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PRO 300 Diesel Provides Cold-Weather Welding Power
- Equipment reliability and customer service are critical, as downtime costs $200/hr and can disrupt weeks of scheduling
- PRO 300 survives sinking!
- Contractor uses generator power to run a second Stick arc, saving on equipment acquisition costs, fuel and space
Customer Testimonial
“The PRO 300 worked year 'round and never caused any problems. We were amazed at the cold-weather starting. A machine that doesn't run means we have to work overtime…secondly, you don’t want to have a crew standing around at $200 an hour while someone tries to start the machine.”
— Edward McNaughton, CWB-certified welder, Nordcap Steel Docks (Ontario, Canada)
Application
Field installation and Stick welding of steel boat docks at The Lake of Bays and Muskoka Lake in Ontario, Canada.
Key Business Issue
- Equipment reliability
Challenge
- Cold weather starting issues of diesel engine-driven welding generators
- Overcome equipment downtime and subsequent poor customer service
- Noise considerations in a pristine, lake-home environment
- Space considerations on barges
Previous System & Process
- Competitive diesel engine drives
- Previous welding equipment manufacturer's representative and welding distributor.
New Solution
- Two PRO 300 diesel welding generators, each paired with a Maxstar 200 Stick/TIG inverter.
- Miller district manager and new welding supply partner.
Results
- Reliable operation and starting, even at -25 degrees F. "We were out here year-round, in all conditions, and the PRO 300 started every time."
— Edward McNaughton, CWB-certified welder, Nordcap Steel Docks - Surviving a sinking. When a boat swamped, the PRO 300 sank. However, the PRO 300 features The Vault, which houses the unit's control board in a hardened, watertight case.
- Reliable customer service. "Miller's customer service is unique. There's a new level of comfort. I know if I'm in a bind, I can count on them."
— Philipp Spoerndli, President, Nordcap Steel Docks - Four arcs, two engines = space and cost savings. Space on a barge is at a premium, and so is the price of diesel fuel. Rather than buy four PRO 300 diesel engine drives (list price of US$48,000), Spoerndli uses the 12kW output of the PRO 300 to run a Maxstar 200 inverter. Two operators can simultaneously weld with 1/8- or 3/32-in. E7018 electrodes, and the PRO 300 uses less than C$14 of fuel per day.
- Low noise: 73 dba (98 Lwa) at 23 ft at maximum output. "You have to appreciate where we work. Customers here are very particular about noise levels, but we can run a PRO 300 at 7:00 a.m. without noise complaints."
— Edward McNaughton, CWB-certified welder, Nordcap Steel Docks
