How I understand the operation of an inverter welding machine:
first the alternating voltage is directed and stored in large capacitors
we “charge” capacitors with low voltage from the “stock” of direct voltage with high voltage, for this semiconductor switches (transistor, thyristor) are used, which are switched on at high frequency, thus maintaining this voltage for welding.
These old inverter devices probably still work in analog technology, which can be quite “easily” repaired, and they have built-in high-quality and very powerful semiconductors. Maybe I’ll buy it tomorrow, and I’ll paint the insides. (100 Eur)
I think it is basically a large switched mode power supply to get the DC. The cost of the super fast switching thyristor/mosfet/transistor just dramatically dropped in price. And they may be using the silicon carbide mosfets which switch on and off extremely fast and can handle the high voltages and amps. I think there is also a way to skip the transformer part, but I forgot the name of the circuit, and I may be mixing that up with an inverter, and it is pretty new, so I wouldn’t expect it in a low priced anything.
I think inverter devices have two main advantages. They move the voltage and current shifting and control to higher frequencies. Controlling voltage and current is easier, and can be done digitally, over wider ranges. Also, the higher frequencies mean that when have to use transformers, they can be much smaller for the same current levels. If you have priced iron or copper lately, you will understand the advantage , or maybe .
edit:
Oh yeah, high frequencies also give you a nice steady arc for AC welding, and when rectified, for DC welding without big capacitors (that also cost big money).
THAT was nice of you to give your wife such a nice bokay of flowers, are them flowers like buckwheat, so you can make flour out of the seeds, i planted over 60 giant sunflowers this year, for the seeds, i first bought mammoth sunflowers, then i seed that the mongolian giant sunflower seeds were twice as big- so i planted about 40 mongolian giants, and 22 mammoth sunflowers- they store good after sun or oven dried. probley store better after soaking in salt brine,before baking. it finnally cooled down today,below 83 f degrees.
indeed, high frequency switching saves a lot of copper and core iron
at 50 hz it is around 10kg of transformer (copper and core) per 1kw required.
i do use a chinese 5kw 50hz sine wave board and a transformer to convert 48v DC to 220v AC.
that transformer weighs over 40 kg.
it can do 5kw, with forced cooling.
that is a cheap way to get decent power, if you have an old welding or battery charging transformer sitting somewhere, because that sine wave board costs around 100 bucks.
Apparently I’m going to be gifted some old generators. Hopefully I can get them all to work. I’ve seen them before at this person’s house but I forget the size. Pretty sure all of them are old Harbor Freight Predator generators.
The rain has finally slowed down, but we may be getting more yet. Just got about 3 inches in the last 26 hours. It actually started snowing yesterday afternoon. Who would have thought we would be getting snow at the end of May.
For us no snow, nothing. But rain, it is raining more hours a day then there is light. No chance for farmers to get into their fields. Endless swamp now.
But there is something I want to share with you guys. We were planning to cross the water and when we left home I saw this. They didnt show up at the ferry so I turned around. Enjoy.
Mr Wayne, with a lot of equipment we’re guaranteed not to get bored with too little maintence
Sometimes I get fed up and wish for a one bedroom apartment - sit in a park feeding pigeons.
You are too funny J.O.
When I married my wife I was 40 y.o. living in a one bedroom 2nd story walk up apartment.
You’d think care-free easy, eh?
In the 12 months before we married and I moved out into her suburban lot home I had two wake-up events.
The first was my Suzuki Samurai parked out on the fairly busy 18th Street having its rear window glass shattered out. Drunks drinking by and a thrown heavy glass bottle aimed at the real mounted white steel spare tire. They/he missed their ooh-rah target. And I hate changing out fixed glass.
Payed more then for a space parking off the street. Just in time too. All parked out on the street had their one side tires sliced.
Then sitting read one evening I saw hands reaching up and someone climb up onto my balcony. Was my below downstairs neighbor. Locked himself out asking for assistance.
So . . . after couple of easy climb through windows burgerlies previously when in ground floor level apartments I’d become a 2nd, 3rd floor guy. Well, hell. That security concept was busted.
Nope. Nope. By our 3rd year of marriage it was Rural for us and me then. Suburban lot living added engines, motors, electrical and lots of mass of annual growth mainteneces. Plus 1 out of 4 at any given time really lousy neighbors right in your front, sides or rear pockets.
Sure Rural problems then. All systems yours to keep running and maintained.
But Rural freedoms and privacy too. Your water is your water. Your sewage disposal is yours. And in your own backyard do not muck that up.
True Rural. Have’ta, Man up. Woman up.
A fellow just needs the space and privacy to be able to quietly bury the bodies.
You know . . .killed dead chickens, raccoons, coyotes and hawks. The Predator killed.
And the Predators you can then kill. Not have to just shit-city endure.
S.U.
Never wanted to park bench feed pigeons J.O. Though we do go through about 50 dollars of bird seed a month year round. I only ever wanted more hours in a day and enough energy to get to all the things that caught my interest. Now there seem to be many less hours and much less energy and even getting out of the recliner is a chore. I’m kinda making my self tear up just talking about it.
Well, a waste of money to replace them… this engine was among the dirtiest ones i’ve ever seen, and camshaft heavy worn
Just to put everything back again, total rebuild next winter…
Im impressed how smooth and well it ran after all, nothing beats a good ol American cast iron V8
Is that a '67 Pontiac GTO? When I was young, that was my best friend’s first car. He smashed the right fender, fixed it and smashed it again. Too much power. He sold it and got a Triumph TR250. Ahh, the good old days.
, or maybe 
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