Chicago Electric 66042 Installation manual

DC INVERTER

ARC WELDING MACHINE

Model

66042

SET UP AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Diagrams within this manual may not be drawn proportionally.

Due to continuing improvements, actual product may differ slightly from the product described herein.

Distributed exclusively by Harbor Freight Tools®.

3491 Mission Oaks Blvd., Camarillo, CA 93011

Visit our website at: http://www.harborfreight.com

Read this material before using this product.

Failure to do so can result in serious injury.

SAVE THIS MANUAL.

manual or any artwork contained herein may be reproduced in any shape or form

without the express written consent of Harbor Freight Tools.

For technical questions or replacement parts, please call 1-800-444-3353.

Page 2SKU 66042 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION............................................................................3

GENERAL SAFETY RULES............................................................................................3

SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES.............................................................................................5

SPECIFICATIONS............................................................................................................8

UNPACKING....................................................................................................................8

PRODUCT FEATURES....................................................................................................8

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS..........................................................................................9

WORKPIECE & WORK AREA SET UP.........................................................................10

GENERAL OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS....................................................................10

MAINTENANCE & SERVICING.....................................................................................12

TROUBLESHOOTING...................................................................................................13

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING...............................................................................13

PARTS LIST & ASSEMBLY DIAGRAM.........................................................................14

ELECTRICAL SCHEMATIC...........................................................................................15

WARRANTY INFORMATION.........................................................................................16

Page 3SKU 66042 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

SAVE THIS MANUAL

Keep this manual for the safety warn-

ings and precautions, assembly, operating,

inspection, maintenance and cleaning pro-

cedures. Write the product’s serial number

in the back of the manual (or month and

year of purchase if product has no num-

ber). Keep this manual and the receipt in

a safe and dry place for future reference.

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INFORMATION

In this manual, on the labeling,

and all other information

provided with this product:

This is the safety alert

symbol. It is used to alert

you to potential personal

injury hazards. Obey all

safety messages that

follow this symbol to avoid

possible injury or death.

DANGER indicates

a hazardous

situation which, if not

avoided, will result in death or

serious injury.

WARNING

indicates a

hazardous situation which, if

not avoided, could result in

death or serious injury.

CAUTION, used

with the safety

alert symbol, indicates a

hazardous situation which, if

not avoided, could result in

minor or moderate injury.

NOTICE is used to

address practices

not related to

personal injury.

CAUTION, without

the safety alert

symbol, is used to address

practices not related to

personal injury.

General Safety Rules

WARNING! Read all

instructions.

Failure to follow all instructions

listed below may result in

electric shock, re, and/or

serious injury.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

Work area safety1.

Keep work area clean and well lit.a.

Cluttered or dark areas invite acci-

dents.

Do not operate the Welder in ex-b.

plosive atmospheres, such as in

the presence of ammable liquids,

gases or dust. Power tools create

sparks which may ignite the dust or

fumes.

Keep children and bystanders awayc.

while operating the Welder. Distrac-

tions can cause you to lose control.

Electrical safety2.

Avoid body contact with groundeda.

surfaces such as pipes, radiators,

ranges and refrigerators. There is

an increased risk of electric shock if

your body is grounded.

Do not touch exposed electricalb.

parts.

DANGER

WARNING

CAUTION

NOTICE

CAUTION

Page 4SKU 66042 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

Do not expose the Welder to rainc.

or wet conditions. Water entering a

power tool will increase the risk of

electric shock.

Do not abuse the Power Cord (21).d.

Never use the Cord for pulling or

unplugging the Welder. Keep the

Cord away from heat, oil, sharp

edges or moving parts. Damaged or

entangled Cords increase the risk of

electric shock.

Personal safety3.

Stay alert, watch what you are do-a.

ing and use common sense when

operating the Welder. Do not use

a power tool while you are tired or

under the inuence of drugs, alcohol

or medication. A moment of inatten-

tion while operating power tools may

result in serious personal injury.

