mig welder troubles
02-13-2008, 01:19 AM
#1
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: scottsdale, az
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
mig welder troubles Basically I am trying to get my mig welder to work. Its a millermatic 185, thats a 220 volt style welder. I have replaced the whole gun set up, earth clamp and cable, power switch, and messed around with the wire settings until they were perfect. the arc is raised off the metal and the weld pool never occurs. All it does it make random popping noises and sparks randomly are throw and little fires form off of them. arg! anyone have an idea?
02-13-2008, 05:44 PM
#6
Launching!
iTrader: (35)
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
By "whole gun set up", do you mean the whip and everything? Sounds like it could be a kinked liner. You might also want to check all of the lugs downstream of the transformer. I had a Hobart that had a similar issue due to loose lugs.
02-13-2008, 07:41 PM
#8
TECH Fanatic
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,516
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There are way too many variable to tell the problem with this. To much voltage without the proper wire speed will cause this. Most welders have a chart with them for basic settings for the thickness of material you are welding on. I would try these setting, then fine tune. If the welder still dosn't even come close on the factory settings, then you will need to take the machine to a weld shop to have it repaired.
02-17-2008, 10:06 PM
#10
TECH Addict
iTrader: (24)
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Webb City, MO...out in the garage
Posts: 2,610
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
if it's not something like voltage/amperage being way off, or a liner, it's probably your board. i guess it could be really contaminated gas too
02-19-2008, 12:04 AM
#11
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: scottsdale, az
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just checked this now. all the diodes are good (pulling 4.4ish), put on brand new gun/earth clamp and cable, the continuity on the voltage tap assembly is good as well.
The problem ended up getting worse. I can crank the voltage all the way up along with the wire speed and it won't even burn a hole in exhaust tube.
Does a shop need to test the circuit board? Or is that something one can do with stuff at home?
The problem ended up getting worse. I can crank the voltage all the way up along with the wire speed and it won't even burn a hole in exhaust tube.
Does a shop need to test the circuit board? Or is that something one can do with stuff at home?
02-19-2008, 11:21 PM
#12
I know this doesn't happen very often but I had a contaminated bottle of Argon give me the run around today with my Synchrowave 250dx. Tried all sorts of cleanin solutions, a few different filler rods and all sorts of flow rates and no matter how hard I tried I was getting crazy oxidation on the aluminum. I was begining to think the stuff I was welding on changed alloys and had magnesium or something in it. I'm sure you've already checked but you might want to try swapping bottles out for something else.
02-20-2008, 01:00 AM
#13
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: scottsdale, az
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
its just a mig welder so I do not think its the gas. I have used mig wire before without gas and am able to get a decent pool (nearly no penetration though) so I do not think that is the problem. I am going to fiddle with it for a few more days, after that I will go see the welder doctor.
02-20-2008, 01:06 AM
#14
its just a mig welder so I do not think its the gas. I have used mig wire before without gas and am able to get a decent pool (nearly no penetration though) so I do not think that is the problem. I am going to fiddle with it for a few more days, after that I will go see the welder doctor.
02-20-2008, 09:27 PM
#15
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: scottsdale, az
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The wire I have used is for gas wire. Using for gas wire minus the gas makes welding not ..... weld 
I am going to try and get the circuit board tested at a shop on monday, unless there is a way to test it at home. Do you know of a way? Is it simply just a continuity test from one side of the board to the other? Sometimes I think maybe its the wire feeder, but a bad feeder shouldn't cause my weld to go crazy.
I am going to try and get the circuit board tested at a shop on monday, unless there is a way to test it at home. Do you know of a way? Is it simply just a continuity test from one side of the board to the other? Sometimes I think maybe its the wire feeder, but a bad feeder shouldn't cause my weld to go crazy.
02-20-2008, 10:11 PM
#16
There are way too many variable to tell the problem with this. To much voltage without the proper wire speed will cause this. Most welders have a chart with them for basic settings for the thickness of material you are welding on. I would try these setting, then fine tune. If the welder still dosn't even come close on the factory settings, then you will need to take the machine to a weld shop to have it repaired.
i agree ,there are alotta things that could cause this.
one of my new guys had this problem and he didnt have the machine grounded correctly ( duh ) and ended up getting fired a week later for some other **** ( everyone says there a welder these days)...
02-20-2008, 11:27 PM
#17
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: scottsdale, az
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I recognize there are a lot of possibilites, so I am trying to knock out as many as I can. Brand new gun setup (so the torch, liner, plug in, whole deal), new earth clamp and cable. The diodes are came out really good. I reset all the wire tensions (when I got the welder it was cranked down so tight I couldn't even turn it by hand), All connections I was able to find were good. I will take a video of the welding and a picture of the weld. Hopefully that might give someone an idea.
02-21-2008, 12:27 AM
#18
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: scottsdale, az
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
first here is a video
http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...t=MVI_0199.flv
here is a picture of the "weld" produced by the video
voltage tap 4, wire above 70
No pool or wire mound was formed; just a bunch of smoke, black and brown colorings on the metal, and a whole lot of nothing
http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...t=MVI_0199.flv
here is a picture of the "weld" produced by the video
voltage tap 4, wire above 70
No pool or wire mound was formed; just a bunch of smoke, black and brown colorings on the metal, and a whole lot of nothing
Last edited by romoranger; 02-21-2008 at 12:35 AM.
02-21-2008, 12:38 AM
#19
Checked out the video, definately sounds like crap. The black around the weld has me concerned with oxidation. I know we kinda said something about the shielding gas but now I'm pretty sure of it. What are you using to shield? Tri-gas, CO2/argon, argon, or straight CO2? Also what brand of wire and part number of wire spool are you using? I have a hard time believing its a board if its welding that much, especially if the diodes are good, all they're really doing is transforming a/c current to d/c with diodes and changing voltage/amperage with some transformers.
I could also maybe see some contamination from poor surface prep but that isn't the root cause of this problem.
I could also maybe see some contamination from poor surface prep but that isn't the root cause of this problem.
02-21-2008, 02:31 AM
#20
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: scottsdale, az
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just sort of used that piece and threw the video together real fast. I am using the CO2/argon mix. The ones I didn't show are when I was using voltage taps 1,2, and 3 and I was able to get a small pool going, although it still sounded like crap. I have also run this same tank of gas in my little 135 volt welder. I got a ton of spatter with it, but other than that it seemed ok. I will try to exchange the gas out tomorrow if I get a chance.