Tool Gloat: Hughes Stored Energy Welder
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 11:07 pm
As I mentioned in another thread a friend gave ma a Hughes VTW-29C Stored Energy Welding Supply. The is a little spot welder for doing things like welding tabs on batteries, welding filaments on and light work like that. Maximum output of 40 Watt-Seconds (Joules), it dumps the stored energy from three 200uf, 450v electrolytics though a transformer to the work head, which I don't have. Found marked inside was the date it was assembled by the girls at Hughes, end of 1961)
Got all the missing parts from it from R5-D3 surplus for $10. I found I had one of the cam lok connectors that fit the panel in my welding drawer and have 5 more coming off ebay for $25 shipped.
Ill probably start by making a basic head from something like an arbor press. The real ones are incredibly expensive, even used. Even cheap ones are $400 on up. About 3/4 the way down on this page, VTA prefix: http://www.emcgrath.com/catalog/welding/welding.html
Here are a few pics, Front:
Hughes VTW-29C Capacitive Discharge Power Supply by macona, on Flickr
Inside in the dark, the big glowing one on the left is an OC3 voltage regulator, the small one on the right is a 12AU7, and the two in back are the 2D21 xenon thyratrons. And below that is a video of the insides working. The thyratrons glow when they are conducting charging the caps.
Hughes VTW-29C Capacitive Discharge Power Supply by macona, on Flickr
Got all the missing parts from it from R5-D3 surplus for $10. I found I had one of the cam lok connectors that fit the panel in my welding drawer and have 5 more coming off ebay for $25 shipped.
Ill probably start by making a basic head from something like an arbor press. The real ones are incredibly expensive, even used. Even cheap ones are $400 on up. About 3/4 the way down on this page, VTA prefix: http://www.emcgrath.com/catalog/welding/welding.html
Here are a few pics, Front:
Hughes VTW-29C Capacitive Discharge Power Supply by macona, on Flickr
Inside in the dark, the big glowing one on the left is an OC3 voltage regulator, the small one on the right is a 12AU7, and the two in back are the 2D21 xenon thyratrons. And below that is a video of the insides working. The thyratrons glow when they are conducting charging the caps.
Hughes VTW-29C Capacitive Discharge Power Supply by macona, on Flickr