Okay, I'm still alive, my 110 service has been converted to 1/2 size breakers, 2 new circuits (no more tripping over drop cords for THIS boy!) and I've got room for the 220 breaker and the outlet - size and location to be determined - seems half of working on a car is getting the garage in order.
I like the Maxstar for its size, and the fact that I could use it on a 110 circuit in a pinch, but at 150 amps at 220V, the duty cycle drops to 30%. Will 150 amps running 30% of the time give me sufficient heat for motor mounts or axle perches? As light as it is (what, 15 lbs!?), there can't be a lot of copper in the transformer, and I worry about the heat it would produce internally. Does it use some sort of a switching power supply? I know that type of technology is being used in audio amplifiers to varying degrees of success, and schematically, amplifiers look rather similar to welders.
Thanks to all!
Chris