Following comments from the owner of a similar unit, I was not satisfied that the duty cycle on this welder is adequate, so I ran some 3.2 mm rods through it continuously in the next video to see how long it takes to overheat it. I also have serious reservations about the supposed output figures stated by other reviews - they just don't stack up with the excellent way it burns 3.2 mm rods. As these units use pulse technology it is quite possible that these measurements do not give a true indication of what is actually happening. The ZX7-200 circuit board is used in a wide range of DC welders being sold, but I think there is a probable difference given the large price variations. This would come down to the size and quality of internal components and the accessories included. As stated in the video, I can only comment on the one received. Whether cheaper units perform at the same level I cannot say. However, as of 2020 looking at buyer comments for this hugely popular little welder, the response is virtually 100% positive across all brands being sold. Cheers Rob
xynudu yeah thats the question for me. i dont think a 2" bead then a long rest is really a good test of the duty cycle, which is really the big issue with these tiny welders. If i were doing the test id let it cool completely then see how long it takes to run it to thermal shutdown running a constant bead a couple times at a few amperage settings.
I bought one of these welders about three years ago. I burnt many of rods with it, I made two sauna stoves out of 3/8” plate and welded it with5/32” 7018. I weld for a living and I can honestly tell you that for the money it makes no sense how well these machines work. They will not strike an arc as well as an industrial machine but once you got it burning it’s smooth and consistent. Great for any work at home. Do not hesitate to buy one.
In the 70s we laughed at Japanese products, usually calling it "J*p cr*p”. Now we laugh at Chinese products saying they are made out of "Chinesium". Slowly their products are getting better and better and I know with the product I’ve used to set up my lights for photography have all been excellent value. Of course there’s still rubbish, but there less and less all the time. A very detailed and honest review, thank you.
Like yourself I recommend one of these inverter welders. I bought one three years ago for home use after I retired from having been welding all my working life. I had heard great reports about these little welders. I was rather sceptical when I saw the specs of these things. The spec said it will weld 2mm upto 4mm rods from a domestic 240v outlet. So I gave it a go and was I pleasantly surprised or wot! This little machine did weld upto 4mm with no signs of over work or stress. The weld was it put down had excellent penetration and toe to toe strength with no under cut. I still wonder that such a small welder can cope with 4mm rods from a domestic 240v.
Hi David, Thanks for the feedback. Anyone that's done any welding can tell straight away how a unit feels when laying down a bead. I really liked this unit. It welded better than the other inverters, but the duty cycle was a bit of a question. For home use it is all you need. 4 mm rods are pushing things a bit. Theoretically you can burn them from a 15 amp supply using inverter technology. I've never tried it. Cheers Rob
strange question but did yours come "earthed" or double insulated, did you use it straight out the box or did you put an earthed cable on and fix to the metal frame
Thanks from Mississippi for the review. I'm wanting a small form factor welder and you helped convince me. I've ordered lots of things from Bang good and all my experiences with the company have been good.
Hi Duke. Same here, no bad experiences with BG and I do buy stuff from them, not just get it for free. It's a great little unit for light gauge work. It handles 3.2 mm fine, but extended use of that rod size in hot weather will probably shut it down. The duty cycle drops off pretty quickly. Cheers Rob
I have 2 of these. The open circuit voltage is 63 volts, too low to run 6010 rods. Does good with 6013 and 6011 rods (all rods 3/32" 2,38mm) Has a hard time with 7018 rods. The claimed amps on the dial need to be divided by 2. So if you have the dial set at 120, the actual amps will be around 60. The most amps these will put out is slightly under 100 amps. Best electrodes for this machine are the 6011 rods, and it'll do okay with 1/8" (3,2mm) with the 6011 rods.
Hi from the US. I think you're a TOP SHELF bloke who delivered a real spot on video. Facts. Honesty. I have one coming here to Ohio. Its due on Monday the 12th. I cant wait to see what its made of. ( I bet you miss the Holden Vs. Ford V8 battles like I do mate! ) They ruined the series by going to the softer horsepower Lower Emissions stuff. Man, I loved the V8 Supercar on Big Pond!
I've been playing with one of these for over a month now, driving it with a 5.5Kw Chinese diesel genset. With 3.2mm 7018 the engine sound changes, seems to get deeper without really slowing down, like it's definitely working but still in a range it's happy with. Haven't even come close to making it trip the overheat. Using it feels weird, like it's not really a welder, just some sort of adapter to plug welding cables into the genset.
I have the exact same type in a TIG / ARC combo. More than 4 years old now, never had a single problem with it. I bought it in China, directly from the factory.
I just bought one off Banggood, with stinger, ground clamp, and leads, all told out the door for $58US. Fifty-eight US dollars. All I need to do it replace the plug with one compatible with my service.
Just got that ZX7 200 Juba off of Bang good I was extremely skeptical beyond imagination it's about the size of my foot I even hooked it up with 14 2 romex With some outlets made for 20 amp 110 V Wired with 2 hots and copper and it works like magic Thanks for the review I hope this thing last a while it's amazing what they can do now compared to 20 years ago
Hi Dave, It's amazing what they can do with compact electronics these days. They even sell a DC welder where the box bit is part of the electrode holder, so no box as such, just a pistol grip electrode holder and a ground lead. Unbelievable. The whole power source is about as big as a box of tea bags. Some company offered one to me for review, but I can't remember who it was. Not BG. I'm not sure I would fancy holding that amount of mass for too long. But you have to give it to the Chinese for that one. After all these years with AC I still struggle a bit at times with DC. Still have the old buzz box ;) Cheers Rob
Just bought a DC stick. Am impressed. Expected it to cook itself quickly. Just about finished a trailer I'm building. Using 6013 rodst at 60 amps. Doesn't even moan. Great
I tried out the hand held visor and it worked very well. Took me back to my learning days. I would normally use a full face flip down helmet, but hand held are good in hot weather as you can wear a hat outdoors and you don't have issues with sweat dripping onto the visor lens. Also it's a bit easier to see if you wear reading glasses. Cheers Rob
Hi. Info for you all. It runs scratch start tig very well too. You just need to secure it to something, it’s so small and light the welding leads pull it over if you are not careful. Conversion to tig is easy.
Hi Rob, I was going to buy exactly this Juba machine but ended up buying another ZX7-200 clone from Vevor, purely because the distributor offered a 2 year warranty rather than 1 year for the Juba. I tested the machine with 6013 rods from 2.0 up to 3.2mm and the welding looks good. I was disappointed however when I decided to measure the actual current passing through the weld cables using a dc clampmeter. The display current seems to be highly optimistic, with the display currrent being higher than the actual current by as much as 50%. With the current dial ramped up to maximum 200A (with the display reading 199), the clampmeter reading came in at 125A. I wondered whether you ever measured the welding current of the Juba with a clampmeter and compared with the dial graduations, including with the maximum amperage setting of (allegedly) 200A.
Hi Ivan, I compared how the rods welded at the indicated amperage against my AC welder. Everything lined up which is more than I can say for the other DC welders I have used. No I did not use a clamp meter on the cables as I don't have one that large. You also have to allow for losses in the cables, so for a true reading it must be taken at the terminals/lugs as I understand it. Cheers Rob
We are in nov 2023, and i just saw this model in the island where i live not far from Australia,its small and light so easy to carry and its cheaper than any other welder.They just started appearing here and am sure more people will buy them as inflation and cargo cost get worse than they already are.
This model welder is very capable, BUT like all DC welders it is only good for totally clean, unmagnetised metal otherwise arc blow will drive you crazy. AC is still my preferred welder for anything that needs to be burnt in or is rough/scrap metal. Cheers Rob
I do like Banggood's habit of including one of those three-pin adaptors for Australasia when people from this region buy stuff. I have never asked for one; they just see the address and include one. But obviously in this case they needed to look in a bit more detail (all the ones I have been supplied with were exactly right).
Hey Rob, I changed my channel name since I last commented on this welder, (they sent the one with the tiger on it) did an amp test (bought a DC ammeter) and took the cover off. This was videoed for my channel. The welder is still going strong. I did buy a better one but I have yet to run the 50 amp 220 line for it. Anyway I still am amazed how good the little thing works considering how little is inside of it. It tested at 72 volts open circuit voltage and 140 amps, close to the 150 I figured from the math. It still runs very smooth. It's IGBT which accounts for the size, good luck to you and I check in to see how you're doing from time to time. Cheers
Good luck with your channel. You get back what you put in. Make it interesting and interact with your viewers and you will succeed. That's a good little welder for the money. Regards Rob
Hi, my newly purchased version of this welder was supplied with just the 2-core mains cable and NO plug. I'm assuming the unit is not earthed and am confused as to whether I can adapt it to the 3-pin earthed system here in the UK... Help please before I'm electrocuted!
