Miller Electric Mfg. Co.’s new Trailblazer series of engine-driven welder/generators — the Trailblazer 275 and Trailblazer 325 are built for general construction, structural steel, maintenance and repair, mobile fabrication, and farm and ranch applications.
The units reduce fuel use by as much as 35 per cent, extend runtimes by 50 per cent, reduce noise by 68 per cent, and provide a smaller and lighter footprint for ease of mobility and more space on work trucks.
Two technologies anchor these new welder/generators: Smart-Cor technology and Auto-Speed. Smart-Cor technology provides independent weld and generator power, ensuring no interaction between the welding arc and jobsite tools such as grinders and chop saws. Welder/generators without this capability can cause fluctuations in the welding arc when a load is simultaneously applied to the generator, creating an erratic arc. Auto-Speed technology automatically adjusts the engine speed to run at lower speeds determined by the load applied to the machine. Whereas other comparable welder/generators operate at 3,600 rpm at all times, the new Trailblazer series varies its output based on demand. For instance, welding with a 1/8-inch Stick electrode can be accomplished at idle speeds of 2,400 rpm. This significantly lowers fuel use and cost, and helps reduce noise in the work area rather than having a machine constantly running at full speed.
Two recommended options on the Trailblazer 275 and 325 significantly improve fuel efficiency: Excel power and Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI). Excel power is a new and exclusive technology from Miller that allows users to run most jobsite tools at idle speed (2,400 rpm) — saving fuel and reducing noise. In traditional welder/generators, the machine immediately ramps up to 3,600 rpm when a generator load is applied. With Excel power, users get 2,400 watts of pure 120-volt, 60-hertz generator power (completely separate from the machine’s standard generator power). This provides powerful and clean generator power, and allows users to run tools and low-amperage welding arcs simultaneously at idle speed.
EFI optimizes the air/fuel ratio for reduced fuel consumption, longer runtimes, fewer emissions and superior performance compared to carbureted models. It provides more reliable starting performance in cold climates, requires no choke, and is less prone to fuel deterioration due to infrequent use. When added together, these technologies allow for runtimes up to approximately 19.5 hours on a single 12-gal tank of gas, and annual fuel savings up to $1,600 (based on typical usage[1]).
[1] 150 amps welding 40 percent of the time; 20 amps generator power 30 percent of the time; and idling without load 30 percent of the time.
