Stan, if you want it to be even smoother arc than get a 300VDC capacitor or two with 20,000MFD or better rated and put it across the output for DC use only..hell I might even have a few of em going around in the shop..eBay is a good place to find capacitors like that cheap..new they are hundreds of $$ new.
I started welding back in 1983 with a Miller Gold Star stick welder, 400lb big blue box on wheels, then went to MIG in 1989, Ive had two Miller XMT Inverter welder machines since then, an XMT is a lightweight 70lb 350amp inverter welding power source, you can do stick or MIG at the flip of a switch..uses a separate MIG wire feeder and gun...the first one lasted 30yrs(bought it brand new)..the second was a used XMT welder,had lots of hours on it,they have a definite lifespan due to electrical stresses..second one blew up in grand style,fireworks show for sure,unrecoverable except with a $1750 IGBT transistor kit and new driver control board..not for me..Miller had lots of problems with the later XMT machines,they have gotten much more reliable now but at a tune of $5000 new..so to replace mine I bought a used Miller CP300,works great, its a big transformer based industrial 250amp 100% duty cycle CV MIG machine, i reused my S22A MIG wire feeder and gun off the XMT..I also have a Synchrowave 250 AC/DC TIG machine as well for doing TIG work with aluminum,magnesium and ferrous steels and stainless. Water cooled Weldcraft 400amp TIG torch, Bernard water cooler for the torch,bought it used at a power company shop auction, best investment Ive ever made,worth every dollar..Many will argue but one rule I have is to UNPLUG the welders when not in use, it cuts electrical stresses on the parts if unplugged,even with a power switch on em.
Ive got a Lincoln TIG250 somewhere on a dolly back in the storage container barn, its an old 1970s TIG machine hasnt seen light of day for 15yrs..prolly will fire right up, little electronics in it to go bad..old school for sure. A lot of these older welders you can't get parts for anymore, be careful when buying one..unbeliveably a lot of the older Miller Synchrowave TIG machines now you cant get parts for.
I still have an old 150lb Marquette 300amp stick welder, AC only, crank on top-adjustable output..with no regard to duty cycle LOL I burnt the power switch up on it long ago so I replaced the switch with a 60amp industrial circuit breaker..still works good. Built a lot of shit with that welder..Kinda been replaced by the Hitbox stick welder but still works..I might give it away to a kid whos interested in welding if I ever meet one without a damn smartphone in his hand as thats all they want to spend time with nowadays..like Jackie Gleason-Buford T Justice said in 'Smokey and the Bandit'--"What the-hell-is-the-world-comin to?"
One of the latest welders I just bought is a Chinese made MMA200 'Hitbox' 200amp stick welder, its the size of a shoebox, DC stick only, adjustable amps output with digital display, works on 110 or 220V, altho on 110V its worthless, it has to have 220v to really do much..and then it works great, good for quickie jobs, I run it off a genset with a 240v L1430A twistlock, just throw it around, easy to carry up ladders or on scaffolding,and if ya trash it or have an accident it was only $150.. altho I did upgrade the stinger and ground leads to longer ones..I'm not much on Chinesium welders but this one impressed me enough to get a used Pelican suitcase for it to keep it together and ready to go
Happy New Year all, be safe..Im stayin home with a good cigar or two and some Buffalo Trace bourbon..
