Patent ID: 7755000

Claim:
A welding system comprising: a portable power source constructed to generate a power signal suitable for welding-type operations and housed in a suitcase enclosure; a gas supply inlet passage in the suitcase enclosure to provide a shielding gas from a gas supply; a torch connectable to the suitcase enclosure, the torch comprising a spool gun constructed to receive a spool of consumable wire; a connector constructed to connect the torch to the portable power source and transmit both welding power from the portable power source and the shielding gas from the gas supply to the torch; a multi-pin control connector attached to the connector and configured to provide identification data regarding the torch; and a wire feeder housed in the suitcase enclosure, wherein the welding system is configured to selectively disable operation of the wire feeder housed in the suitcase enclosure in response to the identification data.