Can I Fix It? | Broken Harbor Freight Welder

[@lelandcox4089]

I have had the same problem. This is a comment I have posted in several places.. After 90 days it is throw away junk! HARBOUR FREIGHT HAS NO REPAIR FACILITY. POST COMMENTS EVERY TIME YOU SEE A REVIEW! A BIG BLACK EYE FOR HARBOR FREIGHT I have a Harbor freight TITANIUM FLUX 125 WELDER purchased from Harbor Freight a couple years ago. I am a retired plumbing contractor and backyard hobbyist. I love to build things in my spare time and help friends and neighbors that need something repaired. When I retired and closed my business, I had a stick welding machine but had no convenient place to connect it at my home! It would require an upgrade to my electrical service not worth the trouble and expense! When I saw a couple reviews on KZbin for this Titanium 125 welder, I thought that would be the way to go. I already had a 110 Volt 30 Amp circuit to my workshop! It took me a while to get adjusted to the flux wire welding. I built a minibike from scrap pipe I had left over from the plumbing shop. The welder allowed me to make other things and make repairs for others I wouldn’t be able to do without it. In the middle of my last project, I cut a couple pieces of metal and got ready to weld them and when I pushed the button on the welder, nothing happened! It was dead! The fan did not come on but the light on the ON/OFF indicated there was power to the welder. I checked the manual for a reset button or a fuse and found no mention of either. So, I called the Harbor Freight 800 number and was told there was no repair for this welder. Harbor Freight has no repair facility, and no support is available. I was told by two different tech reps there is no schematics or parts list available from the factory where this is manufactured. “It is not worth getting it repaired and cheaper to go purchase a new one!” If you purchase this welder or many other things from Harbor Freight You only have 3 Months Warranty. It is considered disposable after that! All the reviews and discussion I have read about HARBOR FREIGHT I have never seen anything about their total lack of support for their products! I didn’t even get an “I’m sorry” or any offer for a discount on a new welding machine! I am retired, was an electronics technician in the Navy, active Ham Radio operator and electronics hobbyist. I feel like the electronics in this welding machine is straight forward non computer controlled and any decent electronics tech should be able to repair this given reasonable support. I removed the circuit board from the welder and found where a small component burned of course not knowing the component value or purpose will make it difficult to replace. Providing a schematic and parts list is a very inexpensive form of support that should be a minimum requirement. Their claim to revenue of 7 Billion Dollars tells me they could afford it! Leland Cox

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Yep, pretty much my experience also. That's why I went for an Everlast as a replacement since it has a 5 year warranty.

[@marioretromods2503]

The resistor on the top of the PCB it's a .680 ohm 2 watt resistor mine has a resistor in the bottom blown with the number r209 and a diode with number D203 . I gonna describe the other resistors in the PCB if that help you. r208 10R0(10ohm resistor 2 watt. R207 1002(10kohm 1watt ) .

[@marioretromods2503]

Check that MOSFET because in my welder it's shorted internally MOSFET in question is a 2sk3879 n chanel 900v 9a.i think the problem is the MOSFET didn't have any heatsink and that part is for power the control module

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

That's very helpful, thanks!

[@jakeharkness6236]

Now I’m stressed out seeing this i just bought one yesterday I really hope it don’t fizz out on me

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Might be worth getting the protection plan. Or returning it and getting a better one with an actual warranty.

[@lumberfox89]

Don't stress. Been using mine for 3 years now. It welds really good. The chipping hammer doesn't need to be used much when using this one.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

@@lumberfox89 Very true, though you need to clean the leftover flux with a wire wheel between each pass for the best weld penetration.

[@lumberfox89]

@@GlennFrazeeYT Yes sir.

[@bsgerp9167]

Mine did on me just now after 9 months of use😢

[@design8studio]

I just today, early this morning, had my HF easy-flux 125 welder let out the magic smoke. It actually made a popping sound. I suspect it suffered the same fate as yours. So, I'm looking for options like you are.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

I really like the Everlast Cyclone 140E I got to replace it.

[@user-ms2mr2mc3g]

exact same happened to me today

[@mystery504life]

Mines still working. But I overheated the torch handle. Melted the wire sleeve. And more. I have it Jerry rigged till my china wand comes in.... Still works sort of.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

I'm not sure if they have a thermal overload shutoff or not, so not surprising

[@PUJARTIAGO77]

I’ve had mine for over 4years and knock on wood no problems yet

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

You must've gotten one of the good ones. Their quality control is all over the place.

[@isaacscoggins8322]

Ive had mine for two year and has worked like a champ. Way better than the chicago brand one

[@davidvonanderseck8649]

Man that sucks. Same happened to my 125. Just quit working

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

It's infuriating, isn't it?

[@davidvonanderseck8649]

@@GlennFrazeeYT ya I found your channel looking for answers hoping to find a fix

[@Skeleton-my-friend360]

I just got one and got it out of the box today, it feeds great but does not weld. I can put feed wire against the grounding clamp and nothing. Will be returning tomorrow and take the 20% loss because of all the bad reviews I have seen today. I should have checked reviews before the purchase..