There are many brands of this welder being sold now, so I doubt it is the version as tested. It's easy to replace the two core cable with a three core and earth it onto the chassis at a screw point.
@@Xynudu Rob, thanks for taking the time. Yeah, swapping the cable for a 3-core was my next move, but strange that any potential purchaser isn't pre-warned. Atb.
Ordered one hope it works. What Rod should I use here in United States to weld quarter inch steel for a trailer gate and a snow plow. I did some welding when I was Kid but never had to buy the rods
Hi Dave, Any general purpose welding rod will normally do for mild steel plate. If you weld high carbon steel such as a dozer edge blade then I would use low hydrogen rods. I mainly use 2.6 mm diameter rods but 3.2 will be better for heavier work like the job you have in mind. Crank up the amps and away you go. Also you will have less chance of arc blow with the larger rod. Cheers Rob.
I bought one at Harbor freight, that says 80 amps on the box, but 75 on the back of the welder...lol...it welds okay, and it kind of surprised me for what it weighs...it kind of reminds me of the lunchbox I had in junior high school...it will do until I get my Miller bobcat back from my uncle...I'm using it to build a wood stove out of a 33 gallon sandblasting tank...I'm cutting it down to about 2/3 of the size it is now...I probably would normally have bought a bigger one, but I'm buying 18 big boat batteries for my solar system, two batteries a month...so far I have 14...will be 16 in a couple weeks...so I just got the smaller one...P.S> before I got the generator put together to run it, I needed to make a weld on the pulley...it is three parts put together to make a 3 and a half inch pulley for the motor...so I put some welding leads on my 24 volts battery bank ( at the time it was 10 batteries) and welded off of them...that let me get the generator going to run the welder that I bought...lol, in case I needed to charge them then I could hook the generator up to my Aims inverter / charger...it's only 2000 watts , so I don't really want to try running the welder off of it...if you turn the welder up much it exceeds the 2000 watts...the old blue Winco on the generator doesn't mind though....even though it's 2000 watts too...so I just use it when welding...for now.
They actually weld quite OK David. Lots of positive reviews. The few negatives are from snobs who think their welders are the best. I gave the worst of the three I reviewed to a friend and he absolutely loves it. Take into account the cheap price and low power consumption, they are a bargain. The only downside is that DC doesn't weld rough dirty work very well. AC is still the king of field repairs, burns through anything. After decades of experience I weld better with AC for sure. Cheers Rob
The reason I ask is I have a cheap transformer type welder that is AC only output and I am having a helluva time just trying to get an arc started, nevermind any actual welding practice- it just doesn't seem to have the power to create an arc unless I am super careful to keep the electrode about 1/8" from the material.
Maybe it's not wound for 110 ? It has to be a 110 version or the amps will fall through the floor. We don't have 110 in Australia, it's all 240 volt. DC stick welders are less mains power (amp) hungry than AC. They also strike an arc easily and maintain it easier. So a novice should find it easier to use. Having said that, I prefer AC as I learned on that and know it backwards. DC can cause real headaches with arc blow, which AC rarely does. There are ways around it (increase rod size) and all metal must be totally clean - DC does not like dirty, oily, rusty work that AC would eat for breakfast and then ask for more. So the answer is, yes DC will be easier to learn (make sure it's a 110 version) but DC can be a pain in the butt if metal is not in top shape. The big plus is that DC does not burn through anywhere near as readily as AC (it's biggest down fall) on thin gauge metal, so it's good for that and joining thick to thin (which can be a problem with AC). I hope this helps. Cheers Rob
I was impressed by your video but it leaves me with questions on the rods used. Murex is, I believe, part of the Lincoln Electric family, I was unable to hear what the Red Chinese brand rods were. I have never used 1/16" (2.5mm) rods so I have no experience there, the 1/8" (3.2mm) rods were what the welding company I worked for when I was in school used for everything. The last question is what rod series were you using? I am assuming that these are your AC welder rods also and I am guessing 6013 GP rods, they swing both ways , AC/DC, and leave heavy slag. For what it is worth I have a 1983 Century AC/DC 230/140 amp machine with a duty cycle of 20% at 230 amps. -jp
The Chinese rods are SWEC brand - quite good and used by industry. The rods are GP AC rods. You can't actually buy GP DC rods (polarity specific) - as most rods sold are not polarity sensitive, except for some specialised rods (low hydrogen, stainless, cast iron etc which will be). There is still a place for AC welders as they are much more forgiving than DC for rough and dirty field work. DC is also prone to arc blow in the smaller rod sizes - 3.2 mm is generally better. Cheers Rob
dear sir, is this still working? i am going to buy an igbt converter model but im afraid about durability. which is good? DC inverter or BX6 AC model? Thanks.
Pay more and leads are generally included in the kit. But doing it the BG way you can swap across the AC leads from your old welder when going DC. Decent long/heavy leads are expensive, so it's worth buying a cheap AC welder secondhand and cannibalizing the leads.
G'day Rob these welders are pretty impressive especially when you consider the size of them. I'm thinking of getting one but while I'm talking to you I must thank you for the tapping tip that your father showed you, I have used it ever since I saw you explaining how to do it and it is great to use thanks mate regards John
Hi Joe, Use the Ohm resistance setting on a multimeter to check for conductivity between the earth/ground pin on the power lead and any metal part of the chassis. Regarding your other question, the two small connectors are the industry standard cable connector (Dinse) now used on all small welders - fast connect and fully insulated. Cheers Rob
Besides the 2 minutes out of every 10 minutes (20%) duty cycle, there are some more specification details to be considered. As I don’t have numbers for stick electrode welders (or MIG welders either) in my head, I just list the TIG testing specifications. The idea is that an arc voltage is fixed at 10 V DC. The torch and cables are assumed to cause a voltage drop of 40 mV per ampere. That of course means resistance of 40 milliohms. Or it means that at 100 A the welder output terminal voltage is 14 V. At 200 A the corresponding reading is 18 V and so on. That all means you need to measure both current and voltage and probably need a load bank rather than welding arc for good steady conditions. As output power is the product of voltage and current, the primary power being proportional and primary voltage is nearly constant, the primary current goes up more than linearly with the welding current. Depending on the cooling and other design issues, the limiting factor could be in the secondary side or the primary side or quite often in the AC outlet ratings.
So, this could weld steel bike tubing? I've had some projects in mind but don't need or want a big ass welder. I've don't just a bit of welding decades ago and know it would depend on me but will the machine be capable? It seems ideal.
I would use gas welding for light tube. Plus you get the capillary action/full bond that arc can't give. If you want to go electric then MIG with gas would be my choice. Cheers Rob
I live in the U.S.A, Does that little stick welder run off of a standard 110v outlet or is it 220v?????????????? It is confusing when one/a begginer tries to find a decent but cheap welder! I have purchased a cheap Chicago electric 90a wire feed junker when I drove to Harbor freight, I went there to get a stick welder but, THEY WERE SOLD OUT! SO, CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF THIS BANGOOD WELDER IS ANY BETTER THEN A HARBOR FREIGHT STICK WELDER???
I have not seen any ZX7-200 welder advertised to run off of 110 volts. The specifications all say 220 volts. The review clearly shows it is a very easy welder to use on the stated voltage. 220 - 250 volts.
Any good welding supply store will sell cable by the foot. If you get size 2 cable, it’s not expensive, and you probably don’t need more than a few feet. They might even have some short “ends”, or used cables off of trade ins. #2 cable is not large, but it’s more than adequate for this size machine or larger. You’ll be surprised how little it costs!
Interesting bit of kit as you guys across the pond would say, will be interested in what Bro-inlaw has to say especially if used with a small generator. It would make repairs done out in the field a whole lot easier you could keep it and a small generator in the tool box of the truck and not have to drive back to the house and hook up to the trailer, then drive back
Using an inverter welder on a generator can void your warranty for most major brand names. Not recommended. I've heard some tales of woe from people who have, yet others do it without a problem. Your call I guess ;) Most inverters have line filtering, but how good it is is anyone's guess. Cheers Rob
I would expect so, but there is the issue of components used. It may be possible to bottleneck the board with inferior items. I can't say, but obviously there can be a difference. The circuit is a basic design, but how well it's implemented is not set in concrete. Only by comparing the quoted duty cycles (if that's accurate) can you compare output. Cheers Rob
I didn't want to announce this straight away because they only have a few but banggood has a zx7-200 welder in their US warehouse for $59 right now, I can't afford much but there's not going to be a better deal on one of these little inverter welders, if it's any good..... us.banggood.com/Wholesale-Warehouse-ZX7-200-220V-Handheld-Mini-MMA-Electric-Welding-Tool-Digital-10-200A-Inverter-ARC-Welding-Machine-wp-Usa-1366149.html?rmmds=category
what you said about bigger welders not liking 250v is interesting, i have a SIP 150 stick welder and that doesn't like extensions in the power lead, plugged in the wall its fine, but plugged into an extension reel it cuts out.
