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Once on sale, inverter welding equipment quickly gained popularity. Having become a new generation device, the inverter has a number of differences and advantages over other welding devices.
The inverter device is easy to use, small-sized, functional, and you can buy it with only $50 in your pocket. This is precisely the lower threshold for the cost of inverters. There is virtually no upper threshold.
For home use, a model with low power and functionality is sufficient. Often, devices assembled in China or at domestic factories are used for this purpose.
These models are inexpensive, easy to repair, and can handle small home welding jobs quite well.
More demanding welders take machines from American or European manufacturers. Often these are inverters made in Germany - equipment that is notable for its reliability, but also for its price threshold.
However, what if you don’t have an extra thousand dollars in your wallet, but you don’t want to buy Chinese or domestic inverters? In this case, it is worth considering inverter models from France, a state that produces equipment according to European standards.
The same standards are typical for German inverters, but the French device will require less money.
- Devices from which French companies are available?
- Purchase conclusion
- Conclusion
Devices from which French companies are available?
French inverters are quite rare in Russian cities. But among them there is a company that appears more often than others - GYS (GYSMI).
This is due to the fact that about ten to fifteen years ago, welding companies from France, when they first appeared in Russia, disappointed domestic welders.
The devices were of sufficient quality, but the operating technology did not correspond to Russian realities.
The point was that European power grids are more stable. If 220V voltage is indicated, then the network will have exactly this voltage. The level of tension in Russia is often lower than expected. It fluctuates without being stable.
Finding a high level of network voltage is difficult. Because of this, European inverters designed for 220V could not show decent results.
The most popular models of French inverters
In the CIS, expensive and reliable German welding inverters were actively purchased for household and semi-professional welding. The second place was occupied by Italian equipment, which was cheaper. French companies imported their products mainly to Europe and America, making electrical circuits to their standard.
For a long time, the French inverter-type welding machine was not popular. The reason was the ability of the inverters to operate only from energy carriers with the parameters of the European power grid. With the beginning of the arrival in stores of devices operating on alternating current with a frequency of 50 Hertz, French welding equipment has become in demand, especially for small-scale work.
When purchasing a French inverter, you should pay attention to its adaptation to Russian networks. In stores, among the imported welding equipment, there are devices that operate with a current of 100–127 V, 60 Hz - the American standard.
The most popular among French welding equipment are the inverters of the GYS gysmi series. They have a number of positive technical characteristics:
- light weight;
- compactness;
- air cooling;
- overheat protection;
- electrode anti-stick function;
- arc force;
- work with all types of electrodes;
- stable combustion of the electric arc;
- touchscreen;
- stable current value at any distance.
French inverters are relatively low cost.
Prices vary greatly. Consumers asked for cheap devices. They made concessions, but quality and reliability suffered. All the same, with the same characteristics, French equipment is cheaper than Italian. French GYS Gysmi devices are packaged in plastic cases for easy carrying. The kit includes elastic and durable cables and holders of various types.
Figure 2 - A convenient plastic suitcase holds everything you need
The greatest demand among imported welding equipment is for household and semi-industrial devices.
Purchase conclusion
Taking into account modifications for Russian realities, equipment from France is worthy of attention. Inverters from France are assembled according to European quality standards, however, due to the nuances of production, their price threshold is lower.
Yes, not so much lower as to equal the prices of Russian companies or Chinese-made equipment, but the build quality is higher.
The result is an inverter welding unit assembled at the European level, accessible to most welders.
In addition, inverters from France are equipped with some features that are not available from other manufacturers. GYS provides its models with the LIFT ARC function.
This setting ignites the welding arc by simply touching the edge of the electrode to the metal surface. Only more powerful modifications from other companies have similar capabilities. GYS also integrates it into equipment for domestic use.
French brands
An inverter welding machine made in France is rarely seen on the shelves of our stores. And even more: among the entire assortment, only one French brand is most often found - GYS (GYSMI). What is this connected with? Why are French inverter welding machines not popular?
It's all about stereotypes. 10-15 years ago, when the first French machines began to be imported into our market, many welders were disappointed. They bought equipment that simply wasn't designed to handle our grid voltage. In Europe, the voltage is stable, and there you can often get the full 220 volts from a wall outlet. Our situation is much sadder. The declared 220 Volts are in fact always lower, and the voltage itself is often unstable and constantly sags.
It is not surprising that the French devices could not function normally in such conditions. Then many craftsmen thought that all inverters from France were low-quality defective devices. This thought was passed on from master to master, and thus a great misconception arose. As a result, all French devices disappeared from the shelves.
But after a while, a brand appeared that again tried to conquer the Russian market. We are talking about GYS (GYSMI). The devices of this brand were adapted to our realities and were able to work normally at unstable voltage.
