Hot Max Torches ARC100 User Manual

Operator’s Manual

Model ARC100

100 Amp DC Welder

WARNING: Do not assemble, install, or operate this equipment without reading ALL of this manual
and the safety precautions and warnings illustrated in this manual.

KDAR Company Tel: [phone]

1 Mulch Lane Fax: [phone]
St. Louis, MO 63044 Web Site: www.hotmaxtorches.com

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND WARNINGS

PLEASE READ BEFORE USING EQUIPMENT

WARNING

ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL.

 The input circuits are live and hot when the power is on
 Do not touch live electrical parts
 Wear dry, hole free insulated work gloves and body protection when operating
 Do not touch electrode components if in contact with the work piece or ground
 Always turn off power before cleaning, checking, or changing parts
 Properly ground this piece of equipment per state and federal requirements
 Inspect and replace any worn or damaged electrode cables or leads
 Keep all panels and covers securely in place
 Do not touch any part of the welding electrodes (rods) when welding
 Ground the metal or work piece to the ground cable (Earth Clamp)
 Never dip the tip into water to cool or attempt to use welder in, near, or under water
 This equipment holds a lot of power in the off position, before touching, make sure voltage is near

zero on input capacitors before touching any parts.

 Keep children away from this equipment

 Protect your self and others from possible injury
 Pacemaker wearers should consult with their doctor before operating
 Read and follow all instructions in this manual before operating
 All installation, operation, and maintenance procedures are performed

only by qualified individuals

ARC RAYS CAN BURN SKIN AND EYES

 Arc rays when welding produce intense ultraviolet and infrared rays that can burn skin and eyes
 Where face protection, either helmet or shield when operating with ANSI Z49.1 approved #10

shade (minimum) recommended for all welding currents less than 300 amperes. The lens should

conform to ANSI Z87.1 standards for testing.

 Wear approved safety glasses with side shields under the face protection
 Warn others not to stare at the arc as it can cause damage to the eyes. Provide barriers to protect

other workers in the area from the arc while operating

 Wear flame resistant gloves, clothing, and shoes when operating

FUMES AND GASES CAN BE HAZARDOUS

 ARC welding produces fumes and gases and breathing these gases is hazardous to your health
 Keep your head out of the fumes and do not breath the fumes while welding
 Work only in a confined area if it has sufficient ventilation, or while wearing an air supplied

respirator. Fumes from welding can deplete the oxygen supply and can be harmful. Always be
sure there is ample breathing air

 Read the MSDS sheets and the instructions from manufacturers for metals to be cut, coatings,

cleaners, and welding electrodes

 Do not use the welder near hydrocarbon vapors coming from degreasing, cleaning, or spraying

operations. The heat and rays can react with solvent vapors to create a gas phosgene, a very toxic
gas, as well as other irritating gases

 Do not weld coated metals, such as galvanized, lead, or cadmium plated steel. Before welding, all

plating must be removed. The area must be well ventilated or an air supplied hood must be used.
The coatings and chemicals when burned cause highly irritating and toxic fumes.

 Do not cut containers with toxic, flammable, or reactive elements stored in them. They must be

emptied and properly prepared before cut. They must be cleaned and prepared to cut by the AWS
F4.1 guidelines for cutting containers or tubes

KDAR Company 1

WELDING SPARKS CAN CAUSE INJURY, FIRE, OR EXPLOSION

 Remove all flammable materials from the welding area
 Always have a charged fire extinguisher available in the welding area
 When not welding make sure the welding electrode is not grounded, this causes a heat build up and

possible fire

 Avoid welding near hydraulic lines, fuel lines, electrical cords, air hoses, or welding guns and cables
 Sparks and hot metal fly out from the arc when welding, wear approved safety glasses with side

shields under approved helmets, wear proper body and hand protection, and wear flame resistant ear
plugs to keep sparks from entering the ears

CYLINDERS CAN EXPLODE IF DAMAGED

 Gas cylinders contain gas under very high pressure. If damaged they can result in that cylinder ex-

ploding. Gas cylinders are a major part of metalworking and must be treated with care.