Hi Aly, That sounds more like voltage drop from the cable. Possibly a part open circuit in it. Some CIG/Cigweld inverter welders used to not start up on 250 V or more. Cheers Rob
This welder will run off a regular 10 AMP three pin plug fine. You will need to buy an earth clamp, electrode holder, and welding cable of whatever length you want. The first two items are cheap, but the cable is expensive in larger diameter cores. You will also need a welding helmet.
If it is at least 1.5 mm thick you should be OK, provided you are a half decent welder. Obviously you need to have the amps turned down low and move the rod fairly fast. Using a low penetration rod and reversing polarity on the welder leads will also help stop burn through. Cheers Rob
Hi Rob, pretty impressive little thing. Do you think it'd be possible to attach a TIG torch and weld Mild steel and Stainless steel? With the appropriate gas of course.
Do you still think this is the case after your most recent video testing the duty cycle of this machine? Maybe you could give TIG a try if you have the right equipment?!
I am not set up for TIG. I still think it's pushing it too hard. You can buy other welders for the same money with much better duty cycles (eg. Usewell 250). Cheers Rob
I know this is an old post but I came here because Walmart is selling these for 40 bucks. I've got a coupon and a credit from my birthday card for 50 dollars. I figure if they are any good at all I can get two of them for for about 30 bucks.... One to play and one for spares?
Hello sir so you just pluged that welder staight into the outlet that provided the 240 some voltage? I got alittl le confused when i got mine it came with an adapter for the 110 wall plug. It made a spart at the plug wenever i pluged it in and would only light the orange light up. Im asuming maybe not enough voltage i perhaps need to put the 3 prong 220 volt plug on er?
Hi Josh, These are not a 110 volt unit, so you must have a 220 volt supply. I am not familiar with a 110 socket as we don't have that in Australia. I suggest you use a the correct socket for 240 volt if you have that supply. Cheers Rob
Cheers sir that is a huge help thankyou alot. Here in nova scotia i guess we have slighly different electrical systems we follow watever the states uses unfortunatly aha.
These units have really taken off since I did the review. Lots being sold that look the same, but what's inside is anyone's guess. I gave this one to my Bro-Inlaw and he loves it. Easily the best of the three DC welders I've reviewed. Cheers Rob
You can use regular AC GP welding rods for DC/inverter welding. Most welding rods are NOT polarity specific. So all those old rods are likely to be OK with DC. Some current specialised rods such as low hydrogen etc may now be polarity specific with DC and if so, It will be marked on the packet. If you look at rod data /spec sheets at your local supplier you will see that very few are polarity specific. Cheers Rob
I had the mig 160s it's gas and gasless stick and scratch Tig had it for nearly 4 years done so much welding with it always welding something and can't fault it I never used a welder before this and it leave great welds
The audio worked perfectly for me. But, Rob, after explaining the table with the duty cycles I expected to see a duty cycle test. 20% at 100A means welding 2 min out of 10 probably some more due to contingency of the manuf. But it could fit into a video's length. Would you not want to know after how much continuous welding the welder shuts down and how much later it lets you continue? Does it have a built in fan? Could one attach a fan? How would that affect the duty cycle? Lots of topics for an additional video..:-)
Hi Rol, It has a strong built in fan. I ran a lot more rods through it than shown in the video and there was no exceptional heat wash coming out the front of the machine, just a bit of warm air. The case stayed cool. It was a cold morning so how it goes in really hot weather is unknown. My Usewell under the same conditions (cold) runs dead cool, so this is a hotter unit for sure. The duty cycle tag as I explained makes no sense at all - it basically said that the unit would overheat with any amount of use of 3.2 mm rods. Which of course didn't happen, or even look like happening. So I don't believe that for a second. I'm giving this welder to the Bro-Inlaw and he can do some heavy welding with it (he's a farmer) so if it cooks up I will relay the news ;) Cheers Rob
No. There was no point as it handled 3.2 mm rods fine on 5 mm steel plate. I don't have any 4 mm rods. The unit is rated at 3.2 mm tops in the spec sheet but it should go larger diameter. It certainly had plenty of guts and was right on the money for 2.5 and 3.2's. How the duty cycle would handle larger rods is anyone's guess.
Thanks for the info. Dont suppose you can "encourage" them to send you a TIG welder can you ? :) I've seen a model WS-250 (about USD300) which is supposedly TIG. Great price but I wonder how it performs.
On DC, go with 6010 & 7018! Those cussed 6013’s are the worst rod in the world to have big slag pockets in the weld and blowouts in the end crater! 6011 works ok on dc though, largely because they were designed to be an ac friendly version of the 6010 which is a dc only rod. The 6011 has an ionizing agent in the flux that helps maintain the arc as the polarity reverses during ac welding. I don’t know about other countries, but in the US ac current is 60 cycles per second, or 120 polarity reversals!
I bought something like this that had the hardware but no cables. It's a tiny thing and it shipped in a tiny box! I already had leads sitting around so it wasn't a problem. There are suppliers here in the States that will sell small lengths of welding cable, and if you want you can get half red and half black. It only takes a few minutes to make up the leads. These machines are so portable, you don't really need long leads as you might have in the past. So many of these things come with a strap, they clearly intend for you to WEAR the machine! I haven't seen anyone do that yet. A 21st century fashion accessory!
Hi Rob, from Port Lincoln. I picked up a 24volt DC Mig welder the other week. Seems interesting and a bit different but simply no time to have a play with it yet. Next time I swing by Radelaide are you interested in having a fiddle? The idea of having a gas-less Mig out in the scrub intrigues me... Could use some advice on getting a lathe of some sort too. Cheers.
I'm the last person you should discuss MIG welders with. I've never used one or had any practical experience with them. I've seen some great and some god awful welding done with them - gasless is total shit. I am happy to discuss stuff through email, but that's it. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu Cheers for that and fair enough - picked it up for the novelty value as much as the $20 it cost me... It came with an old school heavy copper AC welder thrown in. When I have a good question to ask that you haven't covered in your videos I'll sing out.
Not many of those old welders actually ran copper windings. It's surprising how early on they used aluminium windings. That old 130 Lincoln I scrapped for the cables a while back is a classic case. I felt sure it would be copper, but no way. The windings are generally varnish coated flat metal strip like metal banding/strapping. The copper ones are generally branded with the word copper somewhere. Good luck with both of them. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu As the AC welder works perfectly it will go into the hoard... Best welder I ever bought was an inverter DC/TIG which just powers through anything I throw at it. It does need 15A to remain stable beyond 120A output though...
Thanks for the review. Btw I don’t know it you know the trick of taking a picture of the manual and going to google translate. Works right from the photo. You can get a serviceable translation. Can be strangely worded but it’s an easy puzzle to solve
Hi Bruce. I loaded the app a while back after the last welder review and tried it, but it didn't handle the Chinese text too well. Seems there are various simplified styles.
You don't get cables , ground clamp, and electrode holder. I view these welders as a cheap way to upgrade from AC to DC by using the existing cables, or buy a cheap AC welder and swap over the leads and fittings. New HD cable is expensive. Cheers Rob.
Excellent review Rob I have just bought one at a discount price. I haven't done much stick welding so it will be very interesting for me and handy if I get used to it.. You look like you are very good at welding. Regards Steve
Hi Steve, It's a very easy welder to use and not electrode sensitive, which can make learning difficult. Also not prone to arc blow. Even though the duty cycle is low it should weld fine in your climate, for home/back yard projects. Cheers Rob
As soon as I struck this welder I knew it would be good. It actually seems to strike and flow a bit better/smoother than the Usewell at low amps. Very easy to weld with. Nice to use. No bad habits. The Usewell runs cooler for sure.
Hi Don, I often get contacted by Asian companies wanting me to do collaborative reviews. Not all of it is relative to the channel and some want to review/pass the videos before posting, so they don't get past first base. Banggood contacted me, gave me total control and accept my honest reviews. Been great to deal with. You can approach then as they had several review options last time I looked at their web site. Ali Express also have a review process you can join, but the whole system sucks badly as they lottery out any products against other chanels, review all videos to makes sure they are totally positive, and basically you will NEVER see a negative review on Ali Epress. What pissed me off even more is that you are dealing with a whole bunch of individual little stores (Banggod is one store and not just a front end), and they even have channel restrictions such as the age of the reviewer, and total number of views and subscribers. You don't get any of that with Banggood. I have also done one off reviews for three other companies. In all cases you get to keep the product. I hope this has clarified things a bit. Cheers Rob
I think people are a bit put of coz there all made in China, l was a coded welder yrs ago, sold my oil cooled set few years ago as l was offered a unbelievable price, anyway l bought a Parker 160 inverter few weeks ago, it's amazing how good these lil sets weld, I'd say just use 2.5 rods, being a DC set if ya get arc blow just move the earth clamp this normally stops it, mine was £60 there so light and small, l just welded an angle iron shed frame for a mate l used 2.5 E6013 rods burned about 80 rods it was spot on, l run it on a 16amp supply.
