👏🏾 🤰🏿 👩‍👩‍👧 Rating of welding inverters (2014). Welding Inverters: Reliability Rating 🏒 👈 📳

Due to the development of inverter technology, welding machines have become more compact and economical, and thanks to the versatility and convenience, even beginners can use them. You can meet such machines in garages and in private workshops. The high and fairly stable demand for such welding machines makes brands constantly improve their products, democratize prices and develop related services.

To get a really good arc or automatic inverter that could be used at home, at work or in the same country, where stable 220 V do not always happen, is a difficult task. Let's try to identify the most successful and popular welding inverters (reliability rating and a list of the best you will find in our article). The opinions of experts in this field and the reviews of ordinary owners of such devices will be taken into account.

The best welding inverters (rating):

FUBAG IR 200.
Svarog ARC 205 (J96).
Aurora OVERMAN 180.

All devices have visited exhibitions more than once and have earned respect both in the professional and in the amateur environment.

FUBAG IR 200

This model was included in the rating of welding inverters due to the high maximum output current of 200 amperes and the ability to cut and weld metal with electrodes of all types (up to 5 mm). Also, the device was distinguished by a fairly wide range of operating voltages, which makes it more universal.

It is also worth noting that the effective operation of the inverter is maintained even when the voltage drops to 150 V, and this is likely to be appreciated by rural residents and garage masters. For more flexible use of the device, it additionally provides an anti-stick function, a hot start and an arc boost.

Features of the device

The model was presented at the exhibition of building technologies in Moscow and took first place in the list of the best manual devices for arc welding (rating of welding inverters 2014).

The only negative that experts and owners could not miss was the small value of the PV indicator - only 40%. That is, during operation at maximum current, the apparatus must rest for at least five minutes every four minutes. For small garage workshops, this may not be so important, but for professional welders this can be a critical moment when choosing a machine.

Pluses of model:

high maximum current;
keeps the inverter in operation with voltage drops;
the presence of additional modes that facilitate welding.

Minuses:

continuous operation lasts only four minutes.

Estimated price - 10,200 rubles.

Svarog ARC 205 (J96)

The model got into the rating of welding inverters due to its versatility. The apparatus of the Russian-Chinese brand Svarog can be used not only for arc work such as MMA, but also for argon (TIG). However, it is worth noting immediately that this inverter cannot fully replace devices for argon-arc welding, since it does not have an alternating current mode such as TIG AC (work with aluminum alloys).

It will also be useful to note that, despite the Russian-Chinese production, Svarog devices are very reliable welding inverters (the reliability rating of the model range does not leave the top five).

Model Features

The device in both modes (arc and argon) has a maximum welding current of 180 amperes. Despite such a seemingly modest indicator, the duration of continuous operation (PV coefficient) ranges from 60%. The figure is almost the same as that of venerable and expensive competitors in a similar segment.

The only fly in the ointment is a small variation in operating voltage: 187-253 V. Working in garages or private workshops with high currents can be difficult. To facilitate the operation of beginners, additional schemes are provided for “anti-sticking” and “hot start”. Owners speak very warmly about the model, especially those who have just started welding. They appreciated the versatility of Svarog and its reliability along with the affordable price.

Advantages of the device:

a combination of argon medium with arc welding;
easy and quick ignition of the arc;
relatively high duration of work at high loads.

Disadvantages:

the device needs an exceptionally stable voltage.

Estimated price - 14 500 rubles.

Aurora OVERMAN 180

Aurora got into the rating of welding inverters for the house due to the affordable price and flexible characteristics, coupled with good reliability indicators. Model 180 is the most popular among the entire Overman amateur line. The domestic consumer, along with experts, speaks very warmly about this semiautomatic device.

Also, the device got into the rating of welding inverters due to its efficiency - its power is only 4.7 kW with a maximum current of 175 amperes. The model is easily controlled with any wire with a diameter not exceeding 1 mm. Unlike similar devices for semi-automatic work, Aurora has manual adjustment of the stiffness of the current-voltage characteristics (inductance). Due to this feature, welding for both thin and massive parts is much more convenient (soft or hard adjustment of the CVC).

Inverter Features

Welding inverters, the safety and reliability rating of which is brought to your attention, unlike Aurora, have an unregulated post-gas time, therefore, to protect and cool the seam, carbon dioxide still enters the sleeve about 1-2 seconds after the end of work, and this significantly adds reliability apparatus. For a more comfortable refueling, the designers provided an accelerated broach, which is switched on if necessary with a special button on the control panel.

The model also got into the rating of welding inverters thanks to intelligently thought out electronics. Instead of the usual wire feed speed regulators, a competent “fast-slow” toggle switch is installed, which is very convenient for beginners. Professional welders sometimes complain about this automation, as they are used to thoroughly regulating the entire process themselves. But the rest of the reliability and convenience of the device they are quite satisfied.