I know I've probably seen someone make their own lugs and splices out of copper tubing before, but what a great reminder. It's so simple, and it's genius. You can also drill an inspection hole in the middle of the copper tubing and feed solder thru there too. Either way works.
I used your old videos to do the dc conversion on mine and it made a big difference in the way it welds. I also ditched the fan on mine and got one like a pc case fan that was the same size as the vent in the rear and ran off 120v, lot more airflow through the machine and it cleared up some space in the back of the case.
Jacob, I too replaced the fan with a 120v axial flow. Much better. I also (because the new fan was larger) was able to cut out the grid, over the fan hole. I then installed a wire type fan guard, as found on a computer. Much more air flow.😁😁 That factory cut out in the sheet metal cuts a Lot of air flow. At least 50%.
I actually found this exact welder in a dumpster awhile ago pulled it out got it home and it works perfect. I'm interested in the mod your explaining but bone stock it's the smoothest little welder I've used in a long time . It only going work better. I don't know what the complaints some people have with them . I can dimes all day with it . Good video
That was a good find Dustee! I'm pretty sure those who complain about it just don't know how to use it. I've done many weld projects with mine over the years.
I have a Harbor Freight Flux 125 and would like to reverse the polarity and convert to DC. Would the components you listed also work on the 125 or do I need to step them up to handle the extra amps? Also, how much $ did you invest in this mod? Just wondering if it would make more sense to sell this and buy a better model with DC and polarity options?
The Harbor Freight Flux 125 is the same machine as the older 90 amp so the same components will work with either machine. I think I spent about $40 or $50 on the mods in the video. Honestly there are much better options available today and you can get a machine that is already a DCEN inverter welder that is capable of stick welding and even lift TIG for less than what you would have in a modified Harbor Freight machine. I recently tested a YesWelder FLUX-135 that sells for about $140 or less if you use the coupon code below and it does all three processes and is a very capable Flux Core welder. It only weighs about 18lbs or so. Here is a link to the video and a coupon code for you if you decide you would like to try one out. I wish you the best with your welding projects! Use the promo code DIYHP10% at checkout for 10% OFF your entire order at yeswelder.com/?ref=DIYHP10%25 Flux-135-110 110V Gasless MIG Welder yeswelder.com/collections/mig-welder/products/gasless-mig-welder-135a?ref=DIYHP10%25
Nice mod, it is a tight space in the case to get all the parts into, but it seems like you managed to make it work. Do you get enough air flow to keep it from over heating while doing longer welds?
Well the first time I watched you do this, I had no idea what you were even talking about. Now a year and a half later after watching numerous others of your vids, I actually think I might be able to pull this off, if I had to. THANK GOODNESS I DON’t, as I have a Titanium. And speaking of metals ( how ‘bout that segue ; ), Pennies ‘81 and back are 95% Copper. Pennes ‘83 and forward are 97.5% Zinc. On the ‘82, you have a 50/50 chance of Zinc or Copper. Zinc does conduct electricity, but nothing like copper. Enjoyable vid. Thanks Bruce!
Mark you could do it if you had to. I really like the Titanium 125 machine even though I don't own one. If I were to buy one today that would probably be the one I'd get. I did use a penny in the 95% copper range but I don't remember it's year. I'm thinking it was a 1960 something year. It's crazy how much I still like this HF flux machine but it sure is heavy for it's size because of the transformer inside. This is the machine that started it all for me. Ha Ha I'm glad you enjoyed the video! :)
Hi, was about to buy one of the CE-125 Flux welders on sale for $89.00 .. It's the 125 amp. I don't think they even offer the 90 amp anymore. Would all these same mods apply and how much are all the parts? I'm wondering if the Titanium 125 is the better option for just another $80 more ($170 total with no coupon or discount) and then not have to do all the sourcing and labor to mod the CE-125.
My understanding is the newer 125 is the same machine as the 90. They just changed the name on it. Personally I wouldn't buy one and modify it these days. There are many better options out there for close to the same price and they require no modifications. The Titanium 125 is one of them but it still lacks features and capabilities that are offered on some slightly cheaper units. Personally I would recommend the YesWelder FLUX-135 for $159.99 They are running a Black Friday special for 15% OFF site wide at the moment. This will bring the price down to $135.99. This little machine is an inverter machine about half the weight and size of the HF 125. It also comes with a rod holder lead so you can stick weld with it and you don't have to buy anything else to do that. Way more machine for the money than the HF flux core machines IMO. I'll leave a link to my review video of the YesWelder FLUX - 135 if you would like to watch it. I'll also leave a link to the YesWelder page for this machine. I wish you the best with your welding adventures and thanks for stopping by. Flux-135-110 110V Gasless MIG Welder yeswelder.com/collections/mig-welder/products/gasless-mig-welder-135a?ref=DIYHP10%25 Don't Buy this Little Flux Core Welder Before Watching this Test! YesWelder FLUX-135 ruclips.net/video/uxwd0s85nD4/видео.html
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 Awesome man, thank you. I actually have the larger CE-170 which was my first welder, and quickly did the cap mod on it and then bought an Everlast 275 MTS a few years ago which is my baby but we just moved and it's in storage. I also don't have a 240v line set up in the house yet so until then I just need a small flux to mount up some new steel gates and hinges. I'll def check out the Yes-135 now. Thanks for the recommendation!
