Lincoln's Invertec V350-Pro

Date 04-24-2011 20:55

I have one at my shop. Its a '07 factory model. I bought it over the miller XMT's mainly because I have a Vantage. Everything is interchangeable between the two. As far as the machine itself, I'm not to impressed with the "stick-crisp" setting for downhill rod. It does ok but, its no sa-200. Now everything else runs great. I run 7018 in "stick-soft" it has a hot start dial and a arc control dial. You can really dial it in. I use the CV-innershield for innershield wire, I don't know if there is a difference between regular CV and the Innershield mode but, I just use the right one for the process I'm using. TIG mode is another winner, can't beat touch start. Gouging, well its gouging :)

Let me know if have any questions, I've had this machine for about 2 years now and ran almost every rod and wire off of it. Like I said I really like it but, I never really considered the XMT's, because of my other lincoln equipment/accessories.

By weldwade (***)

Date 04-24-2011 21:42

I have two of the 450's in the shop at work and they are great machines. As Rig Hand pointed out there are many better machines for beading with but they will get the job done. It has excellent CV output! Overall I like the machine and am happy with it's performance.

By Iron Head 49 (***)

Date 04-24-2011 23:49

Just going by the other welding forums, the XMT's seem to be the most popular. I was leaning towards the XMT-350, then I thought I should look and see what Lincoln offers. Once I read the literature on the V-350-Pro I was impressed. And I think some of you will agree there is just something about Lincoln's arc, hard to describe with words, but Lincoln just has the edge with SMAW, and FCAW-SS.
But I couldn't find anybody who has actually run a V350-Pro, just rumors and hear say that there were problems with them a few years ago.
Thanks for the replies guys, keep em coming!

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 04-25-2011 17:24

Lincoln has always mystified me with there Shop designed SMAW power supplies. They make the best field welding equipment with amazing adjustability. Their shop machines offer two SMAW settings, "crisp" and "soft". While Miller offers unlimited dig control with the XMT style power supplies.

Although I also can't figure why so many folks use SMAW to join pipe in shops, when other processes are far more productive, easier to learn and can produce welds of the same quality in all positions.

The V350 has some amazing capability with GMAW/GMAWP/FCAW... It can run push-pull or spool guns on aluminum that is prolly the best made in America. Depending on the wire feeder you link to it, the capabilities are more versatile than the competition. That's just Lincoln's philosophy.. They think of their power supplies as tool boxes filled with everything they can to do the greatest variety of work. Lincoln GMAWP technology for MANUAL welding is better than Miller in my opinion... But the Miller 350P still offers more bang for the buck due to its affordability.

Say more about what kind of service you will require from your power supply and we can talk some more.

For a shop machine for SMAW I'm a big fan of XMT.. and believe it or not Synchrowave.. The infinate adjustment on Dig really makes a difference on open roots... As far as vert-down beading with large diameter 6010 I'll let somebody else speak to that.

By Iron Head 49 (***)

Date 04-25-2011 19:11

Lawrence glad you chimed in! :cool:

I have a couple SA-200s, but I start in the shop at 5:00 A.M. Just don't like making my neighbors and the wife furious over the noise if I don't have to. Mostly I fear the wife! The nearest neighbor is 200 feet away, but the wife is only 70 feet away!
I have a 1980s Linde mig machine with a Cobramatic I'd like to replace before it starts to give me problems. So I was thinking about one of these multi-process machines, kill two birds with one stone if you will. I would just use my LN-25 for now. I have a Dynasty 300, really like the control of the dig. Great Tig machine, but it's no SA-200 with SMAW. Just not impressed at all with the Dynasty with SMAW.
Bottom line I'm looking for a shop machine to replace my mig machine, and a SMAW arc equal to my SA-200s. Am I asking too much? With the V350-Pro only having two dig settings and the XMT having unlimited dig, now I'm leaning back towards the XMT, but if it's arc is the same as the Dynasty, I wouldn't gain anything! :confused:

Another subject, I e-mailed Lincoln, but the guy who answered my question didn't understand.
Are the Cable Plugs part number K852-70 (welding lead adapters) that plug into the V350-Pro the same as the International / Tweco Adapters, (bottom of the page, part number 042465)?
I have couple sets of the 042465 adapters just wondering if they will work?
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/accessories/international/

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 04-25-2011 19:25

Connetors... Um.. I call those type "DINSE" Connectors.

