I have been given a Monta welding transformer with a tradename of actarc surearc made by arc manufacturing co ltd at actarc works goldhawk road london. This machine looks like it should be oil cooled but is air cooled with touchable mains input connectors with a 10kva yes 10 kva input for a 200 amp max output. My questions are is it a museum piece or useable but very power hungry and is it safe as if you try and lift it from the bottom you will touch the mains input wiring and it seems it is from the 1940s ish so the transformer insulation looks a bit knackered.
- Thread starter Whizarc
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zzr1200
Working at 650 ft on open steel work.
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You have answered your own question, by stating it appears to have open to the touch mains input connection, if its from the 1940's it'll be a copper wound transformer.
Weight it at the local scrappy and put the money towards an inverter arc welder.
Weight it at the local scrappy and put the money towards an inverter arc welder.
brightspark
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do u really need to be told wether its safe or not 
MattF
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do u really need to be told wether its safe or not
Without some photo's though, we don't know whether the problems mentioned are sortable or not. The exposed connections could just be due to a missing cover, and the insulation could just be referring to some perished sleeving, for all we know currently.
winchman
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I feel these older machines where manufactured to do a job and last for ever often exceeding the output required.
The new ones are not as well made.
If you post some pictures we can help out as it may be a simple job to make it safe and if you don't need to move it about it could be a fantastic tool on the other hand a portable set may be what you need.
I have an old Oxford for what its worth I keep it for the rare occasion I need it
Here are the photos of it and it is a real heavyweight 2 person lift so it is not portable at all and after much thought a portable one is what i need and i dropped on a sip 200amp ac welder which is fan cooled brand new for a price i could not refuse.
I also have a 140amp dc sip welder with 60% duty cycle at that and it will run 3.2 rods wonderfully all day long but even though i have these i always wanted an oil cooled one which this turned out not to be.
It does an excellent weld and IS built like a battleship but will be too much work for me to make safe so it is going to go and at some time in the future i will buy an oil cooled one and hopefully will have a workshop with three phase as thats the one for me if i can. Just in case you were wondering it is a 3.2mm rod in the pic.
I also have a 140amp dc sip welder with 60% duty cycle at that and it will run 3.2 rods wonderfully all day long but even though i have these i always wanted an oil cooled one which this turned out not to be.
It does an excellent weld and IS built like a battleship but will be too much work for me to make safe so it is going to go and at some time in the future i will buy an oil cooled one and hopefully will have a workshop with three phase as thats the one for me if i can. Just in case you were wondering it is a 3.2mm rod in the pic.
