Now attempting deconstruct main transformer. Begun separating the plates at one end in the hope of sliding the secondary windings off, however I have hit a wall and cannot see for the life in me how this will work. Anyone know how these are assembled/disassembled please?
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Lincoln 185 compact mig
- Thread starter Seath
- Start date
Transformer laminations are mostly classified by their shape: you can have "E" and "I", or "T" and "U", where the sheet metal resembles the shape of those letters. In those cases, there would be a single bobbin for the coils, mounted either on the centre leg of the letter E, or the downstroke of the letter T.
In this case, there are two bobbins/coil formers. The laminations could be called "U" and "I". The coils are on the two legs of the letter U.
The "I" laminations may overlap the upper ends of the "U", with interlaced "long" and "short" U's.
All of the laminations will be stuck together with varnish. It can be very hard to shift the first lamination from out of the centre of the coil. A thin knife made from a ground-down hacksaw blade may help.
Other than unwinding all of the secondary and then most of the primary, I'm not sure how you can fix this transformer....
Based on your continuity tests, have you stripped off the sleeving from tapping wire 12 to check if there is a break?
I was wrong about the power range switch. I thought that it was 1-pole, 6-way, connecting one end of the AC power to 6 consecutive tappings. In fact, the switch is a stack of 6 on/off switches. I think it is called a "shuffle" switch. Here is a wiring diagram:
It appears to show that there are two wires feeding AC mains from the Contactor to the primary, and then 6 additional pairs of wires ( making 12 wires ) that go from the transformer to the power selector switch. The diagram doesn't make much sense to me. It does not show which of the 6 pairs of wires relate to Position 6 of the range switch ( the only setting that works on your machine ).
In this case, there are two bobbins/coil formers. The laminations could be called "U" and "I". The coils are on the two legs of the letter U.
The "I" laminations may overlap the upper ends of the "U", with interlaced "long" and "short" U's.
All of the laminations will be stuck together with varnish. It can be very hard to shift the first lamination from out of the centre of the coil. A thin knife made from a ground-down hacksaw blade may help.
Other than unwinding all of the secondary and then most of the primary, I'm not sure how you can fix this transformer....
Based on your continuity tests, have you stripped off the sleeving from tapping wire 12 to check if there is a break?
I was wrong about the power range switch. I thought that it was 1-pole, 6-way, connecting one end of the AC power to 6 consecutive tappings. In fact, the switch is a stack of 6 on/off switches. I think it is called a "shuffle" switch. Here is a wiring diagram:
It appears to show that there are two wires feeding AC mains from the Contactor to the primary, and then 6 additional pairs of wires ( making 12 wires ) that go from the transformer to the power selector switch. The diagram doesn't make much sense to me. It does not show which of the 6 pairs of wires relate to Position 6 of the range switch ( the only setting that works on your machine ).
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I ended up re-assembling everything and taking the welder to a Welding Engineering Services in Barking. They were very helpful and didn't even want any fees. The conclusions they drew were
1) The problem is either the switch or the Transformer (because I informed them that I had had the switch apart they were then not confident in the switch, despite the fact, I assured them that the fault was identical before I dissembled the switch and after).
2) The switch is now a discontinued part .
3) The fault with no. 12 loop wire is limited to one side of the loop. There was continuity when testing from where it terminates on the switch to the contactor but no continuity to any other part of the transformer, if I have understood that correctly! So a confirmation that there is a problem with the transformer. However the engineer went on to say he was surprised because, in his experience, when a transformer goes it goes with a bang or some signs of burning at the least.
Maybe if I have the time and inclination I will persevere with deconstructing the transformer but for the time being I will be looking for another mig as the mini-mig I am currently using, does a reasonable weld, but does not fill me with much confidence in it's longevity, nor does it handle heavier jobs.
1) The problem is either the switch or the Transformer (because I informed them that I had had the switch apart they were then not confident in the switch, despite the fact, I assured them that the fault was identical before I dissembled the switch and after).
2) The switch is now a discontinued part .
3) The fault with no. 12 loop wire is limited to one side of the loop. There was continuity when testing from where it terminates on the switch to the contactor but no continuity to any other part of the transformer, if I have understood that correctly! So a confirmation that there is a problem with the transformer. However the engineer went on to say he was surprised because, in his experience, when a transformer goes it goes with a bang or some signs of burning at the least.
Maybe if I have the time and inclination I will persevere with deconstructing the transformer but for the time being I will be looking for another mig as the mini-mig I am currently using, does a reasonable weld, but does not fill me with much confidence in it's longevity, nor does it handle heavier jobs.
Alex vernon
New Member
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- 1
- Location
- Cornwall
Hi I’ve got the same welder and some said they were going to repair it for me, they took the circuit board off and I got it repaired, now they disappeared and I don’t know how to wire it up, has someone possibly got a wiring diagram or can give me the numbers off the wires and where they go on the board, thanks
davida1949
New Member
- Messages
- 11
davida1949
New Member
- Messages
- 11
hi i hop you see my massage tell me did you find out what was on your welder wire feeder i have same problem please let me know cheers
This thread is over 4 years old, and the originator has not been online since then.
The original problem was not the wirefeed, it was a broken tapping in the primary winding of the main transformer. I suggest it would be easier to help with your issue if you start a new thread.
The original problem was not the wirefeed, it was a broken tapping in the primary winding of the main transformer. I suggest it would be easier to help with your issue if you start a new thread.
davida1949
New Member
- Messages
- 11
davida1949
New Member
- Messages
- 11
HI- YOU MEAN WIRE IN SIDE TRANSFORMER I HAVE TAKE TRANSFORMER OUT HAVE LOOK WIRING CHEERSThis thread is over 4 years old, and the originator has not been online since then.
The original problem was not the wirefeed, it was a broken tapping in the primary winding of the main transformer. I suggest it would be easier to help with your issue if you start a new thread.
I was commenting on the original fault in this thread ( transformer windings ). I was not suggesting that the problem you are facing is the same, because I do not know what it is !
I suggest that you start a new thread, describing your machine and the fault, and showing photos, then we can provide advice.
I suggest that you start a new thread, describing your machine and the fault, and showing photos, then we can provide advice.
