Fantasy JET III TIG AC / DC 200 3in1 WELDER PLASMA PFC IGBT

[Richard.]

The lorch acdc tig can be dropped from 2 feet on a concrete floor and then picked back up and used. So that would suggest the components inside and the sheer build quality is of extremely high standard and a lot more expensive to build. Don't try this with the fantasy I don't think that would be covered under warranty.

 

[bc30se]

you know... the sum up is... if you want to drop your welder from the second floor and still have it, buy Lorch.... if you need something for your private projects, hobby and still want to make occassional money with it, buy chinese junk but be sure your supplier is reliable. With mine I have already welded about 60 alloy wheels and I can't complain.. I just prefer to weld rather than drop it...

ps.
and they do fail...
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/ht-220-ac-dc-dead.47371/

 

[Richard.]

We all prefer not to drop em the difference is what will survive when we do.(accidents happen) Yes I agree all things no matter how expensive can have issues. But the likelihood is it will go on serving for years.
I'm gonna have to call it a day now as it's pretty well concluded the high end brands ain't for you and the cheap imports ain't for me.

 

[bc30se]

day now as it's pretty well concluded the high end brands ain't for you

it's not that I am praising China only because of the price, I am a hobbyist, perhaps a truly devoted one and sometimes it turns out I work quite hard with the machines I have. I am trying to be objective from where I come from. I am also an owner of a really expensive Licoln Mig (expensive for me), and I am not fully happy with it for the price I bought it (was more expensive than chinese tig).

Still, there are other tools in my garage, some of them brand some other chinese. I am happy with both but I must know when and how to use them. For example, on this forum a lot of people as I have noticed use chinese grinders, there are many posts about resurrecting old chinese ones, gear that fail and get replaced, armature changing and so on. I would never allow myself to use a Chinese one even the most recommended here and I have so much respect for all people on this forum. I once had one and must say I thought it wanted to kill me, better stick to the chinese tig, at least it is harmless. However, somebody will come and say that they are perfect if you know what you are doing


A brand Tig? why not, but let me save some money for it, perhaps in some 10 years time...

 

[Richard.]

They have there place and a lot of people would not be tig welding if they did not exist so that's got to be a good thing. I have used them and they serve a purpose but I rely on mine been at hand and would be pretty lost if it was on its way back to the manufacturer. If I was to buy one I would buy on real recommendations from users. The likes or rtec, thermal arc, etc these are highly recommend by members and can be picked up for a grand. I have been on the wrong side of buying cheap and suffered for it (my personal best barbel was lost a few years back from the drag locking up on a cheap reel) never again. I respect all peoples wishes and only hope it pays off for them. I on the other hand once bitten twice shy.

 

[Richard.]

As a hobbyist it's probably ideal as you say. It does not make your living so it's not a case of no machine no fuel in the car etc. mine is pretty much the same it makes me a few quid but I'm not totally screwed without it. Some guys on here do completely rely on it and need the very best to ensure it's always at hand. I was lucky as I bought mine used and paid a fraction of its new price tag but now I've had it I would always have one of equal quality even at the price.

 

[dannyp]

big differance ive found is the quality of power suply you need.

the realy cheep tigs are all very fragile power wise no extension leads and defantly no genorators.

at home is have an rtec 251 it's ok it's still alive i don't use it much but it works and fr the price i wasent going to get AC the amps and uk support.
then some time later i picked up a lorch that i use out and about very anoyingly i got it cheeper than teh rtec has to be said it i's a much nicer machene to use. but any mates than have bought a tig after playing with both have generaly bought an r tech model or a tig/mig model ( same machene diffrent colour no uk support

 

[bc30se]

probably RTech is the same built quality as JLT... I see the models and the same ones were on the JLT offer quite a while ago in Poland.

 

[Richard.]

In all honesty I have not heard a bad word said about rtec machines apart from the errors in the manual. Owners and users on this forum sing highly of them and there after sales service. I do think there affordable repayments of 6 months is great for people that cannot cope with the one off wallet wack. If I had to be critical they should provide a water cooling option and a sensible size torch option.

 

[bc30se]

but I still believe they are are a few whose machines failed... but it is no reason not to recommend them anyway...

Rtech

JLT from this thread

 

[Richard.]

If we were to buy machine based on what brand has never failed in the past then no one would have a tig welder. How often do they fail, why and was it through neglect. I don't know it for sure but there is a member on here that would know but I would bet the number of warranty claims on the lorch acdc 220 would be far less than the parweld, gys, RTech equivalent . Which is where the extra brass goes at the end of the day. Reliability

 

[bc30se]

Proportion of warranties is another matter but then you have to look at the number of units sold...

 

[Richard.]

Even better % of warranty claims over number of units sold. I still know where I would put my money.

 

[SV1BDO]

The front panel & casing of Welder Fantasy JET 3 is almost identical with Everlast PowerTIG 210 EXT. Everlast machines are sold in USA with 5 yrs warranty and seems to have a good reputation in quality & after sales suport. YouTube have plenty videos & most USA-oriented welding forums have a dedicated section for them. If someone has got this machine from Poland, I will be pleased to see here a review of the machine and experience about after sales policy of the Polish company.

 

[OscuKoo]

This is quite old thread but I have one of these JLT AC/DC 210P tig:s and it needs spare parts, does anyone know where to get them?
Part is the PCB board with four large capacitors on this picture: http://www.spaw-serwiscz.pl/images/jlt2.jpg

 

[eddie49]

The website where you found that picture ( http://www.spaw-serwiscz.pl ) is a Polish welder service company. Can they not sell you the board?

 

[OscuKoo]

Good point there eddie49, thanks. Just send mail to them, lets see if they can help.

 

[eddie49]

If you need any help with the contact, let me know - I speak Polish.
Could your PCB be repaired - is it the rectifier, the capacitors, or something else that has failed?

 

[OscuKoo]

Spaw-serwiscz answered that this model is discontinued and gave other contact to ask, let see what they answer there.
For repair here is quite few parts gone, atleast couple diodes, couple capacitors and resistors, and that upper part with heatsink exploded. Must try to repair if no one new is available. Would be great to know this parts purpose, on youtube video it is named Plyta AC.
Machine was unused for few years and this happened when I powered it up, first tiny (electric toasting) odor and then BANG! and display was off abut fans were on.
I´ll take picture of the board and send it here.

 

[eddie49]

"Plyta" means plate or board - so this is the "AC PCB". Typically that means the AC mains enters the machine here, there is a bridge rectifier ( may be on a remote heatsink ) - often two 4-diode bridge blocks are wired in parallel - then large smothing capacitors. At this point the voltage is 325v DC, and this "DC Bus" runs all the rest of the inverter. Some machines will have a soft-start circuit, to reduce the input current surge when the capacitors are empty. Electrolytic capacitors can age and fail after a long period of inactivity, due to breakdown of the oxide insulating layer on the aluminium foil inside. This was mentioned recently in this thread:
https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/blown-my-welder-up.94007/
Apparently a gentle start at low voltage will allow the capacitors to regenerate and self-repair. Maybe we need to come up with a procedure that could be used pro-actively to prevent this type of failure on any welder that has been inactive for a while....?
After many decades of "make do and mend", I think they are quite good at fixing things in Poland, so maybe you can send your PCB to them for repair.