Big fortys are for heavy repair. You need that kind of power if you are
going to replace cutting edges on earth moving equipment and have to gouge
as well as lay in large beads.
A diesel unit like this is very expensive. I am not sure what they run
today. Ten years ago they had tag prices well over ten tousand new. I
would get a set of jumper cables and try cranking the engine over
with the starter.
If the thing will not fire it could be a very expensive repair. Because
of the high power rating it is rare for the generator to burn out.
Randy

"Ignoramus29781" wrote in message
...
For my consideration is a Miller Big D4 400 amp (I think; some sources
claim 350 amp) diesel powered welder. It is powered by a Perkins 4
cylinder diesel, with 1490 hours on it. Seems to be in okay basic
shape, although it is lacking side panels. The trailer is lunette
type. I cannot try to run it and there is no obvious place to try
turning the rotor. I wonder if this welder is worth anything.

On 7 May 2005 13:05:56 GMT, Ignoramus11139
wrote:

On Sat, 07 May 2005 11:54:29 GMT, Randy Zimmerman wrote:
Big fortys are for heavy repair. You need that kind of power if you are
going to replace cutting edges on earth moving equipment and have to gouge
as well as lay in large beads.
A diesel unit like this is very expensive. I am not sure what they run
today. Ten years ago they had tag prices well over ten tousand new. I
would get a set of jumper cables and try cranking the engine over
with the starter.
If the thing will not fire it could be a very expensive repair. Because
of the high power rating it is rare for the generator to burn out.

Thanks Randy. I really liked that unit. Unfortunately, I will not be
allowed to crank it before making up my mind.

This sounds like another military surplus find.

Well, if they won't allow you to see if it can be started before you
buy, turned over with the starter, or even turns over with a wrench,
the sensible thing is to bid only for the scrap value. As in, the
generator may well be good, but the motor is toast, or vice versa.
Unless you have one or two other matching units for parts, this could
be expensive to fix.

Then again, the only problem could be something simple and stupidly
cheap to fix, but you don't know that. And it's not the way to bet.

If it ran and worked (or at least it did the last time they used it)
they would say so, to get the best price. 1500 hours is not that much
run time on a Perkins, if it was maintained.

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

Bruce is right about diesel repairs being pricey. If I recall the diesel
Big 40 was around 11 grand and the gas version at the time was done around 8
grand.
If you can't crank the engine over then you are buying blindfolded and
that is risky. If I was selling the unit I would make sure people saw it
start in order to raise the bid price. Is the seller not motivated for some
reason?
Randy

"Bruce L. Bergman" wrote in message
...
On 7 May 2005 13:05:56 GMT, Ignoramus11139
wrote:

On Sat, 07 May 2005 11:54:29 GMT, Randy Zimmerman
wrote:
Big fortys are for heavy repair. You need that kind of power if you are
going to replace cutting edges on earth moving equipment and have to
gouge
as well as lay in large beads.
A diesel unit like this is very expensive. I am not sure what they
run
today. Ten years ago they had tag prices well over ten tousand new. I
would get a set of jumper cables and try cranking the engine over
with the starter.
If the thing will not fire it could be a very expensive repair.
Because
of the high power rating it is rare for the generator to burn out.

Thanks Randy. I really liked that unit. Unfortunately, I will not be
allowed to crank it before making up my mind.

This sounds like another military surplus find.

Well, if they won't allow you to see if it can be started before you
buy, turned over with the starter, or even turns over with a wrench,
the sensible thing is to bid only for the scrap value. As in, the
generator may well be good, but the motor is toast, or vice versa.
Unless you have one or two other matching units for parts, this could
be expensive to fix.

Then again, the only problem could be something simple and stupidly
cheap to fix, but you don't know that. And it's not the way to bet.

If it ran and worked (or at least it did the last time they used it)
they would say so, to get the best price. 1500 hours is not that much
run time on a Perkins, if it was maintained.

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

Haven't looked recently but at auctions a couple of years ago (before
the economy took the nose dive), those big diesel powered units were
going for almost nothing. In most cases, the auctioneer had to joke
around to get someone to take it for 20 bucks just to get it off the
floor (non trailered units).

These were units that WERE started and tested on site and ran well.
They were older though so may not relate to the one you are looking at.

Koz



Ignoramus29781 wrote:

For my consideration is a Miller Big D4 400 amp (I think; some sources
claim 350 amp) diesel powered welder. It is powered by a Perkins 4
cylinder diesel, with 1490 hours on it. Seems to be in okay basic
shape, although it is lacking side panels. The trailer is lunette
type. I cannot try to run it and there is no obvious place to try
turning the rotor. I wonder if this welder is worth anything.