Good video. I learned a lot and it was easy to follow. Unfortunately the parts are far more expensive these days, I'll probably just save up for a different welder. Thanks for sharing.
I don't know what the parts cost is at today's prices but I do have product links in the video description for all the parts I used in this modification.
what are the minimum requirements on the DC power supply? you know like can I hook this to a 48v system and weld without the use of an inverter in between.
Why did you pick 470 ohm and not, say 100 ohm? I have seen chokes put on DCP cable before and after caps. What do you think? What voltage caps did you choose?
The 470 ohm is just what I decided to go with from my research at the time. It only takes a few seconds for the caps to bleed off after releasing the trigger and that is exactly what I was looking for. You can use what ever size you prefer honestly. I've seen chokes used as well I just decided not to use one. I'm completely happy with how my welder welds with the mods I made in the video so I don't think I would bother with a choke if I were to do this again. I used 50V caps in my build. I have a link to some from Amazon listed in the video description if you want to check them out.
Thank you for making this video. I have the 125A model that I purchased as a returned product for $60 from Harbor Freight. This is my first welder and I have been self learning, but quickly realized that trying to learn with an AC flux machine is an absolute mistake! I have a couple questions about this that you didn't cover in the video. 1. With regards to the 50W 470 Ohm 5% resistor, where is that wired into the circuit? I am assuming I only need one and it would go on the positive size right before it gets connected to the ground clamp. 2. I understand that you are not an expert, but hoping that you or someone could comment. Should I go with a bigger capacitor and resistor since mine is 125A vs the 90A? I am planning to use the 200A single phase bridge rectifier, so I suspect that will be sufficient for that part.
The resistor is wired into the + and - of the capacitor. It's purpose is to bleed off the capacitor charge after you stop welding. You won't need a bigger capacitor for the 125A machine. Both the earlier model (90A) and the newer (125A) machine are the same machine inside. They just changed the labeling for the most part. The capacitor just smooths out the DC current flow and give a smoother arc. The machine you got is a great starter machine and a very capable welder for a lot of home welding projects. Learning just takes practice, the more you practice the better you will get. The best thing about that machine is it accepts a 10lb spool of wire. It's much cheaper to buy one 10lb spool comaired to 5 - 2lb spools. This help make practicing more affordable IMO. I wish you the best!
I do some welding with it in this video. ruclips.net/video/NBZ3tbjvBNs/видео.html IMO it made a noticeable difference and I really like the way it welds since the modifications. I don't know anything about the 240V 170 amp model. Is that model AC or DC output? If it is AC then this mod will help improve the performance with flux core wire. If that machine is already DC output then this modification is not necessary.
That was so educational the footage was amazing and instructions. So what's the idea behind changing it as far as performance? like I have one also and the sparks go everywhere so does this cut down on the sparks? better penetration? trying to understand the key importance to the mod. Also I noticed the tig welder in the back prime weld, I have one in my cart shopping but have yet pulled the trigger, I would like to try to weld some thinner aluminum and stainless steel, just a quick question to you about that unit, How is it working for you etc.. do you like it? Tks
The commonly used flux core wire is designed to run on DCEN and not AC current. The result of changing to DC current is less spatter, better penetration and a smoother running weld. It's still flux core so you will still get spatter but it is reduced compared to running on AC current. Current flows from negative to positive so with the electrode negative it puts more heat into the workpiece using DCEN and that in turn provides more penetration. Yes I do like the PrimeWeld TIG 225. It's working just fine but to be honest with you, I haven't used it much since I got the YesWelder TIG 250P. Mainly because I like the temperature controlled fans so it's quieter than the PrimeWeld. Both machines are pretty much dead even IMO in performance and features. Hope this helps you out and good luck with what ever machine you choose.
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 Yes thanks for the response back, the mod sounds very interesting but to be honest I can't remember if I have the ninety or the one twenty five harbor freight unit lol At auction i bought a lot of aluminum spool wire, I was so very tempted to put in in the harbor freight unit and run it to see what would happen on aluminum, bad idea maybe but I have like eight spools of the aluminum wire, so yeah it's either get a mig or a tig such a rookie here only used stick welding for the last on and off thirty years so really all this is like bran new to me. Thanks for the tips and advice.
The 90 amp and the 125 amp are pretty much the same machine. I think it will be a real mess if you use aluminum wire without argon shielding gas. :) Let me know how it goes if you try it. LOL
Hey. I have a question. I would like to do the same thing with my machine but I have 4 capacitors @560 microfarad and 400 volt would that work? I saw another guy using only the bridge rectifier without any capacitor so I wonder if such small capacitors like mine will make any difference or if they will resist the current. Thank you.
I really don't know much about capacitors. I'm not sure if the caps you mention will help or not. You could always give them a try and if they don't work, just remove or replace them with larger ones. Some guys just use only the bridge rectifier and get nice welds. The rectifier is the main element that makes the biggest difference.
