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Review: AHP AlphaTIG 200-Amp Welder

Our Rating

Value
Design
Quality

Summary:

4.6

User Rating: 0 (0 votes)

If you’re looking to produce clean welds, then nothing beats the versatility of a solid TIG welder. Sometimes, however, you need to go back and do a little fill-in work just to make sure your joint is solid. The 2018 AHP AlphaTIG 200X 200 Amp IGBT A  lets you do just that thanks to its added stick welding function that is included.

There are plenty of features that stand out with this particular TIG welder.

  • It is able to effectively weld mild steel up to 3/8-inch thick and aluminum that is up to ¼-inch thick.
  • It features advanced inverter technologies with pulse-width modulation so that your work is more consistent from project to project.
  • The unit features an HF start and includes a foot pedal so you have the precise TIG control that you need during operations.
  • It is an AC/DC TIG welder with a variable range of 10-200 amps and a pulse frequency of 5.5. Pulse time can be up to 90% and there are up to 10 post flow ratings that are available.
  • This TIG welder weighs just 38 pounds.

The duty cycle on this welder is 60% at 150 amps or 100% at 116 amps. We ran the 116-amp setting for the full 10 minutes and didn’t have the unit kick off once. Everything you need to get started comes with this welder, though the flow meter isn’t necessarily the best one we’ve ever seen. It’s functional, but could use an upgrade.

The stick welding duty cycles are about the same as the TIG welding duty cycles. It performs the stick welding function quite well, especially if you have some overhead work that needs to be done.

Tips for Using the AHP AlphaTIG 200-Amp Welder

The tip that came with our unit was a WP-17F. We’d recommend going to the WP-20F instead. You can use the tip fine enough, but you’ll get more out of the machine if you’re willing to make the upgrade.

The stinger cable is about 9.5 feet in length, while the power cord is 6 feet and has a molded 220/240 plug attached. A conversion pigtail conversion is attached.

We really struggled with the foot pedal for this welder it at first. It’s a little lighter than it should be, so as you press down on it, there is forward movement. We had to mount the foot pedal in order to resolve this issue. Since you can’t really place the foot pedal against the wall to stop its forward momentum, you’ll have to do something.

Our Bottom Line: The AHP AlphaTIG 200-Amp Welder is easy to start, produces a good arc, and it works pretty well. There are some workarounds that you’ll want to look at, especially with the foot pedal. Considering the price of this welder, however, it’s a headache that we feel is worth taking on. Spend a few minutes personalizing this welder and it will work very consistently for you. We definitely recommend it.

Check out the best TIG welder reviews online for other TIG welding machine brands and models.

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