Rtech TIG160FPP User manual

www.r-techwelding.co.uk
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TIG160FPP DC TIG WELDER 240V
OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS
Version 2020-12

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Thank you for selecting the R-Tech TIG160FPP Inverter DC TIG Welder.
The TIG160FPP has many benefits over traditional TIG welders, including pulse
welding, slope up/down, remote foot option and an industrial 35% duty cycle.
We want you to take pride in operating our TIG160FPP as much pride as we have taken in
making this product for you. Please read all information in this manual before operation
Pay particular attention to the safety instructions we have provided you for your
protection the level of seriousness to be applied to each section is explained below
WARNING
This statement appears where the information must be followed exactly to avoid serious
personal injury.
CAUTION
This statement appears where the information must be following to avoid a minor personal
injury or damage to this equipment.
PLEASE EXAMINE CARTON AND EQUIPMENT FOR DAMAGE IMMEDIATELY
When this equipment is shipped, title passes to the purchaser upon receipt from the courier.
Consequently, all claims for material damaged in shipment must be made by purchaser against
the transportation company used.
Please record your equipment identification below for future reference. This information can be found on
data plate at rear of machine.
Product TIG160FPP
Serial No.
Date of Purchase
Where Purchased
Whenever you request replacement parts or information on this equipment please always supply
information you have recorded above
This product is covered by 3 years parts and labour warranty, R-Tech will cover costs of collection,
repair and return of welder to you for mainland UK (Other areas are RTB warranty).
External items, torch, earth lead etc. are covered by 3 months warranty. Any faults/damage found
caused by customer will be charged pro-rata.

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Introduction
The R-Tech TIG160FPP is a member of our field acclaimed family of welding products.
Premium features include: -
1. Inverter power source – more efficient to operate, provides smoother weld characteristics.
2. Full Featured Pulse welding in DC TIG welding mode
3. HF Arc start – Easy arc striking and prolonged tungsten life
4. Slope up / slope down
5. Remote foot pedal option
6. Easy adjustment of welding parameters
7. Industrial 35% Duty cycle at 160 Amps @ 40C
Recommended Processes
The R-Tech TIG160FPP is recommended for the TIG welding processes within its output
capacity of 160 Amps
Welding Capability – Duty Cycle
The R-Tech TIG160FPP is rated at 160 Amps at 35% duty cycle on a ten-minute basis. If the
duty cycle is exceeded a thermal protector will shut machine off until the machine cools.
Technical Specifications
Model No.
R-Tech TIG160FPP
Input
220V / 240V AC 50/60Hz 13A
MMA
No-load Voltage
60V – 80V
Current Range
10A – 130A
Rated Output Current
130A @ 35%
Arc Force
1 - 100%
DC TIG
No-load Voltage
60V – 80V
Current Range
5A – 160A
Rated Output Current
160A
Duty Cycle TIG
35% @160A
Up-Slope Time
0-25 Seconds
Down-Slope Time
0-10 Seconds
Pulse Frequency Range
0.2Hz – 250Hz
Pulse Width Range
10% - 90%
Pulse Amperage Range
5% - 95% of base amps
Gas Post Flow Time
0 - 25 Seconds
Gas Pre-Flow Time
0 - 5 Seconds
Arc Starting Mode
High Frequency / Lift
Gross Weight
16KG
425 x 195 x 310mm
Insulation
IP23S

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Safety Precautions
Read entire section before starting installation
WARNING!
Electric Shock can kill – Only qualified personnel should perform this installation. Turn off input
power at the fuse box before working on this equipment. Do not touch electrically live parts.
Always connect the machine to an earthed main supply as per national recommended
standards.
Select suitable location
Place the welder where clean cooling air can freely circulate in and out of the front & rear louver
vents. Dirt, dust or any foreign material that can be drawn through vents into welder must be
kept to a minimum. Failure to observe these precautions can result in excessive operating
temperatures which can lead to plant failure.
Grinding
Do not direct grinding particles towards the welder. An abundance of conductive material can
cause plant failure.
Stacking -This machine cannot be stacked.
Transport – Unloading
Never underestimate the weight of equipment, never move or leave suspended in the air
above people. Always use recommended lifting equipment.
WARNING!
Falling Equipment can cause injury. Never lift welder with gas bottle attached. Never lift above
personnel.
Tilting
Machine must be placed on a secure level surface or on a recommended
undercarriage/trolley. This machine may topple over if this procedure is not followed.
Environmental Rating
The welding power source carries the IP23S rating. It may be used in normal industrial
and commercial environments. Avoid using in areas where water / rain is around.
Read and follow the ‘Electric Shock Warnings’ in the safety section if welding must be
performed under electrically hazardous conditions such as welding in wet areas or water on
the work piece.