Capacitors help smooth out the ripple from the rectified dc. DC voltage as it comes out of the rectifier kind of looks like |\|\|\| where it has spikes and drops from the frequency of the ac. Capacitors store voltage and release it during those drops between the spikes which fills in some of the gap something more like this |`|`|`|
I am ignorant to tinkering and making mods, but nothing ventured nothing gained IMO! I was gifted one of these so to speak, and I want it on straight polarity. The SKU is 57798. I believe it’s the same machine with the same specs?
I believe the Harbor Freight 90 amp and the 125 amp are all the same machine regardless of the SKU number. Either way the mods would be the same to set it up for DCEN.
I am going to attempt to do this. No lies, I am a little nervous. But here I am, hat in hand. I read somewhere between the last comment and now- about the difference but it’s minimal. If I have any questions I will refer back to this thread. I am going to do this mod one step at a time, and not rush at all, and seek guidance when and where needed from someone who knows how to work with electricity’ 😊
Good day sir. After I converted from ac to dc using 150a 1600v rectifier with 22000mfd 80v filter capacitor my output voltage increased from 27v to 53v. Is that okey? Appreciate your comment. Thank you sir.
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 thank for the comment sir. I have observed that welding now seems to be of high amperage. Min1 setting now is like max1 before. Anyhow thank you sir appreciate.
Microwave caps are very low capacitance, and high voltage. They won't pack the same low-voltage, high current punch like the electrolytics that DIY Homestead Projects used.
Flux core wire is designed to run on DC (DCEN) not AC like the Flux Harbor Freight machine was built. There are many more better choices out there today for an affordable Flux Core machine that come from the factory already DC for flux core wire. Here is a link to a video I did on my favorite flux core machine if you are interested. ruclips.net/video/uxwd0s85nD4/видео.html
Back to the old HF flux core box! I did all your mods minus capacitors or the resistor. It is night and day. Do you have a plasma cutter Bruce? Do us a video on a cheapo unit, I got one for $150 about 2 years ago and it still works great. When it's dialed in right it will slice 3/8" steel clean with hardly any dross. Thanks buddy.
Hello Boris, yes I do have a plasma cutter. I purchased the YesWelder CUT-55. It cost me $360 with the 10% discount. Not as cheap as your $150 cutter. Sounds like you got a great price on yours! The CUT-55 is a pilot arc machine. Is your $150 machine a pilot arc machine? I haven't used it much yet but I will eventually do a video about it. I need to do some practice with it and learn how to dial it in.
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 No, mine is non pilot arc 50 amp machine. I changed out the torch for one with a trigger on the bottom instead of tiny button on top.
The commonly used flux core wire is designed to run on DCEN and not AC current. The result of changing to DC current is less spatter, better penetration and a smoother running weld. It's still flux core so you will still get spatter but it is reduced compared to running on AC current. Current flows from negative to positive so with the electrode negative it puts more heat into the workpiece using DCEN and that in turn provides more penetration.
@@fromthebackofmymind: Well, there's some good information. I don't deal with AC/DC conversions, so never heard that before. Now I know and understand. Thank you. 😁
Here is a link to some on Amazon that will work. I believe you should get 50V and the MFD is up to you. More MFD is better I think. I also believe anything at or above 20 MFD should give decent results. amzn.to/3mUBC59
50v 50,000 microfarads. You can get one cap that way. I just bought one for about 25 bucks on ebay. I only see one issue with his bank on here, and that is that one cap appears to be smaller than the rest. I believe the rule is, any caps in the series will only have the capacity of the smallest cap in the series.
I’ve only ever worked with low voltage (audio gear), and the smoothing capacitors are great for constant voltage with less ripple, but my limited knowledge tells me you need constant current in this case. I’ve seen people use a choke instead of a capacitor. Does anyone here know anything about that? Do you need me over the other, or both? Thanks!
Thank you for this great video. I have this welding machine and for $150 you really can complain but at the end Of the days it’s not that good of a machine. I’m definitely going to be doing this mod here in the near future.
I just got the Titanium 15lb half the weight/physical size, DC welder, with the coupon, for $99. Time and materials and benefits, made since just to buy the Titanium 125 amp rather convert the beefy 90amp
The two AC lines into the rectifier and it doesn't matter what one goes on what side. These are the two coming out of the transformer in the welder. The two DC out lines are + and -. The + goes to the work clamp and the - goes to the torch lead. The bridge rectifier should have markings on the terminals as described above.
Actually the two DC lines coming out of the rectifier go to the capacitors and they have to be + to + and - to -. Then from there to the work clamp and torch lead.
Another issue is the ripple current rating on the capacitors. This spec is for the maximum current the capacitor can handle as charge is placed on the plates and then pulled back out, thus converting the ac into dc. A quick review of 47,000 uF caps/50 volts shows a typical ripple current of 10 amps, which can be rated higher at cooler temperatures but only by about 2 times. So 150 amps/20 would require 7 or 8 caps to handle the full current. As modified, only about half that amount could be tolerated by the capacitor bank. Reduced duty cycle would lower the chance of a capacitor can rupturing.
yes the more caps the better ,, but beware the more caps the more charge they can hold and the resistor is mandantory to bleed off any residul charge held by them when u turn the machine off. instead of buying those caps i dont see why a few caps from a microwave machine wouldnt work.. just exploring the options.Has anyone tried this on the 170 amp model?
