Simadre 5200dx 110v/220v 50a Plasma Cutter 200a Tig Arc Mma Welder

Seems well made for the price. This the first "cheap" welder I've ever used but it seems to be up for the task. I finally got a chance to burn some sticks with this thing and was very happy with the results. The only other machines I've used for stick were a Lincoln and a Miller which were much more expensive and didn't seem to make beads as good as this machine did. I can't wait to use the plasma and tig functions and will update this review when I get to use them. So far I can't give this thing a full 5 stars because it doesn't come with a pedal for the tig and the ground clamp is a joke that the manufacturer should be ashamed to put in the box.Update...I used the plasma cutter today to cut some 3/16" steel plate. I'm used to the no touch pilot arc on higher end machines so this one took a little getting used to. I used a 10 gallon air compressor which just barely seems to be big enough to handle the job. If you tried it with anything smaller it probably wouldn't work. It did cut like a plasma is supposed to and burned through the material with little effort. Compared with other $2000 plasma cutters I've used in the shop this one works really good.Update#2...I finally got around to using the tig function. This is the first tig machine I ever used without a pedal before so I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't have any stainless to work on but with regular mild steel it made an incredibly smooth arc during the process. When you get close to the end of your weld just let off of the trigger and the arc automatically tapers down just like letting off of the foot pedal and gives you a couple seconds of post flow. With a little more practice I might skip ordering a foot pedal if I get comfortable with the timing on the trigger release. The tig function was the most important function for me when I purchased this machine and I am really pleased with the welds it produced. Will post pictures when I get some stainless to play around with.

Unit does not work--the cooling fan works, but the current display and other operational light do not function. No operator's manual is provided with the unit. A manual is included, but it isn't for this product--appears to be for a plasma cutter of a different manufacturer.

plasma cutter works great ,haven't tried other features yet but is well made

I seem to be one of the few people who have used this machine to actually weld. At first I wired on a 110V plug and tried it with some SMAW using 1/16th" rods. It worked okay around 80 amps - any more tripped my house breaker, but within that limit I used it to tack up a large project and it did a worthy job. After reviewing the input current specs I decided that I was not going to get satisfactory performance on standard 110V/15A, and probably not even on 20A circuit with anything beyond the smallest TIG functions. I wired on a NEMA-6-50P (250V) plug and hooked up to my 10KW generator....with 62+ amps on tap powering this unit is easy. So far I've been playing around with 1/16" thoriated tungsten electrodes, using both the hand switch and foot pedal and it all works as advertised. Preflow, postflow, and downslope operate as expected. When using the foot pedal I discovered one still needs to set a maximum amperage on the machine. I've played with current around 30 amps which produces a very tiny arc, using .030" mig wire as filler....VERY fine work that no other method of welding can duplicate with equal precision. Sure gas can get small, and I've used OA for fine welding, but it's not even in the race against the precision heat control of TIG. And the Simadre 5200DX has so far delivered excellent performance. I ordered a large diameter gas lens kit which positively dwarfs the standard WP-17 standard size cups. This allows me to push the tungsten out 3/8" using the #10 "monster mouth" ceramic cup...which means one can see the arc with no neck strain.The finger switch on the torch activates the argon flow, as does the foot pedal. At first, when I had the post flow wide open and was playing around setting my CFH on the flow meter, I forgot about the post flow and thought I had a malfunctioning gas switch because I'd press and release and the gas just kept on coming out....until I realized the situation. With post flow set to "0" when the trigger or pedal is released, both arc and gas stop instantly. The downslope is a nice function that is mainly useful for trigger operation, because with the foot pedal one can simply "ease off the gas" and the arc dims out slowly. Doing manual pulse is also easy and "natural" - just add pedal as the torch moves forward, then relax on the back-pause as filler is added.One of the biggest things to learn early about TIG is how easy it is to melt through even thicker sections with too many amps and too little movement, so current setting is crucial to the learning curve.With a 60% duty cycle I've never come up against it...the work will be too hot to continue long before the machine hits the heat limit. During practice beads it's only too easy to get a slab of 1/8" mild steel to start curling up like a slab of bacon - and that's using just 30-50 amps to practice surface beads!I've read "reviews" in other places claiming that "multifunction" machines don't deliver as good results as those specific to one application, but I'm not buying that nonsense...this thing has proven to be a very good machine. I've also read "reviews" by so-called experts who decry the "mosfet" technology using in "Chinese" welders (we'll forget for a moment virtually ALL welders are to some extent built in China or elsewhere and simply branded here...think about that when you're prepping to drop 6K on a blue machine versus $500 bucks on this one). Anyway, I did some research regarding "mosfet" and other current technologies used in welders and other electronics and came away quite reassured that this multifunction welder is no more likely to suddenly explode into a shower of sparks, or let out a blinding flash followed by a billowing nuclear cloud of destruction than any other "domestic" (but really made from components made in China, India, Taiwan, Pakistan, Mexico, and elsewhere).A word about inverter technology...superior for sure. The Simadre 5200DX is amazingly light for the amperage it can deliver.Can't rate the warranty because I've never had to use it...owned this unit for a year now. The biggest "problem" I had was trying to figure out how to connect the foot controller because there is only one 7 pin connector. I then went to Simadre's website (yes they have one), and discovered when using the foot pedal its connector replaces the one on the torch because the torch receives power through the screw-on gas connection.Overall I'm happy that I chose this particular brand and model. On that note, if one does some checking, certain other brands are "kissing cousins" to the Simadre...to the point where one can order accessories for the other "well known" brand that will fit the Simadre.

Though I have not yet played with the TIG function, the plasma cutting and arc welding functions are excellent! Cuts through 1/4" or 3/8" steel like butter, very smooth. More amazingly, though slowly and with a bit of a sweep to the cut pattern, it will punch through 3/4"+ mild steel. The ARC does seem to be a true 200A, easily able to push 6011 or 7014 rod as fast as the old 150 pound buzz boxes. If the TIG mode works as well as the others, I'd say this machine's value is absolutely amazing!Do be aware that the plasma cutting function, as with any plasma cutter, demands a great deal of air. If you don't have a fairly substantial compressor, you may be disappointed in the cutting capabilities, but the problem will be your air supply, not the machine.I cannot say how well it works on 110V, as I run mine on 220V.

I purchased this welder as an entry level machine...I used it for tig welding mostly.now that it's later and I've used this and killed it I would never but from this company again...save your money this things junk...out of the box it works ok plasma works good but the welding is very inconsistent.I put maybe 40 hours total on it and it crapped out..no reason at all ...and good luck calling customer service for parts ,they don't exist.

Just wanted to answer the question about swapping out the 30 amp pt31 cutting torch for a 50 amp torch. The answer is "yes", but just make sure you get a 7 pin (vs 2 pin) torch. I grabbed a simadre 7 pin sg55 (50/60 amp) torch off eBay. Hooked right up and cuts better/deeper than the pt31 torch. Hope this helps

We ordered one for our branch company in florida and it fits their needs of cutting and tig welding very well. We are happy!!