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Electrical Installation
WARNING!
ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN
KILL
Machine grounding and High Frequency Interference Protection
This welder must be grounded to earth. See national electrical codes for proper
grounding methods.
The high frequency generator being similar to a radio transmitter may cause interference to
radio, TV and other electronic equipment. These problems may be the result of radiated
interference.
Proper grounding methods can reduce or eliminate this.
Radiated interference can develop in the following ways
1. Direct interference from welder power source
2. Direct interference from the welding leads
3. Direct interference radiated from feedback into power lines
4. Interference from re-radiation by un-grounded metallic objects.
Keeping these contributing factors in mind, installing equipment as per following instructions
should minimize problems.
1. Keep the welder input power lines as short as possible and enclose as much of them
as possible in metal conduit or equivalent shielding. There should be a good electrical
contact between this conduit and ground (Earth).
2. Keep the work and electrode leads as short as possible. Tape the leads together
where practical.
3. Be sure the torch and earth lead rubber coverings are free from cuts and cracks that
allow welding power leakage
4. Keep earth lead connection to work in good condition – Clean area on workbench
where earth clamp is situated on a regular basis.
Input Connections
Make sure the voltage, phase and frequency of input power is as specified on machine rating
plate located at rear of machine.
Have a qualified electrician provide suitable input power as per national electrical codes. Make
sure machine is earthed / grounded.

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Make sure fuse or circuit breaker is correct rating for machine. Using fuses or circuit
breakers smaller than recommended will result in ‘nuisance’ shut off from welder inrush
currents even if welding at low amperages.
Failure to follow these instructions can cause immediate failure within the welder and
void machines warranty.
Turn the input power OFF at the mains switch & fuse box before working on this
equipment. Have a qualified electrician install & service this equipment.
Allow machine to sit for 5 minutes minimum to allow the power capacitors to discharge
before working inside this equipment. Do not touch electrically live parts
The TIG160FPP Inverter TIG Welder requires a 240V 50/60Hz supply.
It comes with a 3 metre mains cable attached.
Connect wires according to national
coding. Brown wire – Live
Blue wire – Neutral
Green/Yellow Wire – Earth (Ground)
Connecting to a mains electrical supply
THIS MACHINE MUST BE FITTED TO A MINIMUM of 13AMP 240V MAINS
INPUT FOR FULL OUTPUT RANGE TO BE ACHIEVED.
Connecting to an Engine Driven Generator
If connecting this machine to an engine driven generator, please ensure the
following
Minimum Generator KVA Output – 5 KVA continuous
Generator to be fitted with AVR (automatic voltage
regulation) DO NOT USE ON A GENERATOR WITHOUT
AVR
Connecting to a generator without the above minimum requirements will in-
validate your warranty.

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Connections for TIG160FPP
Rear machine connections
Fig 1
1. On/Off Switch
2. Earth for chassis
If experiencing localized interference when using machine, connect workbench to this
point using correct graded earth wire (not normally used)
3. Gas input connector
Connect input gas hose ensuring connection is Tight
4. Mains input cable
Fit required plug as per your electrical installation

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Connections for TIG (GTAW) Welding
Fig 2
1. Negative power connector -
Connect TIG Torch Dinze to power connector by inserting and twisting until Tight
ENSURE TIG TORCH IS FITTED TO NEGATIVE CONNECTOR OTHERWISE YOU
WILL EXPERIENCE TUNGSTEN BURNBACK
2. Gas outlet - Quick release type
Connect the torch gas hose
3. Positive power connector +
Connect the earth lead to by inserting and twisting until Tight and the earth
clamp to work/bench
4. Torch control socket 7-Pin
Connect torch control plug
To avoid a High Frequency shock, keep the TIG torch in good condition and replace if any
of the insulation is damaged.
Connect the gas input hose to gas regulator and use ‘Pure Argon’ Gas, available from local
suppliers. Set gas flow/pressure to 8 LPM. Make sure gas bottle is secured to avoid injury.
Remote Foot Pedal connection.
Disconnect TIG Torch switch plug from torch control socket (Fig2.4) and connect plug from
foot pedal.

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Connections for STICK MMA (SMAW) Welding
Fig 3
1. Negative power connector -
Connect the earth lead to by inserting and twisting until Tight and the earth
clamp to work/bench.
2. Positive power connector +
Connect the electrode holder by inserting and twisting until Tight

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Controls and Settings
Fig 4
1. Up slope
Adjustment 0-5 seconds. The main welding current raises from minimum amperage to
main current selected in time selected when weld started
2. Down slope
Down-Slope adjustment 0-10 seconds. The main welding current decreases from
main amperage to minimum amperage in time selected when weld finished
In MMA mode this knob will set the MMA Arc Force.
3. Main current control
This adjusts the main welding current and is shown in L.E.D.
4. Pulse frequency adjustment
This sets how often pulse will occur and is adjustable from 0.2Hz to 250Hz.
Low pulse is 0.2 to 20Hz
High pulse is 20 – 250Hz
5. Pulse Time ON (Pulse width)
Pulse width adjustment – This sets length of pulse 10 - 90%
If set at 90% the pulse (high) will come on longer than the base current
If set at 10% the base (low) current will come on longer than pulse current.