Coming back on here after 10 months. Life has been happening and now I need to use my Chicago Electric 125 welder again. I just can't do it under AC. So I came back to watch this video to turn it into DC. The first question I have for the host: I'm worried that the 400 ohm is going to impact the welding current while I'm pulling the trigger and welding. Does this resistor know how to stay in its only until the welder trigger is released? ++++++ I have been doing heavy research the last 4 days. I came up with sort of an epiphany: To get the most Farads out of your capacitors, they should be hooked up in parallel. In this video they're hooked up in series. The formula for hooking batteries or capacitors in and parallel is the sum of all the Farads. Let us assume we have three each 1000μF capacitors hooked up in parallel: the formula is C1 + C2 + C3 = CTotal. 1000μF + 2000μF + 3000μF = 6000μF. Essentially, we remember our old hockey ice rink scoreboards, only the digits 0 and 8 is one lightbulb in contact with every other light bulb. All the other digits except for 1 are in series: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 9. The easiest way to ensure parallel hookup is to ensure that every capacitor can reach every other capacitor without having to go into another capacitor. Usually some sort of centrebridge among rows of capacitors accomplishes this. Hooking the capacitors up in series as in this video does not grant you all the microfarad of capacity. We now need the flip the parallel formula using the reciprocal of the capacitance for series hookups. Formula: 1/C1 + 1/C2 + 1/C3 = 1/CTotal. Example:. 1/1000μF + 1/2000μF + 1/3000μF = 6/1000μF or 0.003μF. Simplify--> (1000/1000) × (6/1000μF) = 6000/μF. Invert--> 1 ÷ (6000/μF) Answer: 0.1666667μF. What a way to turn $50 worth of capacitors into 50¢ worth of capacitors. Fortunately, the host of this video will be handy and in ten minutes we'll be able to hook up everything up in parallel.
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 Oh-My bad. Appeared to me that the farthest tallest capacitor did not have a path to the smallest nearest capacitor are there than going into an intermediary capacitor.
@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 thank you i found it but went back and watch alot of video to do so. looks like its worth it. i did the ac to dc conversion without the caps works better but...
A multimeter could check transformer output voltage of AC as produced. Then after rectification. Dangerously high current inside. Observe all safety precautions.
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 Most all the laws are a joke. The government just selectively pinches whoever they want for some other thing they're doing they don't like, which is probably something that takes power away from them or their constituents - businesses.
Full Playlist here - Harbor Freight Gasless Flux Core Welder Mods - ruclips.net/p/PLC_QVs9y_q3uh7Cu47IFvoEkyR4DJ6dHN
I know I've probably seen someone make their own lugs and splices out of copper tubing before, but what a great reminder. It's so simple, and it's genius. You can also drill an inspection hole in the middle of the copper tubing and feed solder thru there too. Either way works.
I used your old videos to do the dc conversion on mine and it made a big difference in the way it welds. I also ditched the fan on mine and got one like a pc case fan that was the same size as the vent in the rear and ran off 120v, lot more airflow through the machine and it cleared up some space in the back of the case.
Awesome! Nice Job! 👍👍👍
Jacob, I too replaced the fan with a 120v axial flow. Much better.
I also (because the new fan was larger) was able to cut out the grid, over the fan hole.
I then installed a wire type fan guard, as found on a computer. Much more air flow.😁😁
That factory cut out in the sheet metal cuts a Lot of air flow. At least 50%.
I actually found this exact welder in a dumpster awhile ago pulled it out got it home and it works perfect. I'm interested in the mod your explaining but bone stock it's the smoothest little welder I've used in a long time . It only going work better. I don't know what the complaints some people have with them . I can dimes all day with it . Good video
That was a good find Dustee! I'm pretty sure those who complain about it just don't know how to use it. I've done many weld projects with mine over the years.
I have a Harbor Freight Flux 125 and would like to reverse the polarity and convert to DC. Would the components you listed also work on the 125 or do I need to step them up to handle the extra amps?
Also, how much $ did you invest in this mod? Just wondering if it would make more sense to sell this and buy a better model with DC and polarity options?
The Harbor Freight Flux 125 is the same machine as the older 90 amp so the same components will work with either machine.
I think I spent about $40 or $50 on the mods in the video.
Honestly there are much better options available today and you can get a machine that is already a DCEN inverter welder that is capable of stick welding and even lift TIG for less than what you would have in a modified Harbor Freight machine.
I recently tested a YesWelder FLUX-135 that sells for about $140 or less if you use the coupon code below and it does all three processes and is a very capable Flux Core welder. It only weighs about 18lbs or so. Here is a link to the video and a coupon code for you if you decide you would like to try one out. I wish you the best with your welding projects!
Use the promo code DIYHP10% at checkout for 10% OFF your entire order at
yeswelder.com/?ref=DIYHP10%25
Flux-135-110 110V Gasless MIG Welder
yeswelder.com/collections/mig-welder/products/gasless-mig-welder-135a?ref=DIYHP10%25
Link to the FLUX-135 Test video
ruclips.net/video/uxwd0s85nD4/видео.html
I appreciate the effort you put into this video, to the point and without the fluff. Well done!
