Incorporated 330 Club Springs Road Elmwood, TN 38560 Phone: (615) 897-2011 Fax: (615) 897-2023 E-Mail: contact@zena.net

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Index of Frequently Asked Questions

Subject Category	Question
Which Model to Buy	I have a '99 Tahoe pickup truck. I want your 150 amp., 100% duty welder. You have more then one 150A welder listed. Which model should I order?
Welder Installation	How long does it take to install if I do it myself?
	Can I do it myself?
	Is installation difficult?
	Do you have installation kits?
	If we use the ZENA welding power generator as the vehicle's alternator, does welding drain the battery?
	Does the unit require a certain rpm range from the host motor? I figure they might require at least 3000 rpm or so.
	Can the ZENA 150A welder be hooked up to an electric start 5hp motor (with a 12v starting battery and a small motorcycle alternator for charging and power for welder control circuits) -- and become a portable welder? Do you have plans & kit to assemble this setup?
	I have one of your competitor's products --- an alternator type combination welder and power unit with 120V DC power. I'm using it on a Ford Diesel 3/4 ton 4x4. The unit is very marginal in its ability to weld. My diesel engine red lines at 3700 rpm -- apparently not fast enough to get enough welding power. (I had to put a 2” pulley on the alternator to get it to do as well as it does.) What engine rpm does your ZENA unit need to get at least close to full power?
AC Power Supplies	Does the ZENA welder provide power for electrical tools? How does it work, and how much extra does this cost?
	How would I take 120V off one of these units for my grinder, etc.?
	Is there a ZENA welder with 115V AC output?
	Does your Power Tool Power Supply provide DC power? I have heard that a "chopped DC" is much easier on switches etc. Is this what you do, and do you have any comments on this?
	Do you use capacitors in your power supply?
DC Power Supplies	Why do you so stridently recommend AC power supplies? What about using the DC output of you ZENA welder to directly power tools? I heard that this can be done. Wouldn't this be cheaper and/or easier?
Power Generator	Is the Power Generator an automotive alternator?
	Why don't I have to vary the engine speed when I'm welding?
	Should I install the Power Generator in addition to my existing alternator, or should I replace my alternator with the Power Generator?
	Can more than one ZENA welder be attached to a single engine?
	What is the aluminum case that is attached to your power generator? Is this a voltage regulator or does it control the welder?
	What is "high-frequency" DC? I thought that DC meant unchanging voltage (like a battery)?
	What is the benefit of ZENA's high frequency DC to a weldor? Is it some sort of square wave?
	I don't understand what you mean when you refer to "controlled variations" in welding current. Is this a TIG welder?
System Controls	Do you have pictures available of your control mechanism? Is it a solid state unit? Are large capacitors used? Where is it installed?
	I see that your have controls on your electrode holder/welding handle, are there any other controls, switches or gauges in your system?
System Reliability	Will the ZENA welding system stand up to commercial use?
	Is the ZENA system easy to service?
Other	How are people using ZENA mobile welders?
	Will a ZENA welder function as a MIG power supply?
	Is a MIG welding torch attachment available for your welders?
	I've been looking at your welding system. I didn't see any information about MIG, TIG, or Flux Core welding using your welder as the supply. I'm more interested in the MIG and Flux Core possibilities than the TIG.
	Are you looking for distributors in our area?
	I currently own a "red" 225 amp welder, and was amazed when I saw your product. I couldn't believe how small it was, and what it put out!
	I am curious if your 150A welder can be used as a TIG welding power source? Since it is 100% duty cycle, and high frequency, I figure it can.
	Do you have information regarding using the ZENA welder as a MIG or TIG power source?

I know that I can have the system installed for me. BUT, how long does it take to install if I do it myself? AND can I do it?

Many variables affect installation time -- type of vehicle, skill/experience of installer, space available, method of installation, if accessories/add-ons are also installed, and if have to be fabricated. However, the table below shows some typical times/costs (including bracket fabricate where needed) for professionally done, first-time, welder-only installations.

• NOTE 1: We used the pro's reported first-time installation times, and then doubled that to estimate the time that a do-it-yourselfer might take.
• NOTE 2: Time to plan an installation, to "figure out what to do", is not included in these estimates since this varies significantly from installer to installer. Some installation plans are so elegant and/or elaborate that we do not even show pictures of these installation solutions here on our web site. The illustrations that we use depict the more typical installation solutions used by the majority of professional installers and do-it-yourselfers. To make the planning process quicker we depict an number of typical installations here in our web site (see SITE MAP) and in our installation manuals.

* NOTE: Often value added resellers include the price of installation in their selling price.

You are best qualified to determine if you have the ability to do an installation yourself. Most of our commercial clients have skilled maintenance personnel who are well able to perform the simple tasks involved. However, we recommend that do-it-yourself installation should only be attempted by individuals who are both skilled in the use of power tools and who are familiar with the electrical and mechanical systems of the vehicle in which the welding system is to be installed.

One of the best ways to make this decision is to look at the many installation photos in our web site pages and in our printed installation materials (available to you free of charge in printed form or as downloadable Adobe Acrobat .pdf files --> go here to order/download these materials)

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The ZENA mobile welding system power generator looks something like an automotive alternator. Is that what it is?

NO, it's NOT an automotive alternator. Its internal functioning, design, and construction is much more similar to other high-end welding power generators -- but more compact, thanks to our advanced technology

To keep costs low and to make installation easier, we do use automotive alternator cases for the front portion of our Welding Power Generators. However, the internal components are not standard automotive components. Far from it! In fact, that's why we often refer to it as a welding power generator rather than an alternator. To name just a few of many performance and/or reliability features:

• We use special hand-wound rotors and stators. Made to our own specification they contain so much additional copper and iron that it's easy to feel the substantial difference in weight between our power generator and a "standard" automotive alternator which is similar in size.
• We custom build our own high-power bridge rectifier assemblies. (The rectifiers in our 150 amp. welding power generator can handle over 300 amps. -- and our 200 amp. model can handle over 500 amps.)
• Our 5/16" output connection terminals (in all models) are just what they appear to be -- and more. Specially fabricated in our machine shop, they are highly conductive 5/16" bolts with very large internal contact surface areas capable of transmitting sustained currents of more than 500A without failure. They are not small diameter (1/4" or less) machine screws or bolts equipped (cosmetically) with large visible end studs.
• All electrical components are electrically isolated from the case.
• Special provisions for extra cooling are made.
• All controls are proprietary (patents pending) designs.
• All moving parts (bearings, brushes, etc.) are the heaviest duty components available.

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Will the ZENA welding system stand up to commercial use?

YES! All ZENA welding systems are designed for 100% duty commercial/industrial use. We don't make anything less and our warranty has NO limitations or restrictions on commercial use.

And we're not guessing. The long-term reliability of the ZENA system has been proven by hard, real-world, commercial use in the USA and other countries. For example, ZENA 150 and 200 amp welders have been used for daily maintenance tasks (7 days/week, 24 hour/day work schedules) in underground mines for over 2 years are still working, without a single system failure, in severe environmental conditions where conventional mobile welders typically fail in a year or less!

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<---- Go Back   Go to Top of Page   See More Questions The ZENA mobile welding system is manufactured in the USA by ZENA, Incorporated and is sold with a 36 month limited warranty. You have no risk if you buy on-line, all units are sold with a 60-day money back guarantee of satisfaction. ZENA™ is a trademark owned by ZENA, Inc. for its welding systems and related products. US & Foreign Patents Pending © Copyright 1998,1999, 2000 by ZENA, Incorporated. All rights reserved. [an error occurred while processing this directive]