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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Lincoln generator welders,copper or aluminum windings?
- - By NMWELDING (**) Date 11-23-2007 04:29
I am sure this has been answered before,but I do not recall it. I remembered reading that Lincoln started putting aluminum in their engine driven welders in about 1973,starting with code 7044. Did lincoln ever go back to the all copper windings like their older machines had, and if so when did they start[what year and code]. Was the addition of aluminum specific to certain machines, or did Lincoln add aluminum to all after 1973? I have a 1994 Classic 3 gas,code 10072 and it has the squared off portion on the generator. Does it have aluminum in its windings? Thanks for all your comments,all are appreciated.
Parent - - By KSellon (****) Date 11-23-2007 14:07
Since code numbers span a 2 to 3 year period it is hard to note that. The serial number of the machine will let you know its age. And the field coils in 73 and 74 were aluminum.

When aluminum windings are talked about, know that it is only speaking of the field and series shunt coils. Because since the 1940's the interpole coil sets have all been aluminum.
Attachment: 64field.png (581k)
Parent - - By shorthood2006 (****) Date 11-23-2007 20:07
im glad kay that you cleared this up. so many people say 100% copper wound! and they are not! thanks
Parent - By MDG Custom Weld (***) Date 11-27-2007 12:58
Great Picture, tells the whole story!!
Parent - - By raftergwelding (*****) Date 11-28-2007 02:14
hmmmmmmmmmmmmm then what makes the older machines any better than the newer ones if they are all made the same
Parent - - By KSellon (****) Date 11-28-2007 15:13
Age and quality of craftsmanship at time of production. Seems everything nowadays is disposable. Back in the day things were built to last. Nowadays Lincoln owes our shop more money for warranty repairs than I owe them for parts.

Once a 1980's or 1970's pipeliner is set perfect to factory specs from end to end they are smooth 285 amp machines. But if people have had their hands in them, changing things, thats where it starts changing. I have offered up to many a welder to come into our shop and weld with my red face and 76. Then I just sit back and listen as they say " I have always been able to tell the difference when running a red face, but not with these 2 ". So just realize Lincoln created specs on these machines for a reason. And once you start staggering brushes, rolling the rack, changing the idle and governor settings,etc you are changing what made these machines great. And then you are fighting a battle to find the sweet spot you once had. JMO
Parent - - By jarsanb (***) Date 11-28-2007 16:02
Also, we live in a profit now world. They simply do not make these new machines to last forever. Fortunately, lincoln hit gold with the old models and live off of that reputation. But an unmentioned design engineer told me they need a 6 to 8 year turn around on new purchases. It makes sense. (yes, thats a pun)
Parent - - By knslash (*) Date 11-28-2007 22:59
I've got a '73 sa-200 that I run ten hrs. a day, six days a week, every week. It has fed my family for 26 years and is totally stock. Lincoln knew they were doing when they designed 'em!
I'll never part with my machine!
Parent - By raftergwelding (*****) Date 11-29-2007 05:16
I've got a 68 redface i started with 4 1500 it was a ruff start the day i bought it i had it all of 30 mins. went toturn left up a lil incline and it fell outa my truck onto the road still upright i had to get the radiator repaired and replace the fuel line. 3 weeks later i went to weld on a gate got there fired it up and the sparks started flying burnt the armiture ib 3 places bought asnother machine with a blowed motor for 650 swapped the amitures it had the usual small leake about a qt of oil every 2 days and then 7 yrs later i started in the oilfield by then it was a qt a day yr and a 1/2 later it was 2 qts in the am and 2 more at lunch and still burn 3/16 rod all day long everybody made fun of my old machine but i jus laughed at them i was making as much as them with thier 10,000.00 machines i still have ol smoky sittin in front of the shop tried tostart it 2 days ago jus to let it run a lil and the solenoid on the starter is shot i tried spinnin it by hand just using the fan blade and its still free so the really do take a lickin and keep on ticking like you i'll never part with it and yes it's still stock i was gonna upgrade it but after kayes reply i think i'll leave him like he is and jsu rebuild theengine or get a long block for it if i can find sum1 i know is good at it now i've got another redface i had built and my old 1 welds hotter than the newer 1
Parent - By raftergwelding (*****) Date 11-29-2007 05:17
so with this info in mind they are not soild copper or soild aluminum that would make them copolum or copluminum right lol all these years i been lied too thanks for the info kaye
Parent - By NMWELDING (**) Date 11-30-2007 01:12
KSellon
Thanks  for your reply and sharing your experience and knowledge on this subject. Thank you again.
Parent - By JTMcC (***) Date 11-30-2007 03:04
Everybody gets an opinion, but if you talk to people who actually make a living running these machines 60 -80 hours a week, year after year you'll find that the vast majority of 200's used in mainline construction are fine tuned by rolling the rack a bit and setting the rpm where that particular welder likes it.
Like I've said before, a half a rod is a lifetime when you are in a fast paced firing line and these machines can be (and are) dialed in for a particular consumable in a particular application. There is no magical factory Lincoln setting that's optimal for everything. A 200 set up completely stock will do certain things better than mine, like say burn LoHi, or tig ss pipe, but it sure won't hang with my machine burning 3/16" 70+ all day downhill.

JTMcC.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Lincoln generator welders,copper or aluminum windings?

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