It may be new welder time, esab, kemppi, ewm, fronius

[Robbie260]

I bought NeoPulse 220 XL it takes the 15 kg reels no problems got it from Jim at HIS did mention GYS early in this post just thought you didn't like GYS. No issues and the pulse works great you will also get a visit from the GYS Expert to do some demo work if you want and show what it can do lots of menus and tips pointed out by him this was arranged by Jim when i bought the welder note does not come with Aluminium feed rollers

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Cheers dexy that's helpful, it's a nice looking machine, I take it dose well on the thin stuff. That's interesting though with the tech guy coming out it must be a pretty fancy machine.

No maybe got a bit mixed up there, no problem with Gys per say just I had remembered at the time I bought the swp Jim saying there was nothing really between the multipearl and the digi mig at the time, and about a £500 price difference in favour of the swp and this time round I was thinking of going for a step up, didn't know about the neo pulse apart from vaguely and then only in the context of the bigger machines so I thought they weren't an option until just now. I guess Jim's opinion of them has change though as I was in last week and a few times before that and the gys is the one he still stocks.

 

[Hood]

Forgot about the NeoPulse and it can also use a push-pull although only 24v if I recall, so no use for the 42v Binzel and Parkers I have/had.

I trialled out the bigger brother, the 450 and it was a nice enough welder but I had quite a few issues with it and in the end it went back. I think the main problem with it was it was supposed to be capable of using both a 24v and a 42v push pull gun but I am not so sure if it really could. The reason I say that is I removed the link wire in the plug that supposedly told the NeoPulse that it was to use 42v torch and there was absolutely no difference in performance. I wish I had got the promised software update in a timely manner but it was holiday time and things just got delayed and delayed and in the end I needed to move on so it went back. Sometimes I wish I had been able to spend another month or so waiting but ...

I really liked the interface and the method of creating and saving programmes and it did weld nice when it was welding but again I must reiterate that I think that was mainly down to the 42/24 torch thing.

 

[Robbie260]

Forgot about the NeoPulse and it can also use a push-pull although only 24v if I recall, so no use for the 42v Binzel and Parkers I have/had.

I trialled out the bigger brother, the 450 and it was a nice enough welder but I had quite a few issues with it and in the end it went back. I think the main problem with it was it was supposed to be capable of using both a 24v and a 42v push pull gun but I am not so sure if it really could. The reason I say that is I removed the link wire in the plug that supposedly told the NeoPulse that it was to use 42v torch and there was absolutely no difference in performance. I wish I had got the promised software update in a timely manner but it was holiday time and things just got delayed and delayed and in the end I needed to move on so it went back. Sometimes I wish I had been able to spend another month or so waiting but ...

I really liked the interface and the method of creating and saving programmes and it did weld nice when it was welding but again I must reiterate that I think that was mainly down to the 42/24 torch thing.

Thanks @Hood that is helpful Jim did elude to the fact that it was basically restricted to the gys own slim line push pull torch if I ever wanted one. If that was your only real issue with it that's fairly impressive, software updates being slow to come through is a factor I do have to take into account as if it stops the machine working that be a problem for me as I don't get that much time at home, having down for more than a week isn't a great situation for me.

 

[Dexy]

Robbie

2 mm aluminium fillet with 1 mm wire I have improved a bit since this but have not taken any more pictures only thing I would say is get a high amp torch as things can get hot when you start on the thicker aluminium plate also the pulse on the stick can assist a bit on vertical well it does for me lol

cheers

 

[Robbie260]

Robbie

2 mm aluminium fillet with 1 mm wire I have improved a bit since this but have not taken any more pictures only thing I would say is get a high amp torch as things can get hot when you start on the thicker aluminium plate also the pulse on the stick can assist a bit on vertical well it does for me lol

cheers

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Cheers dexy that looks pretty fab I must admit. I have read a few threads that echo you advice there and that a 36 size binzel torch is best for pulsed alu mig.

Edit a quick question how's it for portability this is a bit of a factor in my decision know there isn't any real difference between the standard and xl in terms of size width and depth ways.

 

[Dexy]

Cheers dexy that looks pretty fab I must admit. I have read a few threads that echo you advice there and that a 36 size binzel torch is best for pulsed alu mig.

Edit a quick question how's it for portability this is a bit of a factor in my decision know there isn't any real difference between the standard and xl in terms of size.

Get the XL nothing in it for moving it but the bigger reel is a must for cost i wouldn’t want to carry it up a 40 ft ladder but normal moving around a job no issue most of my work is in the shop anyway
cheers

 

[Robbie260]

Get the XL nothing in it for moving it but the bigger reel is a must for cost i wouldn’t want to carry it up a 40 ft ladder but normal moving around a job no issue most of my work is in the shop anyway
cheers

Interesting thanks for that.

 

[Hood]

This was with the Neopulse, as said when it worked it worked as well as my EWM Phoenix.
This was in fact one of the very first welds I did with it after eventually getting it to run on the 42v torch, so not too shabby but definitely don't regret goingthe EWM route

 

[Hood]

Sorry, it wasn't a 450 but rather a 400,

 

[Robbie260]

Sorry, it wasn't a 450 but rather a 400,
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It's definitely a decent looking machine, build quality seems good etc. I'd say even the 220 is out of the hobbist machine and into the semi pro production environment class. How did you and @Dexy find the build quality of them, passing glances at gys I'd say they are pretty well screwed together but that's never much of an indication.

