter basic test of the 6 Ixys IXFN48N50 Mosfet : behaviour ok.
- multimeter basic test of the 2 rectifiers (separately): behaviour ok, total output 225 V DC.

- BPS board DC output to transformer : Stays usually at almost 0 volt, does not seem stable and .... compared to the good welder, it is not similar. The good welder is measured at -0.65 volt ... no matter the position of the test probes.
This is the only measurement that may lead to something... So could it be on the board ?
I'll post picture(s) later.

- multimeter basic test of the 2 FRO178 dual diode on the other side (copper bars removed) : Go-NoGo behaviour ok.
- the 2 similar boards behave like the good working 2002 ACDC : the LED lights up when selecting AC, DC+, DC-, but not tested on the good welder.

Up to now, I am afraid of testing other parts on the good one.
I really don't want any risk of damaging it !!!

Any idea or advise welcome ...

How could I test the 2 "IGBTs" located below the 2 boards (where the copper bars are connected) with a Fluke 179 Multimeter ?
Is it worth to try ?

Thanks for your tips !!

 

[Macfun]

Status update : back to normal voltage display !!


My fault, shame on me ...
When re-installing the BPS board, I missed the correct position of one wire to the big 3300 microFarad capacitor.
With above results ...

So ... Indeed only the 3 topboard resistors were faulty on the second Castotig.
Welding tests still pending, I've no gas for the moment, I try to spot the best price for it (in Belgium).

 

[Macfun]

For those interested, the O-ring size for the Euro-connector gas outlet is 4x1 mm.

Now I have :
- 2 working Castotig 2002 ACDC
- 2 sets of MMA clamps, one original Castolin cooler working unit
- 1 original G220 UD air-cooled torch
- and a set of new torch parts bought in Germany (WK-tec).

I miss a second Castolin torch, air or water-cooled (the 400 unit).
Anyone selling such torch ?

 

[HughF]

Good work... Glad to see it is fixed.

 

[Macfun]

Thanks HughF.

Now I'm busy trying to remotely help a french guy owning a defective 2002 ACDC.
Older model, he found a 1994 label somewhere.
Front panel is somehow different, furthermore it has the Fronius connectors for the torch !!!
Inside is a little different too, harness wears colours only, no easier and clever label-printed wires.
Front view :

 

[Macfun]

Hi guys.

Now that the old lady is back to life, I'm looking for a RCT F pedal with cable.

I found one set just below 300 euro (excl. transport up to now).
It looks like it's within the price range.
Worth the "go" ?

Or anyone here having a good deal ?

I read too that @. made one by himself (wireless) but did not find a price.
I don't really need a wireless unit ... Even if @richard felt in love with.
I'm almost newbie at TIG and need miles of beads before starting spotting the tiny differences.

Thanks !!