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Portable welding has always been limited by one thing: A plug. Up until now, if you wanted to lay a bead in a remote place, you’d either need a really long extension cord or some type of generator. “But why not batteries?” we hear you ask, “They’re the basis for everything portable these days, from smartphones to drones. So why not welding?”
“That’s an excellent observation and a suspiciously convenient set-up for this article,” we reply.
The issue has been that while welding requires quite a large amount of power in quick bursts to create an effective arc. The technology simply wasn’t possible to achieve the required voltage and amperage… until now.
Miller’s newest Stick/TIG machine is introducing a battery-powered revolution to the world of welding. The Venture 150 S is completely battery-operated, meaning no generators or extension cords. In this article, we’ll take you through exactly what that means and help you understand if the Venture is right for you.
26.5 lbs and That’s It
Often, when we talk about the weight of a machine, we’re not factoring in absolutely everything needed to actually use it, such as gas cylinders or a power source. But if you’re truly considering portability, you should. After all, the new ESAB HandyArc might weigh just 6.3 lbs, but to use it in remote locations, you’ll need a 100+ lbs generator.
With the Venture 150 S, you’ll be carrying around 26.5 lbs, and that’s all. Think about that: You can literally throw this in the front seat of your vehicle, and you have everything you need to start stick welding. For off-road enthusiasts, that is the ultimate solution to repairs on the road. For farm and maintenance welders, imagine how incredibly convenient that would be!
The Venture 150 is also capable of TIG welding up to 160 amps. With TIG welding, you will need to carry a shielding gas cylinder with you, but you’re still looking at one of the most portable TIG solutions ever.
Impressive Features
Being battery-powered might be the most impressive part of the Venture 150 S, but it’s definitely not the only thing. This machine has some of the best stick welding tech available today.
For instance, the Venture includes Miller’s Hot Start tech: Adaptive control that provides positive arc starts without sticking. The arc performance is also very impressive, allowing you to weld more difficult rods like E6010 with ease.
The venture also comes with Miller’s Lift-Arc Tech, Thermal Overload Protection and a bunch of new advancements that lower the machine’s energy consumption when not needed, so you can get the most out of your batteries.
It’s also important to mention that the batteries on the Venture 150 S are easily swappable, meaning that with multiple batteries, you can essentially weld nonstop. While there are technically other battery-powered welding machines available, very few have replaceable batteries, and none of the batteries besides those made by Miller have been engineered specifically for welding.
Is the Venture 150 S for you?
We’re going to give you a very honest and clear way to decide if you should be considering the Venture 150 S.
First, will having an incredibly portable machine benefit you? Do you weld in a variety of locations, sometimes without easy access to a power supply? Or, do you weld in a garage or workshop where space is limited, and having a machine you could easily pull out and put back would greatly benefit you?
Second, do you want to Stick weld (TIG is also a possibility)? Stick rods are fabricated with shielding gas in the electrode, which is released as you burn the rod. That’s why you don’t have to have separate shielding gas cylinders. This makes Stick welding incredibly portable, but Stick won’t work in every situation or with certain types of metals.
As we’ve mentioned, the Venture is also capable of TIG welding, though it should be noted that the equipment that comes with the machine is only for Stick welding. You’ll need to purchase the additional equipment needed for TIG separately.
If you answered yes to the questions above, you should absolutely check out the new Venture 150 S. Just make sure you purchase from Welding Supplies from IOC. We have the best customer service in the business, and all our machines are at the best prices possible.