Capabilities of French welding machines
The technical capabilities of modern inverters allow them to be used for various welding methods, from electric arc to semi-automatic in shielding gases. Various modifications operate from both single-phase voltage 220 V and three-phase 380 V. Welding machines in France are represented by the GYS trademark and are well-respected due to the quality of their workmanship. A durable housing, good technical characteristics and additional functions make work comfortable and allow you to ensure decent welding quality.
French-made devices are characterized by low weight, since they use a processor inverter with high efficiency. The vast majority of these units are equipped with a digital display that displays the main operating parameters. For welding thin-walled workpieces, it is possible to increase the welding current in 1 A increments, and for ease of operation there are functions of hot start, anti-sticking electrodes and arc force.
The range of French inverters allows you to perform the following types of welding work:
- welding using the MMA method with coated stick electrodes with different welding currents depending on the model;
- argon arc welding using the TIG method in an inert gas environment using a special torch;
- in an environment of protective or active gases, MIG/MAG welding is used with semi-automatic wire feeding into the melting zone.
The increased price of devices from France is explained not only by the high build quality, but also by good equipment. Often a case is included in the delivery package; semi-automatic machines come with a hose with a torch, gearboxes and pressure gauges, as well as an electrode holder. A shock-resistant housing and an effective cooling system are present on all GYS devices.
However, it is important to make sure that there are branded service centers before purchasing, since a regular workshop will not provide the required level of repair in the event of a breakdown of a high-tech French inverter.
Is it worth buying?
We think it's worth it. And there are several reasons for this. The first reason is price. Of course, French devices are more expensive than Chinese or Russian ones, but they are cheaper than equipment from other European brands. French production is cheaper, and the quality standards are the same throughout the European Union. Ultimately, you get a well-assembled, reliable welding inverter, which is also reasonably priced.
Also, French welding inverters can boast of their developments. GYS devices have built-in functions that other manufacturers do not have. For example, the “LIFT ARC” function. With its help, you can ignite an arc by simply touching the metal with the end of the electrode. Other brands have similar functions, but they work reliably only in very expensive models. Here this function is implemented even in devices for household use.
Also, from our experience, we can say that French devices are convenient and practical to use. The controls are intuitive; even a master who has spent his entire life cooking with just a transformer can handle the settings. These are reliable and productive inverters that will appeal to both beginners and professionals.
Peculiarities
However, it should be noted that many professional models of French devices are still sensitive to voltage. Manufacturers were not able to correct this problem 100%, so take this feature into account when working with professional French equipment. If you cannot provide a stable voltage, then it is better to power the machine from a fuel-powered welding generator. Then the work will be quick and easy.
Otherwise, French inverters are an excellent choice for those who need quality for less money. No Chinese device can compare with the French one. Neither in terms of build quality, nor in the quality of welded joints. The only competitor is the German inverter. But it costs several times more than the French one. In a word, the choice is yours.
We would buy a machine from GYS and enjoy welding. Especially if you cook at the dacha or in the garage. Due to lack of experience, you will not be able to understand which machine performs seams better: German or French. In this case, there is simply no point in overpaying.
Technical characteristics of GYS welding machines
Before choosing the welding machine you need, you need to familiarize yourself with its technical characteristics so as not to overpay for unnecessary functions. We will look at the capabilities of French inverters using the example of models with different characteristics and from different price groups. Lightweight devices will provide increased mobility, since their low weight allows them to be carried on a shoulder strap.
Heavier semi-automatic machines will allow you to produce high-quality welding of stainless steels and various alloys. Let's get acquainted with the capabilities of the following models:
- the GYSMI 125 MMA inverter weighs 2.8 kg and produces a welding current from 10A to 80 A, which allows you to weld with electrodes with a diameter of 1.6-2.5 mm with direct current;
- GYSMI 167 MMA+TIG LIFT ARC machine is used for arc (electrode up to 4 mm) and argon-arc welding with manual wire feed, weighs 4.6 kg, welding current from 16 A to 160 A, open circuit voltage 70 V, has a digital control panel ;
- semi-automatic inverter GYS Universal 3P, MMA+MIG/MAG, electrode up to 3.2 mm, wire from 0.6 to 1.2 mm, welding current from 28 to 150 A, weight 33 kg, equipped with an electrode holder and a torch with a Euro connector and a 3 m long hose, as well as cables and a reducer.
- three-phase inverter GYSMI TIG 250 AC/Dc TRI with a supply voltage of 380 V, weight 46 kg and current from 10 A to 250 A, with the possibility of argon arc welding on alternating current.
The simplest inverter is preferable for repair work at home and outside the city, since its weight of 2.8 kg makes it possible to work at heights and in hard-to-reach places. MMA+TIG devices, with their light weight, allow not only arc welding with consumable electrodes, but also argon-arc welding in a shielding gas environment of a wide variety of workpieces. Semi-automatic inverters are semi-professional units; when working here, special training is required.
It is important for all inverters to ensure that the cooling radiators are cleaned of dust to avoid overheating and failure of the power semiconductor elements.