 

[Hood]

It seemed well put together but even though I must have had it over a month I was unable to really use it on a job due to the issues I had, so not sure how it would have stood up but think it would have been good..
I do prefer the EWM design more, well in the SWF anyway, it is more compact than the GYS was.

 

[Robbie260]

It seemed well put together but even though I must have had it over a month I was unable to really use it on a job due to the issues I had, so not sure how it would have stood up but think it would have been good..
I do prefer the EWM design more, well in the SWF anyway, it is more compact than the GYS was.

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If only I had acess to 3 phase. Interesting it would be good to see how the neo pulse and the 180 stack up against each other size wise

 

[Hood]

Aye, 3 phase is handy, opens a lot of new choices.

Going back to the welders you have recently been talking about, especially with regards Aluminium, I personally would be looking at the GYS or EWM, possibly the GYS more so due to the push-pull capability. Then again that is just because I wouldn't want to be restricted to 3m torch. If the GYS has hot start, Crater Fill and Double Pulse then that would probably be at the top of my list.

The Cebora Pocket Pulse was nice but was badly let down by the 2 roll wire feed so personally I wouldn't consider one of them but everyone has different needs so...

 

[Hood]

...it would be good to see how the neo pulse and the 180 stack up against each other size wise

I have never seen the GYS 220 in the flesh but the GYS I guess would be physically a good bit bigger than the Cebora. The other thing to remember about the Cebora though is that it can only take mid size reels and not the full 7kg Aluminum/ 15kg steel.

As for build quality, I would say the GYS is way ahead of the Cebora or at least the NeoPulse 400 was, then again big difference in price so...

 

[Robbie260]

Aye, 3 phase is handy, opens a lot of new choices.

Going back to the welders you have recently been talking about, especially with regards Aluminium, I personally would be looking at the GYS or EWM, possibly the GYS more so due to the push-pull capability. Then again that is just because I wouldn't want to be restricted to 3m torch. If the GYS has hot start, Crater Fill and Double Pulse then that would probably be at the top of my list.

The Cebora Pocket Pulse was nice but was badly let down by the 2 roll wire feed so personally I wouldn't consider one of them but everyone has different needs so...

I have never seen the GYS 220 in the flesh but the GYS I guess would be physically a good bit bigger than the Cebora. The other thing to remember about the Cebora though is that it can only take mid size reels and not the full 7kg Aluminum/ 15kg steel.

As for build quality, I would say the GYS is way ahead of the Cebora or at least the NeoPulse 400 was, then again big difference in price so...

Having studied your review I would agree with you that the pocket pulse probably ain't going to cut it, and I'd say you are right it is really coming down to a two horse race between the ewm and the gys just now. I dont do enough welding just now to justify 15kg reels so I'm happy enough with 5 I do like the ewms feature on the 180 of the trolley you can have the larger spool on then have the welder with a 5 kg spool in it for site work. So your not having to buy a whole new welder to save money when you get to the point you are doing enough mig to justify larger wire reels. I would say buy comparison in that respect if I realistically were to get the neo pulse although a superior featured welder I'd maybe have to look into a cc wire feeder for site work or maybe even the likes of the kemppi or bohler, were as the ewm could achieve it all in one, and in that case it would be the better deal even though you'd be missing a few features. Though you never can have too many welders.

Edit: Have stick welded well up a few ladders before as I didn't have a mig that could be heaved up there sensibly.

 

[Hood]

As said I have never used any of the welders you are thinking about with the exception of the Cebora and although I did like it it would not be in my personal list.

Regarding the EWM and GYS, I have used the bigger brothers of them and even if I had managed to get the promised software update in time so that I could use the GYS properly , I think the EWM would still be my preferred out of the two, not by much though.

The smaller brothers however are different, talking from someone who only ever does Aluminium with a Mig then I would say the GYS is the one I would choose (after a trial or understanding it could be returned) as it has all I need, hot start, crater fill, double pulse and push-pull capability which the EWM Pico doesn't have.

Earlier when you mentioned the GYS and the 180 I was thinking you were meaning the pocket pulse as it was a 180 I think, now I realise it was the EWM, I was forgetting it was only 180Amps, so the GYS has another benefit and 40Amps is quite a bit in this range.

Regarding the full sized spools, I personally would go with the EWM Pico 185 or GYS XL which can take them, small spools are much more expensive in comparison and personally I think they feed better.

 

[Hood]

Actually just looked at Jims site and the Pico 185 maybe can use a push pull, I certainly see a socket on the front, will have to investigate now as I am curious

 

[Hood]

Manual doesn't show that socket so not sure

 

[Robbie260]

Manual doesn't show that socket so not sure

Yes just seems to be a blank I think the 350 and 355 use the same front face assembly and they have just blanked off the socket for the 185 but used a stock image for the advising material of the 350.

 

[Hood]

Not that because the pic on the EWM site, likely where Jim got it, has 185 on the front so?