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Thread: BOC Smootharc 185 AC DC TIG
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24th July 2014, 11:32 AM #1GOLD MEMBER
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BOC Smootharc 185 AC DC TIG
Has anyone here had experience with one of these?
I was asked to help a gentleman who had purchased one, to set it up and get him welding.
No issues with the basic interface and we were soon cranked up on AC TIG.
The issue being that the machine is gutless at best. Despite the claimed 200A capacity, the highest that the machine will register on the display is 176A. After attempting to run a bead on some 5mm ally, I came to the conclusion that they are some new fangled micro amps! No power at all. 3mm ally requires at least 130A to run a bead and a 3mm corner to corner is damn cold at 145A. I doubt it will run a 3mm fillet terribly well.
To contrast, the 200A Cigweld that I occasionally use will easily handle 10mm.
I have tried twiddling the AC balance knob in a fruitless attempt to find some more arc heat. Frankly the balance dial seems to make sweet all difference to much at all.
The machine has been repaired once under warranty because it was throwing an error code of 1er. If anyone knows what that means I would be grateful as the manual says nothing at all about codes. The cause was supposedly a faulty display. The machine did throw the same code twice while we were using it, but only when maxxed out. I suspect it may indicate a supply voltage condition.
Honestly, I would take an ebay special over this one any day.
Are these things just a gutless wonder or is there an issue with this particular machine?
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24th July 2014, 12:52 PM #2Member
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I'm ashamed to say I ran my 250A ac/dc tig on a 15amp plug for a whole year as I was learning mostly below 100amps. First project I did that was up at 230 amps, and after a while it became gutless, similar to your description. The threads on the screws for the connectors inside the 15 amp plug had eroded away so the wire was not held firmly. I fitted the 32 amp plug I had been too lazy to fit before and everything was good again. I hope its as simple as that. Even if you have a 32 amp plug, maybe just check the screws are tight.
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24th July 2014, 10:14 PM #3GOLD MEMBER
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Unfortunately, (perhaps fortunately), all the supply cable and plug connections seem perfect.
This machine has had virtually no usage other than my 1 hour play with it and the owners few attempts, which were sufficient to cover the electrode with crap.
All leads and plugs exhibited normal temperatures and the power point was a dedicated supply, admittedly running 15A hardware, but this is the same supply that runs the Cigweld with no issues. Thinking back, the torch did not even seem to heat up much.
At a guess, I would say that the power delivered was at best 70% of that indicated. I would love to put it alongside another 185 and compare them.
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25th July 2014, 07:57 PM #4Intermediate Member
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Can you get your hands on a tong tester and check the current while welding.
My limited experience with BOC gear is that it is generally pretty good.
If you want to try the tong test route and can't source one locally send me a PM and I would be happy to loan you mine. I will post it to you and you can send it back when you have finished.
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27th July 2014, 08:36 PM #5GOLD MEMBER
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Thanks for the kind offer.
Where the whole thing sits at present is the machine which is less than a month old is throwing the same error code at random.
The owner is going to take it back and request a new one or at the very least to run another one along side it to gauge perfrmance.
I had a similar experience with a BOC 550 multi process welder where it would break down with predictable regularity (whenever there was an urgent job on). Three times it was proclaimed to be fixed. The fourth we demanded a new machine. Voila! Problems gone for good.
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24th November 2014, 03:52 PM #6Senior Member
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Any luck finding out if this was bad machine or they are all garbage? seems like a good value TIG and would hardly need the high end.
Only other machine with any name is the Everlast 185 but that has no pulse (but does have a foot pedal control available)
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24th November 2014, 04:46 PM #7GOLD MEMBER
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The welder has been returned for a refund and I believe that the owner is pretty keen on a little Lincoln AC DC tig.
Based on what my welder repairman had to say about the BOC gear, I would probably buy other brands in preference. Some have had a good run from them though.
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25th November 2014, 10:26 AM #8Senior Member
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thanks
Sounds a bit like a luck of the draw, id give it ago but after more research i think i really need to get a machine with a foot pedal if I'm going to play with ally.
sounds like a foot pedal would be more important than pulse.
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25th November 2014, 04:24 PM #9
It depends on the price range of the BOC kit. The lower end stuff is of Chinese origin whereas the upper range kit is re-badged name brand stuff. My Smootharc Elite TIG is a re-badged EWM machine from Germany but these days they are up over the $5k mark, I think previously they sold re-badged Kempii equipment as well.
Having said that, I've never had a problem returning anything to BOC at my local depot but I have heard from others that they've had troubles. It seems to depend on the branch staff you encounter.
If you can have one or the other then the pedal will be more useful, you can pulse with pedal to an extent anyway.