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

If it doesn't work, there should be no restocking fee to get a new one. They sold you crap, they need to make it right.

[@jessereigard9896]

Same! Second time it’s happened. 2 different units right out of the box.

[@IsleOfFeldspar]

I’ve put 20 hours of tough work on the ‘tooliom pro’ 200 from slamazon so far without issue. If it lasts 3 years that’s gravy. I’ll definitely buy another one.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

👍

[@cristobalverdugo6060]

Hello, good afternoon, my mistake was that I bought it, kept it and used it for a few days before the warranty ran out and I soldered for an hour and it stopped working hahaha

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Yep, about par for the course

[@luciankristov6436]

Whenever i turn mibe on it just stars feeding and wont stop. Only had this for 3 years 😂. Im very disappointed with this. Ive looked into other welders in its class but they all are made in that ratchet country , china. They use most of the same parts so its not any better quality. European made welders are far better but insane prices , and American made 🤣 $$$$$$$ is just ridiculous at this point ! And they're not truly made in America either. Chips and PCB's come from china . I guess buy another 125 and hope for the best

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Quite aggravating, isn't it? For what it's worth, I like the Everlast I bought to replace it. It's also made in China, but at least the company covers it with a 5 year warranty.

[@HighWestMojave]

my easy flux 125 is doing the same as yours , nothing but feeding wire as soon as I turn it on ,im researching a fix

[@twistedpiston6949]

@@HighWestMojave There is a "Cold wire feed switch" on the back side of the front panel when you lift up the hood for the wire. Check that.

[@Yophillips3272]

@@twistedpiston6949 That or the trigger is just stuck.

[@MRED41468]

I also bought one exactly the same about 4 months ago and just started using it yesterday ……but after watching your video for some reason i am starting to feel bummed out.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Can't help you there. It doesn't seem like it automatically cuts out if it gets overloaded, so keep the duty cycle in mind.

[@lelandcox4089]

Your warranty has already expired!

[@tinariark8914]

Mine did the same thing a couple of days ago up until then it was a great little welder it went above and beyond I'm going to try to fix it because I ain't used one that size that worked as well as it did

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Good luck, Tina. Let us know if you manage to fix it!

[@sefboyardee6564]

My titanium unlimited 140 just turned off during a MIG pass and it won't turn back on

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Annoying, isn't it?

[@lumberfox89]

After I commented on another post here about the welder, my gun stopped working. It had a short in the very thin wires. I noticed when I opened it up, that the layout is different. On mine, the PCB is mounted on the side, not the bottom, and it has a black plastic sheet between the board and the side panel. Maybe you got one of the original design models. If anyone else's gun stops working, you can replace the wires to the switch. I used thicker wires, and pushed it through the cable housing using a wire fish stick. I see that yours has a lighted switch. Mine has the plain black toggle.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Thanks for the feedback, hopefully this helps someone!

[@jeffreysnethen9586]

my gun stopped working today

[@lumberfox89]

@jeffreysnethen9586 It's the wires to the trigger switch, most likely. You have to take the trigger assembly apart and replace the wires with a slightly thicker gauge. It will involve removing from the assembly and casing from the welder.

[@jeffreysnethen9586]

@@lumberfox89 Thanks!

[@glenns8418]

Buy another unit and swap out the guts... return the detective unit for a refund 🤣🤣🤣. Those welders are manufactured for a certain price point. They are not made to last forever

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

No kidding

[@joeshirey5448]

If you get another one try putting a peace of rubber sheet or gorilla tape on the bottom to prevent a short . Thanks .

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Good call, thanks

[@rogerfreeman6787]

Buy another one just like it, and return yours in that box after a couple of weeks.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Way too late for that

[@zerozero1944]

😂 it will continue to happen , buy the 2 yrs gurantee and then after those 2 yrs renew it and so

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Lesson learned

[@TekkHakk]

mine took a dump a few weeks ago, the power light flickers and the fan wants to spin like lacking power, no burnt components .

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Annoying, isn't it?

[@TekkHakk]

@@GlennFrazeeYT yeah not even a year old

[@JTZemp]

Same thing happened to mine yesterday. I've had it < 1 year. Guess I should have purchased the replacement plan. I really loved the little guy while it worked! I popped mine open, but didn't see any obvious signs of component failure on the circuit board. The takeaway for folks evaluating this welder: It's great, but buy it on sale and get the 2 year replacement plan for an extra $40. Think of it like renting a welder for $100/year.

[@caracarametal]

Did you have any luck fixing it? Mine just went yesterday. It powers on, the fan spins, but it doesn't full get going. The power indicator light and the overload indicator light just flicker back and forth (but it's not overheated). I'm wondering if the transformer went but it seems like the only available spare part that harbor freight offers right now is the nozzle...