The arc blow aspect is the only negative side of DC welders. It can be a real pain in the butt if the steel is slightly magnetic or the stars don't all align correctly ;) I have tried moving the earth clamp, but get best results going up to the next rod size. This has always worked for me. I still prefer AC for rough/dirty welding jobs. Cheers Rob
Hi John, Any type of arc/electric welding device can interfere with a pacemaker. The EMF danger comes from the arc and cables, more than the type of machine being used. So an inverter is just as dangerous as a basic transformer type when used. Best not to use any type of electric welder if you have a pacemaker fitted. Go gas welding/brazing instead to eliminate EMF dangers. Cheers Rob
DC Positive electrode (normal) polarity gives deeper penetration. Negative electrode gives shallower penetration/sometimes higher bead with less chance of burn through on thin metal. AC welding penetration is between the two but closer to positive in bead shape and penetration. In practice you may not notice a big difference between the polarities. It is also influenced by rod type/make. Most GP AC rods work quite happily with either DC polarity. sciencing.com/difference-between-ac-dc-welding-6021349.html However, some GP rods may work better with a specific polarity. Specialist DC rods will be marked with the polarity to be used. AC/DC GP rods are generic and not marked. Normal /positive polarity seems to weld better/smoother with AC GP rods from my limited experience (less spatter).
Don't. Inverter welders can fail when used on a portable generator, due to the voltage fluctuations. Not recommended. If you decide to try, it would need a generator that can supply the required input amps - about 9 - 10 amps (3.2 mm rod). 2.5 mm rod would need about 7- 8amps continuous. Cheers Rob
An AC welder will run quite happily off of ANY suitable size generator. You can't hurt then with bad current supply like DC. AC will require a generator capable of at least 10 amps continuous for a 2.5 mm rod. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu Thanks again. My geni is a 5000 watt , no idea about amps. ( iam a mechanic ) However i do have a tractapack mounted to a 3 cylinder diesel. Geni works on that one but i cant get the welder to work. Hopefully one of my friends ( a sparkie ) will find the time to help me fix that one. I understand that tractapack where rather good welders. Thanks again for your feedback. Cheers
5000 watt (continuous) = approx 20 amps for 240 volts output. So that should run a single phase AC welder easily. The worst that can happen is it may trip the thermal overload. No problem. Tractor packs can be single or three phase. They are basically just a pto driven generator. Check the output amps, they may not be as high as you expect given the size of the unit. There should be a specification plate on the generator. Cheers Rob
I am by far not an expert in welding, but what I know is that in DC current, the electricity flows from Negative (-) to Positive (+). So in this case u will get much more penetration if your electrode holder is Negative (-) and your clamp (work peace) is positive.
Thanks for the info. It seems that the internet always has a answer for every one, even if you know you are wrong (Please, I don't say you are wrong). For example, some web sites say that this food is bad for you and then a other web sites tells you that, that exact same food is good for you. So the same applies in this case, I think every one can decide which work best for them when welding, electrode positive (+) or electrode (-). This web site tells you the exact opposite as the one you attach. www.minaprem.com/joining/welding/polarity/which-polarity-gives-better-penetration-in-arc-welding/
Yes, there is conflicting information out there. Lincoln electric is a major welder company and I'd be more inclined to say they are correct, rather than some unknown. The DC welder instructions for the unit shown in the video also say/show connect the electrode to positive. A rudimentary burn of some rods shows quite clearly that Lincoln is correct. "+" electrode is most commonly used for deeper penetration and gives a weld profile similar to AC welders. Going "-" lowers the penetration, puts more heat in the rod, lays a higher bead, but gives a generally poor looking weld. The only time to try negative is when burn through is an issue. Overall, a low penetration rod generally is a better option. Going up a rod size also helps. Cheers Rob
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Following comments from the owner of a similar unit, I was not satisfied that the duty cycle on this welder is adequate, so I ran some 3.2 mm rods through it continuously in the next video to see how long it takes to overheat it.
I also have serious reservations about the supposed output figures stated by other reviews - they just don't stack up with the excellent way it burns 3.2 mm rods. As these units use pulse technology it is quite possible that these measurements do not give a true indication of what is actually happening.
The ZX7-200 circuit board is used in a wide range of DC welders being sold, but I think there is a probable difference given the large price variations. This would come down to the size and quality of internal components and the accessories included. As stated in the video, I can only comment on the one received. Whether cheaper units perform at the same level I cannot say.
However, as of 2020 looking at buyer comments for this hugely popular little welder, the response is virtually 100% positive across all brands being sold. Cheers Rob
xynudu yeah thats the question for me. i dont think a 2" bead then a long rest is really a good test of the duty cycle, which is really the big issue with these tiny welders. If i were doing the test id let it cool completely then see how long it takes to run it to thermal shutdown running a constant bead a couple times at a few amperage settings.
Did it not come with leads?
I bought one of these welders about three years ago. I burnt many of rods with it, I made two sauna stoves out of 3/8” plate and welded it with5/32” 7018. I weld for a living and I can honestly tell you that for the money it makes no sense how well these machines work. They will not strike an arc as well as an industrial machine but once you got it burning it’s smooth and consistent. Great for any work at home. Do not hesitate to buy one.
In the 70s we laughed at Japanese products, usually calling it "J*p cr*p”. Now we laugh at Chinese products saying they are made out of "Chinesium". Slowly their products are getting better and better and I know with the product I’ve used to set up my lights for photography have all been excellent value. Of course there’s still rubbish, but there less and less all the time.
A very detailed and honest review, thank you.
The entire world relies on China, and Corona has highlighted this as a single point of failure.
Mark Harris so true
Best welder reviewer I’ve seen. Knows how to weld and TEST his welds. No point in having a pretty weld that can fail. I’m very impressed.
Like yourself I recommend one of these inverter welders. I bought one three years ago for home use after I retired from having been welding all my working life. I had heard great reports about these little welders. I was rather sceptical when I saw the specs of these things. The spec said it will weld 2mm upto 4mm rods from a domestic 240v outlet. So I gave it a go and was I pleasantly surprised or wot! This little machine did weld upto 4mm with no signs of over work or stress. The weld was it put down had excellent penetration and toe to toe strength with no under cut.
I still wonder that such a small welder can cope with 4mm rods from a domestic 240v.
Hi David,
Thanks for the feedback. Anyone that's done any welding can tell straight away how a unit feels when laying down a bead. I really liked this unit. It welded better than the other inverters, but the duty cycle was a bit of a question. For home use it is all you need. 4 mm rods are pushing things a bit. Theoretically you can burn them from a 15 amp supply using inverter technology. I've never tried it.
Cheers Rob
strange question but did yours come "earthed" or double insulated, did you use it straight out the box or did you put an earthed cable on and fix to the metal frame
Wow, that's one cute little welder.
For the average home gamer should be good enough.
Thanks for the review.
I really enjoyed your review. The welder appeared bigger than it's actual size. It became obvious that it is tiny when you picked it. Good job.
Thanks from Mississippi for the review. I'm wanting a small form factor welder and you helped convince me. I've ordered lots of things from Bang good and all my experiences with the company have been good.
Hi Duke. Same here, no bad experiences with BG and I do buy stuff from them, not just get it for free.
It's a great little unit for light gauge work. It handles 3.2 mm fine, but extended use of that rod size in hot weather will probably shut it down.
The duty cycle drops off pretty quickly.
Cheers Rob
I have 2 of these. The open circuit voltage is 63 volts, too low to run 6010 rods. Does good with 6013 and 6011 rods (all rods 3/32" 2,38mm) Has a hard time with 7018 rods. The claimed amps on the dial need to be divided by 2. So if you have the dial set at 120, the actual amps will be around 60. The most amps these will put out is slightly under 100 amps. Best electrodes for this machine are the 6011 rods, and it'll do okay with 1/8" (3,2mm) with the 6011 rods.
Hi from the US. I think you're a TOP SHELF bloke who delivered a real spot on video. Facts. Honesty. I have one coming here to Ohio. Its due on Monday the 12th. I cant wait to see what its made of. ( I bet you miss the Holden Vs. Ford V8 battles like I do mate! ) They ruined the series by going to the softer horsepower Lower Emissions stuff. Man, I loved the V8 Supercar on Big Pond!
