Pete Deal
Stainless
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2007
- Location
- Morgantown, WV
A while back I bought a Miller Pipe Pro 304 welder. Didn't know a lot about it other than it had a Kubota diesel engine in it and it didn't have many hours. This welder turns out to be basically an engine driven XMT 304 which is a multi-process inverter welder and I think the XMT 304 has a pretty good reputation. When I got my welder the generator worked but it wouldn't weld. I found a repair manual online, very rare for a Miller as far as I know, and did manage to get it welding.
Fast forward a year or so and the welder craps out again. I have 4-5 different Miller welders and generally like them a lot. The more I look at this thing and the schematic and how it's all wired I just can't believe what a piece of crap it is. Every engine driven welder I've ever seen lives outside. This thing leaks rain water like crazy. Lots of big holes for mice to get in, which I plugged with screen but..., The PC boards don't look at this point like they ought to work after 7-8 years in this environment. And there was not even any attempt by Miller at weatherproofing the wiring as is typical in a car. Anyway, I know I really can't complain because I didn't buy it new. I guess my point is that the concept an inverter welder outside seems like a really bad idea.
I'm not one to patch up a turd and try to pass it on to some other unsuspecting person so I think I may rip the guts out of it and buy a generator head to stick on the very nice Kubota D1005 engine. The voltage regulator for the generator does work but it looks about as bad as the rest of the boards in the inverter box so isn't likely to last either.
Fast forward a year or so and the welder craps out again. I have 4-5 different Miller welders and generally like them a lot. The more I look at this thing and the schematic and how it's all wired I just can't believe what a piece of crap it is. Every engine driven welder I've ever seen lives outside. This thing leaks rain water like crazy. Lots of big holes for mice to get in, which I plugged with screen but..., The PC boards don't look at this point like they ought to work after 7-8 years in this environment. And there was not even any attempt by Miller at weatherproofing the wiring as is typical in a car. Anyway, I know I really can't complain because I didn't buy it new. I guess my point is that the concept an inverter welder outside seems like a really bad idea.
I'm not one to patch up a turd and try to pass it on to some other unsuspecting person so I think I may rip the guts out of it and buy a generator head to stick on the very nice Kubota D1005 engine. The voltage regulator for the generator does work but it looks about as bad as the rest of the boards in the inverter box so isn't likely to last either.