Use safety equipment. Always wear b.

eye protection. Safety equipment

such as ANSI-approved/NIOSH-ap-

proved arc shaded, impact safety full

face shield, dust mask or respirator,

heavy-duty work gloves, non-skid

safety shoes, or hearing protection

used for appropriate conditions will

reduce personal injuries.

Avoid accidental starting. Ensurec.

the Power Switch (18) is in the off-

position before plugging in. Carrying

power tools with your nger on the

Switch or plugging in power tools

that have the Switch on invites ac-

cidents.

Remove any adjusting key or wrenchd.

before turning the Welder on. A

wrench or a key left attached to an

electrically charged part of the power

tool may result in personal injury.

Do not overreach. Keep proper foot-e.

ing and balance at all times. This

enables better control of the Welder

in unexpected situations.

Welder use and care4.

Do not force the Welder. Use thea.

correct power tool for your applica-

tion. The correct power tool will do

the job better and safer at the rate

for which it was designed.

Do not use the Welder if the Powerb.

Switch (18) does not turn it on and

off. Any power tool that cannot be

controlled with the Switch is danger-

ous and must be repaired prior to

use.

Disconnect the Power Cord Plugc.

(21) from the power source before

making any adjustments, changing

accessories, or storing power tools.

Such preventive safety measures

reduce the risk of starting the power

tool accidentally.

Store idle power tools out of thed.

reach of children and do not allow

persons unfamiliar with the Welder

or these instructions to operate the

power tool. Power tools are danger-

ous in the hands of untrained users.

Maintain the Welder. Check fore.

misalignment or binding of moving

parts, breakage of parts and any

other condition that may affect the

power tool’s operation. If damaged,

have the power tool repaired before

use. Many accidents are caused by

poorly maintained power tools.

Use the Welder and its accessoriesf.

in accordance with these instructions

and in the manner intended for the

particular type of power tool, taking

into account the working conditions

Page 5SKU 66042 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

and the work to be performed. Use

of the Welder for operations different

from those intended could result in a

hazardous situation.

Service5.

Have your Welder serviced by aa.

qualied repair person using only

identical replacement parts. This will

ensure that the safety of the power

tool is maintained.

Specic Safety Rules

Ground this Welder. This Welder1.

requires the attachment and use of a

UL®listed, 230 volt, grounded,

3-prong, electrical Power Cord

Plug (not included). Only a quali-

ed electrician should install the

Power Cord Plug. Never remove the

grounding prong or modify the Plug

in any way. Do not use adapter plugs

with this product.

Maintain labels and nameplates on2.

the Welder. These carry important

safety information. If unreadable or

missing, contact Harbor Freight Tools

for a replacement.

Avoid electrical shock. Do not per-3.

mit electrically live parts, cables, or

electrodes to contact skin, clothing, or

gloves. Wear ANSI-approved protec-

tive clothing. This unit draws enough

current to cause serious injury or

death. Before turning the Welder on,

check the electrode holder to be sure

that there are no protruding screw

heads, and that all insulation is se-

cure. Do not weld unless you are

insulated from the ground and the

work piece.

Avoid eye and body damage. Arc4.

rays and infrared radiation can injure

eyes and burn skin. Wear ANSI ap-

proved eye and body protection. Do

not allow viewing by visitors without

proper eye and body protection. Use

a Face Shield with arc shaded lter

plate.

Move ammable and explosive mate-5.

rial at least 35 feet from the welding

arc to prevent sparks or molten metal

from starting a re. Keep a type ABC

re extinguisher within easy reach.

Thoroughly clean the workpiece of

any paint, grease, or other foreign

material.

Avoid unintentional starting. Prepare6.

to begin work before turning on the

Welder.

Do not leave the Welder unattended7.

when it is plugged into an electrical

outlet. Turn off the tool, and unplug it

from its electrical outlet before leav-

ing.

