Harbor Freight Tools 98233 User Manual
TIG INVERTER WELDER
Model
98233
SET UP AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Visit our website at: http://www.harborfreight.com
Read this material before using this product.
Failure to do so can result in serious injury.
SAVE THIS MANUAL.
Copyright© 2008 by Harbor Freight Tools®. All rights reserved. No portion of this manual or any artwork
contained herein may be reproduced in any shape or form without the express written consent of
Harbor Freight Tools. Diagrams within this manual may not be drawn proportionally. Due to continuing
improvements, actual product may differ slightly from the product described herein. Tools required for
assembly and service may not be included.
For technical questions or replacement parts, please call 1-800-444-3353.
Revised Manual 09j
CONTENTS
IMPORTANT SAFETY
INFORMATION ............................ 3
GENERAL POWER TOOL
SAFETY WARNINGS.......................3
TIG WELDER SAFETY WARNINGS ..5
GROUNDING ................................. 9
GROUNDED TOOLS .......................... 9
GENERAL OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS ........................ 13
MAINTENANCE AND
SERVICING ............................... 15
CLEANING, MAINTENANCE, AND
LUBRICATION ...............................15
TROUBLESHOOTING ...................... 16
MAIN UNIT PARTS LIST ............. 17
EXTENSION CORDS .........................9
SYMBOLOGY ................................... 10
SPECIFICATIONS ........................ 11
UNPACKING ................................ 11
LIST OF CONTENTS ........................ 11
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS .... 11
TOOL SET UP .................................. 11
WORK PIECE AND WORK AREA
SET UP .......................................... 11
MAIN UNIT DIAGRAM ................. 17
TORCH PARTS LIST ................... 18
TORCH PARTS DIAGRAM .......... 18
ELECTRICAL DIAGRAM ............. 19
LIMITED 1 YEAR / 90 DAY
WARRANTY .............................. 20
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SAVE THIS MANUAL
Keep this manual for the safety warnings and precautions, assembly, operating, inspection, maintenance and cleaning
procedures. Write the product’s serial
number in the back of the manual near the
assembly diagram (or month and year of
purchase if product has no number). Keep
this manual and the receipt in a safe and
dry place for future reference.
NOTICE is used to
address practices
not related to personal injury.
CAUTION, without
the safety alert
symbol, is used to address
practices not related to
personal injury.
General Power Tool Safety
Warnings
IMPORTANT SAFETY
INFORMATION
In this manual, on the labeling,
and all other information provided with this product:
This is the safety alert
symbol. It is used to alert
you to potential personal
injury hazards. Obey all
safety messages that
follow this symbol to avoid
possible injury or death.
DANGER indicates
a hazardous
situation which, if not
avoided, will result in death or
serious injury.
WARNING
indicates a
hazardous situation which, if
not avoided, could result in
death or serious injury.
CAUTION, used
with the safety
alert symbol, indicates a
hazardous situation which, if
not avoided, could result in
minor or moderate injury.
WARNING Read all safety
warnings and instructions.
Failure to follow the warnings and
instructions may result in electric
shock, re and/or serious injury.
Save all warnings and
instructions for future reference.
The term ″power tool″ in the
warnings refers to your mains-
operated (corded) power tool.
Work area safety1.
Keep work area clean and well lit. a.
Cluttered or dark areas invite acci-
dents.
Do not operate power tools in b.
explosive atmospheres, such as in
the presence of ammable liquids,
gases or dust. Power tools create
sparks which may ignite the dust or
fumes.
Keep children and bystanders c.
away while operating a power tool.
Distractions can cause you to lose
control.
Electrical safety2.
Power tool plugs must match the a.
outlet. Never modify the plug in
any way. Do not use any adapter
plugs with grounded power tools.
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Unmodied plugs and matching outlets will reduce risk of electric shock.
Avoid body contact with grounded b.
surfaces such as pipes, radiators,
ranges and refrigerators. There is
an increased risk of electric shock if
your body is grounded.
Do not expose power tools to rain c.
or wet conditions. Water entering
a power tool will increase the risk of
electric shock.
Do not abuse the cord. Never use d.
the cord for carrying, pulling or
unplugging the power tool. Keep
cord away from heat, oil, sharp
edges or moving parts. Damaged
or entangled cords increase the risk
of electric shock.
When operating a power tool out-e.
doors, use an extension cord suitable for outdoor use. Use of a cord
suitable for outdoor use reduces the
risk of electric shock.
If operating a power tool in a damp f.
location is unavoidable, use a
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
(GFCI) protected supply. Use of
a GFCI reduces the risk of electric
shock.
Personal safety3.
Stay alert, watch what you are do-a.
ing and use common sense when
operating a power tool. Do not use
a power tool while you are tired
or under the inuence of drugs,
alcohol or medication. A moment
of inattention while operating power
tools may result in serious personal
injury.
Use safety equipment. b. Always
wear ANSI-approved safety glasses
and arc shaded, impact safety full
face shield. Safety equipment such
as NIOSH-approved respirator,
heavy-duty work gloves, non-skid
safety shoes, or hearing protection
used for appropriate conditions will
reduce personal injuries.
Prevent unintentional starting. c.
Ensure the switch is in the off-position before connecting to power
source or moving the tool. Carry-
ing power tools with your nger on
the switch or energizing power tools
that have the switch on invites acci-
dents.
