Castolin Eutetic Rytm Ace Inverter Arc Welder

[tobytronicstereophonic-ca]

The title is the correct spelling, for this Swiss DC inverter Welder I bought for a tenner. In very good condition, but not working, I went through the numerous circuit boards and traced the fault to a blown capacitor and other minor stuff, my £1k welder was back in business. Friday night I laid my first short bead in 40 years. Happy as anything! Beautiful machine. More like a high-end piece of IBM kit than welder inside it!
Two questions, please: The 'Volts' LED illuminated red after around four minutes of being switched on and the 240v cooling fan doesn't work. I believe it's 'normal' for the fan to run continuously? And when the volts light came on, a relay clicked 'off' at the same time. I believe 'red' is low volts? Does the low relate to the mains 230v supply? Green for too high?
I have a steady 69.8v at the terminals. Finally, there is a connection in the top left of the front panel. It has a multiplug with a square-wave type icon next to it. What is the purpose of this plug?
Can anyone throw light on these issues, I would be very grateful?
I'm sorry, no photos at the moment. I cannot find It has a rotary control for amps, up to 240 (?) and a green rocker 'On/Off' illuminated switch. Thank you.

 

[nickk]

Great result,well done and welcome.

 

[voipio]

There is a new user on here @CastolinEutectic who might be able to help.

 

[RonMig]

The title is the correct spelling,

I'm not normally a stickler for grammar or spelling accuracy .... but, as you started it, did you check for a missing "c" ?

Nice Eutectic purchase for £10

 

[Madis Moppel]

The welder is made by Fronius in Austria and is called Transpocket 140 by Fronius. Unfortunately quick Google search finds only some pictures of the device and no technical information.

 

[voipio]

The manufacturer-supplied welding torch should contain a 7-pin connector to connect to the corresponding front panel receptacle. This is to control the welding current. The main welding current is likely to be enabled by making a connection (via the torch switch) between pin 2 and pin 3.

I take it you have the correct torch. The torch is fitted with a DINSE connector that also has a side port for the shielding gas supply.

 

[chrismac]

The welder is made by Fronius in Austria and is called Transpocket 140 by Fronius. Unfortunately quick Google search finds only some pictures of the device and no technical information.

would this be the same machine as the Castolin Eutectic PowerMax 2, I used to have one, brilliant until it broke down....
I hunted and hunted the internet for years uploading manuals and it was the same as a Fronius machine but I cant remember which one, the manuals were identical and very in depth in regards to testing and trouble shooting, just beyond me and most people in the country it would seem, struggled to get anyone to look at it.

 

[Dutch Welder]

Could it be the light is actually a voltage AND temperature indicator.
If the internal temperature rises to high, then the output is switched off??
Fronius use the same system on most of their TIG welders.
There are one or more thermistors near critical/high current draw items inside the machine, and the cooling fan turns on when they get hot, if they get hotter still the welding current is switched off until the temperature lowers.
If your machine does not have a cooling fan that works it could easily be that the internals get TOO hot and then the output is switched off.

 

[tobytronicstereophonic-ca]

I must've typed Eutectic over 100 times in the last few days only to miss out the 'C' when it really counts. What a C*.
I figured the fan out, it's triggered by a thermo-switch on the heatsink. Yes it's all working just fine now. Really, really happy as this has been the year from hell. Something going right for once.
Thank you for so many replies! My dad bought 'me' an orange transformer-type arc welder - coiled spring for current control - when I was 14. He made a sledge with it from out old bunk beds. Did some amazing body repairs to a Datsun Violet. He was a welder by trade and a development engineer later in life.
One of the most clever people I have known and working in schools, I have met a couple of other clever people. But he a true polymath.
I will do some more research from the information about the machine's true maker of the 'RytmArc' you have given me.
After I recover from the minor arc-eye I have given myself (the page is too 'bright' to scroll back to thank individual members). Thank you.
Some people never learn.
I will keep you updated when I buy the extra bits needed to allow it to TIG and add some photos of the beautiful circuitry and top-quality copper ware.
*Clown.

 

[tobytronicstereophonic-ca]

The red LED is simply an indicator for over/under voltage. I simulated a low mains V and on it came. I did a few temp checks with my Ridgid (sic) thermometer and the thing runs as cool as anything. 3.5mm rod after rod and the fan doesn't come on. I left it switched on all afternoon. Burnt 10 Murex 3.5mm rods and everything is only lukewarm. I simulated 80 deg C and on came the mains AC fan! I will look into if it resembles a 'Fronius'. Thank you!

 

[tobytronicstereophonic-ca]

As my eyes are a 'bit' sore, and from my last arc-eye I suffered, around 44 years ago, I know this will last until 11am, may I share the following: B&Q 250A Digital Inverter Welder with 'Origami' face mask and useless 'sparklers' were £26.99 delivered free to your door.

I was going to buy 20 of them to resell for Christmas, but at £29.99 today - Monday - the profit margin brings them too close to the £44 equivalents elsewhere online.

Who would have thought such a welder could be bought for less than the price of a box of decent rods?
It will become like computer printers, whereby folk bought a new printer each time the ink ran out...
No more screen-time for me. OUCH my EYES!!

 

[eddie49]

As my eyes are a 'bit' sore, and from my last arc-eye I suffered, around 44 years ago, I know this will last until 11am, may I share the following: B&Q 250A Digital Inverter Welder with 'Origami' face mask and useless 'sparklers' were £26.99 delivered free to your door.

I was going to buy 20 of them to resell for Christmas, but at £29.99 today - Monday - the profit margin brings them too close to the £44 equivalents elsewhere online.

Who would have thought such a welder could be bought for less than the price of a box of decent rods?
It will become like computer printers, whereby folk bought a new printer each time the ink ran out...
No more screen-time for me. OUCH my EYES!!

The B & Q Neche "250" Amp arc welder is the latest iteration of the "ZX7-200". There are several references and a review of that machine on this site, accessible via the Search box at top right.

 

[tobytronicstereophonic-ca]

The B & Q Neche "250" Amp arc welder is the latest iteration of the "ZX7-200". There are several references and a review of that machine on this site, accessible via the Search box at top right.

Cool, thank you for the reference of the original machine. The point of my 'reply' was how cheap you can still get them. But thank you.
I always thought the 'magnifying glass' icon was to make the text bigger for old gits like myself. Now I know.

 

[CastolinEutectic]

The title is the correct spelling, for this Swiss DC inverter Welder I bought for a tenner. In very good condition, but not working, I went through the numerous circuit boards and traced the fault to a blown capacitor and other minor stuff, my £1k welder was back in business. Friday night I laid my first short bead in 40 years. Happy as anything! Beautiful machine. More like a high-end piece of IBM kit than welder inside it!
Two questions, please: The 'Volts' LED illuminated red after around four minutes of being switched on and the 240v cooling fan doesn't work. I believe it's 'normal' for the fan to run continuously? And when the volts light came on, a relay clicked 'off' at the same time. I believe 'red' is low volts? Does the low relate to the mains 230v supply? Green for too high?
I have a steady 69.8v at the terminals. Finally, there is a connection in the top left of the front panel. It has a multiplug with a square-wave type icon next to it. What is the purpose of this plug?
Can anyone throw light on these issues, I would be very grateful?
I'm sorry, no photos at the moment. I cannot find It has a rotary control for amps, up to 240 (?) and a green rocker 'On/Off' illuminated switch. Thank you.

Hi, so that you know, we have fwd your question to our technical colleagues and will get back to you asap with an answer.

 

[CastolinEutectic]

There is a new user on here @CastolinEutectic who might be able to help.

Thank you for tagging us, we will do our best to help