HELP! Miller welder

[ErnieG]

So I'm looking at purchasing a gas welder that will serve two purposes...welding and generator back up .
I found a Miller
The Legend AEAD200LE model
Seller says it ran but doesn't currently due to bad fuel pump
It was only used as a generator by him and never welded with it .
He's asking $950 but is definitely flexible on the price due to its currently not running .
Does anyone have experience with these units .. possibly problems or maybe what would be a good price range ?

Thanks very much !
Ernie

 

[farminkarman]

So I'm looking at purchasing a gas welder that will serve two purposes...welding and generator back up .
I found a Miller
The Legend AEAD200LE model
Seller says it ran but doesn't currently due to bad fuel pump
It was only used as a generator by him and never welded with it .
He's asking $950 but is definitely flexible on the price due to its currently not running .
Does anyone have experience with these units .. possibly problems or maybe what would be a good price range ?

Thanks very much !
Ernie
View attachment 455034

I don't have experience with that same unit, but I would probably pass on it. They can turn into a money pit in a hurry if there are issues with either the engine or the generator head.

 

[redline4]

@Stump Shot

 

[Junk Meister]

I have a Trail Blazer Onan Powered. It is on its' 3rd control board. Spozedly it is the smaller unit that can weld a certified weld (Mite be BS). I have had it for over 20 years. Had about 300 hrs on it. I wish I would have got the Legend (that was my 2nd choice and far cheaper) for old dependable reasons. First board was 1400$ 2nd board I sent in as a core to be rebuilt for 700$ a new one was 1800$. I stumbled across an article about not jump starting or charging the battery whilst it is still hooked up. I think the Trail Blazer welds great when it is working but never had a clue of battery arcing/charging causing so much hassle/expense. I left the welder sit with a bad board (for several years) until I found a place that rebuilt the boards and the reason for the boards going bad. This welder now has 700 hrs. on it. I bought a Miller Big Blue 40. Old school rectified generator welder. I converted Points to solid state and put a propane set up from a forklift Welder gas tank has never had gasoline in it. I was tempted to NOT fix the Trail Blazer but the compact size won out.
I wonder how many Miller portable welders have been branded because "MILLER" wouldn't advise anyone (to my experience) of preventive procedures.

 

[Stump Shot]

@Stump Shot

While I indeed used a lot of Miller portables back in the day, about all I ever did was maintenance on them. Best as I can recall they were solid machines and never had any real trouble out of them. It's been so long now, I'd have to say research Onan engines, make sure if they are still in business and have parts available.
One thing I can say, and this is about people not the welder, on every self-diagnosed, but not fixed item ever on planet earth, it's never what they tell you, is what's actually the problem with it running, at least in my experience. So be prepared for that.
As far as the job goes, it should power up a house no problem, I have a Lincoln with only 7K of power and it does everything fine. Which I bought in the same condition. A little TLC and some parts and pieces and away it went again.
Stuff like this that sits a lot usually has fuel system issues of some kind, battery of not much use and maintenance items. Some paint and you'll have a machine to be proud of, if, you're willing to take a chance and spend the time.
Be smart about it, ask some questions, look it over good, check the hour meter, so you can come up with a reasonable offer. As in, it's probably a better deal if it was in the service it was in now from new, rather than out with a construction crew running all day for ten years first. Let this information guide you to a realistic assessment, so you can make a reasonable offer without burning yourself.
And most importantly, be ready to walk away if things either don't seem right or a deal can't be struck.

 

[ErnieG]

I appreciate all the info but something in my guts telling me to stay clear of this one .
I think I'm gonna keep looking for something else and see what happens .
They do turn up quit often around me for sale so I'm sure something better will come along .

