Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Welding Techniques, Theory, Machines and Questions.

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mikechoochoo
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Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by mikechoochoo »

I bought this welder new about 30 years ago. I was welding, finished a bead and stopped to reposition the part. When I went to continue in was dead, no spark. The fan runs so I know I have power. I opened it up and everything looks good, no bad smells of burnt areas. I used an ohm meter and there are no open windings, I checked the primary with the fan disconnected and checked all the secondary's and checked for shorts to ground. Have any of you heard of fixing these, and how to find the problem ?
Mike.
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10KPete
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Re: Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by 10KPete »

I had one of those for about 30 years also. A friend now has had it for 10 years. Still going strong!
They are really simple and what you've done should have found the problem. However, I think that fan is 120 VAC and if so it takes it's power from only one leg of the 220 to the neutral. If you've lost the other leg you'd still get the fan. Measure the power in.....

Resistance measurements are OK but nothing will substitute for voltage measurements.

Pete
Just tryin'
STRR
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Re: Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by STRR »

Mike,

If you can, take a voltmeter and check for voltage between the welding lead plug-in sockets (if you have plug-in leads). This should tell you if your primary side is working. You may be having trouble with your leads and/or stinger and ground clamp. Loose or corroded or just plain dirty. If you have voltage at your lead plug-ins, then check between the stinger and ground clamp.

I hope this helps.

Good Luck,
Terry
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NP317
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Re: Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by NP317 »

Fuses?
Continuity of the electrode cables?
'Just thinking of the simplest things first.
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SteveM
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Re: Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by SteveM »

NP317 wrote: Fri Jun 26, 2020 9:38 pm Fuses?
Continuity of the electrode cables?
'Just thinking of the simplest things first.
RussN
My brother said that when you are trying to fix something, start with the simple things, even if they not the most likely.

Steve
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NP317
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Re: Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by NP317 »

I worked for several years as an electronic technician on medical equipment.
Quickly learned to ALWAYS check the simple things first.
RussN
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Steggy
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Re: Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by Steggy »

mikechoochoo wrote: Fri Jun 26, 2020 10:48 am I bought this welder new about 30 years ago. I was welding, finished a bead and stopped to reposition the part. When I went to continue in was dead, no spark. The fan runs so I know I have power. I opened it up and everything looks good, no bad smells of burnt areas. I used an ohm meter and there are no open windings, I checked the primary with the fan disconnected and checked all the secondary's and checked for shorts to ground. Have any of you heard of fixing these, and how to find the problem ?
Mike.
The heat selector switch is known to go bad with age. It's relatively simple to remove and examine.
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liveaboard
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Re: Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by liveaboard »

It's a very simple electrical circuit; take your voltmeter and follow the power until it stops.
There's your fault.
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NP317
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Re: Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by NP317 »

liveaboard wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 6:11 pm [snip]
... your fault.
Funny.
RussN
Santafescotty60
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Re: Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by Santafescotty60 »

Hi on some of those boxes there is a thermo overload maybe it bought the ranch . check voltage I had a leg pop the breaker too
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Assume you are speaking of the old trusty, Lincoln tombstone. I had a similar problem with mine a month or so ago.

Did you check all the positions on the big round voltage selection switch see if any would power up? If you can’t tuen the knob, means the machine overheated and melted some of the little plastic components.

In my case, Apparently I exceeded the 20% duty cycle on my previous welding project and the internals melted down. It acted the same way as yours - ran a bead, next time it started up - nothing... when I opened it up, found out the transformer and both the voltage and amperage selection switches had melted down.

So the poor thing went off to the recycle bin...

Also, when I bought the machine, used, 10 years ago, one of the 8 or 10 voltage setting s didn’t work. one of the voltage settings somehow had burned out, shorted, or otherwise gone kaput and never did work.

Btw, they are easy to take apart. Kind of a pita to it back together...

Glenn
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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liveaboard
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Re: Old lincoln buzzbox quit

Post by liveaboard »

The OP posted this more than a year ago and never reported the result.
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