This playbook gives technicians clear stop rules, substitution rules, and escalation thresholds for KickingHorse machines.
| Complaint branch | Stop at setup or accessory correction when... | Swap known-good external parts when... | Internal repair is justified when... |
|---|---|---|---|
| utility path, branch quality, and current return | branch voltage, clamp bite, or hot current-path hardware explains the complaint | a known-good clamp, holder, adapter, or shorter source path can still isolate it | the complaint stays identical on known-good power and known-good current path |
| support power, startup collapse, and fan-related behavior | weak outlet, switch path, fan issue, or loose support-power-side connection explains the blink or one-second shutdown behavior | a known-good source path or external power setup can still change the complaint | startup collapse remains after outlet quality, switch path, fan branch, and support-power-side connections are bounded |
| display, control, and feedback | display-only weirdness clears while actual welding stays healthy, or a stuck process-button or seating issue explains the complaint | a known-good display-side control branch or corrected seating can still isolate it | feed or output behavior still fails with display branch verified and baseline process proven |
| wire-feed, trigger, and torch-front-end | bare-wire feed, drive pressure, wire quality, torch-front-end assembly, or wrong wire-size setup corrects the complaint | a known-good gun, front-end stack, wire path, trigger branch, or correct source path can still isolate it | feed or arc complaints remain after external feed path, source path, and front end are proven |
| MIG-only versus shared power-source | one process is clearly healthy, the complaint is contained to one process branch, or the machine clears on a better source or sane inductance baseline | a known-good process-specific accessory path is available | the failing process remains dead after the healthy process is proven and the accessory path is swapped or bounded |
| plasma HF, control, and torch-stack | HF gap, air path, pressure, torch stack, or clamp placement resolves the complaint | a known-good SG55 stack or torch branch can still isolate it | no-HF, HF-no-OCV, or no-cut complaint remains after torch, air, clamp, and correct test-point proof are complete |
| package, accessory, and kit mismatch | the complaint appears only with one kit, one regulator path, one front-end stack, one process setup, or one optional package | a known-good official or package-correct accessory set is available | the complaint remains with the correct package and a known-good accessory substitution |
A100: current-path and branch-quality proof still come before internal repair more often than technicians expect; prove real 120 V / 20 A or a healthy 3 kW generator path, correct DCEN / DCEP, and a supported stick baseline first.A220: current-path and branch-quality proof still come before internal repair more often than technicians expect; prove real 208/230 V, ideally 50 A or healthy 5 kW, correct DCEN / DCEP, and a supported stick baseline first.MA200TS: if one process is healthy, hold the diagnosis in the process branch, support power, accessory kit, loose motor wire, or feedback branch first.F130: keep the machine on factory 0.035 in baseline first, or prove a proper 0.030 in conversion; do not count 0.023 in, DCEP wire expectations, or weak 120 V source behavior as internal evidence.M185: prove real 208/230 V, respect 40 A or 50 A time-delay breaker guidance for rated-output proof, and reset inductance before display-board escalation.P40: fresh front-end stack, dry air, about 65 psi / 4.5 bar, correct 1.5 mm HF gap, clean clamp, and the correct OCV test point are mandatory before control or HF-board escalation.A100: hard-start or weak-arc complaints that clear on correct DCEN / DCEP, a better clamp path, or a real 120 V / 20 A source are not internal faults.A100: improvised TIG complaints are not valid evidence against the machine because that process is not supported.A220: top-end weakness that improves on a real 208/230 V source, a stronger branch, or heavier external leads is not internal failure.A220: excess spatter or poor rod behavior after lead service can still be wrong polarity or current-path loss, not inverter failure.F130: wire feeds but welds poorly on the wrong wire-size setup. Correct baseline and source proof come before control-board suspicion.F130: breaker-trip complaints that disappear on a real 20 A branch or healthy 3 kW generator are not internal failures.M185: bad display with healthy weld can still be a display-feedback problem, not a main power problem.M185: soft starts or odd arc feel after panel changes can be inductance drift, not proof of a dead display PCB or output board.MA200TS: one process can be healthy while another fails. That is a branch split, not automatic proof of a dead shared power section.MA200TS: one-second shutdown can still be support power, switch path, or loose connection behavior before inverter failure.P40: no-HF complaints are often torch, air, clamp, or gap faults before they are HF-board faults.P40: false no-OCV calls happen when the reading is taken at the wrong point instead of the machine output with the HF wire unplugged.