I've been playing with one of these for over a month now, driving it with a 5.5Kw Chinese diesel genset. With 3.2mm 7018 the engine sound changes, seems to get deeper without really slowing down, like it's definitely working but still in a range it's happy with. Haven't even come close to making it trip the overheat. Using it feels weird, like it's not really a welder, just some sort of adapter to plug welding cables into the genset.
I have the exact same type in a TIG / ARC combo. More than 4 years old now, never had a single problem with it. I bought it in China, directly from the factory.
I just bought one off Banggood, with stinger, ground clamp, and leads, all told out the door for $58US. Fifty-eight US dollars. All I need to do it replace the plug with one compatible with my service.
Ok ok Mark, but how does it perform ? Jus' askin' !
here in Brazil the list price is US$140,00
Just got that ZX7 200 Juba off of Bang good I was extremely skeptical beyond imagination it's about the size of my foot I even hooked it up with 14 2 romex With some outlets made for 20 amp 110 V Wired with 2 hots and copper and it works like magic Thanks for the review I hope this thing last a while it's amazing what they can do now compared to 20 years ago
Hi Dave, It's amazing what they can do with compact electronics these days. They even sell a DC welder where the box bit is part of the electrode holder, so no box as such, just a pistol grip electrode holder and a ground lead. Unbelievable. The whole power source is about as big as a box of tea bags. Some company offered one to me for review, but I can't remember who it was. Not BG. I'm not sure I would fancy holding that amount of mass for too long. But you have to give it to the Chinese for that one. After all these years with AC I still struggle a bit at times with DC. Still have the old buzz box ;) Cheers Rob
Just bought a DC stick. Am impressed. Expected it to cook itself quickly.
Just about finished a trailer I'm building. Using 6013 rodst at 60 amps.
Doesn't even moan. Great
Yes, it's a pretty good unit.
It's moaning at a high frequency you can't hear! 20kHz is pretty common switching frequency. Do the local dogs notice you're welding?
I tried out the hand held visor and it worked very well. Took me back to my learning days. I would normally use a full face flip down helmet, but hand held are good in hot weather as you can wear a hat outdoors and you don't have issues with sweat dripping onto the visor lens.
Also it's a bit easier to see if you wear reading glasses.
Cheers Rob
Welding starts at 12:45
Thank you Thank you Thank you !!!
ARE YOU SERIOUS?
hydorah FUCK!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I ALMOST STOPPED WATCHING.
hydorah thank you
JSB thanks bro
Hi. Info for you all. It runs scratch start tig very well too. You just need to secure it to something, it’s so small and light the welding leads pull it over if you are not careful. Conversion to tig is easy.
Easy, but imo most definitely not worth it. Get a proper second hand machine with price of parts used for conversion.
From Egypt ( Africa ) , thank you goodman 👍
Hi Rob, I was going to buy exactly this Juba machine but ended up buying another ZX7-200 clone from Vevor, purely because the distributor offered a 2 year warranty rather than 1 year for the Juba. I tested the machine with 6013 rods from 2.0 up to 3.2mm and the welding looks good. I was disappointed however when I decided to measure the actual current passing through the weld cables using a dc clampmeter. The display current seems to be highly optimistic, with the display currrent being higher than the actual current by as much as 50%. With the current dial ramped up to maximum 200A (with the display reading 199), the clampmeter reading came in at 125A. I wondered whether you ever measured the welding current of the Juba with a clampmeter and compared with the dial graduations, including with the maximum amperage setting of (allegedly) 200A.
Hi Ivan,
I compared how the rods welded at the indicated amperage against my AC welder. Everything lined up which is more than I can say for the other DC welders I have used. No I did not use a clamp meter on the cables as I don't have one that large. You also have to allow for losses in the cables, so for a true reading it must be taken at the terminals/lugs as I understand it.
Cheers Rob
I just ordered one of the units. Thanks for the helpful review.
Is this on amazon? Any better units now in 2021? (of similar size and price range)
Love the espresso machine in the back of shot.
Looks pretty industrial.
We are in nov 2023, and i just saw this model in the island where i live not far from Australia,its small and light so easy to carry and its cheaper than any other welder.They just started appearing here and am sure more people will buy them as inflation and cargo cost get worse than they already are.
This model welder is very capable, BUT like all DC welders it is only good for totally clean, unmagnetised metal otherwise arc blow will drive you crazy. AC is still my preferred welder for anything that needs to be burnt in or is rough/scrap metal. Cheers Rob
Probably the deciding factor would be if the electronic components are of good enough quality so the thing would last.
been using mine for around a year.... the crappy rod-holder and earth-clamp both broke, but the main box still works great!
Yeah, but again if you'd just want to stick some metal together, it's fine I guess
For that kind of money, if it lasts a year you can't ask too much more of it
Wow that thing ate those rods really well and I'd love to have one of those.
I do like Banggood's habit of including one of those three-pin adaptors for Australasia when people from this region buy stuff. I have never asked for one; they just see the address and include one. But obviously in this case they needed to look in a bit more detail (all the ones I have been supplied with were exactly right).
Yes, this was a much heavier duty plug type. Needs the corresponding adapter to earth. Cheers Rob
Hey Rob, I changed my channel name since I last commented on this welder, (they sent the one with the tiger on it) did an amp test (bought a DC ammeter) and took the cover off. This was videoed for my channel. The welder is still going strong. I did buy a better one but I have yet to run the 50 amp 220 line for it. Anyway I still am amazed how good the little thing works considering how little is inside of it. It tested at 72 volts open circuit voltage and 140 amps, close to the 150 I figured from the math. It still runs very smooth. It's IGBT which accounts for the size, good luck to you and I check in to see how you're doing from time to time. Cheers
Good luck with your channel. You get back what you put in. Make it interesting and interact with your viewers and you will succeed. That's a good little welder for the money. Regards Rob
Hi, my newly purchased version of this welder was supplied with just the 2-core mains cable and NO plug. I'm assuming the unit is not earthed and am confused as to whether I can adapt it to the 3-pin earthed system here in the UK... Help please before I'm electrocuted!
There are many brands of this welder being sold now, so I doubt it is the version as tested. It's easy to replace the two core cable with a three core and earth it onto the chassis at a screw point.
@@Xynudu Rob, thanks for taking the time. Yeah, swapping the cable for a 3-core was my next move, but strange that any potential purchaser isn't pre-warned. Atb.
Does the cooling fan works when the machine is on , or it only works when it's too hot ?!!
It's on all the time.
Ordered one hope it works. What Rod should I use here in United States to weld quarter inch steel for a trailer gate and a snow plow. I did some welding when I was Kid but never had to buy the rods
Hi Dave, Any general purpose welding rod will normally do for mild steel plate. If you weld high carbon steel such as a dozer edge blade then I would use low hydrogen rods. I mainly use 2.6 mm diameter rods but 3.2 will be better for heavier work like the job you have in mind. Crank up the amps and away you go. Also you will have less chance of arc blow with the larger rod. Cheers Rob.
Hello,for make custom bicycle,it work ? i would begin to create but i have never test welding:::Thank"s for your answer :)
Hi Willy. No. You should be bronze brazing for that type of thin walled work. Electric arc will be too severe/erosive.
Cheers Rob
I bought one at Harbor freight, that says 80 amps on the box, but 75 on the back of the welder...lol...it welds okay, and it kind of surprised me for what it weighs...it kind of reminds me of the lunchbox I had in junior high school...it will do until I get my Miller bobcat back from my uncle...I'm using it to build a wood stove out of a 33 gallon sandblasting tank...I'm cutting it down to about 2/3 of the size it is now...I probably would normally have bought a bigger one, but I'm buying 18 big boat batteries for my solar system, two batteries a month...so far I have 14...will be 16 in a couple weeks...so I just got the smaller one...P.S> before I got the generator put together to run it, I needed to make a weld on the pulley...it is three parts put together to make a 3 and a half inch pulley for the motor...so I put some welding leads on my 24 volts battery bank ( at the time it was 10 batteries) and welded off of them...that let me get the generator going to run the welder that I bought...lol, in case I needed to charge them then I could hook the generator up to my Aims inverter / charger...it's only 2000 watts , so I don't really want to try running the welder off of it...if you turn the welder up much it exceeds the 2000 watts...the old blue Winco on the generator doesn't mind though....even though it's 2000 watts too...so I just use it when welding...for now.
