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Are you dreaming of starting your career in MIG welding or are you an extreme hobbyist? The definite choice for any welder is for a cost-effective and durable welder that satisfies their requirements. When the term MIG welders are mentioned the first and foremost brand that comes to our minds is ‘Lotos’.
This brand has made a large number of welders and each one of them is unique and feature-packed in its own way. The MIG welder which is featured here today along with an in-depth review is the Lotos MIG 200 which has the capability to weld aluminum, mild steel, and stainless steel.
Description
The ‘Lotos MIG 175’ is one of the most functional MIG welding machines that deliver good-quality welds and reliable performance.
This is a solid machine with excellent wire feed technology and superb bead performance.
Starting as an entrepreneur 10 years ago, the only goals kept in the minds of the owners were to produce high-quality welds with a reliable service team.
This MIG welder was mainly introduced to host welder of all skill types and hoarding various welding techniques who work with metals like aluminum and steel.
One of the most extraordinary features of this welder is that it gives a ‘spool gun’ to its customers absolutely for free.
Specifications: | |
|---|---|
| Processes | Flux Cored (FCAW), MIG (GMAW) |
| Compatible metals | Mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum |
| Input voltage | 200 – 240V |
| Input phase | 1-Phase |
| Maximum Flow Rate | 12 liters per minute |
| Current type | DC |
| Rated output | 20% @ 175A, 30% @ 135A |
| Automatic voltage frequency | 50 – 60Hz |
| Wire feed speed | 4.9Ft/min, 39.3 Ft/min |
| Weld output | CV |
| Width | 10.5” |
| Height | 12.5” |
| Length | 18” |
| Weight | 85lbs |
| Warranty | 1yr |
Bundle:
- 175-amp MIG Welder
- MIG Spool Gun MSG094 (9 feet)
- MIG Torch MT104 (10 feet)
- Interior tip for spool gun MSG094
- Mask
- Wrench
- Wire feeder
- MIG Accessories with one interior tip for torch MT104 (size 0.8-0.030)
- Ground clamp and cable
- Argon hose (4 feet in length)
- Argon Regulator AR03
- MIG Welding Solid wire spool
- Hand-held shield
- Wire brush
- Owner’s manual
Basic Features
Power:
The power options make the Lotos MIG 200 a convenient and comfortable welder that can function in the range of 200V-220V. It can change the alternating current voltages using the transformer technology. The power factor measures at 0.73 that produces a continuous sparkling to weld efficiently.
The MIG spool gun included with the welder can weld aluminum sheets quite easily. The spool gun has a length of around 10 inches in length and a 4-prong end connection. This makes it compatible with 4-inch and 6-inch wire spools along with overload protection which can be resettable and this provides immense lifespan as compared to spool guns of other brands of welders.
Compactness:
This MIG welder weighs around 85 lbs. and can work at the range of 200-220V of power input. The setup is quite simple for any person and hardly takes 10 minutes. Making it compact and light, this machine is for one who travels often to do welding jobs and also who has to work in remote locations.
Range of Output:
The basic output range of this MIG welder is from 135A to 175A. It has a duty cycle of 20% at 135A and 30% at 175A. This shows that it is ideal for heavy and large industrial welding works.
One can efficiently use this welder to its maximum if supplied with a constant 220V power input. It works with aluminum of 3/8 inches or less and material thickness of other metals at the range of 18 gauge to ¼ inches.
Spool Gun:
The spool gun comes for free with the MIG welder’s bundle pack. It is highly essential for welding aluminum and other thin sheets of metal. This provides long-lasting welds for aluminum metals. The diameter of the wire is 0.9 mm and weighs just at 1 lb. and has a length of 10.4 feet. Hence it is tested and verified for the spool gun to weld aluminum sheets of thickness 3/8 inches thicker and thinner.
The carbon arc delivery system was invented and is used till date. The DC arc welding has become very popular and this welder is offering this technology for some great durability options.
Consistency and Compatibility:
With this MIG welder, you can weld many types of materials and ranges of ¼ inches of steel and 3/8 inches of aluminum and for even thinner metals too. This offers some superior quality and smooth cuts of a wide range of surfaces and materials including stainless steel, alloy metals, brass, aluminum, and other conductive metals that can operate at lower heat inputs provided by the welder. This is specially designed for professionals and hobbyists who tend to play with the welding settings and parameters to make several projects with their own touch of finesse.
Additional Features:
- It can provide a duty cycle of 20% at full capacity of operation.
- The power cord cable is around 6 feet which are sufficient for many, but if you require a longer cable, welding extension cords can be connected for elongated lengths.
- The DC output current has a range of 30-175 amps.
- The 60% duty cycle functions at 60A of stable input power and works for longer hours if you can place the welder in an open/outdoor area to work with your weld.
- The right amount of shielding gas helps this MIG welder to operate on aluminum metals of thicknesses 1/8 inches or more.
- The ground clamp provided has 2-inches of maximum width.
- The steel gas reservoir has 75% argon and 25% of carbon dioxide gas which is completely free of extensive oil.
- The Lotos MIG 200 is capable of welding with a solid wire for MIG and flux-cored welding also.
- The adjustable heat (amperage) and the wire feed speed has an unlimited range of flexibility to match your welding requirements to work more efficiently.
- It uses industrial standards of 4-inch and 6-inch spool wires.
- It has an advanced DC arc system.
- It has the provision of two electronic circuits for protecting the wire feed motor.
- The cables offered in the box are quite thin and weak.
- The motor driver for the wire feed is quite a loader than other MIG welders.
- This MIG welder is specially designed for doing DIY projects and does not support production lines pretty well.
FAQ
- 1. Can this MIG welder weld without any shielding gas?
• By using the flux-core wire method, you can weld without using any shielding gas.
2. What is this MIG welder’s duty cycle range?
• The duty cycle for this MIG welder is around 20% at 175A and 30% at 135A.
3. Does this machine have a warranty period?
• Yes, the Lotos MIG 200 has a warranty of 1 year on the welder and 6-months on its parts.
Final Thoughts
This welder is for one who wants a good weld job on their DIY projects and does not do work in any production lines often. It can be set up by any individual within 10 minutes and offers everything a welder might need except for an argon gas tank.
The professional welders might find this more flexible and useful to their requirements as they might need it for some massive industrial project. You can never purchase a MIG welder along with a spool gun for as low as this welder is available in the market.
This product saves you a lot of time and money that gives you a seamless welding experience in the long run. It has a 4.5-star rating in the ‘Amazon’ e-commerce site from where you can purchase this too. After all, you are not the first one purchasing this welder!
Sean Coby is a welder par excellence and well respected among the welding community in Woodbridge, VA. He prides himself to be the fabricator and mechanic in the automotive/ diesel industry for the past more than eight years now. As the chief editor of his https://weldinginfocenter.com, he shares his experience to be safe during welding and to take proactive steps for becoming a successful welder like him.