 Protect gas cylinders from excessive heat, mechanical shocks, slag, open flames, sparks, and arcs
 Always keep cylinders in an upright position securely fastened to a fixed support
 Valve protection caps should always be in place and hand tight except when the cylinder is in use
 Keep all cylinders away from any cutting or electrical circuits
 Never allow the arc from a welder to contact a cylinder
 Never cut any type of pressurized cylinder, an explosion could result
 Always turn your face away from the valve when opening the cylinder
 Read and follow all instructions on compressed gas cylinders, associated equipment, and CGA pub-

lication P-1 listed in the Safety Standards before using

WELDING ARC CAN INJURE

 The heat from the welding arc is very intense and forceful and can burn through protective clothing

and pierce skin causing serious burns

 Check your protective clothing for holes, tears, or worn spots before welding. Replace any clothing

that is worn or damaged

 Do not hold or grip the material being welded too close to the weld pool
 Always wear protective clothing when operating the welder, cover all exposed body areas
 Turn off power source and unplug unit when dis-assembling electrode holder or ground clamp

ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELDS MAY BE DANGEROUS

 Electric current used in welding create Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF)
 Magnetic fields can affect pacemakers and wearers should avoid proximity to EMF. Wearers need to

contact their doctors before operating this type of equipment

 Exposure to EMF during operation of this equipment may have other health effects which are not

yet known

 Route the work and ground cables together and not around your body
 Do not place your body between the work and ground cable. They both need to be on the same side

of your body when operating

 Do not work next to the cutting or welding machine. Provide 3 feet of space between you and the

machine

ELECTRICALLY POWERED EQUIPMENT

 Disconnect power source or turn off the circuit breaker before working on any equipment
 Only install equipment using the US National Electrical Code, all local codes, and the manufactur-

er’s recommendations

 Ground the equipment in accordance with the US National Electrical Code

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HOT PARTS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS BURNS

 Do not touch hot parts without wearing protection.
 Allow the electrode to cool sufficiently before working with parts that could potentially

be hot.

NOISE CAN DAMAGE HEARING

 Prolonged noise exposure from cutting and welding equipment can cause damage if levels of noise

exceed the OSHA standards

 Wear approved hearing protectors
 Warn other workers nearby of the high noise level and hazard

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNINGS

 Welding or cutting equipment produces fumes or gases which contain chemicals known to the State of California to

cause birth defects, and in some cases, cancer. (California Health and Safety Code Section 25249.5 et seq.)

PRINCIPAL SAFETY STANDARDS

AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY

 AWS C5.2, Recommended Practices for Plasma Arc Cutting
 AWS F4.1, Recommended Safe Practices for the Preparation for Welding and Cutting

OSHA STANDARDS

 OSHA 29 CFR 1910, Safety and Health Standards

NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION

 NFPA Standard 70, National Electric Code
 NFPA Standard 51B, Cutting and Welding Processes

AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE

 ANSI Standard Z87.1, Safe Practices for Occupation and Educational Eye and Face Protection
 ANSI Standard Z49.1, Safety in Welding and Cutting

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Input Voltage 110 Volts AC
Input Amps 24
Phase 1
Output Amps 30 - 85 Amps
Working Voltage 23.4 V DC
Duty Cycle

100% @ 66 Amps

60% @ 85 Amps

Specifications

Installation & Set Up

MODEL ARC100

1

Package Contents

1. Welder Assembly

2. 100 Amp Electrode Holder
& 6’ Cable Assembly

3. 100 Amp Steel Ground
Clamp & 6’ Cable Assem-

bly

4. 5-1/2’ Power Cord with
Standard 20 Amp Plug

5. Shoulder Strap

6. Manual

4

5

2

3

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Installation & Set Up

Electrode & Ground Cable Connection

Warning

Before connecting the electrode and ground clamp
cables be sure the welder is turned off and discon­nected from the input power supply.

The Hot Max ARC100 has two (2) possible settings;

1) Direct Current Electrode Negative (DCEN) -

straight polarity and 2) Direct Current Electrode Posi-

tive (DCEP) - reverse polarity. Refer to the welding

electrodes (rod) you plan to use for the preferred po­larity and amperage setting.

DCEN - Connect the electrode cable (rod holder) to
the DC– terminal. Connect the ground clamp to the
DC+ terminal. Turning both of these 1/4 turn to the
right locks the connectors into the machine.

DCEP - Connect the electrode cable (rod holder) to the
DC+ terminal. Connect the ground clamp to the DC-
terminal. Turning both of these 1/4 turn to the right
locks the connectors into the machine.

Location

Place the welder in a location that allows the free flow
of air through the ventilation louvers. We do not rec­ommend placing the welder on the ground as dust and
dirt are more easily sucked in to the machine by the
cooling fan. Keep the vent louvers as clean as possible
to allow the maximum amount of clean air into the
machine for cooling.

