Harbor freight Outlaw 195 Portable generator welder deep dive

[@joeykane2577]

I’ve been looking into this welder for a couple months now but there’s not too many good videos going in depth just a couple minute reviews and it’s been mostly positive but finally somebody did a full breakdown! Awesome video Greg! I don’t really have a use for one right now but I feel like for $1500 bucks it would pay for itself pretty quick with mobile jobs or around the farm.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Honestly for 1500$ I think it really can’t be beat for the cost. The alternative is to pickup a 7-8k generator and a esab rogue 180. You’re still in it for a bit more but you have a portable stick welder and a stand alone generator. The benefit of the outlaw is it will have a lot higher duty cycle, electric start, and it rolls really nice around (rather than screwing with a separate welder, extension cord, etc).

[@bjwest3837]

I am very happy that you made the investment so that you can first hand explain the value of the Vulcan Generator Welder. Great job with your explanation. I have been thinking about purchasing one of these for my son who are just starting out welding. Value of purchase and lasting more than a hot minute is very important. Thanks Greg for all that you do to educate about these types of welding equipment.👍🏼🥇

[@summerforever6736]

Sounds like an AI to me

[@tedbastwock3810]

This HF over the NT Klutch ... that's very interesting. I'm very interested in welding remotely, out in the literal field. Your generator video from a while back was extrEEEEMly helpful and sent me down a very useful learning journey. Thanks for that Greg. This vid .. I love your thorough reviews, bless you for all those like me that you help. Merry Christmas. Fwiw, I have a tractor, and pto generators run clean sine wave, and that is a welder\generator setup I have considered. A pro is that it can also be used to run the whole house or any other project I have. A con is that the pto generators are not as much of a discount as I would like considering that the actual power doesnt come from the device but from the tractor. Still, I like the pto generator idea very much. I also very much like the battery powered remote welders, and I know you have good things to say about the name brand one, but Im afraid the tech is still new and I might get caught in a situation where I didnt know what I should have known. Being the crotchety frugal sob that I am, I also like seeing those guys stick weld with an alternator, which is a nice half step above the emergency dual battery welding that you recently put out an excellent video on. Since Im not in a hurry I might just give that a try too. I love watching all you have to offer.

[@nealesmith1873]

Very nice review! It’s good to be aware of the potential problems when running welders off generators.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Many welders simply run poorly on generators because their “power factor” is so bad. Buying a generator welder like the Vulcan assures of a setup that works properly and likely lasts. Running a welder on any random generator (or even on the Vulcan) can definitely have issues and can damage the welder due to poor quality power. I wish the situation was less complex than it is but it’s pretty hard to find a affordable generator and separate welder combo that works properly and will last, the smaller engine drives solve that issue for sure.

[@thegarbagegladiators4735]

Before I even start the video...Thank you for what you do. I was eyeballing this for a while, trying to come up with the money cause I have been wanting to get a engine driven generator welder for almost a year now and, was at Harbor Freight multiple times drooling.

[@nnordin384]

They do have an equal payment zero interest option on their store credit card for this machine that's 24 or 36 monthly payments depending on the price you get it at. Just don't miss a payment or buy anything that doesn't offer a zero interest deal because their store credit card is about 33% APR right now. I just got this machine with that deal for $67 / month for 24 months

[@theliftlifepl]

Thx for sharing, Can you make a video in this welder with a scratch tig rig hooked up. I'm very curious if it will tig properly and how low in amperage can it go.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I actually do have a scratch start tig rig and I can give it a shot. Since it stick welds it will scratch start tig, the hard part will be how low it goes. They claim the amperage floor is 20amps, which is low enough to do some pretty thin stuff.

[@rrintisch]

Awesome just today I rewatched your generator video where you mention these 😊

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

They are handy for what they are. I will make a video comparing them to just a stand alone generator with a welder. For many people I think the smaller units like the Vulcan will work well. To me I still think an inverter generator and unit like a esab rogue 180-200 would be a better setup but at a higher price.

[@rrintisch]

@makingmistakeswithgreg yeah around here these generator/welder machines are impossible to get except the high end ones. I only found one unit that was 120A still around 1500$ and sounded like it would die at 80Amps. So generator and small efficient welder is the way I have to go anyways... so very interesting video (this far 😅 )

[@summerforever6736]

An other fantastic video sir!! Please make sure change the oil after break in 🙂

[@BCole-bj4lv]

Thanks for the good review. You should talk about your setup sometime as to how you do field work. I'm especially curious how you approach carbon gouging when you need both air and welder power simultaneously. It doesn't sound as though you use a air pak machine of any sort.