They actually weld quite OK David. Lots of positive reviews. The few negatives are from snobs who think their welders are the best. I gave the worst of the three I reviewed to a friend and he absolutely loves it. Take into account the cheap price and low power consumption, they are a bargain. The only downside is that DC doesn't weld rough dirty work very well. AC is still the king of field repairs, burns through anything. After decades of experience I weld better with AC for sure. Cheers Rob
I'm curious are the relatively new digital inverter welders better with US 110 voltage than the old transformer type AC welders?
Better in what way ?
@@Xynudu better meaning, easier for a novice or beginner to learn with if one only has access to the US 110V power supply?
The reason I ask is I have a cheap transformer type welder that is AC only output and I am having a helluva time just trying to get an arc started, nevermind any actual welding practice- it just doesn't seem to have the power to create an arc unless I am super careful to keep the electrode about 1/8" from the material.
Maybe it's not wound for 110 ? It has to be a 110 version or the amps will fall through the floor.
We don't have 110 in Australia, it's all 240 volt.
DC stick welders are less mains power (amp) hungry than AC. They also strike an arc easily and maintain it easier. So a novice should find it easier to use. Having said that, I prefer AC as I learned on that and know it backwards. DC can cause real headaches with arc blow, which AC rarely does. There are ways around it (increase rod size) and all metal must be totally clean - DC does not like dirty, oily, rusty work that AC would eat for breakfast and then ask for more.
So the answer is, yes DC will be easier to learn (make sure it's a 110 version) but DC can be a pain in the butt if metal is not in top shape. The big plus is that DC does not burn through anywhere near as readily as AC (it's biggest down fall) on thin gauge metal, so it's good for that and joining thick to thin (which can be a problem with AC).
I hope this helps.
Cheers Rob
I was impressed by your video but it leaves me with questions on the rods used. Murex is, I believe, part of the Lincoln Electric family, I was unable to hear what the Red Chinese brand rods were. I have never used 1/16" (2.5mm) rods so I have no experience there, the 1/8" (3.2mm) rods were what the welding company I worked for when I was in school used for everything. The last question is what rod series were you using? I am assuming that these are your AC welder rods also and I am guessing 6013 GP rods, they swing both ways , AC/DC, and leave heavy slag. For what it is worth I have a 1983 Century AC/DC 230/140 amp machine with a duty cycle of 20% at 230 amps. -jp
The Chinese rods are SWEC brand - quite good and used by industry. The rods are GP AC rods. You can't actually buy GP DC rods (polarity specific) - as most rods sold are not polarity sensitive, except for some specialised rods (low hydrogen, stainless, cast iron etc which will be). There is still a place for AC welders as they are much more forgiving than DC for rough and dirty field work. DC is also prone to arc blow in the smaller rod sizes - 3.2 mm is generally better. Cheers Rob
That is crazy how well that welded! Or its a great testament to your welding abilities. Perhaps both. :)
I'm just an average back yard welder.
dear sir, is this still working? i am going to buy an igbt converter model but im afraid about durability. which is good? DC inverter or BX6 AC model? Thanks.
It hasn't had much use, so it's not a real test. I have had no experience with BX6. Cheers Rob
This thing comes with no electrode holder/ground clamp, is that normal ? Are these like standard fittings ?
Pay more and leads are generally included in the kit. But doing it the BG way you can swap across the AC leads from your old welder when going DC.
Decent long/heavy leads are expensive, so it's worth buying a cheap AC welder secondhand and cannibalizing the leads.
thanks for the tips, don't have an old welder so I'll have to purchase, what gauge wire, 6 ?
G'day Rob these welders are pretty impressive especially when you consider the size of them. I'm thinking of getting one but while I'm talking to you I must thank you for the tapping tip that your father showed you, I have used it ever since I saw you explaining how to do it and it is great to use thanks mate regards John
th-cam.com/video/k_t69LVxUpQ/w-d-xo.html
Forgive my ignorance, how do you check if the chassis is earthed?
Thanks.
Hi Joe, Use the Ohm resistance setting on a multimeter to check for conductivity between the earth/ground pin on the power lead and any metal part of the chassis. Regarding your other question, the two small connectors are the industry standard cable connector (Dinse) now used on all small welders - fast connect and fully insulated. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu Hi Rob, thank you very much for the answer.
Cheers,
Joe.
I want to make it clear. Because this model is posted here in online store in our counter and it says it is a mig welding machine. Is that true sir?
No. Neither is it waterproof - as one Banggood spec says.
Besides the 2 minutes out of every 10 minutes (20%) duty cycle, there are some more specification details to be considered. As I don’t have numbers for stick electrode welders (or MIG welders either) in my head, I just list the TIG testing specifications.
The idea is that an arc voltage is fixed at 10 V DC. The torch and cables are assumed to cause a voltage drop of 40 mV per ampere. That of course means resistance of 40 milliohms. Or it means that at 100 A the welder output terminal voltage is 14 V. At 200 A the corresponding reading is 18 V and so on. That all means you need to measure both current and voltage and probably need a load bank rather than welding arc for good steady conditions.
As output power is the product of voltage and current, the primary power being proportional and primary voltage is nearly constant, the primary current goes up more than linearly with the welding current. Depending on the cooling and other design issues, the limiting factor could be in the secondary side or the primary side or quite often in the AC outlet ratings.
Background (air) temperature is critical when measuring duty cycle.
So, this could weld steel bike tubing? I've had some projects in mind but don't need or want a big ass welder. I've don't just a bit of welding decades ago and know it would depend on me but will the machine be capable? It seems ideal.
I would use gas welding for light tube. Plus you get the capillary action/full bond that arc can't give.
If you want to go electric then MIG with gas would be my choice.
Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu Thanks!
Also, may i ask what are the 2 small connectors for, at minute 5:22 ? Thanks and nice review!
They're DINSE connectors, the welder doesn't come with leads, you have to connect your own.
I live in the U.S.A, Does that little stick welder run off of a standard 110v outlet or is it 220v?????????????? It is confusing when one/a begginer tries to find a decent but cheap welder! I have purchased a cheap Chicago electric 90a wire feed junker when I drove to Harbor freight, I went there to get a stick welder but, THEY WERE SOLD OUT! SO, CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF THIS BANGOOD WELDER IS ANY BETTER THEN A HARBOR FREIGHT STICK WELDER???
I have not seen any ZX7-200 welder advertised to run off of 110 volts. The specifications all say 220 volts. The review clearly shows it is a very easy welder to use on the stated voltage. 220 - 250 volts.
Where would be a good place to buy an inexpensive set of welding cables for this? Thanks
From a cheap secondhand AC welder. That will save a fortune: th-cam.com/video/mt4Mw9NHIVM/w-d-xo.html
Any good welding supply store will sell cable by the foot. If you get size 2 cable, it’s not expensive, and you probably don’t need more than a few feet. They might even have some short “ends”, or used cables off of trade ins. #2 cable is not large, but it’s more than adequate for this size machine or larger. You’ll be surprised how little it costs!
Interesting bit of kit as you guys across the pond would say, will be interested in what Bro-inlaw has to say especially if used with a small generator. It would make repairs done out in the field a whole lot easier you could keep it and a small generator in the tool box of the truck and not have to drive back to the house and hook up to the trailer, then drive back
Using an inverter welder on a generator can void your warranty for most major brand names. Not recommended.
I've heard some tales of woe from people who have, yet others do it without a problem. Your call I guess ;)
Most inverters have line filtering, but how good it is is anyone's guess.
Cheers Rob
Thanks
That is quite an impressive little welder for what it is, it would be nice if they done a mig version of this. Great video cheers.
Look on Amazon, I think that company does
Nearly missed this -- good review Rob. Amazingly small and seems pretty good performance.!
Nice review Rob. These cheapo inverter welders are incredible. Would NOT have believed it 30 years ago. Bloody stick 'em in yer back pocket - almost
if the ZX7 is the series of boards for inverted welders are all the little ZX7-200 welders comparable?
I would expect so, but there is the issue of components used. It may be possible to bottleneck the board with inferior items. I can't say, but obviously there can be a difference.
The circuit is a basic design, but how well it's implemented is not set in concrete. Only by comparing the quoted duty cycles (if that's accurate) can you compare output.
Cheers Rob
I didn't want to announce this straight away because they only have a few but banggood has a zx7-200 welder in their US warehouse for $59 right now, I can't afford much but there's not going to be a better deal on one of these little inverter welders, if it's any good.....
us.banggood.com/Wholesale-Warehouse-ZX7-200-220V-Handheld-Mini-MMA-Electric-Welding-Tool-Digital-10-200A-Inverter-ARC-Welding-Machine-wp-Usa-1366149.html?rmmds=category
Those flat shields are great for tight spots under cars etc
And swatting flies!
what you said about bigger welders not liking 250v is interesting, i have a SIP 150 stick welder and that doesn't like extensions in the power lead, plugged in the wall its fine, but plugged into an extension reel it cuts out.