Thanks Jimbo, I appreciate that!
Who taught you .. yourself.. I can see you are a very clever man.. you did a fine job explaining what you are doing.. keep up the good work man..
I appreciate that!
Nice mod, it is a tight space in the case to get all the parts into, but it seems like you managed to make it work. Do you get enough air flow to keep it from over heating while doing longer welds?
Yes it does
Well the first time I watched you do this, I had no idea what you were even talking about. Now a year and a half later after watching numerous others of your vids, I actually think I might be able to pull this off, if I had to. THANK GOODNESS I DON’t, as I have a Titanium. And speaking of metals ( how ‘bout that segue ; ), Pennies ‘81 and back are 95% Copper. Pennes ‘83 and forward are 97.5% Zinc. On the ‘82, you have a 50/50 chance of Zinc or Copper. Zinc does conduct electricity, but nothing like copper. Enjoyable vid. Thanks Bruce!
Mark you could do it if you had to. I really like the Titanium 125 machine even though I don't own one. If I were to buy one today that would probably be the one I'd get. I did use a penny in the 95% copper range but I don't remember it's year. I'm thinking it was a 1960 something year. It's crazy how much I still like this HF flux machine but it sure is heavy for it's size because of the transformer inside. This is the machine that started it all for me. Ha Ha I'm glad you enjoyed the video! :)
Its copper coated led
@@Mike-su8sipennies are not lead
Hi, was about to buy one of the CE-125 Flux welders on sale for $89.00 .. It's the 125 amp. I don't think they even offer the 90 amp anymore. Would all these same mods apply and how much are all the parts? I'm wondering if the Titanium 125 is the better option for just another $80 more ($170 total with no coupon or discount) and then not have to do all the sourcing and labor to mod the CE-125.
My understanding is the newer 125 is the same machine as the 90. They just changed the name on it. Personally I wouldn't buy one and modify it these days. There are many better options out there for close to the same price and they require no modifications. The Titanium 125 is one of them but it still lacks features and capabilities that are offered on some slightly cheaper units. Personally I would recommend the YesWelder FLUX-135 for $159.99 They are running a Black Friday special for 15% OFF site wide at the moment. This will bring the price down to $135.99. This little machine is an inverter machine about half the weight and size of the HF 125. It also comes with a rod holder lead so you can stick weld with it and you don't have to buy anything else to do that. Way more machine for the money than the HF flux core machines IMO. I'll leave a link to my review video of the YesWelder FLUX - 135 if you would like to watch it. I'll also leave a link to the YesWelder page for this machine. I wish you the best with your welding adventures and thanks for stopping by.
Flux-135-110 110V Gasless MIG Welder
yeswelder.com/collections/mig-welder/products/gasless-mig-welder-135a?ref=DIYHP10%25
Don't Buy this Little Flux Core Welder Before Watching this Test! YesWelder FLUX-135
ruclips.net/video/uxwd0s85nD4/видео.html
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 Awesome man, thank you. I actually have the larger CE-170 which was my first welder, and quickly did the cap mod on it and then bought an Everlast 275 MTS a few years ago which is my baby but we just moved and it's in storage. I also don't have a 240v line set up in the house yet so until then I just need a small flux to mount up some new steel gates and hinges. I'll def check out the Yes-135 now. Thanks for the recommendation!
No problem, I think you'll like it. It's pretty impressive for the price IMO. I wish you the best!
AWESOME - Been watching your other videos and HATED having to jump from one to the other. Thanks for this!
Awesome! Thank you!
Good video. I learned a lot and it was easy to follow. Unfortunately the parts are far more expensive these days, I'll probably just save up for a different welder. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the visit
Bummer. I was wondering...
What is the COST of parts to do just the DC conversion? Nice job!
I don't know what the parts cost is at today's prices but I do have product links in the video description for all the parts I used in this modification.
what are the minimum requirements on the DC power supply? you know like can I hook this to a 48v system and weld without the use of an inverter in between.
Why did you pick 470 ohm and not, say 100 ohm?
I have seen chokes put on DCP cable before and after caps. What do you think?
What voltage caps did you choose?
The 470 ohm is just what I decided to go with from my research at the time. It only takes a few seconds for the caps to bleed off after releasing the trigger and that is exactly what I was looking for. You can use what ever size you prefer honestly. I've seen chokes used as well I just decided not to use one. I'm completely happy with how my welder welds with the mods I made in the video so I don't think I would bother with a choke if I were to do this again. I used 50V caps in my build. I have a link to some from Amazon listed in the video description if you want to check them out.
Thank you for making this video. I have the 125A model that I purchased as a returned product for $60 from Harbor Freight. This is my first welder and I have been self learning, but quickly realized that trying to learn with an AC flux machine is an absolute mistake! I have a couple questions about this that you didn't cover in the video.
1. With regards to the 50W 470 Ohm 5% resistor, where is that wired into the circuit? I am assuming I only need one and it would go on the positive size right before it gets connected to the ground clamp.
2. I understand that you are not an expert, but hoping that you or someone could comment. Should I go with a bigger capacitor and resistor since mine is 125A vs the 90A? I am planning to use the 200A single phase bridge rectifier, so I suspect that will be sufficient for that part.