[@melgross]

As someone who was a manufacturer a long time go, I see differences in the way products are manufactured. People think it’s planned obsolescence. And, in a way it is, and at the same time, it isn’t. Thinking back, evolution of many products was much slower, say 50 years ago. We saw advances, but they were small and often not enough to spur companies to buy into them until their older equipment didn’t meet their needs, or just broke beyond reasonable repair. But more currently, advances come very quickly. This is true for a lot of industrial equipment that uses electronics and computers. So no one is interested in using equipment for 30 years anymore as it will be hopelessly useless well before then. So there’s little point in making the product last well beyond the time anyone will continue to use it and the used market makes the company nothing, really, so it’s a waste of money and would just increase the price of the product.

[@charlottesspot]

Very informational. Thanks.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

No problem😀👍

[@jheissjr]

I’m interested in the effectiveness of the large reactor. Can you scope the input and output if you revisit the topic?

[@douwetendam5097]

I have a small question, my bester mig 200 is a great machine for the price, but i gound the controll knob to be way too sensitive, you have any hacks on this?

[@meguinlia]

Wow this video was quite aptly timed, we had a power cut over the weekend so I had to get the generator out for the fridge/freezer and keep our net up. I though it would be a good opportunity to try and run on of my smaller welders on the geny just as a test for future reference, lets just say it didn;'t go well XD. 3000/3300 watt generator is not enough even for my smallest 10amp welder. A quick question on 6010 rods, I don't think any of my welders have a high enough voltage to keep them lit, I'm reasonably proficient with 6011 rods and obviously other easy to run rods like 7016,7018, 7024, 6013 etc. The 6010s will only hold an arc if I have them with the flux physically touching the base metal, even then they often just spit and put out. I have managed to get them to run a decent bead on plate but anything more than that just turns into a mess, they dig really strongly but don't seem to want to wet out very well, they tent to just dig and leave a trail of weld that look like caulk shitting on wood. If I am really really careful and gentle I can get it to wet out ok but even on 3-4mm they tended to punch holes and gouge but not fill and wet out at all. I have been running them at the top of the specified range (WELD arc 3.2mm 6010, stated amps is 70-100) or even slightly higher. If running them in the middle or lower of there amp range they either wouldn't light or just stick or extinguish in a few seconds. Does this sound like a OCV or running voltage issues or am I the retard in this mess?. I am actually very happy with he performance of the 6011s I have but wanted to try 6010s as everyone on the net (especially north America) raves about them, took ages to get some and its just 2kg box for testing so I'm not really concerned if this isn't going to work but I had thought my either my TIG or new mig should be able to run them. I believe my MIG (xf252 250mp) actually has an OCV over 80volts but still strugling with them. Anyway love the content, hope you have a great holidays and have a few more vids to drop over the break ;)

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Regarding the 6010, this should clear it up: 6010 welds like a more aggressive 6011. Many welders won’t run it because they can produce more than 26-28 volts when welding. 6010 needs 30-33v to operate properly. What you described is exactly what happens when the welder can’t produce enough operating voltage. 6010 should have a wider arc and slightly wider bead than 6011, and if you cram it in tight you will produce a narrow chunky weld and typically a lot of undercut. The reason it stays lit with almost zero arc gap is due to the voltage being just under what the machine maxes out at. 60130/6011/7014/7018 all operate under about 26-28v so machines will run those. 6011 is 26-28 which is why some machines also struggle with 6011. If you can weld with 6011 you can weld with 6010, you just need a welder that’s capable of running it 😀. 6010 does produce significantly more penetration, freezes faster, and will run at lower amperage (to fill holes) than 6011. However it’s prone to undercut, blowing through material, and producing very rough looking welds. I like it a lot for repair work but 6011 is my go to on thinner stuff.

[@rakentrail]

Greg, my neighbor bought one of these and we compared it to my 20 year old Miller Bluestar. It's a close copy of my old Bluestar. Will the Outlaw last 20+ years? Only time will tell.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

The blue star is probably still possible to get parts for, at worst on eBay for used parts. The Vulcan will likely not be possible to repair within a few years (hard to say on parts availability). The thing is though, the modern blue star 185 is over $5k vs $1500 for the Vulcan. That’s a massive difference. Considering how good the Vulcan seems to weld I would spend the money on it and save the rest in the long run to get a bigger unit like a trailblazer. The capability of the sub 200a engine drives aren’t enough to justify 5k price.

[@athhud]

So why would a separate inverter welder that plugs into the generator fair worse than the built-in inverter welder? Is there a component or ac/dc conversion between the generator and built-in welder that you could tap into to install an additional outlet that would safely run an external inverter welder?