Hi Aly,
That sounds more like voltage drop from the cable. Possibly a part open circuit in it. Some CIG/Cigweld inverter welders used to not start up on 250 V or more.
Cheers Rob
What else do I need to buy to use this? Also I can take any standard 3 prong plug and swap it with that plug it comes with and it will work fine?
This welder will run off a regular 10 AMP three pin plug fine. You will need to buy an earth clamp, electrode holder, and welding cable of whatever length you want. The first two items are cheap, but the cable is expensive in larger diameter cores. You will also need a welding helmet.
@@Xynudu Mine was supplied with 2-core cable but no plug. Which plug should I purchase for use here in the UK, please? Thanks Rob.
Great video. Quick question can i weld light tin with it like my old lawnmower base
If it is at least 1.5 mm thick you should be OK, provided you are a half decent welder. Obviously you need to have the amps turned down low and move the rod fairly fast. Using a low penetration rod and reversing polarity on the welder leads will also help stop burn through. Cheers Rob
Hi Rob, pretty impressive little thing. Do you think it'd be possible to attach a TIG torch and weld Mild steel and Stainless steel? With the appropriate gas of course.
No. The duty cycle is way too low.
Do you still think this is the case after your most recent video testing the duty cycle of this machine? Maybe you could give TIG a try if you have the right equipment?!
I am not set up for TIG. I still think it's pushing it too hard. You can buy other welders for the same money with much better duty cycles (eg. Usewell 250).
Cheers Rob
If a fan is blowing the smoke away, will that affect the welding job ?
Cheers
No.
I know this is an old post but I came here because Walmart is selling these for 40 bucks. I've got a coupon and a credit from my birthday card for 50 dollars.
I figure if they are any good at all I can get two of them for for about 30 bucks....
One to play and one for spares?
I gave this one to my Bro-Inlaw and he loves it. I see Banggood have sold thousands of this type of welder and gets positive reviews. Cheers Rob
Hello sir so you just pluged that welder staight into the outlet that provided the 240 some voltage? I got alittl le confused when i got mine it came with an adapter for the 110 wall plug. It made a spart at the plug wenever i pluged it in and would only light the orange light up. Im asuming maybe not enough voltage i perhaps need to put the 3 prong 220 volt plug on er?
Hi Josh,
These are not a 110 volt unit, so you must have a 220 volt supply. I am not familiar with a 110 socket as we don't have that in Australia. I suggest you use a the correct socket for 240 volt if you have that supply.
Cheers Rob
Cheers sir that is a huge help thankyou alot. Here in nova scotia i guess we have slighly different electrical systems we follow watever the states uses unfortunatly aha.
Bro it's been 2 years and now the exact same thing is selling on Amazon for $25 AUD and I got it sitting right next to me.
These units have really taken off since I did the review. Lots being sold that look the same, but what's inside is anyone's guess. I gave this one to my Bro-Inlaw and he loves it. Easily the best of the three DC welders I've reviewed. Cheers Rob
Whats the correct welding rod for inverter welders_
You can use regular AC GP welding rods for DC/inverter welding. Most welding rods are NOT polarity specific. So all those old rods are likely to be OK with DC.
Some current specialised rods such as low hydrogen etc may now be polarity specific with DC and if so, It will be marked on the packet.
If you look at rod data /spec sheets at your local supplier you will see that very few are polarity specific.
Cheers Rob
Need a welder for 120v / 15a circuit. Great review and demo - lots of good info.
Hi there just watching i have a millers falls twm in2500 welder and cam with a tig setup can you help me thanks
I don't use TIG.
I had the mig 160s it's gas and gasless stick and scratch Tig had it for nearly 4 years done so much welding with it always welding something and can't fault it I never used a welder before this and it leave great welds
The audio worked perfectly for me. But, Rob, after explaining the table with the duty cycles I expected to see a duty cycle test. 20% at 100A means welding 2 min out of 10 probably some more due to contingency of the manuf. But it could fit into a video's length. Would you not want to know after how much continuous welding the welder shuts down and how much later it lets you continue? Does it have a built in fan? Could one attach a fan? How would that affect the duty cycle? Lots of topics for an additional video..:-)
Hi Rol,
It has a strong built in fan. I ran a lot more rods through it than shown in the video and there was no exceptional heat wash coming out the front of the machine, just a bit of warm air. The case stayed cool. It was a cold morning so how it goes in really hot weather is unknown.
My Usewell under the same conditions (cold) runs dead cool, so this is a hotter unit for sure. The duty cycle tag as I explained makes no sense at all - it basically said that the unit would overheat with any amount of use of 3.2 mm rods. Which of course didn't happen, or even look like happening. So I don't believe that for a second.
I'm giving this welder to the Bro-Inlaw and he can do some heavy welding with it (he's a farmer) so if it cooks up I will relay the news ;)
Cheers Rob
this thing seems quite capable for its size. It would be helpful to show how good it really is. I am looking forward to your Bro-Inlaw's results.
Is it possible to weld thinner steel like 0.6 mm with this?
No.
@@Xynudu using it as aTig?
Did you try it at the 140A or above that level and if so how was it?
No. There was no point as it handled 3.2 mm rods fine on 5 mm steel plate. I don't have any 4 mm rods. The unit is rated at 3.2 mm tops in the spec sheet but it should go larger diameter. It certainly had plenty of guts and was right on the money for 2.5 and 3.2's. How the duty cycle would handle larger rods is anyone's guess.
Thanks for the info. Dont suppose you can "encourage" them to send you a TIG welder can you ? :) I've seen a model WS-250 (about USD300) which is supposedly TIG. Great price but I wonder how it performs.
I didn't know they had TIG on offer. I could review it no problem, but I'm inexperienced with TIG and couldn't do it justice.
Fair enough. I've never used one either !
Thanks for the helpful review.
can you recommend beginner best price welder leads to go with it as this on ebay does not come with a set of leads
Buy a dirt cheap old AC welder and cannibalise the leads and stinger/clamps off that.
are you using the 6013? or what kind of rod
GP rods such as 6011 and 6013
On DC, go with 6010 & 7018! Those cussed 6013’s are the worst rod in the world to have big slag pockets in the weld and blowouts in the end crater! 6011 works ok on dc though, largely because they were designed to be an ac friendly version of the 6010 which is a dc only rod. The 6011 has an ionizing agent in the flux that helps maintain the arc as the polarity reverses during ac welding. I don’t know about other countries, but in the US ac current is 60 cycles per second, or 120 polarity reversals!
No cables or stick holder included?
No.
I bought something like this that had the hardware but no cables. It's a tiny thing and it shipped in a tiny box! I already had leads sitting around so it wasn't a problem. There are suppliers here in the States that will sell small lengths of welding cable, and if you want you can get half red and half black. It only takes a few minutes to make up the leads. These machines are so portable, you don't really need long leads as you might have in the past. So many of these things come with a strap, they clearly intend for you to WEAR the machine! I haven't seen anyone do that yet. A 21st century fashion accessory!
Good emergency welder to throw in the truck
Hi Rob, from Port Lincoln. I picked up a 24volt DC Mig welder the other week. Seems interesting and a bit different but simply no time to have a play with it yet. Next time I swing by Radelaide are you interested in having a fiddle? The idea of having a gas-less Mig out in the scrub intrigues me... Could use some advice on getting a lathe of some sort too. Cheers.
I'm the last person you should discuss MIG welders with. I've never used one or had any practical experience with them. I've seen some great and some god awful welding done with them - gasless is total shit.
I am happy to discuss stuff through email, but that's it.
Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu Cheers for that and fair enough - picked it up for the novelty value as much as the $20 it cost me... It came with an old school heavy copper AC welder thrown in. When I have a good question to ask that you haven't covered in your videos I'll sing out.
Not many of those old welders actually ran copper windings. It's surprising how early on they used aluminium windings.
That old 130 Lincoln I scrapped for the cables a while back is a classic case. I felt sure it would be copper, but no way. The windings are generally varnish coated flat metal strip like metal banding/strapping.
The copper ones are generally branded with the word copper somewhere.
Good luck with both of them.
Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu As the AC welder works perfectly it will go into the hoard... Best welder I ever bought was an inverter DC/TIG which just powers through anything I throw at it. It does need 15A to remain stable beyond 120A output though...
Thanks for the review. Btw I don’t know it you know the trick of taking a picture of the manual and going to google translate. Works right from the photo. You can get a serviceable translation. Can be strangely worded but it’s an easy puzzle to solve
Hi Bruce. I loaded the app a while back after the last welder review and tried it, but it didn't handle the Chinese text too well. Seems there are various simplified styles.
TH-cam commenter, it's this machine suitable for welding sheet metal car panels on my rusty cars?