The resistor is wired into the + and - of the capacitor. It's purpose is to bleed off the capacitor charge after you stop welding. You won't need a bigger capacitor for the 125A machine. Both the earlier model (90A) and the newer (125A) machine are the same machine inside. They just changed the labeling for the most part. The capacitor just smooths out the DC current flow and give a smoother arc.
The machine you got is a great starter machine and a very capable welder for a lot of home welding projects. Learning just takes practice, the more you practice the better you will get. The best thing about that machine is it accepts a 10lb spool of wire. It's much cheaper to buy one 10lb spool comaired to 5 - 2lb spools. This help make practicing more affordable IMO. I wish you the best!
I Wanted to see you weld with it and your opinion on the performance difference. If so i will it work on the 240v 170 amp model.
I do some welding with it in this video. ruclips.net/video/NBZ3tbjvBNs/видео.html IMO it made a noticeable difference and I really like the way it welds since the modifications. I don't know anything about the 240V 170 amp model. Is that model AC or DC output? If it is AC then this mod will help improve the performance with flux core wire. If that machine is already DC output then this modification is not necessary.
Hi Bruce. I see you have a Yes Welder Inverter machine in the background. Better machine?
Yes, I really like the YesWelder welding machines. IMO they are one of the best values for the money.
That was so educational the footage was amazing and instructions.
So what's the idea behind changing it as far as performance? like I have one also and the sparks go everywhere so does this cut down on the sparks? better penetration? trying to understand the key importance to the mod.
Also I noticed the tig welder in the back prime weld, I have one in my cart shopping but have yet pulled the trigger, I would like to try to weld some thinner aluminum and stainless steel, just a quick question to you about that unit, How is it working for you etc.. do you like it?
Tks
The commonly used flux core wire is designed to run on DCEN and not AC current. The result of changing to DC current is less spatter, better penetration and a smoother running weld. It's still flux core so you will still get spatter but it is reduced compared to running on AC current. Current flows from negative to positive so with the electrode negative it puts more heat into the workpiece using DCEN and that in turn provides more penetration.
Yes I do like the PrimeWeld TIG 225. It's working just fine but to be honest with you, I haven't used it much since I got the YesWelder TIG 250P. Mainly because I like the temperature controlled fans so it's quieter than the PrimeWeld. Both machines are pretty much dead even IMO in performance and features. Hope this helps you out and good luck with what ever machine you choose.
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 Yes thanks for the response back, the mod sounds very interesting but to be honest I can't remember if I have the ninety or the one twenty five harbor freight unit lol At auction i bought a lot of aluminum spool wire, I was so very tempted to put in in the harbor freight unit and run it to see what would happen on aluminum, bad idea maybe but I have like eight spools of the aluminum wire, so yeah it's either get a mig or a tig such a rookie here only used stick welding for the last on and off thirty years so really all this is like bran new to me.
Thanks for the tips and advice.
The 90 amp and the 125 amp are pretty much the same machine. I think it will be a real mess if you use aluminum wire without argon shielding gas. :) Let me know how it goes if you try it. LOL
BRILLIANT!
AWESOME!
You should have your own DYI TV show!
Wow, thanks Michael!
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10
You are welcome
I just need a good penetrating non-burn-through 2"× 4" bead in to 11-gauge cold steel and a 1999
Great easy to understand video. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
do you think this would work on a 170 amp 220vlt a/c chicago ....?
I don't know anything about that particular machine so I really don't know if this will work or not.
Hey. I have a question. I would like to do the same thing with my machine but I have 4 capacitors @560 microfarad and 400 volt would that work?
I saw another guy using only the bridge rectifier without any capacitor so I wonder if such small capacitors like mine will make any difference or if they will resist the current.
Thank you.
I really don't know much about capacitors. I'm not sure if the caps you mention will help or not. You could always give them a try and if they don't work, just remove or replace them with larger ones. Some guys just use only the bridge rectifier and get nice welds. The rectifier is the main element that makes the biggest difference.
Capacitors help smooth out the ripple from the rectified dc. DC voltage as it comes out of the rectifier kind of looks like |\|\|\| where it has spikes and drops from the frequency of the ac. Capacitors store voltage and release it during those drops between the spikes which fills in some of the gap something more like this |`|`|`|
I am ignorant to tinkering and making mods, but nothing ventured nothing gained IMO! I was gifted one of these so to speak, and I want it on straight polarity. The SKU is 57798. I believe it’s the same machine with the same specs?
I believe the Harbor Freight 90 amp and the 125 amp are all the same machine regardless of the SKU number. Either way the mods would be the same to set it up for DCEN.
I am going to attempt to do this. No lies, I am a little nervous. But here I am, hat in hand. I read somewhere between the last comment and now- about the difference but it’s minimal. If I have any questions I will refer back to this thread. I am going to do this mod one step at a time, and not rush at all, and seek guidance when and where needed from someone who knows how to work with electricity’ 😊
I wish you the best with your project!
On this mod is the trigger neg or pos? Ty.
It is negative.
Good day sir. After I converted from ac to dc using 150a 1600v rectifier with 22000mfd 80v filter capacitor my output voltage increased from 27v to 53v. Is that okey? Appreciate your comment. Thank you sir.
