PowerARC 200ST 200amp TIG Stick IGBT Welder 110/220 Dual Voltage

Let me first start by saying I have welded with a lot of machines through the years (been welding for 9 years now), now at one time I did it professionally....but this little machine is amazing. I rarely review products, but I felt the need to write this review. Since joining the military, I wanted a welder that was portable and reliable so I could still do the odd jobs and practice. I searched long and hard for a good stick welder with tig capabilities that didn't weigh 150lbs like a transformer machine. I have had the powerarc 200st for about 2 years now (2014 model) and it has never let me down. So here is my review PACKAGING: The welding machine came in the mail very fast and packaged very well....heavy duty cardboard and stapled/taped together. It arrived in perfect condition. POWERING UP: The unit runs on 110/220v. It comes with a 220 plug hard wired in, and a 110v adapter. The unit started right up without a hitch. The unit was quiet with a low hum to it. OPERATION: The real reason I bought the powerarc was due in large part to the dedicated 6010 port. On a lot of these little inverter welders, the cellulose rods do NOT run well. Needless to say, I was hesitant to buy this product at first....Well I can tell you, having owned it for a while now, it runs 6010/11's. and every other rod amazingly. I have used this little machine to weld up all sorts of things. I do hobby welding, but am not a hobby welder. I have welded up diesel and DEF tanks for oil field and construction use (mostly double wall tanks, and pans for single wall tanks....all the way up to 8000 gallon tanks) and this welding machine has never once let me down. I have repaired forklift back rests, truck suspensions, built DEF tank stands, welding tables, resurfaced up anvils, truck and car exhausts, and built a plethora of things with it. I guess I should say...this machine rocks. WELDING ROD USE: This little guy burns rods like nothing, I have used all the common rods like 6010, 6011, 6013, 7014, 7018, and more uncommon ones such as 11018 and hardfacing electrodes. The only rods I have had trouble burning with this unit have been cheap Chinese grade 6010 rods (they run for a few seconds, then go out). QUALITY: The only thing I would say this unit needs is longer leads. I replaced my welding cables with higher quality 25 foot leads. The ground clamp isn't the best, but it works fine (I actually still have the stock ground clamp on mine...works fine), the stinger is good, but you'll end up replacing it eventually anyways. The machine itself is well made and sturdy. The paint is strong and doesn't scratch easily. GRIPES: Like I said before, the welding leads could be longer and the ground clamp beefier...but you can easily replace these. My unit started making a high pitch sound after about a year during start up on cold days, but the sound goes away after a minute or so and doesn't return unless it's been shut off for a while. Other than that I love this machine. WRAP UP: This machine is amazing for the price point, it welds like larger transformer machines I have used in the past. It runs all types of rods amazingly, and reliably. This machine goes up to 200 amps on 220v. It has lift TIG capabilities (have not used the TIG setting yet, but plan to soon) and will handle most anything you can throw at it. If you are looking for a good machine for hobby or professional welding, this is a great choice. Now if you have 800 to a grand to spend on a miller then go for it...I would...but if you are like me and don't want to spend that much on a welding machine, then this one might be the one for you If you have any questions about this machine, leave a question and I will answer it. I have attached a couple pics, one of a 6010, and the other of a 11018 bead with some restarts (not the best retsarts). Regards -Jack

Works great on every stick electrode with 220v but i flip a breaker very easily on 110v everytime.

I have to say Everlast has exceeded my expectations. Now that I have this machine & the 140st I have put them through their paces. I really have no complaints to speak of. I have my own welding business & 10 yrs ago I would have said your crazy if you think your gonna catch me welding anything But a Blue beast. But I am starting to break away from them even though I am around Miller everyday. I use them just as the example everyone seems to compare machines too, & I am around a lot of them. I have really come to use my Everlast for all my stick needs & basic tig needs. I weld everyday & these machines show no sign of stopping. The IGBT inverter is the way to go & the arc is smoother than any Miller I have used. I had a hard time believing that but it's true & I now have other welding buddies that have struck an arc with my Everlast & say the same thing. Now they are buying them even their MIG machines & loving them. For the price that these can be made vs Big Blue. It really Is not worth it just cuz they say 100% USA built. That's fine but don't charge so much. Miller has parts in their machines that are being imported & they even have Miller Electric Bejing. I cannot say that they are a bad company for a second, or bad machines, but come on they are losing the competitive edge. I run a lot of 7018, 11018, 6010, & 6011 some 308L stainless in stick. Just a little 6013 here & there for for ornamental & decorative. Tig mode I weld 308 stainless & 309 great with the 200ST & carbon steel. Lift start tig is very predictable every single time. I have wonderful beads & switch over to a nice gas lens kit with stubby gas lens & WP-17 flex torch. If you weld often & your really not super happy with your machine because it is a transformer unit & heavy or not very nice arc characteristics. If all you have is an old Lincoln ACBuzz Box & you weld more than once a month, it's time to upgrade. Try this one out. Between it's power, smooth arc, & light weight & price tag plus warranty. You can't beat it. I plan on buying the 325EXT next.

