Bob, thanks for doing this video on the Renegade 200amp MIG welder. I bought the smaller 180 amp unit and as with you found the instruction manual very confusing. They say the knob on the left is for wire speed/amps and the one on the right is also for amps. Thanks for pointing out that the right knob is for voltage in MIG format and amps for stick welding. As you suggested I got some scrap steel and did a bit of experimenting and very happy with results I got by just using flux core wire.
Great to be of help John, thanks for watching the video. I have been using the flux core wire quite a bit of late and am very happy with the welds I have been making.
Good stuff at a good price I have found. I have only ever had one Renegade tool go bad, it happened within a few days of starting to use it, they checked it, agreed on the problem, and just gave me a brand new replacement which never gave any trouble. Can't fault them.
Great Video Bob. I have never welded and just purchased a Renegade 200 to weld some rust patches into my old Beetle and couldn't find any information on how to set it up correctly as I also found the instructions hard to follow. Can you help with sharing what your setting would be for welding 1mm sheet metal with 0.8 steel wire? After watching your video I can't wait to start experimenting this weekend, as I had no idea where to start as the Renegade dials are quite confusing for a novice like me... Thanks again, cheers Adam
Thanks Adam for watching the video. To date all my use has been with 0.9mm wire, so sheet metal with 0.8mm is a bit of a guess for me. First off get yourself some 1mm sheet metal to practice on. Practice is always important. Even though I have been welding for 50 years, I have little practice pieces in my shop, I know the drill, but need to re-familiaise myself with the doing sometimes, if I have not done it for a while. What I am saying there is that even the experts practise before doing a weld they are not used to doing day to day. I am thinking you should set the current setting midway between the 80 and 120 amps and set the wire feed at about 4 and see how that goes. The current setting is the voltage in this case which is the push, and the wire feed is the current, or the melt. If it looks bad, ie looks like cocky poo, increase the wire feed, and if it blows holes reduce the wire feed. If things look not too bad then either accept that or make slight changes forward or back with the current setting. The important thing is to get the settings right, before you move on to the real thing. Hopefully I have give you some useful pointers there, good luck. Bob.
Great Video Rob! I learned a lot about MIG welding. Although you were just doing a review, I found the advice on setup, voltage, and properly tensioning the wire very informative.
Thanks Mark, I think there will be lots of YT tutorials on welding with MIG which is why I did not pitch it that way. Actually I would be surprised if there isn't, I haven't really looked, but I see lots of video with MIG in the title, so assume there are.
Does this welding machine has Arcforce and Hotstart in MMA mode? What is your expert opinion on that? What put me off from this particular unit that it is exact copy of generic MIG welder manufactured in RPC. Better alternatives are available for the same or even less price. Exposed contacts inside while for an experienced welder it is not a big problem for some it well may be. Just another thought. Overall it seems welds ok after all. But it is more DIY/garage kind of unit rather the one you may want to take on-site? Have you also checked if this welding machine produces honest 200A or it is just a marketing?
It has neither Arcforce or Hotstart in MMA mode. Both are good features, hot start increases the starting amperage which is very useful for the low hydrogen electrode series, and Arc Force adjusts current flow to keep the weld heat constant, which is particulary useful for out of position welds. I think they are great features even for somebody like me, with 50 odd years of experience, but in my selection of a welder, they are secondary considerations. Does the machine produce an honest 200A, I don't know, that is not a level I work at. It is more about the duty cycle for me. It will do a very nice weld with a 4.0mm low hydrogen rod at 130 to 160, so that is all I want out of it. I think if you want something to run electrodes on site, there are electrode only 200Amp DC welders, which are cheaper and less hassle to cart around.
Thanks for your review Bob. Any further thoughts after owning this unit for a year or so? Are you happy with the adjustments, does the lack of burn back adjustment matter? Basically asking are you sorry not to have purchased a higher end unit? Thanks in advance and for the content you produce. Rowan...
Rowan, more than happy with it, and I have had no issues, it is a great machine. When I did my trade, welders were no where near as sophisticated as they are today. As a consequence, I probably have actions that I do, but I am not aware of, that negates the need on my part for those helpful features like 'burnback adjustment'. This unit does the job I want it to do, which includes sheet metal to truck chassis, and at no time have I thought, I wish it could do something extra. Hope that helps you with your decision. Bob
Yes, we have 20, 25 and 32 amp breakers that I am aware of. There might also be a 40 amp and I know there are 80 and 100 amp ones as well. The 32 amp is probably a carry over from days past when something was always wired that way.
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Thanks Bob very clear explanation how use the welder,now I have idea how to use the same machine ,thanks once again
Glad you found the video useful, thanks.