Boy that's quite an increase but I have no idea if that's good or bad. Sorry but that's beyond my knowledge. How is it welding now?
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 thank for the comment sir. I have observed that welding now seems to be of high amperage. Min1 setting now is like max1 before. Anyhow thank you sir appreciate.
You are welcome Abraham! Happy Welding to you 😀
Hi great video. N ty for sharing.
I'm a electrician n im thinking 🤔 u could use 2 microwave capacitors with ur rectifier . Lmk what you think
Thank you, did you see that I installed 4 capacitors in the video?
Microwave caps are very low capacitance, and high voltage. They won't pack the same low-voltage, high current punch like the electrolytics that DIY Homestead Projects used.
for my lack of knowledge, why convert the flux core welder to DC?
Flux core wire is designed to run on DC (DCEN) not AC like the Flux Harbor Freight machine was built. There are many more better choices out there today for an affordable Flux Core machine that come from the factory already DC for flux core wire. Here is a link to a video I did on my favorite flux core machine if you are interested. ruclips.net/video/uxwd0s85nD4/видео.html
Can't you get flux core wire that can run fine on ac current though?
Not that I’ve seen
NICELY DONE!!
Thank you!
Can the internal parts of a microwave (not the magnetron) be used to make a high frequency unit to tig weld?
Good question, I don't know.
Back to the old HF flux core box! I did all your mods minus capacitors or the resistor. It is night and day. Do you have a plasma cutter Bruce? Do us a video on a cheapo unit, I got one for $150 about 2 years ago and it still works great. When it's dialed in right it will slice 3/8" steel clean with hardly any dross. Thanks buddy.
Hello Boris, yes I do have a plasma cutter. I purchased the YesWelder CUT-55. It cost me $360 with the 10% discount. Not as cheap as your $150 cutter. Sounds like you got a great price on yours! The CUT-55 is a pilot arc machine. Is your $150 machine a pilot arc machine? I haven't used it much yet but I will eventually do a video about it. I need to do some practice with it and learn how to dial it in.
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 No, mine is non pilot arc 50 amp machine. I changed out the torch for one with a trigger on the bottom instead of tiny button on top.
I'm with you on that! I like the trigger on the bottom better too.
What’s the benefit of converting it to DC voltage?
The commonly used flux core wire is designed to run on DCEN and not AC current. The result of changing to DC current is less spatter, better penetration and a smoother running weld. It's still flux core so you will still get spatter but it is reduced compared to running on AC current. Current flows from negative to positive so with the electrode negative it puts more heat into the workpiece using DCEN and that in turn provides more penetration.
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 And you get 120 pulses instead of 60. Smoother electron flow.
@@fromthebackofmymind: Well, there's some good information.
I don't deal with AC/DC conversions, so never heard that before.
Now I know and understand. Thank you. 😁
How do I size the capacitors? I don’t know what to look at on eBay. Thanks
Here is a link to some on Amazon that will work. I believe you should get 50V and the MFD is up to you. More MFD is better I think. I also believe anything at or above 20 MFD should give decent results. amzn.to/3mUBC59
50v 50,000 microfarads. You can get one cap that way. I just bought one for about 25 bucks on ebay.
I only see one issue with his bank on here, and that is that one cap appears to be smaller than the rest. I believe the rule is, any caps in the series will only have the capacity of the smallest cap in the series.
Great lug work!
Thank you!
Could you use a ballast from an HDI light as a choke in this conversation?
I really don't know Allen
It depends on the size of the wire used in the winding. If it's #8 or bigger then likely yes.
I’ve only ever worked with low voltage (audio gear), and the smoothing capacitors are great for constant voltage with less ripple, but my limited knowledge tells me you need constant current in this case. I’ve seen people use a choke instead of a capacitor. Does anyone here know anything about that? Do you need me over the other, or both? Thanks!
Great video
Thanks for the visit
Thank you for this great video. I have this welding machine and for $150 you really can complain but at the end Of the days it’s not that good of a machine. I’m definitely going to be doing this mod here in the near future.
You're welcome William, have fun with your project! Thanks for watching!
Very informative nice job keep up the good work
Thanks Jim👍
Friend, the idea is good, but you really will get great differences with the welding results if you install a shoke coil
Thanks for the tip
Always love your videos!!!
I'm glad you like them Rodger! Thank you!
I just got the Titanium 15lb half the weight/physical size, DC welder, with the coupon, for $99. Time and materials and benefits, made since just to buy the Titanium 125 amp rather convert the beefy 90amp
I wonder if you could use capacitors salvaged from microwave ovens?
I think if it's a 50V rated capacitor it would probably work.
How about just one big capacitor ?
That should work fine
I’d like to see the difference in how it welds
ruclips.net/video/AuBTTs1miTQ/видео.html
I tried it but it only spark and then it cuts off and then it's like the capacitors have to charge back up and it spark like a pap, but will not weld
It sounds like you have something hooked up wrong. Make sure you have the AC and DC connections on your bridge rectifier connected properly.
Ok I'll try it again
The two AC lines into the rectifier and it doesn't matter what one goes on what side. These are the two coming out of the transformer in the welder. The two DC out lines are + and -. The + goes to the work clamp and the - goes to the torch lead. The bridge rectifier should have markings on the terminals as described above.
