I periodically use a miller wire feed welder at work but lately it doesn't work so great.

I am not an ace welder by any means but usually I can weld something if I can position the
workpiece that doesn't embarase me.

We use .035 copper clad wire, a co2/argon mix for shield gas.

I don't get that frying bacon sound while welding but instead get a sound that makes me
think the wire is burning up in flight if that makes sense. I've played with wire speed
and voltage (yes, this thing has voltage instead of current markings).

I used another welder in another part of the shop and the difference was like night and
day. I don't know where to start troubleshooting this thing. Ideas?

Wes

Wes wrote in
rec.crafts.metalworking on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:46:50 -0400:

I periodically use a miller wire feed welder at work but lately it doesn't work so great.

I used another welder in another part of the shop and the difference was like night and
day. I don't know where to start troubleshooting this thing. Ideas?

Wes

Check the tip where the wire feeds out of the gun. It unscrews, and
will need to be replaced from time to time. Then check the drive
rollers that feed the wire from the spool. They can get gunked up,
and cause poor feeding. Also, check your ground clamp and wire. If
you don't have a good ground you won't get a good arc.
--

Dan H.
northshore MA.

Wes wrote:
I periodically use a miller wire feed welder at work but lately it doesn't work so great.

I am not an ace welder by any means but usually I can weld something if I can position the
workpiece that doesn't embarase me.

We use .035 copper clad wire, a co2/argon mix for shield gas.

I don't get that frying bacon sound while welding but instead get a sound that makes me
think the wire is burning up in flight if that makes sense. I've played with wire speed
and voltage (yes, this thing has voltage instead of current markings).

I used another welder in another part of the shop and the difference was like night and
day. I don't know where to start troubleshooting this thing. Ideas?

Wes

First of all what make and model of welder? Can you watch the voltage
as you are welding? A bad connection somewhere in the loop is a likely
problem, but it could also be something internal in the welder itself.
I would compare the voltage reading while you are welding with the other
good working welder. You can feel is the wire is not feeding properly.
I would look over the tip and make sure that the holes for the gas are
open and there are no leaks in the feed system.

What does the weld itself look like? It could be possible that the gas
you have is not what it should be. I've seen tanks filled or labeled
wrong, it doesn't happen very often but it can happen.


John

My own thinking: to make good welds, you need to have a good technique
(you already have it), correct voltage at all times, correct feed
speed, and proper gas flow.

So. You already have a good technique and check the remaining
factors.

Get your buddy to help.

1. Have him monitor voltage while welding
2. Have him monitor feed speed by watching the spool turn, to see if
it feeds unevenly.
3. Stick a flowmeter in the gas line to see if the flow is consistent
with what you want it to be.

Somewhere above you will probably find your answer. Check the liner
too.

i

"Wes" wrote in message
...
I periodically use a miller wire feed welder at work but lately it doesn't
work so great.

I am not an ace welder by any means but usually I can weld something if I
can position the
workpiece that doesn't embarase me.

We use .035 copper clad wire, a co2/argon mix for shield gas.

I don't get that frying bacon sound while welding but instead get a sound
that makes me
think the wire is burning up in flight if that makes sense. I've played
with wire speed
and voltage (yes, this thing has voltage instead of current markings).

I used another welder in another part of the shop and the difference was
like night and
day. I don't know where to start troubleshooting this thing. Ideas?

Wes

I'll add that my Century can reverse the polarity. If yours can reverse,
make sure it's correct.

On Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:57:45 -0500, Ignoramus23519
wrote:

My own thinking: to make good welds, you need to have a good technique
(you already have it), correct voltage at all times, correct feed
speed, and proper gas flow.

So. You already have a good technique and check the remaining
factors.

Get your buddy to help.

1. Have him monitor voltage while welding
2. Have him monitor feed speed by watching the spool turn, to see if
it feeds unevenly.
3. Stick a flowmeter in the gas line to see if the flow is consistent
with what you want it to be.

Somewhere above you will probably find your answer. Check the liner
too.

i

I would suspect slow feed, no gas or wrong gas, but in any case Ig's
troubleshooting procedure looks right to me.

"Wes" wrote in message
...
I periodically use a miller wire feed welder at work but lately it doesn't
work so great.

I am not an ace welder by any means but usually I can weld something if I
can position the
workpiece that doesn't embarase me.

We use .035 copper clad wire, a co2/argon mix for shield gas.

I don't get that frying bacon sound while welding but instead get a sound
that makes me
think the wire is burning up in flight if that makes sense. I've played
with wire speed
and voltage (yes, this thing has voltage instead of current markings).

I used another welder in another part of the shop and the difference was
like night and
day. I don't know where to start troubleshooting this thing. Ideas?

Wes

Can you give a little better description of the sound, or what the wire is
doing? Is it burning back to a globule on the end of the wire? Are you
feeling the wire poking the base metal? The first is if the speed is too
slow. The second too fast.

What do your finished welds look like? Do some on the flat and see if you
can arrive at a happy medium. On most makes, there is a chart on the
inside of the door that will give you some guidelines and parameters.

A problem with MIGs is the control board, that senses what the machine is
doing while welding and makes adjustments. It also stops the machine if
something gets too far out of kilter. This is one of the most common things
electronically that can go wrong with it.

