Lincoln Electric Powertec i500S is an inverter MIG/MAG power source for heavy fabrication, with current adjustment from 20 to 500 A. The manufacturer states 500 A at a 60% duty cycle and 420 A at a 100% duty cycle, supply 400 V, 3 phases, 50 to 60 Hz. The housing has protection class IP23 and the power source weighs about 75 kg.
What this machine is for
420 A in continuous work is a figure for three shift production, not for short beads. The machine goes to fabrication of bridge structures and large hall frames, to shipbuilding and offshore work on hull sections and platforms, to the build of mining, farm and forestry machines under dynamic loads, to thick wall pipelines and pressure vessels, and to hardfacing and rebuilding of working parts.
The power source runs on IGBT modules that replace the transformer: power draw is lower and the response to changes in the arc is faster. In practice you get less spatter when the torch distance to the material changes sharply, and a smoother current characteristic, which matters on welds that go for non destructive testing. The manufacturer states a cut in post weld machining costs of over 30%.
The digital control runs synergic lines for non alloy steels, high alloy steels and aluminium alloys: the arc voltage follows the wire feed speed and the gas type, together with a sure arc start and crater filling. The Arc Control inductance setting lets you shape the bead width and the penetration depth for a given procedure. The wire range covers diameters from 1.2 to 1.6 mm, typical where the deposition rate counts.
The housing is a separate subject here. The True Heavy Duty standard means a build for halls with metal dust and changing humidity: coated printed boards, a tunnel air flow that bypasses the control electronics, a heavy frame and covers that shield the inside from knocks. In heavy fabrication these are the things that decide how long the machine works between services.
Heat is handled by a system that watches the temperature of the power blocks and starts the fan only when it is needed. Less fan work means less dust drawn in and a quieter bay, and thermal stability holds 500 A also on very long welds, without swings in the heat input to the material.
Features and equipment
- IGBT power modules: lower power draw than in a transformer power source, faster switching and a stable arc with changing wire stickout.
- Synergic lines for non alloy steels, stainless steels and aluminium alloys, with arc start and crater fill control.
- Arc Control: inductance correction with which you set the bead width and the penetration depth.
- Works with LF series wire feeders, including LF-52D and LF-56D, with remote parameter control from the welder station.
- True Heavy Duty housing with protection class IP23: protection against vertical and angled falling water and against solid bodies over 12 mm in diameter.
- Printed boards coated with insulating varnish: protection against corrosion and against flashover caused by conductive metal dust.
- Tunnel cooling system: the air stream is separated from the sensitive control electronics.
- Fan-On-Demand: the fan starts only when it is needed, so less dirt gets inside and the bay is quieter.
- Coolant flow detection when working with a liquid cooling unit: the torch is protected against overheating.
- Thermal stability at 500 A and an ambient temperature above 40 degrees Celsius.
The digital interface works with LF series wire feeders, including LF-52D and LF-56D. They give remote parameter control from the welder position and full access to the synergic functions, so the choice of feeder is part of the decision on this power source, not an add on after the fact.
Technical data
| Brand | Lincoln Electric |
|---|---|
| Model | Powertec i500S |
| Supply | 400 V, 3 phases, 50 to 60 Hz |
| Welding current at a 60% duty cycle | 500 A |
| Welding current at a 100% duty cycle | 420 A |
| Current range | from 20 to 500 A |
| Housing protection class | IP23, protection against solid bodies over 12 mm |
| Power source weight | about 75 kg |
| Wire diameters | from 1.2 to 1.6 mm |
| Recommended wire feeders | LF series, including LF-52D and LF-56D |
| Cooling | liquid |
| Processes | synergic MIG/MAG, hardfacing |
What to watch out for
Hardfacing and rebuilding call for a different way of setting the machine: you want low dilution with the parent material and a high deposition rate, so you do not take the program from the list for structural welding.
The range of use covers structures made in classes EXC3 and EXC4 and welds that go for non destructive testing, which means the parameters must be repeatable and documented. Synergic lines and Arc Control give that repeatability, but they need setting for a given gas, wire and position, so plan trials on scrap before you take the machine into production.
Supply 400 V, 3 phases, 50 to 60 Hz, and class IP23 allows work in a dusty hall with changing humidity, but not in the rain. The power source weighs about 75 kg, so you move it on a trolley or with a second person. To work at 500 A you need a torch and cables rated for that class, and with liquid cooling a working cooling unit: the power source detects coolant flow and bases torch protection on it.
This is the power source alone, so an LF series feeder, an interconnection cable and a torch are chosen separately, and access to full synergy and remote control depends on that. Wires from 1.2 to 1.6 mm need a set of rollers and a liner for the given diameter.
Before you buy, settle which feeder and accessories your station needs and which gases and wire diameters you plan, because the choice of synergic lines and the Arc Control setting depend on it.
This unit is sold
This machine has already gone to a customer. Similar units are listed below, and if you want the same model, leave your contact details in the form and we will let you know when the next one arrives.