Electrode Size Selection

The ARC100 works best with 1/16” or 3/32” elec­trodes. The ARC100 may work with certain 1/8” elec­trodes like E6013 and softer alloys but they need to be
very dry to work effectively. KDAR recommends us­ing a maximum of 3/32” electrodes.

Negative
Terminal

Positive
Terminal

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Operation

Powering Up the Welder

The ARC100 works best on a 20 Amp, 1 pole, 120V
circuit breaker. Once the breaker size is confirmed,
plug the welder into the appropriate matching recepta­cle and turn the current adjustment knob to above the
30 Amp setting.

Welding Current Selection

Welding current selection is by turning the adjustment
knob on the front of the welder. Turning clockwise
increases the amperage and turning counter clockwise

decreases the amperage. For the best results, the prop-

er current selection is essential. Check the electrode
manufacturer’s recommendations for the proper set­tings.

Ground Clamp

The ground clamp must be connected so that a circuit
can be completed in order to create the arc required for
welding. The ground clamp can be connected directly
to the work piece or can be connected to a base metal
the work piece is in contact with.

Electrode

To insert the electrode into the electrode holder,
squeeze the holder to open the jaw and put the bare
end of the electrode into the desired position in the
holder. Release the jaw.

Welding

Strike an arc and begin to weld.

Maintenance

Regular preventative maintenance is not required for
the ARC100 other than keeping dust/dirt away from
the machine. If the louvers become dusty or clogged,
simply wipe the cover off to remove the dust/dirt.
These welders have no user serviceable parts. Please
contact KDAR for any necessary repairs or replace­ment parts.

Current Adjustment
Knob

Note: If you are new to welding, KDAR sug­gests you get instruction from a qualified weld­er prior to attempting to weld. Welding can be
dangerous if proper safety precautions are not
followed.

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Warranty

KDAR Company, and its affiliates, warrants that
all welders covered under this warranty is free
from defects in material and workmanship for one
year from the date of purchase. KDAR also war­rants that the electrode holder assembly and
ground clamp assembly is free from defects in
material and workmanship for 90 days from the
date of purchase. This warranty is extended to the
original purchaser who uses the product in a con­sumer application (personal, residential or house­hold usage). All welders covered under this lim-

ited warranty which are used in commercial appli-

cations (i.e. income producing) are warranted to
be free from defects in material and workmanship
for 90 days from the date of original purchase.
The products covered under this warranty are the
ARC100, ARC200, AC300, and ACDC300/200.

KDAR Company, and its affiliates, will repair or
replace, at KDAR’s sole discretion, parts found to
be defective in material or workmanship within
the warranty period. Warranty service will be
scheduled according to the normal work flow and
business hours of the service center doing the
work as well as the availability of replacement
parts. All decisions from KDAR Company re­garding this limited warranty shall be final.

Original Purchaser’s Responsibility:

1. Retain the original cash register receipt as
proof of purchase.

2. Follow manual instructions regarding the care
and operation of your welder.

3. If warranty work is required, DO NOT RE-

TURN THIS WELDER TO THE RETAIL-

ER. Contact KDAR Company for instr uc-

tions. Visit www.hotmaxtorches.com or call
KDAR Company M-F 8AM-5PM CST to lo­cate the nearest Authorized Service Center.

Not Covered:

1. Transportation charges for sending or deliver­ing the welder to the Authorized Service Cen­ter or returning the repaired or replacement
welder back to the customer. These charges are
the responsibility of the customer.

2. Damages caused by ordinary wear, abuse, rain,
freeze damage, negligence, accident or failure
to operate or maintain the welder in accordance
with the instructions in the operator’s manual

supplied with the welder.

3. Damage caused by unauthorized repair or al­terations including extending power or elec­trode cables.

Exclusions and Limitations:

KDAR Company makes no other warranty of
any kind, express or implied. Implied warran­ties, including warranties of merchantability
and of fitness for a particular purpose, are
hereby disclaimed. The warranty service de­scribed above is the exclusive remedy under
this warranty; liability for incidental and conse­quential damages is excluded to the extent per­mitted by law.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and
you may have other rights which vary from state to
state. Some states do not allow a disclaimer of im­plied warranties, or the exclusion of incidental and
consequential damages, so the above disclaimers
and exclusions may not apply to you.

For warranty service or to obtain service parts

or accessories:

Call: [phone] M-F 8-5 PM, CST
Visit: www.hotmaxtorches.com
Write: KDAR Company

1 Mulch Lane
St. Louis, MO 63044

KDAR Company 7