Ernie

 

[fredx]

Thats an old machine, the newer models similar to that one by Miller are called "Bobcat"-Those I used many times and they are excellent welding machines,but I wouldnt count on using the generator part for anything but accessories, certianly not as a home back up unit. Its probably the most common one in use today, can be seen all the time on the backs of service trucks. I would pass myself, he would have to come down to just a few hundred for me to take a chance on it and then you would have to get lucky for an easy fix to make it worth your while.

 

[ErnieG]

How about this model ?

 

[Da dog man]

Yes the legend was the model before bobcat. They aren't bad units overall but if not using it everyday I'd opt for propane bc of fuel system issues onan is the least desirable engine due to noise an valve train issues. Kohler would be better IMHO a Lincoln ranger 8 or miller bobcat would be great for your needs. Trailblazer an vantage are designed for welding while using aux power at same time so they are a Lil more pricey propane last forever an are cheaper than diesel

 

[Da dog man]

Definitely stay away from onan over 12-1500 hrs they have pushrod issues

 

[lehman live edge slab]

The bobcat is a good welder and so was the other one you were looking at but honestly I’d stay away from anything with and onan on it. They were excellent engines but are even more expensive now to fix than before because they’re not made anymore. Cummins purchased the onan company and now basically quit everything but using the name on China built gen sets. If you could buy the welder for dirt cheap and make it worth the time to Repower with a different engine then so be it. The generator themselves didn’t seem to have many issues.

 

[fredx]

Prior to me retiring 10 yrs ago, we had a half dozen bobcats on our trucks that we took out in the field when there was no 480v connection and I gotta tell you the only problem I remember is dead batteries, so I have nothing bad to say about them, they were great dependable welders up to 5/32 "jet rod" for build up / padding

 

[ErnieG]

Seller says it sat a few years now it runs but doesn't make power ..$600

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Seller says it sat a few years now it runs but doesn't make power ..$600
View attachment 455183View attachment 455184

Probably has a stuck armature , maybe he’ll take less since it technically doesn’t work

 

[fredx]

what would be your primary reason for buying it

 

[ErnieG]

I'd use it for welding and power outages ...I figured it'd be a machine that will serve two purposes for me .
It's not a machine that's gonna run 40 hours a week so it doesn't have to be a top notch best money can by machine and if it needs a few repairs I'm more then capable.
More or less if I need it it's there purpose
Ernie

 

[lehman live edge slab]

I'd use it for welding and power outages ...I figured it'd be a machine that will serve two purposes for me .
It's not a machine that's gonna run 40 hours a week so it doesn't have to be a top notch best money can by machine and if it needs a few repairs I'm more then capable.

Ernie

Another route would be buy a bigger inverter gen set like 4-6000 with a 220 plug and just carry a regular welder to run off it. I’ve actually done this many times because it works well enough for how often I need to field weld and then the generator is quiet with clean power for electronics ect.

 

[ErnieG]

Another route would be buy a bigger inverter gen set like 4-6000 with a 220 plug and just carry a regular welder to run off it. I’ve actually done this many times because it works well enough for how often I need to field weld and then the generator is quiet with clean power for electronics ect.

I did consider that route..and my garage is already wired for 220 .
I have a smaller generator now for power outages that's only 5000 watts and it's rite at its max if everything kicked on at the same time in the house .
I figured instead of buying a new generator and a 220 buzz box for welding just get a gas powered welder and I'd kill two birds with one stone.

Ernie

 

[Da dog man]

An ac buzz box is a far cry from a DC generator welder those buzz boxes are a waste imo much rather have a Lil flux core machine definitely would not recommend an ac only machine

 

[Junk Meister]

Miller Bobcat is an alternating a/c converted to D/C ... Trailblazer is a brush GENERATING D/C with circuitry to convert a small amount (Like maybe 20 amp 220VAC. The old bullet welders were Generators and had a 110VDC receptacle. You would burn the trigger switches on a variable speed tool on them. My trail Blazer sat and the battery was died. Battery charger killed my circuit board. Second board I believe jumper cables got. Then I read a whisper that Battery.. issues were suspect.