This review could be summed up with one word - smooth. I only weld as a hobby, and I have only ever used an old Miller Thunderbolt AC and an even older Lincoln red tombstone, but this Everlast welder is a totally different experience. Striking an arc is smooth, even at very low amps. Running a bead is smooth and quiet. My very old Lincoln AC welder lets you know it is "on" and it lets you know when you are welding. The Everlast welder is so quiet, especially while welding. One thing I will mention is the fan is loud, for a fan. Though the decibel level with the "loud" fan is still much less than my Lincoln tombstone (some call "buzzbox")(both the everlast and Lincoln are quieter than the old Miller I use). Pros: -Price/value -Smooth welding (especially at this price range) -Quiet, especially while welding. (fan is kind of loud, but not as obtrusive as the buzzing and zapping sound my Lincoln makes.) -Simple/clear controls. (the digital readout is better at a glance than the Lincoln's notches or the crank of the Miller) -Absolutely useable on 110v. (before making a pigtail for my 220v outlet I tried this welder on some 1/8 inch plate. It did very well. I used some 1/16" and some 3/32" rods. The 3/32" rods ran fine through a large range of amp settings. I could strike and maintain an arc at very low amps with 3/32")(I will keep the 110v adapter handy, instead of just throwing it in a box in the corner) -Light weight/portable. (I would have to check, but this is less than half of the weight of the Lincoln tombstone or Miller Thunder bolt. The Everlast welder comes with a shoulder strap type handle and it is EASILY carried on your shoulder). -Not a bad ground clamp. ( I was expecting such a cheap ground clamp that I ordered a replacement before the welder arrived, but the clamp it comes with appears to have copper teeth and a copper band connecting the two halves and the clamp. I don't think I will replace it) Cons - (these are trivial, but I wanted to mention them) -Shipping from the west coast caused delays, I wish there was an east coast distributer (I almost gave it four stars because of this. The company does have control over were they ship from so you cant just say it is UPS's fault. The package took 2 days to leave California. Then there were 5 days with no updates. Finally UPS reported weather delays and it was delivered 2 days after that. In the future I might just pay for faster shipping) -Cheap/overpowering "made in China" plastic smell (the rubber/plastic leads and power cord smelled so bad I was unboxing inside but had to take it to the garage pretty quickly. But lets face it, I wasn't going to weld inside my house anyways) -Only a shoulder strap for carrying, no hard handle (I knew from the pictures it didn't have a handle but I miss it more than I would have thought. The should strap it comes with is totally usable, and I do use it on my shoulder. Also the strap sometimes hangs down in front of the display, it seems to catch me at the worst moments). -Unknown life span (Hey it is made in China and I really don't think the Everlast welder will last as long as my Lincoln tombstone that is built like a tank. I think my grandfather bought the Lincoln in the 1970's and it still runs fine. I wasn't buying the Everlast to replace my Lincoln, I just wanted to try DC power and I wanted something more portable). If this welder works out, I might have to get a plasma cutter to go with it ...

Stinger and ground clamp less than quality. On the bright side, ran some 1/8" 6010 and 3/32" 7018 and was very impressed. Haven't hooked up my tig rig yet but with the smooth arc I don't foresee an issue.

This is my 2nd Everlast welder. I bought the 140 st last year, and found it to be a very nice welder. I bought this one because I needed another welder at my 2nd home. I haven't used the tig feature on either one, but look on You Tube for that. This is a POWERFUL welder! I don't have any 6010 rods to use , but I used a 5lb box of 3/32 6011 on a trailer build, and had no problem running that rod. It is a dual voltage unit and I used 110v for the second half of the build, and had no problem. After a lifetime of buzzboxes, dragging a 100 lb welder around, trying to find 220v power, trying to squeeze a weld or two out of a 110v welder, all I can say this is one time I don't miss the good old days. If you need a GOOD stick welder, with lift start tig feature, this is the best value out there. IMO.

The 6010 port cant handle much,I burned that out soon after I had it,still works on the normal port. Also I never know what amps I'm getting till I start welding, seems to burn 10-20 amps hotter then it's set to

Great little welder. I have only used it on the stick function so far and it’s been fantastic. Super smooth but powerful arc. The 6010 port works ok but it is hard to use the whip and pause technique because the arc length is very critical. It runs 6011 perfectly and the smoothness with 7018 is phenomenal. I will be trying out the TIG lift arc soon, I’m sure it will be great as well.