Actually the two DC lines coming out of the rectifier go to the capacitors and they have to be + to + and - to -. Then from there to the work clamp and torch lead.
Am I the only one who was stressed by the clearance he left on that rectifier?
Another issue is the ripple current rating on the capacitors. This spec is for the maximum current the capacitor can handle as charge is placed on the plates and then pulled back out, thus converting the ac into dc. A quick review of 47,000 uF caps/50 volts shows a typical ripple current of 10 amps, which can be rated higher at cooler temperatures but only by about 2 times. So 150 amps/20 would require 7 or 8 caps to handle the full current. As modified, only about half that amount could be tolerated by the capacitor bank. Reduced duty cycle would lower the chance of a capacitor can rupturing.
i just dont understand why its ac to begin with . can someone enlighten
Thankyou
You are welcome Delbert, thanks for stopping by!
yes the more caps the better ,, but beware the more caps the more charge they can hold and the resistor is mandantory to bleed off any residul charge held by them when u turn the machine off. instead of buying those caps i dont see why a few caps from a microwave machine wouldnt work.. just exploring the options.Has anyone tried this on the 170 amp model?
Coming back on here after 10 months.
Life has been happening and now I need to use my Chicago Electric 125 welder again. I just can't do it under AC. So I came back to watch this video to turn it into DC.
The first question I have for the host: I'm worried that the 400 ohm is going to impact the welding current while I'm pulling the trigger and welding. Does this resistor know how to stay in its only until the welder trigger is released?
++++++
I have been doing heavy research the last 4 days. I came up with sort of an epiphany:
To get the most Farads out of your capacitors, they should be hooked up in parallel. In this video they're hooked up in series.
The formula for hooking batteries or capacitors in and parallel is the sum of all the Farads.
Let us assume we have three each 1000μF capacitors hooked up in parallel: the formula is C1 + C2 + C3 = CTotal.
1000μF + 2000μF + 3000μF = 6000μF.
Essentially, we remember our old hockey ice rink scoreboards, only the digits 0 and 8 is one lightbulb in contact with every other light bulb. All the other digits except for 1 are in series: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 9.
The easiest way to ensure parallel hookup is to ensure that every capacitor can reach every other capacitor without having to go into another capacitor. Usually some sort of centrebridge among rows of capacitors accomplishes this.
Hooking the capacitors up in series as in this video does not grant you all the microfarad of capacity. We now need the flip the parallel formula using the reciprocal of the capacitance for series hookups.
Formula: 1/C1 + 1/C2 + 1/C3 = 1/CTotal.
Example:. 1/1000μF + 1/2000μF + 1/3000μF = 6/1000μF or 0.003μF.
Simplify--> (1000/1000) × (6/1000μF) = 6000/μF.
Invert--> 1 ÷ (6000/μF)
Answer: 0.1666667μF.
What a way to turn $50 worth of capacitors into 50¢ worth of capacitors.
Fortunately, the host of this video will be handy and in ten minutes we'll be able to hook up everything up in parallel.
The capacitors in this video are all connected in parallel.
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10
Oh-My bad. Appeared to me that the farthest tallest capacitor did not have a path to the smallest nearest capacitor are there than going into an intermediary capacitor.
The old penny on a wire trick I’ll have to put that one in my brain pocket in a pinch
Capacitors in series are additive. Capacitors in parallel are 1/((1/C1 + (1/C2) ) NOT C1 + C2.
Capacitors act just like batteries regarding the current: putting two in parallel adds their current capacity.
i didn't i watchcall the videos and then this one and still never seen it work or even know if it did
This one shows some welding with this modified machine.
ruclips.net/video/NBZ3tbjvBNs/видео.html
@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 thank you i found it but went back and watch alot of video to do so. looks like its worth it. i did the ac to dc conversion without the caps works better but...
That's stuff i could do but I'm okay with how mine is from the store
Why do you want it DC voltage
Because flux core wire is designed to run on DC voltage.
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 thanks I really appreciate your answer now I know the reason
You're welcome Roger, happy welding.
Your capacitors are in parallel, not series.
You’re right
Any time you convert AC to DC the DC voltage will be 1.414 times higher. Essentially 10 Volts AC will be 14 volts DC after its been rectified.
Good to know, thanks for the info Frank!
A multimeter could check transformer output voltage of AC as produced. Then after rectification. Dangerously high current inside.
Observe all safety precautions.
May I point out that there are not many videos of: 'Modifying my Lincoln or my Miller welder.'
Sure, can you point out any Lincoln or Miller welders you can purchase for $100?
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10: Shoot the owner and be the first at his estate sale. 😁
you dont own that penny you could get in trouble hay just sayen
No more so than people who put pennies in souvenir machines to get a smashed penny as a souvenir.
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 ya i was just sayen my welder handles 1/4 inch no problem thanks
@@DIYHomesteadProjectsDIYHP10 Most all the laws are a joke. The government just selectively pinches whoever they want for some other thing they're doing they don't like, which is probably something that takes power away from them or their constituents - businesses.
Tell the Americans that houbour freight means made in China 🇨🇳, thanks kind Regards