Use clamps (not included) or other8.

practical ways to secure and support

the work piece to a stable platform.

Holding the work by hand or against

your body is unstable and may lead

to loss of control.

This product is not a toy. Keep it out9.

of reach of children.

Industrial applications must follow10.

OSHA guidelines.

People with pacemakers should11.

consult their physician(s) before use.

Electromagnetic elds in close prox-

imity to heart pacemaker could cause

pacemaker interference or pacemak-

er failure. In addition, people with

pacemakers should:

Page 6SKU 66042 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

• Avoid operating alone.

• Do not use with power switch locked

on.

• Properly maintain and inspect to

avoid electrical shock.

• Any power cord must be properly

grounded. Ground Fault Circuit Inter-

rupter (GFCI) should also be imple-

mented – it prevents sustained elec-

trical shock.

WARNING: This product, when used12.

for welding or similar applications,

produces chemicals known to the

State of California to cause cancer

and birth defects (or other reproduc-

tive harm). (California Health & Safe-

ty Code § 25249.5, et seq.)

13. Prevent eye injury and

burns. Wearing ANSI-ap-

proved personal safety

clothing and safety de-

vices reduce the risk for

injury.

Wear ANSI-approved safety impact•

eye goggles underneath welding

eye protection featuring at least a

Number 10 shade lens rating.

Leather leggings, re resistant •

shoes or boots should be worn

when using this product. Do not

wear pants with cuffs, shirts with

open pockets, or any clothing that

can catch and hold molten metal or

sparks.

Keep clothing free of grease, oil,•

solvents, or any ammable sub-

stances. Wear dry, insulating gloves

and protective clothing.

Wear an approved head covering•

to protect the head and neck. Use

aprons, cape, sleeves, shoulder

covers, and bibs designed and ap-

proved for cutting procedures.

When cutting overhead or in con-•

ned spaces, wear ame resistant

ear plugs or ear muffs to keep

sparks out of ears.

14. Prevent accidental res.

Remove any combustible

material from the work

area.

When possible, move the work to a•

location well away from combustible

materials. If relocation is not pos-

sible, protect the combustibles with

a cover made of re resistant mate-

rial.

Remove or make safe all combus-•

tible materials for a radius of 35 feet

(10 meters) around the work area.

Use a re resistant material to cover

or block all open doorways, win-

dows, cracks, and other openings.

Enclose the work area with por-•

table re resistant screens. Protect

combustible walls, ceilings, oors,

etc., from sparks and heat with re

resistant covers.

If working on a metal wall, ceiling,•

etc., prevent ignition of combus-

tibles on the other side by moving

the combustibles to a safe loca-

tion. If relocation of combustibles

is not possible, designate someone

to serve as a re watch, equipped

with a re extinguisher, during the

cutting process and for at least one

half hour after the welding is com-

pleted.

Do not weld on materials having a•

combustible coating or combustible

internal structure, as in walls or ceil-

ings, without an approved method

for eliminating the hazard.

Page 7SKU 66042 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

Do not dispose of hot slag in con-•

tainers holding combustible materi-

als. Keep a re extinguisher nearby

and know how to use it.

After welding, make a thorough•

examination for evidence of re. Be

aware that easily-visible smoke or

ame may not be present for some

time after the re has started. Do

not weld in atmospheres contain-

ing dangerously reactive or am-

mable gases, vapors, liquids, and

dust. Provide adequate ventilation

in work areas to prevent accumula-

tion of ammable gases, vapors,

and dust. Do not apply heat to a

container that has held an unknown

substance or a combustible material

whose contents, when heated, can

produce ammable or explosive va-

pors. Clean and purge containers

before applying heat. Vent closed

containers, including castings, be-

fore preheating or welding.

Do not touch live electrical parts.15.

Wear dry, insulating gloves. Do not

touch electrode or conductor tong

with bare hand. Do not wear wet or

damaged gloves.

Protect yourself from electric shock.16.