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6. TIG / MMA mode selector
Sets machine to TIG (GTAW) or MMA (Stick).
7. TIG mode selector
Off = Standard TIG mode – no pulse
Low = Pulse TIG mode 0.2 – 20Hz
High = Pulse TIG mode 20 – 250Hz
8. 2/4 Way selector
2/4 Step trigger mode switch – TIG welding can either be done in 2 or 4 step
mode. When the trigger mode is in the 2 step position the following sequence
will occur
Press and hold the TIG torch switch to start sequence.
The machine will open gas valve to start flow of shield gas, after the set pre-flow time
to purge air from torch hose the welding output of machine will be turned on and the
arc will be started. After the arc is started the output current will increase from the
start (min) current to base (main) current in time selected by slope-up.
Release the TIG torch switch to end sequence.
The machine will now decrease output to finish (min) current in time set by slope-down,
once at finish (min) current the machine will stop output and the gas valve will continue
to operate for the selected time (post flow)
Possible variations of this standard sequence are shown in diagram below. It is possible
to press and hold TIG torch switch a second time during down slope time to restart.
After the switch is pressed the output current will raise to base (main) current
When the trigger mode is in the 4 step position the following sequence will occur

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Press and hold the TIG torch switch to start sequence.
The machine will open gas valve to start flow of shield gas, after preset gas pre-flow
time to flow time to purge air from torch hose the welding output of machine will be
turned on and the arc will be started at start (min) current
This condition can be maintained as long as required.
Release the TIG torch switch to go to step 2, the machine will now increase output to
peak (main) current in time set by slope-up.
Press and hold the TIG torch switch when main weld is complete
The machine will now decrease the welding output current to finish (min) in down-
slope time set. Once at finish (min) output you can release the TIG torch switch to end
weld the gas post-flow will continue to run for set time.
9. Gas post flow and pre-flow adjustment
Post flow (after weld stopped) is from 1 – 25 seconds. The gas keeps flowing after weld
has finished, this cools & stops tungsten from getting contaminated. We recommend a
minimum of 6 seconds.
10. Pulse Amps
This sets pulse minimum base amperage as % of main amperage
I.E if main current is set to 100amps and pulse amps is set to 40%, the machine will
switch between 100amps and 40amps at the set frequency / time on.
When using foot pedal the base and pulse will adjust from pedal - Note LED will show
average amperage when using foot pedal with pulse.
11. Warning LED
When you turn machine on the LED will light green and then go out once machine has
run start-up self-diagnostics.
If LED turns orange during operation, you have exceeded the duty cycle, allow
machine to cool down, light will go off and you will be able to weld again.
If LED turns green during operation, the machine has sensed overload / under
voltage. Turn machine off and call R-Tech technical dept.
12. Power LED
Lights up when machine is switched on.

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13. LED Display
3 digit LEDmeter is used to display the main amperage when welding.
14. TIG starting control
HF - Mode: The arc will automatically start when trigger pressed without touching
tungsten electrode to workpiece
Lift - Mode: The arc will start by touching the tungsten electrode to work piece, when the
tungsten is then lifted of the work piece the arc will start. Used for when welding on
vehicles with sensitive electronics.
15. Pre-flow gas
This sets the amount of time gas flow will happen before arc isstarted, for most jobs 0.1
-0.5 seconds iffine, when welding stainless steel etc. where a longer gas purge time may
be required adjust accordingly. Range is 0 to 5 seconds.

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Operating machine
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
WARNING!
ELECTRIC
SHOCK CAN KILL
Do not touch electrically live parts or electrode with skin or wet
clothing. Insulate yourself from work and ground
Always wear dry insulating gloves
WARNING!
FUMES AND GASES can be dangerous
Keep your head out of fumes & gases produced from welding.
Use ventilation or exhaust to remove fumes & gases from breathing zone and general area.
WARNING!
WELDING SPARKS can cause fire or
explosion Keep flammable material away
from work area.
Do not weld on containers that have held combustibles
WARNING!
ARC RAYS can burn
Wear eye, ear and body protection – Make sure work area is protected by proper
shielding to avoid injury to other people.