They twist-lock and have a little square thing-a-mabob at the end of the brass

If I'm correct.. Big if.. The following link should tell you what you want to know.

https://weldingsupply.securesites.com/lencodinse.pdf

By strother (***)

Date 04-25-2011 21:47

I have had a V -350 factory model for about 3 yrs . When I got mine they came standard "Lincoln" cable connectors which will not work with tweeco style quick connects . At that time you could order them with tweeco style. I just bought one that was in stock and made adapters so I could use my regular quick connects .

By Iron Head 49 (***)

Date 04-25-2011 22:03

This is the type I'm talking about. The male is a Dinse 50 I think, the female is a Tweco.

By Rig Hand (***)

Date 04-26-2011 00:16

Yes those connectors will work. I have the same ones that came from a boiler outage using XMT's they just so happen to work on my Invertec.

By Blaster (***)

Date 04-25-2011 19:41

When you say shop machine, are your refering to the V350 Pro Advanced Process Model? Or some other Lincoln models?

My V350 Pros are the Factory model and have full dig adjustability, as do the Construction models. They both also have ajustable hot start.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 04-25-2011 20:22

If they have a full adjustment rather than crisp and soft settings than thats a winner.

Maybe I was wrong or the models are improved since I ran one last.

By Iron Head 49 (***)

Date 04-25-2011 20:40

Going back and looking at the “Key Controls” page, both the Construction Model, and the Factory Model have “Hot Start Control” and “Arc Control”. The Advanced Process Model doesn't seem to have “Hot Start”, unless I missed it.

By Rig Hand (***)

Date 04-26-2011 00:24

Yes, The Factory model has a stick-crisp & stick-soft mode. Then they also have an arc control knob & a hot start knob. So you have two CC modes and you have two CV modes (cv-wire & CV-Innershield) I don't think the hot start control is used in the CV modes, only the arc control. The hot start control is used in TIG mode, 0 is touch start tig and 10 is hi-frequency starts.

By Blaster (***)

Date 04-25-2011 14:24

We have 3 in my shop. I think they are probably as good a stick power source as I have ever used. They are great for 3/32 7018 and for 6010.

None are very old, maybe 1 -3 years for the different ones.

However I just had the main power switch on the panel go TU for no apparent reason. No visible external damage, just kind of flops around now and no power.

But generally I have found Linconls to be very reliable so I can't complain too much, may be a fluke. Hopefully it is warrantyable.

By odessawelding Date 04-26-2011 01:24

We have 20 - V-350 Pro machines and 6- XMT-350's along with 8- older XMT 304 machines in our shop. The XMT 304 set the standard when they first came out for easy useability. We use them all for both stick and MIG along with some .045 flux core. All run good for that purpose. The difference is in the wire feeders, Lincoln LF-72 is way better than the Miller 70 series. My personal preferance when I have to do something is the Lincoln set-up. just my pennies worth!

Jim

By tazmannusa (**)

Date 04-26-2011 14:23

I bought a used one off ebay V-350 pro AP model. I have done stick and regular mig with it a few times and it seems to work fine, mostly use it for aluminum pulse or pulse on pulse mode, Works great to me for that. So far no problems with it and she was a bit beat up looking when I bought it. I only use it occasionaly so can't say how well they would hold up in a day in day out setting.
Tom

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 04-26-2011 14:43

I really like the pulse on pulse program... I have powerwaves with the same programming. The hot start and crater fill programming options make welding on thing gage aluminum very nice.

The pulse on pulse allows for welds on fillets that in the past could only be done with GTAW. Very nice.

By tazmannusa (**)

Date 04-26-2011 16:16

Yes I wish this one had hot start and crater fill, sure would make it nice welding on the thin stuff. If I had more call for doing aluminum around here I could justify buying a powerwave, I only get 1 or 2 calls a year to fix cattle trailers and tanks and the ol SA 250 with spool gun works fine for that.