flooded fab shop

[Txblazerkid]

Hey guys I need some help. My company has an operation on Galveston island that was severely flooded due to the storm surge from ike. :mad3: The fab shop had close to 8' of water in it.:eek: The operations manger is calling everything in the shop a total loss and just scraping it all. This includes 4 welding trailers with either a miller trailblazer or a big Lincoln diesel welder, several older miller matic power supplies, a couple tigs, a few plasmacutters, a ir screw type compressor, and anything else that was electric that could of been effected by water.

I was told I could have some of of the equipment if its ok with upper management. What im curious to find out is since this stuff was under salt water can any of it be refurbished and used? Would be nice to have a welder for the trailer when we go wheeling.

Thanks

[cabletech]

I'd be on it all like fat kid -> cupcake. Get it home, take it apart, clean it up, plug it in. If it doesn't work, well, go to the next item. Just make sure everything is clean and dry before starting. TAKE IT APART before powering it up. Maybe clean with distilled water to wash away salts. Good luck.

[rfr002]

x2 I'd be all over it. If something can't be fixed sell it for scrap.

And if you don't want it let me know when to show up with my trailer.

[dopeassjackson]

you can never say no to free stuff.

[OneTonK5]

A buddy of mine used to work a shop called Welding Machine Hospital and worked on all kinds of welders...lots from a local papermill. The first thing they did to them was steam clean them...dont run them wet but cleaning shouldnt hurt them.

[Myanarchy]

I'd tell them I'd take everything for free if they'd just let me haul it off:D

[Todd W]

Haven't you seen the commercials on TV?.... "Minor Water Damage.... errr... Slightly Used" ;) :flipoff2:

[bigdaddylee82]

We got 20+ years out of an old Lincoln stick welder that was a freebie from a flooded dairy processor. Don't know about salt water, but just becuase it got wet doesn't mean that it's toast. I'd be glad to take it if you don't.

- Lee

[Todd W]

Some parts at least should work.

[ToddRH]

Older machines might be ok, take it apart and clean it. Motors, relays, and transformers are gonna be the only things you need to inspect really good. I would only worry about the newer stuff with any unprotected circuit boards.

[PTSchram]

ose it off right away with good clean water, then soap and water to everything, let it dry well before powering it up and I suspect you'll be surprised at how little damage was suffered.

While salt water IS corrosive, time and moisture levels are the killers. Immersion didn't do them any good, but again, it probably didn't do THAT much damage.

[rugburn]

WD 40 is your friend after a good washing.

They sell it by the gallon, 5 gallon pail and 55 gallon drum.


Stock up and use a spray bottle or pressure tank.


Good Luck

john

[cbrogers]

Particularly watch any device that was plugged in or had a battery in it when submerged.

We had bad flooding here several years ago and anything that had a battery suffered almost immediate total failure of the wiring. Usually you can tell because the wire will be rotted off at the connection point.

As quickly as you can wash everything well with Clean water. And do use the WD-40 it is good for displacing the water. But you do need to get that salt out of every crevice that you can.


Carl

[Nickm]

Hook me up. I don't have power from the hurricane yet and I could use a welder for a back up generator. I wouldn't mind have a back up in case this ever happens again.
Are you on the island? Do you live around here?

[Wyoming9]

I hope your project works out.

Me myself I would go for it but as a welder repair tech.

I gotta state that Miller will not advise the repair of welders in a flood . If I put a thousand dollar board in after doing all the checks board goes poof, You bought a board. the unit still doesnt work.