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Most inverter welders don’t have power factor correction which in simple terms means that some power that is flowing from the generator to the welder is reflected back at the generator. This causes a serious break down of voltage, a/c wave form, and will cause breakers to trip. In even simpler terms a welder might only consume 4000 watts of power to weld but the breaker sees the amperage equivalent of 7000. The internal welder in the machine was purpose built to run on a generator (likely that particular generator) therefore it doesn’t cause issues. Hooking up most inverter welder machines (which don’t have power factor correction) will have the above issues. The reason I say it’s in your best interest to use a transformer based machine is due to the fact the welder itself won’t be damaged by dirty power or fluctuating voltage like an inverter can be. A transformer machine output will lower as input power suffers but it won’t shut down or have issues. The only downside is running any welder (transformer or not) on a generator is generally not good for the generator unless the welder has power factor correction.

[@connormarek1028]

I still kind of want the Esab Ruffian, but this is definitely tempting.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

There are similar parts on the ruffian (the internal welder might be different but external components are the same/similar). The main difference is the esab can run tools and weld, the Vulcan can’t do both at the same time. The ruffian has lower stick output. For the 1500$ with coupon the Vulcan is it’s way cheaper than the ruffian. Northern tool makes a klutch that has an attached spool gun for welding aluminum portably, and their standard unit is basically the same as the Vulcan. I am not sure what china based company is making all of them but there are atleast 7 ones that look very similar.

[@crmemt]

What size of cable leads you would recommend for at least 40-50 feet long. I plan to leave my welder on a trailer.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

The sheet I have from miller says #2 or #4 ga at 180-200a 60% duty cycle at 50 foot. Honestly I would run #4 if it’s good quality copper. It will be more flexible, lighter, and shouldn’t pose much issue handling 120a all day. If you plan on doing a lot at 150a then go to #2. Just make sure it’s copper and not copper clad aluminum. 👍

[@bryanthornton6787]

​​@@makingmistakeswithgregThat #4 is good for EACH lead being 50', correct?

[@crmemt]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg Thank You

[@GeorgiaBoyJake]

The 420 in the store will NOT work for a replacement engine. All generators use a tapered shaft crankshaft and the one in the store uses a straight shaft crank. You can swap out the crank in the store one with a tapered one and be golden.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Excellent to know, thanks much for sharing that detail. 👍👍

[@josiahwales4736]

McMaster Carr has taper shaft adapters to go from generator head to straight shaft engines. We use them for repower when the onan goes out in a miller Bobcat.

[@Boodieman72]

I hope you can talk about real welder generators that can run 240V mig / flux machines.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Realistically a minimum generator to run a 200amp mig welder maxed out is around 7500 running watts, and that’s provided the welder has power factor correction. A vast majority of 200a wire welders will trip 30a 240 breakers and realistically you need to be in the 9k+ running watt class with a 40+ amp 240 breaker. There are ways around this but universally you need to have a serious generator to get 200a of mig output. Luckily you can run at reduced output without issue on many generator welders. A good example would be using a 200a machine at under 140a of output to weld thinner stuff, and stick welding anything over 3/16th.

[@theshadetreewelder5043]

you can use a wire feeder

[@tsl7881]

Klutch has a multi-process welder version with a spool gun of this , same manufacturer. I think you loose adjustable Hot Start with their multi-process version. So you can have your MIG welder. Klutch also has one like this but no electric start. You can not use the welder and gen at the same time. Doen not come with lift points. From what I can tell these are not a low THD generator , so it must have a beefy PFC.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

The klutch units are quite interesting. The one with a spool gun is a novel idea since you can actually use both normal mig wire, aluminum, and stainless to weld with it. That gives a lot of capability for portable work.

[@googlegok9637]

If you change the oil after burn-in and every 10 wk hour and/or not later that 6 month , I believe the motor will serve you for years to come.It is hard to see on the video , but vibrations would be my concern . There are some heavy ring cores , and even glue at the bottom is often not enough.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

The vibrations to me seem like they are from the engine hunting at idle with no load on it. Once it has any load it smooths right out. The engine and generator are rubber mounted and don’t seem to transfer much to the frame, it’s just when the rpm is a bit unstable with no load the top can rattle.

[@garthland]

My dad wants a genset, was going to give him my old Lincoln ranger 250gxt-I kinda like a backup to my backup,he was a machinist,not a welder

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

The ranger 250 is a solid reliable unit, that was the first engine drive I ever welded with. I wish they were as affordable as they used to be ☹️.

[@theseldomseenkid6251]

If in the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia, make sure to drain gas out of the carburetor when not in use. The PRK gas is an extra special carburetor unfriendly fuel. For infrequent use, you may be able to switch to a propane carburetor.