Bob, thanks for doing this video on the Renegade 200amp MIG welder. I bought the smaller 180 amp unit and as with you found the instruction manual very confusing. They say the knob on the left is for wire speed/amps and the one on the right is also for amps. Thanks for pointing out that the right knob is for voltage in MIG format and amps for stick welding. As you suggested I got some scrap steel and did a bit of experimenting and very happy with results I got by just using flux core wire.
Great to be of help John, thanks for watching the video. I have been using the flux core wire quite a bit of late and am very happy with the welds I have been making.
Terrific video on the Renegade Mig welder, Bob. I have a number of Renegade tools myself and agree the quality is second to none. Cheers👍
Good stuff at a good price I have found. I have only ever had one Renegade tool go bad, it happened within a few days of starting to use it, they checked it, agreed on the problem, and just gave me a brand new replacement which never gave any trouble. Can't fault them.
Great Video Bob. I have never welded and just purchased a Renegade 200 to weld some rust patches into my old Beetle and couldn't find any information on how to set it up correctly as I also found the instructions hard to follow. Can you help with sharing what your setting would be for welding 1mm sheet metal with 0.8 steel wire? After watching your video I can't wait to start experimenting this weekend, as I had no idea where to start as the Renegade dials are quite confusing for a novice like me... Thanks again, cheers Adam
Thanks Adam for watching the video. To date all my use has been with 0.9mm wire, so sheet metal with 0.8mm is a bit of a guess for me. First off get yourself some 1mm sheet metal to practice on. Practice is always important. Even though I have been welding for 50 years, I have little practice pieces in my shop, I know the drill, but need to re-familiaise myself with the doing sometimes, if I have not done it for a while. What I am saying there is that even the experts practise before doing a weld they are not used to doing day to day. I am thinking you should set the current setting midway between the 80 and 120 amps and set the wire feed at about 4 and see how that goes. The current setting is the voltage in this case which is the push, and the wire feed is the current, or the melt. If it looks bad, ie looks like cocky poo, increase the wire feed, and if it blows holes reduce the wire feed. If things look not too bad then either accept that or make slight changes forward or back with the current setting. The important thing is to get the settings right, before you move on to the real thing. Hopefully I have give you some useful pointers there, good luck. Bob.
Great Video Rob! I learned a lot about MIG welding. Although you were just doing a review, I found the advice on setup, voltage, and properly tensioning the wire very informative.
Thanks Mark, I think there will be lots of YT tutorials on welding with MIG which is why I did not pitch it that way. Actually I would be surprised if there isn't, I haven't really looked, but I see lots of video with MIG in the title, so assume there are.
Does this welding machine has Arcforce and Hotstart in MMA mode? What is your expert opinion on that? What put me off from this particular unit that it is exact copy of generic MIG welder manufactured in RPC. Better alternatives are available for the same or even less price. Exposed contacts inside while for an experienced welder it is not a big problem for some it well may be. Just another thought. Overall it seems welds ok after all. But it is more DIY/garage kind of unit rather the one you may want to take on-site? Have you also checked if this welding machine produces honest 200A or it is just a marketing?
It has neither Arcforce or Hotstart in MMA mode. Both are good features, hot start increases the starting amperage which is very useful for the low hydrogen electrode series, and Arc Force adjusts current flow to keep the weld heat constant, which is particulary useful for out of position welds. I think they are great features even for somebody like me, with 50 odd years of experience, but in my selection of a welder, they are secondary considerations. Does the machine produce an honest 200A, I don't know, that is not a level I work at. It is more about the duty cycle for me. It will do a very nice weld with a 4.0mm low hydrogen rod at 130 to 160, so that is all I want out of it. I think if you want something to run electrodes on site, there are electrode only 200Amp DC welders, which are cheaper and less hassle to cart around.
My small BOC Mig just blew up.
I’m sold
Tradetools has online as well as in store sales I am pretty sure. But it is more about getting one to do the job you want. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for your review Bob. Any further thoughts after owning this unit for a year or so? Are you happy with the adjustments, does the lack of burn back adjustment matter? Basically asking are you sorry not to have purchased a higher end unit? Thanks in advance and for the content you produce. Rowan...
Rowan, more than happy with it, and I have had no issues, it is a great machine. When I did my trade, welders were no where near as sophisticated as they are today. As a consequence, I probably have actions that I do, but I am not aware of, that negates the need on my part for those helpful features like 'burnback adjustment'. This unit does the job I want it to do, which includes sheet metal to truck chassis, and at no time have I thought, I wish it could do something extra. Hope that helps you with your decision. Bob
1:46 I'm from the States, so just curious, you mentioned a 32A breaker? ours step in denominations of 5, you don't really have a 32A breaker do you?
Yes, we have 20, 25 and 32 amp breakers that I am aware of. There might also be a 40 amp and I know there are 80 and 100 amp ones as well. The 32 amp is probably a carry over from days past when something was always wired that way.
❤❤❤❤❤Nice
Thankyou 👍👍👍