Other than that, how old is the liner? If very old, go to a .045 liner no
matter what size wire you run, it can be oversized and not make a
difference. Check the tip as stated by another poster. Check the rollers
for looseness. Check the nut on the reel so it's not too tight. Several
basic things, but once they are all okay, it's time to have it checked
electronically by someone who knows.

My buddy just got his Miller fixed, and it was $250 for a new control board.
Hope yours is something simpler.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?
Read up and prepare.
Learn how to care for a friend.
http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

On 2010-10-12, Don Foreman wrote:
On Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:57:45 -0500, Ignoramus23519
wrote:

My own thinking: to make good welds, you need to have a good technique
(you already have it), correct voltage at all times, correct feed
speed, and proper gas flow.

So. You already have a good technique and check the remaining
factors.

Get your buddy to help.

1. Have him monitor voltage while welding
2. Have him monitor feed speed by watching the spool turn, to see if
it feeds unevenly.
3. Stick a flowmeter in the gas line to see if the flow is consistent
with what you want it to be.

Somewhere above you will probably find your answer. Check the liner
too.

i

I would suspect slow feed, no gas or wrong gas, but in any case Ig's
troubleshooting procedure looks right to me.

Thanks. No gas would still let him "weld", but the weld would
immediately be characteristically rusty looking (in addition to being
bad). I welded with no gas just to test a bunch of welders for sale,
that is how I know.

i

On Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:46:50 -0400, Wes
wrote:

I periodically use a miller wire feed welder at work but lately it doesn't work so great.

I am not an ace welder by any means but usually I can weld something if I can position the
workpiece that doesn't embarase me.

We use .035 copper clad wire, a co2/argon mix for shield gas.

I don't get that frying bacon sound while welding but instead get a sound that makes me
think the wire is burning up in flight if that makes sense. I've played with wire speed
and voltage (yes, this thing has voltage instead of current markings).

I used another welder in another part of the shop and the difference was like night and
day. I don't know where to start troubleshooting this thing. Ideas?

Wes

First of all...what is the brand and model?

Gunner


I am the Sword of my Family
and the Shield of my Nation.
If sent, I will crush everything you have built,
burn everything you love,
and kill every one of you.
(Hebrew quote)

John wrote:

Wes wrote:
I periodically use a miller wire feed welder at work but lately it doesn't work so great.

I am not an ace welder by any means but usually I can weld something if I can position the
workpiece that doesn't embarase me.

We use .035 copper clad wire, a co2/argon mix for shield gas.

I don't get that frying bacon sound while welding but instead get a sound that makes me
think the wire is burning up in flight if that makes sense. I've played with wire speed
and voltage (yes, this thing has voltage instead of current markings).

I used another welder in another part of the shop and the difference was like night and
day. I don't know where to start troubleshooting this thing. Ideas?

Wes

First of all what make and model of welder? Can you watch the voltage
as you are welding? A bad connection somewhere in the loop is a likely
problem, but it could also be something internal in the welder itself.
I would compare the voltage reading while you are welding with the other
good working welder. You can feel is the wire is not feeding properly.
I would look over the tip and make sure that the holes for the gas are
open and there are no leaks in the feed system.

What does the weld itself look like? It could be possible that the gas
you have is not what it should be. I've seen tanks filled or labeled
wrong, it doesn't happen very often but it can happen.


Sorry for asking a question and not getting back with details. This week I've had days
where I focused on one thing or another and had to stay with it all day to get it done.

I'm not getting signs of no shield gas, I know what that looks like, I get high welds no
matter what I do. By high, I'm not getting penetration. This is a welder where I normally
set wire speed to a certain number, voltage to another setting and generally weld away
with minor tweaking.

The welder at the other end of shop is same model so I can do some comparasons like
monitoring voltage during welding as suggested.

I'm only working 1/2 a day tomorrow and covering for another tech that will be out while
convering my areas so I may not get back to the welder until next week.

Thanks to all for the various suggestions,

Wes

On Mon, 11 Oct 2010 23:37:02 -0500, Ignoramus23519
wrote:




I would suspect slow feed, no gas or wrong gas, but in any case Ig's
troubleshooting procedure looks right to me.

Thanks. No gas would still let him "weld", but the weld would
immediately be characteristically rusty looking (in addition to being
bad). I welded with no gas just to test a bunch of welders for sale,
that is how I know.

i
I do it every now and then when I forget to turn on the gas. But it
doesn't sound right when I do that so I stop to see what's wrong.

"Wes" wrote

I'm not getting signs of no shield gas, I know what that looks like, I get
high welds no
matter what I do.

No shielding gas will give spongy black welds. A high profile means too
cold. If you turn it up and it's still a high bead, something's wrong
inside, or with the power level controller. Or circuit board. Or all.
Sounds like time for a trip to the welder hospital.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?
Read up and prepare.
Learn how to care for a friend.
http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

Wes wrote in
rec.crafts.metalworking on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 23:04:16 -0400:


I'm not getting signs of no shield gas, I know what that looks like, I get high welds no
matter what I do. By high, I'm not getting penetration. This is a welder where I normally
set wire speed to a certain number, voltage to another setting and generally weld away
with minor tweaking.

Did you move this welder to another location in the building? A long
run of marginal wiring might not supply enough power to the machine.
--

Dan H.
northshore MA.