Do not use outdoors. Insulate your-

self from the workpiece and ground.

Use nonammable, dry insulating

material if possible, or use dry rubber

mats, dry wood or plywood, or other

dry insulating material big enough to

cover your full area of contact with

the work or ground.

Always keep hoses and cables away17.

from the welding spot. Examine all

hoses and cables for cuts, burns, or

worn areas before each use. If any

damaged areas are found, replace

the hoses or cables immediately.

Read and understand all instructions18.

and safety precautions as outlined

in the manufacturer’s manual for the

material you will weld.

Use only the supplied Torch with this19.

Welder. Using components from

other systems may cause severe per-

sonal injury and damage components

within.

Ensure that the unit is placed on a20.

stable location before use. If this unit

falls while plugged in, severe injury,

electric shock, or re may result.

Avoid overexposure to fumes and21.

gases. Always keep your head out

of the fumes. Do not breathe the

fumes. Use enough ventilation or

exhaust, or both, to keep fumes and

gases from your breathing zone and

general area.

Where ventilation is questionable, •

have a qualied technician take

an air sampling to determine the

need for corrective measures. Use

mechanical ventilation to improve

air quality. If engineering controls

are not feasible, use an approved

respirator.

Follow OSHA guidelines for Permis-•

sible Exposure Limits (PEL’s) for

various fumes and gases.

Follow the American Conference•

of Governmental Industrial Hygien-

ists recommendations for Threshold

Limit Values (TLV’s) for fumes and

gases.

Have a recognized specialist in•

Industrial Hygiene or Environmental

Services check the operation and

Page 8SKU 66042 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

air quality and make recommenda-

tions for the specic welding situa-

tion.

WARNING

INHALATION HAZARD:

Welding and Plasma Cutting Produce

TOXIC FUMES.

Exposure to welding or cutting

exhaust fumes can increase the risk

of developing certain cancers, such as

cancer of the larynx and lung cancer.

Also, some diseases that may be linked

to exposure to welding or plasma cutting

exhaust fumes are:

• Early onset of Parkinson’s Disease

• Heart disease • Ulcers

• Damage to the reproductive organs

• Inammation of the small intestine or

stomach • Kidney damage

• Respiratory diseases such as

emphysema, bronchitis, or pneumonia

Use natural or forced air ventilation and

wear a respirator approved by NIOSH to

protect against the fumes produced to

reduce the risk of developing the above

illnesses.

The warnings, precautions, and in-22.

structions discussed in this instruction

manual cannot cover all possible con-

ditions and situations that may occur.

It must be understood by the operator

that common sense and caution are

factors which cannot be built into this

product, but must be supplied by the

operator.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

SPECIFICATIONS

Electrical

Requirements

Input Voltage: 230 V~

60 Hz / Single Phase

Input Current: 26.0 Amps

Output Current: 130.0 Amps Max.

Output current

range

Duty Cycle:

100% @ 65.0 Amps

25% @ 130 Amps

Max. Open

Circuit Volt

(2-1/2 Min. ON per 10 minute

cycle

Power Cord

Plug

Required Power Cord Plug:

UL®Listed, Grounded, 3-Prong

(Not Included)

Material

Capacity 11 Gauge Steel Plate

Electrode Size Up to 1/8”

Cooling Method Fan Cooled

Accessories Electrode Holder (Qty. 1)

Ground Clamp (Qty. 1)

UNPACKING

When unpacking, check to make sure the

item is intact and undamaged. If nay parts

are missing or broken, please call Harbor

Freight Tools at the number shown on the

cover of this manual as soon as possible.

PRODUCT FEATURES

Ampere Selector (9):1. To regulate

the welding current.

(See Figure A, next page.)

Negative Terminal (11):2. Connect

the Ground Clamp (23) to this Termi-

nal. (See Figure A.)

Fault Indicator (12):3. Illumination of

the YELLOW Fault Indicator indicates

overheating caused by an excessive-

ly intense duty cycle. In this case,

stop welding and turn the Power

Switch OFF until the Fault Indica-

tor turns off. Then resume welding.

