I finally got a Ready Welder

[TrailChaser]

The first welding test was conducted with a Nissan battery which is beyond reconditioning... So I went and bought two deep cycle batteries from Oreilly. Only $185... Even tho the test was done using a "bad" battery I consider it a success. The welds that I laid down before the power loss were good and hot with plenty of penetration. It was trying to burn thru in a couple of spots.

 

Now that I have the good batteries I can really test the welding time. The forums I've read say you can pretty much weld all you want out of a single charge with deep cycles, but the RW website says about 45 mins of actual weld time using deep cycles. I can burn up 1lb of wire every 15 mins at work (pro welder here) running hardwire at about 180amps but I don't know what the FPM of the wire at work is, but that still tells you something... I'll post more time details as I play with it more. I've got lots of welding left to do on the bumper. I'm not really liking the flux core wire. It's laying down nice, it's just not my cup of tea.

 

I'm Very Impressed with it so far... Even with a bad battery used for testing.

 

Remember, most guys that have a ready welder for wheeling repairs wheel with more than one vehicle. So with this welder there is no need to carry around two extra deep cycle batteries for trail repairs. The deep cycles stay at home, and IF someone breaks something on the trail that needs a weld all you have to do is borrow one other battery to be able to weld. It takes a lot of welding to draw the batteries down to the point were they won't start your truck. Even then you can get a jump from a buddy unless you're one of the cool guys with a stick shift.

 

 

I posted a video on Youtube showing the ready welders test welds.

 

[TrailChaser]

OH, and sorry about the video quality. The sound is off track or something, adn don't look at the mess in my garage.

[unccpathfinder]

nice vid...got the parts today as well...thanks

 

thought the lag was just my computer being sucky...

Edited January 20, 2007 by unccpathfinder

[TrailChaser]

Glad to hear you got'em. I think I have the tiny screws that go to the back of the gauge cluster in my ashtray... I forgot to add'em to the shipment. If you need them let me know and I'll mail'em to ya.

[88pathoffroad]

Not bad, not bad! How much do those cost again?

[unccpathfinder]

i've got plenty of screws...just in a big ole bin tho...so the swap done and up and running?

 

was youtubin around tonight and saw a bunch of ure vidz and that looks awsome...im going balls out tomorrow on the white 1 to get it done...been waiting on an x member for 3 months now...so im gonna say screw the lift in the front and find some mud hopefully

 

i might shoot u an email sometimes on ure welding setup

[TrailChaser]

The one I bought was $399 shipped off ebay. I'm pretty sure it was drop shipped from the factory.

 

Here's the one I bought.

 

 

The swap is up and running good. I've already put a few thousand miles on the new(to me) 5 Speed. I've had it out on the trails 3 times also.