Remove any adjusting key or d.
wrench before turning the power
tool on. A wrench or a key left at-
tached to a rotating part of the power
tool may result in personal injury.
Do not overreach. Keep proper e.
footing and balance at all times.
This enables better control of the
power tool in unexpected situations.
Dress properly. Do not wear loose f.
clothing or jewelry. Keep your
hair, clothing and gloves away
from moving parts. Loose clothes,
jewelry or long hair can be caught in
moving parts.
If devices are provided for the con-g.
nection of dust extraction and collection facilities, ensure these are
connected and properly used. Use
of these devices can reduce dust-
related hazards.
Only use safety equipment that h.
has been approved by an appropriate standards agency. Unapproved
safety equipment may not provide
adequate protection. Eye protection
must be ANSI-approved and breathing protection must be NIOSH-ap-
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proved for the specic hazards in the
work area.
Power tool use and care4.
Do not force the power tool. Use a.
the correct power tool for your application. The correct power tool will
do the job better and safer at the rate
for which it was designed.
Do not use the power tool if the b.
switch does not turn it on and off.
Any power tool that cannot be controlled with the switch is dangerous
and must be repaired.
Disconnect the plug from the c.
power source from the power tool
before making any adjustments,
changing accessories, or storing
power tools. Such preventive safety
measures reduce the risk of starting
the power tool accidentally.
Store idle power tools out of the d.
reach of children and do not allow
persons unfamiliar with the power
tool or these instructions to operate the power tool. Power tools are
dangerous in the hands of untrained
users.
Maintain power tools. Check for e.
misalignment or binding of moving
parts, breakage of parts and any
other condition that may affect the
power tool’s operation. If damaged, have the power tool repaired
before use. Many accidents are
caused by poorly maintained power
tools.
Keep cutting tools sharp and f.
clean. Properly maintained cutting
tools with sharp cutting edges are
less likely to bind and are easier to
control.
Use the power tool, accessories g.
and tool bits etc. in accordance
with these instructions, taking into
account the working conditions
and the work to be performed. Use
of the power tool for operations different from those intended could result
in a hazardous situation.
Service5.
Have your power tool serviced by a.
a qualied repair person using
only identical replacement parts.
This will ensure that the safety of the
power tool is maintained.
TIG Welder Safety Warnings
Connection of a plug to this unit 1.
must only be performed by a certi-
ed electrician.
Do not exceed 20 PSI for shielding 2.
gas; 10 PSI is recommended.
Avoid electrical shock. Do not per-3.
mit electrically live parts, cables, or
electrodes to contact skin, clothing, or
gloves. Wear ANSI-approved protective clothing. This unit draws enough
current to cause serious injury or
death. Before turning the welder on,
check the electrode holder to be sure
that there are no protruding screws,
and that all insulation is secure. Do
not weld unless you are insulated
from ground and the work piece.
Avoid eye and body damage. Arc 4.
rays and infrared radiation can injure
eyes and burn skin. Wear ANSI approved eye and body protection. Do
not allow viewing by visitors without
proper eye and body protection. Use
a Face Shield with arc shaded lter
plate.
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Move ammable and explosive mate-5.
rial at least 35 feet from the welding
arc to prevent welding sparks or mol-
ten metal from starting a re. Keep a
type ABC re extinguisher within easy
reach. Thoroughly clean the object
being welded of any paint, grease, or
other foreign material.
If working on a wall or ceiling prevent 6.
ignition of combustibles on the other
side by moving them to a safe location.
13. Prevent accidental res.
Remove any combustible
material from the work
area.
When possible, move the work to a 14.
location well away from combustible
materials. If relocation is not possible, protect the combustibles with a
cover made of re resistant material.
Do not use near degreasing or paint-15.
ing operations.
Industrial applications must follow 7.
OSHA guidelines.
8. Prevent eye
injury and
burns. Wearing
and using
ANSI-approved personal safety
clothing and safety devices reduce
the risk for injury.
Leather leggings, re resistant shoes 9.
or boots should be worn when using
this product. Do not wear pants with
cuffs, shirts with open pockets, or
any clothing that can catch and hold
molten metal or sparks.
Keep clothing and work surfaces free 10.
of grease, oil, solvents, or any ammable substances. Wear dry, insulating gloves and protective clothing.
Wear an approved head covering 11.
to protect the head and neck. Use
aprons, cape, sleeves, shoulder covers, and bibs designed and approved
for welding and cut ting procedures.
When welding/cutting overhead or in 12.
conned spaces, wear ame resistant
ear plugs or ear muffs to keep sparks
out of ears.
Enclose the work area with portable 16.
re resistant screens. Protect combustible walls, ceilings, oors, etc.,
from sparks and heat with re resis-
tant covers.
Do not weld or cut on materials hav-17.
ing a combustible coating or combustible internal structure, as in walls or
ceilings, without an approved method
for eliminating the hazard.
After spot welding, make a thorough 18.
examination for evidence of re. Be
aware that easily-visible smoke or
ame may not be present for some
time after the re has started. Pro-
vide adequate ventilation in work
areas to prevent accumulation of
ammable gases, vapors, and dust.
Do not apply heat to a container that
has held an unknown substance or a
combustible material whose contents,
when heated, can produce ammable or explosive vapors. Clean
and purge containers before applying
heat. Vent closed containers, including castings, before preheating, welding, or cutting.
Do not touch live electrical parts. 19.
Wear dry, insulating gloves. Do not
touch electrode or conductor tong
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