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

Definitely, having gas sit in it is not good for longevity. Makes me hope I drained my snow blower last year, I better make sure it starts 💀.

[@dusty1498]

The Amico Arc 200 has Fantastic Specs and if true could possibly be the Best Bang for yor Back! The New version Claims power factor correction and fan on demand. The only draw back i see is it does not have a dedicated Tig mode.I think it could be the Answer to those who want Esab rogue performance (stick wise) On a Budget!

[@tsl7881]

Looked at the amico's power requirements and it doesn't seem very efficient if it has PFC.

[@dusty1498]

@tsl7881 It says it has a PFC of 0.93 I have not tested this claim though.

[@tsl7881]

.93 is a more humble claim. If it actually has it. Like you said, need someone to test it and not get sent a free one or a sales commission code where they can't say anything bad about it. I've seen tests on Yes welders claiming a PFC of 1. Ha Ha. I just paid 825 for the rogue, then it went on sale for 600 a month later. Esab claims it can run on just about any generator that has stable power. It may be like the welder in this vulcan.

[@dusty1498]

@@tsl7881 Yeah So many Fluff Reviews out there.( Not Greg) I just purchased the Arc 200 have not put it through its Paces yet. I am in Canada worked out to about 300 CDN. The rogue 180 is 1200 here we get screwed on everything. I bought it because it can run 6010 and has arc force control

[@texasmcgyver]

The welder part of that looks like the stick welder 225 titanium for 250.00 interesting…

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

I need to reference the internals of the 225 (I opened one up on video) because I thought the same thing. It does have some extra components and power factor correction which the 225 doesn’t, but something really reminded me of the 225. I am sure they custom designed it for the generator. It definitely welds unlike most inverter welders. I would have been super disappointed if it didn’t run 6010.

[@jake-mv5oi]

Finally got my power station in the mail. It ran the rogue 200 with 3/32 7018 at 90A ok after I turned the hot start and arc force down to zero. It sometimes overloaded the inverter when I struck the arc with them both on 3. The rogue 200 seems to have a big starting spike around 40-50A that I think is causing my problems, because after the arc starts, it stays around 20-22A pretty consistently . Here's a quick clip I took while running a bead. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4PQZoqXfKpsoZYsi=h4WoJVibLl8xKRjq

[@domino1842]

Now I don’t know for a fact but I suspect this has the same non existent warranty and for me that is a deal breaker. They start with a switch that is trash even though it is the single most used component on the machine. I’m also not wild about a machine that you can’t even run your grinder at the same time you are welding. Just me but when you say no warranty you are just coming up with a different way of saying “ probably isn’t built to last” When a manufacturer produces a product they have faith in they have no problem backing it up. Just can’t do it man. Great video just not a product I can trust😊😅

[@tsl7881]

Klutch version has 3yr warranty. The Klutch version with the MIG gun has just a 1yr. Suspect they are not made better they are just betting and I think you have to get them serviced.

[@HerbertMoore-v8e]

What was the total cost? 🤷🏾‍♂️🤔

[@summerforever6736]

1500 US dollar in Paper money plus gov fee called TAX

[@HerbertMoore-v8e]

30% duty cycle is 3minutes of weld time!🤬🤷🏾‍♂️🤔

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

That’s at 195a which for portable repairs nobody welds at. At 120a for a 7018 1/8th the duty cycle is basically 100%. Most stick welders in the 160-200a class have 30-60% duty cycle at 120a so for all practical purposes the machine will exceed most smaller stick welders. For repair work I mostly use 1/8th 7018/6010 and 3/32 7018, which those you could weld literally non stop without hitting duty cycle.

[@rrintisch]

That leaves you 7 min to watch the slag peel, take some shots for Instagram/ grind out bad spots, tend to burns you might got and if you still have time left maybe prep the next weld...

[@YR7A]

@@makingmistakeswithgreg That's also at what's required for the duty cycle testing. IIRC it's 103 degrees F. Most of the time under regular conditions the actual duty cycle before the machine overheats and shuts off is a much longer period of time.

[@tsl7881]

By myself I used to never come close to the 25% duty of the old buzz box, until I bought a needle scaler, then I could clean slag real fast. Maybe cleaning welds was always a method to slow you down. A lower duty cycle is not a problem with stick, but MIG or TIG you can run a long beads. Getting the Klutch version with the MIG gun maybe you would have to watch out.

[@HerbertMoore-v8e]

You do a lot of talking ahead of yourself!🤬🤦🏾‍♂️😱

[@makingmistakeswithgreg]

And I am right most of the time too 😅

[@summerforever6736]

You do great!!

[@charlottesspot]

you do alot of bitching and whining. Such an ingrate !