Miller 185 MIG Welder Specs

Miller Electric manufactures a variety of electric arc welding machines for use in industrial, commercial and hobby applications. The Millermatic 185 is a self-contained metal inert gas (MIG) welding machine that uses a consumable wire as an electrode to conduct electricity into the welding piece. The electric arc melts the wire electrode as well as the project metal to fuse them into a single joint. Like all MIG welding machines, the Millermatic185 uses inert gas to shield the weld from airborne contaminants that may weaken the joint.

The manufacturer's user manual rates the welding output level for the Millermatic 185 at a maximum of 150 amperes at a setting of 23 volts of direct current (DC). As the speed the MIG wire is melted is correlated to the amperage setting, Miller indicates that setting the Millermatic 185 to 150 amperes will allow up to 650 inches per minute of linear welding. The Millermatic185 is rated at 30 amperes for its lowest level of output.

The Millermatic 185 weighs 165 pounds without MIG wire or a tank of inert gas installed onto the machine. It also measures 37 inches long, 27 inches high and 18 inches in width.

The Millermatic 185 is capable of welding with steel, stainless steel and aluminum MIG wire a maximum of 0.035 inches and as small as 0.023 inches in diameter. The machine is also capable of welding flux core MIG wire in diameters as large as .045 inches.

The duty cycle of a MIG welder is a 10-minute period that is divided as six minutes of continuous welding and four minutes of allowing the machine to rest. This cycle prevents the machine from overheating. A duty cycle of a welding machine is described as the percentage that the welder can meet this six to four ratio at varying amperage settings. Miller rates the Millermatic's 100 percent duty cycle at 115 amperes; the 80 percent duty cycle at 130 amperes; the 60 percent duty cycle at 150 amperes; and 35 percent duty cycle at 200 amperes. Therefore, the higher the amperage setting, the more frequent the machine will have to rest to avoid overheating.