(See Figure A.)

Page 9SKU 66042 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

Power Switch (18):4. The GREEN

(ON/OFF) Power Switch must illumi-

nate before welding operations can

be started. (See Figure A.)

Fan (19):5. The Fan must operate

continuously when operating the

Welder to prevent the unit from over-

heating. (See Figure A.)

Power Cord (21):6. Do not abuse the

Power Cord. Never use the Cord

for pulling or unplugging the Welder.

Keep the Cord away from heat, oil,

sharp edges or moving parts.

Positive Terminal (24):7. Connect the

Electrode Holder Cable (22) to this

Terminal. (See Figure A.)

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Read the ENTIRE IMPORTANT

SAFETY INFORMATION section

at the beginning of this manual

including all text under

subheadings therein before set

up or use of this product.

Note: For additional information regarding

the parts listed in the following pages,

refer to the Assembly Diagram near

the end of this manual.

TO PREVENT

SERIOUS INJURY

FROM ACCIDENTAL

OPERATION:

Turn the Power Switch (18) to

its off position and disconnect

the power cord from its

electric supply before

performing any assembly

procedures.

This Welder requires the attachment 1.

and use of a UL®-listed, 230 volt,

grounded, 3-prong, electrical Pow-

er Cord Plug (not included). Only a

qualied electrician should install the

Power Cord Plug. Never remove the

grounding prong or modify the Plug

in any way. Do not use adapter plugs

with this product.

Connect the Ground Clamp Cable2.

(23) to the Negative (--) Terminal (24).

(See Figure B.)

Connect the Electrode Holder Cable3.

(22) to the Positive (+) Terminal.

(See Figure B.)

WARNING

FIGURE A

FIGURE B

Page 10SKU 66042 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.

WORKPIECE AND WORK

AREA SET UP

Designate a work area that is clean1.

and well-lit. The work area must not

allow access by children or pets to

prevent injury and distraction.

The oor and surrounding area of 2.

your work site must not be am-

mable. A clean cement oor is rec-

ommended. The welding process

will eject molten metal slag onto the

oor, and it will scatter for 8 to 10 feet

or more in any direction. Have an

adequate re extinguisher available if

needed.

You must have a sturdy work table3.

that is open below the area you are

welding. Molten slag will be blown

through the workpiece, and must be

able to fall away freely.

Your work table must allow the work-4.

piece to be rmly clamped to prevent

it from accidentally moving or falling.

Route the Power Cord (21) along a5.

safe route to reach the work area

without creating a tripping hazard

or exposing the Power Cord to pos-

sible damage. The Power Cord must

reach the work area with enough

extra length to allow free movement

while working.

There must not be hazardous ob-6.

jects, such as utility lines or foreign

objects, nearby that will present a

hazard while working.

A barrier, such as a welding curtain7.

or welding shroud should be put up

to protect others in the work area and

limit the spray of sparks.

GENERAL OPERATING

INSTRUCTIONS

Protective gear

must be worn when

using the Welder.

ANSI-approved, arc shaded,

eye protection, a full face

shield, heavy-duty work

gloves, a welding apron,

respirator, and heavy-duty

work clothes without

pocketsshould be worn when

using this product. Do not

look at the ignited arc without

eye protection. Light from the

arc can cause permanent

damage to the eyes. Light

from the arc can burn the skin.

Do not breathe arc fumes.

The1. duty cycle denes the number

of minutes, within a 10 minute pe-

riod, during which a given Welder can

safely produce a particular current.

For example, this Welder, with a 100%

duty cycle at 65.0 Amps, means it

can operate continuously for 10 min-

utes at 65 Amps. Likewise, with a

25% duty cycle at 130 Amps means

the Welder can operate with rated

output for 2-1/2 minutes within a 10

minute working cycle. (See Figure C,

next page.)

DANGER

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