By: Dave Osland

Dave Osland — Sun, 31 Oct 2021 02:19:24 +0000

DON’T buy a 220 if you intend to use it for any srtick welding!Having had 4) 220’s used by our Tig students, we (welding school) upgraded the rest of our shop with 22 (yes, 22!) 220’s to free up space by using 1 machine to instead of multiple machines to cover Mig, Tig and Stick.
Big mistake!!!
Immediately had multiple complaints from our SMAW students..
The 220’s have only about 45 open volts in regards to the stick function- barely enough to get a 7018 rod fired up. (Even Harbor freight has 85 open circuit volts). I didn’t know this until looking into possible reasons the machines would barely fire up a rod.
The machines don’t have enough “umph” to get a rod going. Continually “sticking” problems trying to fire up an electrode (no, we don’t use the machine for 6010 rods). After a few sticking rods, the units overload and shut down. To use the 220 as a stick welder, a 1/8″ 7018 has to have the machine set to 60 Dig and 140+amps or sticking will be a continuous issue, and if you can get the rod burning, you’re way out of perimeters to run a decent bead.
Per our salesman and Miller rep- “90% of 220 buyers will never use the welders to run stick”.
O.K., maybe that’s true, but I feel Miller dropped the ball regarding the SMAW function and threw it into the machine to get in on the MP (multiprocessor) market.
Miller is hiding in the bushes about this and says we should have known better than to buy the units because we had already own them!
I wouldn’t be surprised to get that response from a Chinese off brand sold on the internet, by not from Miller who prides themselves on their reputation.
A big thumbs down on the MP220 and Miller for putting this machine out there with the Miller name on them. BTW, we/I own and use multiple Miller welders year in and out…
Dave Osland
Welding Instructor
Cabrillo College, Aptos, Ca.

Comments on: Miller Multimatic 220 Review [Updated for 2023]

By: Dave Osland