How to Know if You Want a Better Foot Pedal for Your AHP TIG Welder - Kevin Caron

Caron is playing with the stock foot pedal for the 2015 AHP AlphaTIG 200X TIG welder. He says that, if you have one of these pedals, you know they have some idiosyncracies.

The 2015 pedal for the AHP doesn't have the rheostat control for adjusting the amperage like the one the earlier models, which he says is a good thing. What drives him crazy with this foot pedal, though, is that when he puts his foot on it, lifts up and presses again, the pedal wants to scoot out from under his foot.

After a while, that gets pretty annoying - you have to keep reaching under the bench and pulling the pedal back toward you and get it in the right spot.

The cool thing is that it pivots just like a gas pedal in a car. It also has a sticky surface on the bottom and nonskid material on the top so your foot will stick to it, and it has a bigger surface area.

Now Caron is ready to try out some low arc initiation with both the stock pedal and the SSC aftermarket version. He wants to see how low he can get it to light an arc and see if there is any difference. He's never done this, so it will be news to him, too.

The AlphaTIG 200X is ready to go. Caron is using a 3/32 E3 tungsten and straight argon. He has his main amps set at 50 - that means that's as high as the welder can go if he depresses the pedal all the way. He's going to just barely touch the pedal, though, to see how low he can go ....

The amps bounce around a little but start at 0 and go up to a high of 18.

Using the SSC pedal with everything else set the same, Caron tries it with minimum amps. He pushes it up to 25 amps, but as Caron points out, the two pedals are pretty comparable electronically. The big difference is ergonomics. How does your foot feel? How does your ankle feel?

Caron likes this pedal, something he bought himself.

Or take a moment at the very end and see Caron caught off guard ....

[thomruble]

hey Kevin, really enjoy the videos! I know you already have the new pedal but try this with the old one. turn it around and put your heel on the top of the box and toes on the control. Tried one of these and did this, made it alot easier to control and it didnt slide around.

[sjbl]

Thanks for posting this video Kevin, I just got my AHP Alpha TIG 200X today.Looking forward to playing with it.

[patrickroy]

I attached a thin plate to the bottom with a small lip at the back that catches my heel. it doesn't slide around any more and works fine.

[joewest]

I am considering buying one of these newer foot pedals when I finally get my welder. I just recently ordered it, however I also think the larger piece of plywood screwed down from the bottom is a great idea. But, how about this in addition. What if you added to that a small piece of plywood to just lay it on top of the foot pedal and was hinged behind your foot, and attached to the bigger piece of plywood with a small door hinge or something of that type from Home Depot. Then when you're pressed on the small plywood it would press down on the foot pedal and act just like the forward controlled style foot pedal. I'm also thinking it's got to be easy to get a spring to replace the poem spring under there that's got less tension. Just saying, those foot pedals are pretty expensive and there may be a cheaper option for a cheap old guy like me. Especially when you mentioned that electronically they seem to be about the same I can't understand having to spend an extra $175 or so until I try out another style of adapter for the foot pedal. Even an old bass drum pedal laid over the top and hinged from behind. That would reverse the action of the OEM foot pedal. Anything before I spend that much money.

[Kevin_]

I have a Miller wireless pedal on my syncrowave. I welded for 30+ years with the clunky miller foot pedal and was given the wireless as a gift. I would never have bought it for myself as its big $$$. I'm spoiled with it, not having to have one more thing to shove back and forth under a project. Just pick up the pedal and carry it around the shop when moving to another weld position.

[CharlesStruble]

Hey guys, I'm thinkin' any one of us who does call and order one of these should mention that we learned about it from Kevin Caron.  Hey, can't hurt...

[CharlesGallo]

I think it might also be a difference in idea. I _JUST_ started taking TIG lessons from my wife's boss (using an old Square wave) and the regular pedal HURTS, but then again, we are welding STANDING, so basically you are having to stand on one leg and rock. I turned the pedal around (backwards) and being able to put my weight on my heel and squeeze the pedal gave me better control
I wonder if the AlphaTig pedal is really designed to be used STANDING

[mmattster]

Hi Kevin can you tell me who makes your welding helmet sweat band it looks very comfortable ? Thanks for the great vids.

[PeterAgostiniJdcap]

Weld.com know  their stuff  , great product.

[quietmale]

Facebook only allows me to like your page it doesn't have an option for friend or follow requests, and the first thing i thought of when i saw the title was the foot control from weld.com even before i saw the video lol great tip and video

[tptrsn]

I was watching this video because I have a hard time achieving low amp control with my 2015 and 2016 versions of the AlphaTig 200X. I was excited to see how the SSC pedal did, but then your stock pedal did well I don't mind the ergonomics of the stock pedal, so has it turned out that the SSC pedal provides any better control, or should I just save my money?

[Mrz]

Sorry Kevin, the guy who added the wood to his pedal was on Weldingweb.com Not on Weld.com that's "Mr.Tig's" web site

[expediter]

Hi Kevin- try this... put the ball of your foot up on the square part, and press the pedal with your heel  OR  turn it around, put your heel on the square part and press with your toe.

[messylaura]

new to your channel and like the info and vids, is there anything you can do to improve the sound quality, you often sound far away and to higher pitched

[Greenjeans]

I screwed a deck board (5 quarter] to the bottom of it and added skate board tape to the board. The board is long enough for my foot. Doesn't slide around and the skate board tape keeps my foot in place.

[shreddder]

Couldn't you just put a rubber mat under the pedal? I buy a certain rubber door mat at Lowe's and put it under bench grinder stands. It stops them dead in their tracks. It grabs both on the top and on the bottom of the mat.

[robotmotor]

hey Kevin like the foot pedal wish to try it .. thanks for the video

[sylvanenergy]

I see you two are having too much fun again. That's a much nicer pedal design I am putting that one on the list.

[fmarthur]

Kevin
Do they have a wireless one like I have on my miller 200dx?

[TreBlaNoJ]

will this pedal also work on the improved 2016 model?