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Welding in TIG mode – No Pulse – No remote foot pedal
1. Connect the TIG Torch to machine, connect earth lead to machine & work piece.
2. Set to TIG mode
3. Set HF on
4. Set Pulse Switch to Off position
5. Select 2-way or 4-way torch operation
6. Connect Argon gas and set flow to approx. 8 LPM
7. Set Gas post flow to minimum of 6 seconds
8. Select main welding current (Allow 30 – 35 amps per mm of workpiece)
9. Press the TIG torch switch to start welding
TIG tungsten size / amperage guide
All values below are based on using pure argon shielding gas. Other current values may be
employed depending on the shielding gas and application
ELECTRODE
RATINGS
Electrode Diameter (mm)
2% Thoriated on DC
(amps)
Red Tip – Grind to point
Pure Tungsten on DC
(amps)
1.0mm / 0.040”
5 - 80
30
1.6mm / 1/16” 40-150 80
2.4 mm/ 3/32” 140 - 250 130
3.2mm / 1/8” 240 - 400 180
4.0mm / 5/32” 380- 500 240
4.8mm / 3/16” 500- 750 300
6.4mm / 1/4” 750 - 1000 400

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Welding in TIG mode – with Pulse – No remote foot pedal
1. Connect the TIG Torch to machine, connect earth lead to machine & work piece.
2. Set to TIG mode
3. Set HF on
4. Set Pulse mode either low or high
5. Select 2-way or 4-way torch operation
6. Connect Argon gas and set flow to approx. 8 LPM
7. Set Gas post flow to minimum of 6 seconds
8. Select main welding current (Allow 30 – 35 amps per mm of workpiece)
9. Adjust Pulse amps for minimum pulse current (% of main amps)
10. Adjust Pulse freq. to desired setting (how often pulse happens)
11. Adjust Pulse time on to desired setting (how long pulse happens)
12. Press the TIG torch switch to start welding
The benefits of pulse welding are the ability to control the weld pool and amount of heat
absorbed by work resulting in a smaller heat affected zone which results in fewer deformations
and reduced chance of cracking.

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Welding in TIG mode – with Remote foot pedal
1. Connect the TIG Torch to machine, connect earth lead to machine & work piece.
2. Connect remote foot pedal to machine
3. Set to TIG mode
4. Set HF on
5. Select 2-way torch operation – Foot pedal will not work in 4-WAY mode
6. Connect Argon gas and set flow to approx. 8 LPM
7. Set Gas post flow to minimum of 6 seconds
8. Select main welding current (Allow 30 – 35 amps per mm of workpiece)
9. Press the foot pedal to start welding. (on maximum depression it will go to maximum
amps set on machine)
Upon pressing of foot pedal welding arc will start.
The benefits of welding with a remote foot pedal is greater control of amount of heat going
into work. Press pedal fully to start weld, upon weld pool formation you can release the
pedal to decrease amperage to sustain perfect weld pool and increase again as required to
sustain weld characteristics.
The foot pedal adjusts from minimum current to maximum current as set on main current knob
on front of machine and shown in LED.
You can use pulse mode with the remote foot pedal, the pulse / base current will adjust as
pedal is pressed / released.

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Welding in STICK MMA (SMAW) Mode
1. Fit MMA electrode holder to + terminal on machine
2. Fit earth lead to - terminal on machine and to work piece
3. Select MMA (stick) on front panel
4. Place electrode in holder
5. Select desired welding current with selector knob
6. Select desired MMA Arc Force 0 - 100
7. Strike arc and weld
WARNING!
ELECTRIC
SHOCK CAN KILL
When machine is switched to MMA mode, output terminals are always live, take care and do
not touch electrode and earth by person at same time, otherwise electric shock will occur.

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Maintenance
Routine and periodic maintenance
WARNING!
ELECTRIC
SHOCK CAN KILL
Turn the input power OFF at the mains switch & fuse box before working on this
equipment. Have a qualified electrician install & service this equipment.
Allow machine to sit for 5 minutes minimum to allow the power capacitors to discharge
before working inside this equipment.
Do not touch electrically live parts
1. Periodically remove the side/top panels of machine and clean out machine with a
low-pressure dry air line paying particular attention to PC Boards, Fan blades,
HFpoints
2. Inspect input and output cables & hoses for fraying, cuts & bare spots
3. Keep TIG torch and cables in good condition
4. Clean air vents to ensure proper air flow and cooling
5. The fan motor has sealed bearings which requires no maintenance
Troubleshooting
Service & repair should only be performed by R-Tech welding trained personnel. Unauthorised
repairs performed on this welding equipment may result in danger or injury to the technician and
machine operator and will invalidate your warranty.
For your safety and to avoid electric shock, please observe all safety notes and
precautions detailed throughout this manual
The troubleshooting guide is provided to help you locate possible machine
malfunctions If the fault / problem is not listed below check our support page on our
website
www.r-techwelding.co.uk/supportor contact R-Tech by phone
.
Contact details can be found on front of this manual and our website