No.
impressive for such a small unit.
Cool beans! Grab that!
That's what she said
Hi, I'm new to welding. I want to buy this unit. Can you please tell me what are the missing items for this welder? Such as rod holder ect...
You don't get cables , ground clamp, and electrode holder.
I view these welders as a cheap way to upgrade from AC to DC by using the existing cables, or buy a cheap AC welder and swap over the leads and fittings. New HD cable is expensive.
Cheers Rob.
@@Xynudu Thank you.
Where can I get the adapter that you have
Excellent review Rob I have just bought one at a discount price. I haven't done much stick welding so it will be very interesting for me and handy if I get used to it.. You look like you are very good at welding. Regards Steve
Hi Steve,
It's a very easy welder to use and not electrode sensitive, which can make learning difficult. Also not prone to arc blow.
Even though the duty cycle is low it should weld fine in your climate, for home/back yard projects.
Cheers Rob
Ahhhhh Rob. I've got the Usewell and love it, now I want a Duba. These reviews are killing my wallet but keep e'm coming.
As soon as I struck this welder I knew it would be good. It actually seems to strike and flow a bit better/smoother than the Usewell at low amps. Very easy to weld with. Nice to use. No bad habits. The Usewell runs cooler for sure.
I'm going to put a load test on this unit in the next video, to see how well the duty cycle copes. Should be interesting.
Thanks for sharing.
FYI: The link for Banggood does not work.
Hi Angel, yes I know. They time out after a while. Thanks for the feedback though. Cheers Rob
Robbie how do you get to do these reviews?
Hi Don, I often get contacted by Asian companies wanting me to do collaborative reviews. Not all of it is relative to the channel and some want to review/pass the videos before posting, so they don't get past first base.
Banggood contacted me, gave me total control and accept my honest reviews. Been great to deal with. You can approach then as they had several review options last time I looked at their web site.
Ali Express also have a review process you can join, but the whole system sucks badly as they lottery out any products against other chanels, review all videos to makes sure they are totally positive, and basically you will NEVER see a negative review on Ali Epress. What pissed me off even more is that you are dealing with a whole bunch of individual little stores (Banggod is one store and not just a front end), and they even have channel restrictions such as the age of the reviewer, and total number of views and subscribers.
You don't get any of that with Banggood.
I have also done one off reviews for three other companies.
In all cases you get to keep the product.
I hope this has clarified things a bit.
Cheers Rob
I think people are a bit put of coz there all made in China, l was a coded welder yrs ago, sold my oil cooled set few years ago as l was offered a unbelievable price, anyway l bought a Parker 160 inverter few weeks ago, it's amazing how good these lil sets weld, I'd say just use 2.5 rods, being a DC set if ya get arc blow just move the earth clamp this normally stops it, mine was £60 there so light and small, l just welded an angle iron shed frame for a mate l used 2.5 E6013 rods burned about 80 rods it was spot on, l run it on a 16amp supply.
The arc blow aspect is the only negative side of DC welders. It can be a real pain in the butt if the steel is slightly magnetic or the stars don't all align correctly ;) I have tried moving the earth clamp, but get best results going up to the next rod size. This has always worked for me. I still prefer AC for rough/dirty welding jobs. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu yea, AC is good, l like DC as usually use low hydrogen rods,
Nice review! Great way to get started.
Can an inverter welder be used by someone who has a pacemaker ?
Hi John,
Any type of arc/electric welding device can interfere with a pacemaker. The EMF danger comes from the arc and cables, more than the type of machine being used. So an inverter is just as dangerous as a basic transformer type when used.
Best not to use any type of electric welder if you have a pacemaker fitted.
Go gas welding/brazing instead to eliminate EMF dangers.
Cheers Rob
wont some clarification about reverse and straight polarity.... would you make a video about it ? thanks in advance
DC Positive electrode (normal) polarity gives deeper penetration. Negative electrode gives shallower penetration/sometimes higher bead with less chance of burn through on thin metal.
AC welding penetration is between the two but closer to positive in bead shape and penetration.
In practice you may not notice a big difference between the polarities. It is also influenced by rod type/make. Most GP AC rods work quite happily with either DC polarity.
sciencing.com/difference-between-ac-dc-welding-6021349.html
However, some GP rods may work better with a specific polarity. Specialist DC rods will be marked with the polarity to be used. AC/DC GP rods are generic and not marked.
Normal /positive polarity seems to weld better/smoother with AC GP rods from my limited experience (less spatter).
can it do reverse DC polarity? DCEP?
nevermind, 9:20 clearly shown its DCEP reverse polarity with grounding using the (-). How about DCEN tho?
It does both. By swapping over the electrode lead positions you can elect to use a deep or shallow burn in.
what size generator would be needed to run a welder like this ?
Don't. Inverter welders can fail when used on a portable generator, due to the voltage fluctuations. Not recommended.
If you decide to try, it would need a generator that can supply the required input amps - about 9 - 10 amps (3.2 mm rod). 2.5 mm rod would need about 7- 8amps continuous.
Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu
Thanks for the info.
Might have to look for an welder/genarator then.
An AC welder will run quite happily off of ANY suitable size generator. You can't hurt then with bad current supply like DC.
AC will require a generator capable of at least 10 amps continuous for a 2.5 mm rod.
Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu
Thanks again.
My geni is a 5000 watt , no idea about amps. ( iam a mechanic )
However i do have a tractapack mounted to a 3 cylinder diesel. Geni works on that one but i cant get the welder to work. Hopefully one of my friends ( a sparkie ) will find the time to help me fix that one.
I understand that tractapack where rather good welders.
Thanks again for your feedback.
Cheers
5000 watt (continuous) = approx 20 amps for 240 volts output.
So that should run a single phase AC welder easily. The worst that can happen is it may trip the thermal overload. No problem.
Tractor packs can be single or three phase. They are basically just a pto driven generator. Check the output amps, they may not be as high as you expect given the size of the unit. There should be a specification plate on the generator.
Cheers Rob
Great video, am buying one. Having troubles find that 220v adapter, can someone point me in the right direction?
Probably cheaper and better to cut off and replace the plug. I think I bought mine from Jaycar.
@@Xynudu yeah your right, am just going to cut the cable.
The amp output is usually half what the meter says it is on these little Chinese welders,according to the reviews I've seen on TH-cam.
Not in this case. It welded at exactly the same settings as my quality AC welder.
Hi Sir. do you have a link that I could buy it? thanks you
It's in the video description.
Cheers Rob
Yes, excellent but for how long?
Maybe hours only
Great review Rob! And from what I've read you can tig weld with an inverter as well. (With the exception of aluminum.)
Not with this one. The duty cycle is way too low. However, the Usewell 250 should do it easily.
Okay, good to know.
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I would like to see it cranked up to 200amps and see how much amps it draws of the mains supply.
Can u use this one on 110 V
8:58 . On DC - Welding machines (for stick electrode) u usually uses the negative (-) for the electrode and the positive (+) for the clamp.
No. Polarity on stick is usually the reverse of MIG. Stick generally uses maximum penetration.
I am by far not an expert in welding, but what I know is that in DC current, the electricity flows from Negative (-) to Positive (+). So in this case u will get much more penetration if your electrode holder is Negative (-) and your clamp (work peace) is positive.
www.lincolnelectric.com/en-au/support/process-and-theory/Pages/understanding-polarity-detail.aspx
Thanks for the info. It seems that the internet always has a answer for every one, even if you know you are wrong (Please, I don't say you are wrong). For example, some web sites say that this food is bad for you and then a other web sites tells you that, that exact same food is good for you. So the same applies in this case, I think every one can decide which work best for them when welding, electrode positive (+) or electrode (-). This web site tells you the exact opposite as the one you attach. www.minaprem.com/joining/welding/polarity/which-polarity-gives-better-penetration-in-arc-welding/
Yes, there is conflicting information out there. Lincoln electric is a major welder company and I'd be more inclined to say they are correct, rather than some unknown. The DC welder instructions for the unit shown in the video also say/show connect the electrode to positive.
A rudimentary burn of some rods shows quite clearly that Lincoln is correct. "+" electrode is most commonly used for deeper penetration and gives a weld profile similar to AC welders.
Going "-" lowers the penetration, puts more heat in the rod, lays a higher bead, but gives a generally poor looking weld.
The only time to try negative is when burn through is an issue. Overall, a low penetration rod generally is a better option. Going up a rod size also helps.
Cheers Rob
anyone know if there is an AC/DC steel/aluminum that does stick and mig? I do not want to do TIG. Just MIG and stick.
Quite a few MIGs do stick as well. Do some research.
That is crazy how well that welded! Or its a greit testament to your welding
Merci pour le partage de ton expérience .
Thank you for sharing your experience.