Need help with Miller spot welder. It's a LMSW-52. I bought at auction
while back and don't really have a steady use for it, but sometimes
something comes up and I'll try it. At first it would weld but now I can't
get any heat out of it. The transformer hums but no weld. Any tips on what
to check or look for would be greatly appreciated. Anybody have one of
these?
kk

Miller has manuals for almost all of their "modern" products; yours
should be he http://www.millerwelds.com/om/o716b_mil.pdf
David



"kklein" wrote in message
...
Need help with Miller spot welder. It's a LMSW-52. I bought at auction
while back and don't really have a steady use for it, but sometimes
something comes up and I'll try it. At first it would weld but now I
can't
get any heat out of it. The transformer hums but no weld. Any tips on
what
to check or look for would be greatly appreciated. Anybody have one of
these?
kk

On my Miller, the top tong moves to clamp. It is electrically connected to
the welding supply with a stack of copper straps or braided copper flat
cable. Check the connections here and see if they broke.


"kklein" wrote in message
...
Need help with Miller spot welder. It's a LMSW-52. I bought at auction
while back and don't really have a steady use for it, but sometimes
something comes up and I'll try it. At first it would weld but now I
can't
get any heat out of it. The transformer hums but no weld. Any tips on
what
to check or look for would be greatly appreciated. Anybody have one of
these?
kk

Got the manual from that site. Not allot of help though. The thing is so
simple it shouldn't be hard to check out. Thanks
"David Courtney" wrote in message
...
Miller has manuals for almost all of their "modern" products; yours
should be he http://www.millerwelds.com/om/o716b_mil.pdf
David



"kklein" wrote in message
...
Need help with Miller spot welder. It's a LMSW-52. I bought at auction
while back and don't really have a steady use for it, but sometimes
something comes up and I'll try it. At first it would weld but now I
can't
get any heat out of it. The transformer hums but no weld. Any tips on
what
to check or look for would be greatly appreciated. Anybody have one of
these?
kk

Thanks for your reply. I will check that out.
"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
gy.com...
On my Miller, the top tong moves to clamp. It is electrically connected
to
the welding supply with a stack of copper straps or braided copper flat
cable. Check the connections here and see if they broke.


"kklein" wrote in message
...
Need help with Miller spot welder. It's a LMSW-52. I bought at auction
while back and don't really have a steady use for it, but sometimes
something comes up and I'll try it. At first it would weld but now I
can't
get any heat out of it. The transformer hums but no weld. Any tips on
what
to check or look for would be greatly appreciated. Anybody have one of
these?
kk

Four things needed for proper spot welds..Heat, current, time, and clean,
properly prepared tips of the proper material. Dirty tips are a likely
culprit, if you have used it before. It is a sensitive area. Lightly
sandpaper and retest. I assume you're attempting to weld steel? Nonferrous
materials like brass and such require capacitive discharge welders, in my
experience.

RJ

"kklein" wrote in message
...
Need help with Miller spot welder. It's a LMSW-52. I bought at auction
while back and don't really have a steady use for it, but sometimes
something comes up and I'll try it. At first it would weld but now I
can't
get any heat out of it. The transformer hums but no weld. Any tips on
what
to check or look for would be greatly appreciated. Anybody have one of
these?
kk

Measure the voltage on the arms when 'running'. Voltage ?

If so - then there is oxide in the threads and this limits the current
in the tips. Perhaps the almost pointed tips are plated. Look at them -
can they conduct ?

What are you trying to weld - some light steel strips ? or just the tips.

Martin

kklein wrote:

Thanks for your reply. I will check that out.
"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
gy.com...

On my Miller, the top tong moves to clamp. It is electrically connected

to

the welding supply with a stack of copper straps or braided copper flat
cable. Check the connections here and see if they broke.


"kklein" wrote in message
...

Need help with Miller spot welder. It's a LMSW-52. I bought at auction
while back and don't really have a steady use for it, but sometimes
something comes up and I'll try it. At first it would weld but now I

can't

get any heat out of it. The transformer hums but no weld. Any tips on

what

to check or look for would be greatly appreciated. Anybody have one of
these?
kk








--
Martin Eastburn, Barbara Eastburn
@ home at Lion's Lair with our computer
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 11:08:51 -0500, "kklein" wrote:

===Need help with Miller spot welder. It's a LMSW-52. I bought at auction
===while back and don't really have a steady use for it, but sometimes
===something comes up and I'll try it. At first it would weld but now I can't
===get any heat out of it. The transformer hums but no weld. Any tips on what
===to check or look for would be greatly appreciated. Anybody have one of
===these?
===kk
===


If the transformer is good, and the tongs are making a good
connection, I would zero in on the tips. MAke sure they are clean and
that the diameter of the tips do not exceed Millers recomended tip
diam size and that they align with each other and make full contact.
The metal your joining has to be relatively clean between them if its
near the max thickness of the limits of the machine. On thinner metal
it may work ok with slighly more dirty metals but the cleaner the
better. It sounds like your not making real good contact between the
sandwhiched layers of metal and the welding tips. Make sure there is
sufficient toggle / tong clamping pressure as well. Snug but not
overly tight.
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wifes,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

The only practical thing I recall using it for was to reweld an idler pulley
I'd replaced the bearing in. Two halves were thin steel stampings. Worked
pretty well though. Experimented with some stainless sheet material and
worked okay. When I last tried though the steel didn't even get hot. I
will check for oxidation. I remember an old weller solder gun that would
need periodic loosening and retightening of the tip to get it to heat.
Presumably oxide issues.
"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message
om...
Measure the voltage on the arms when 'running'. Voltage ?

If so - then there is oxide in the threads and this limits the current
in the tips. Perhaps the almost pointed tips are plated. Look at them -
can they conduct ?

What are you trying to weld - some light steel strips ? or just the tips.

Martin

kklein wrote:

Thanks for your reply. I will check that out.
"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
gy.com...

On my Miller, the top tong moves to clamp. It is electrically connected

to

the welding supply with a stack of copper straps or braided copper flat
cable. Check the connections here and see if they broke.


"kklein" wrote in message
...

Need help with Miller spot welder. It's a LMSW-52. I bought at
auction
while back and don't really have a steady use for it, but sometimes
something comes up and I'll try it. At first it would weld but now I

can't

get any heat out of it. The transformer hums but no weld. Any tips on

what

to check or look for would be greatly appreciated. Anybody have one of
these?
kk








--
Martin Eastburn, Barbara Eastburn
@ home at Lion's Lair with our computer
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

Loved your web site. Too many ideas to do. Always wanted to cast some
stuff and now I know exactly what to do with those satellite dishes.
"Roy" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 11:08:51 -0500, "kklein" wrote:

===Need help with Miller spot welder. It's a LMSW-52. I bought at
auction
===while back and don't really have a steady use for it, but sometimes
===something comes up and I'll try it. At first it would weld but now
I can't
===get any heat out of it. The transformer hums but no weld. Any tips
on what
===to check or look for would be greatly appreciated. Anybody have one
of
===these?
===kk
===


If the transformer is good, and the tongs are making a good
connection, I would zero in on the tips. MAke sure they are clean and
that the diameter of the tips do not exceed Millers recomended tip
diam size and that they align with each other and make full contact.
The metal your joining has to be relatively clean between them if its
near the max thickness of the limits of the machine. On thinner metal
it may work ok with slighly more dirty metals but the cleaner the
better. It sounds like your not making real good contact between the
sandwhiched layers of metal and the welding tips. Make sure there is
sufficient toggle / tong clamping pressure as well. Snug but not
overly tight.
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wifes,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.