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

No luck yet. Another viewer left a comment about the resistor sizes, so I'll have to look into sourcing those and see if I can get it running again. I tried calling HF to see if they had an RMA unit they would give me for scrap, but apparently that's against policy.

[@caracarametal]

@@GlennFrazeeYT bummer, ill keep you up to date on my research as well. Also, I bought mine on August 30 of 2021, so seems as though ours have the same shelf life.

[@caracarametal]

Also, i'm now looking into replacements and wondering if I should go with something like the YesWelder MIG-205DS which seems to have good reviews or pay a little more for something like the Lincoln Electric 140 Amp Weld Pak 140 that I would help would hold up better (and have a better warranty)

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

I decided to go with the Everlast Cyclone 140E based on a friend's recommendation. Has a 5-year warranty, and similar price to others in the market.

[@caracarametal]

@@GlennFrazeeYT oh ok, I’ll check that out, thanks for the recommendation

[@SportCoachBenson]

Add me to the list of really enjoying using this welder but yesterday it just stopped working with a little puff of smoke. The power light comes on and it gives a click like it's trying to power up but nothing happens. Thanks for the video.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Man, I'm sorry. It's really disappointing. Lesson learned tho.

[@nathanglover1095]

I have the same welder I'm having problems getting it to strike. I placed the ground on every different type of metal and it still won't work. Can you help me out?

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Might be a bad unit. I think I had the same issue on the first one I got and replaced it at the store.

[@sydpix]

Same here, just today the welder shuts off the minute you attempt to weld. I’m not seeing anything fried at the moment but, even running the wire feed shuts mine off. It just continues to turn off and on. I’m going to have to take the deep dive I guess and open the entire thing up. Dang it

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Good luck. Wish I could be more optimistic, but don't be surprised if there's nothing you can do

[@Karl-mr5bm]

Everything is good inside won't ARC on a grounded bare metal I have a Lincoln stick welder too big to haul around please give me some advice

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Sorry, can't help you

[@rebol108]

Exact same thing happened to mine.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Sorry to hear that. It's a pain, isn't it?

[@chadpedersen2283]

Mine crapped out as well

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Sucks, doesn't it?

[@erikaabarron1]

Did you ever fix it? If not, can I buy the mig torch off of you. No one has it.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Never did. Gonna hold on to it for the time being though.

[@welditjamaica]

this happened to omni pro 220 bro ,sad.......I got one of these as a replacement ...lets hope mine lasts

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Yeah, it's rather annoying for a tool to break mid-project 😑

[@elizabethshipley260]

You made the most of it. Detective Inspector.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

🙂

[@chicagorc3967]

Whats a "chicken stick"??? Can you reply a link please

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

That's just a non-contact circuit tester (amzn.to/3QAX0HJ)

[@dereksuperstrong1210]

You should have bought The warranty

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

You don't say

[@timothykeith1367]

Harbor Freight should release the diagnosis procedure for their welders, if they even have that.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Doubtful. They change up configuration of machines every year or two based on how much they "value engineer" the previous iteration.

[@timothykeith1367]

@@GlennFrazeeYT Even a $200 welder should be repairable. Watch Louis Rossmann's channel.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Oh, I totally agree. Just telling you what the reality of the situation is with Harbor Freight.

[@frankrodriguez5202]

Very useful video. Thank u.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Glad it was helpful 👍

[@jordan1234564]

Mine blew within 5 min of using.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Hope you were able to get an exchange

[@jordan1234564]

@@GlennFrazeeYT I wanted a full refund. But they wanted to charge a restock fee for their defective product. If it happens that quick I can't trust it. I looked it up, I guess it is pretty common. So I exchanged it for the Vulcan 165.

[@isaacscoggins8322]

Go buy another one and then return that one goofball

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Nah, not something I'm comfortable with.

[@qfdforme]

Last step is to return it for a refund and go buy another brand.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

@@qfdforme Too late for a refund. They cut you off at 90 days.

[@garynewville7896]

Thank you so much for your videos. They're helpful and entertaining. On this particular video for the titanium Easy Flex 125 I was wondering if you found a fixed this? I looked through your videos and the only other video I found for the titanium Easy Flex 125 is where you are making a shelf for it in your garage.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Nope, haven't fixed it yet. Need to find the time, and also order what are hopefully the correct replacement parts.

[@lelandcox4089]

I have been looking for a schematic and parts placement online and have not found anything. I will poat a link as soon as I do! Leland Cox

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Good luck. Documentation from HF is practically non-existent.

[@HEADBANGRR]

These are GARBAGE welders made in CHYNAH! I have one. Today was my third time using it and now it's powering off and on when I'm welding.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Yep, not great quality on this one.

[@rolandorivera427]

Get a Lincoln from HomeDepot, omw

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

👍

[@arealmaintenanceandrepairl1103]

Mine just went out today first money job it was on was great in my home repairs had to go home and bust out my Lincoln there is a big difference but wish my HF was good lightweight