New roll, amazing!

[Kent]

100% not the wire quality. Wire too slow, liner blocked, tip issues, roller issues even the wire feed motor running slower
But it's not the wire quality! You have a great long arc and that's impossible to create without too much power or the wire not feeding out fast enough

 

[Davek0974]

So far i have replaced etc wire feed roller, liner, tip, shroud, gas (ran out), earth clamp.

I have blown out inside the welder, video'd the feed and it seems constant.

If i reduce the feed i get the pop-pop-pop sound much worse which to me means too slow feed.

I am running 21v on 3mm steel with 0.8 wire, not looked to see current lately but i think i mentioned it earlier in this thread.

Its just totally random between short-circuit and what appears to be a hot globular transfer?

If anyone wants a specific test i am up for it - i have some scraps of the same steel and plenty of wire

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

What your wire feed speed? Be interesting to try your settings on a different machine

 

[Davek0974]

I'll have a look tonight - its at home.

 

[Davek0974]

Reading "The Fabricator" site, i see this...

Short-circuit Transfer
In short-circuit transfer, the electrode touches the work and short circuits, causing the metal to transfer as a result of the short. This happens at a rate of 20 to more than 200 times per second.
The advantage of the short-circuit transfer is its low energy. This method is normally used on thin material ¼ inch or less, and for root passes on pipe with no backing. It can be used to weld in all positions.

This mode of transfer generally calls for smaller-diameter electrodes, such as 0.023, 0.030, 0.035, 0.040, and 0.045 in. The welding current must be sufficient to melt the electrode, but if it is excessive, it can cause a violent separation of the shorted electrode, leading to excessive spatter. Using adjustable slope and inductance controls can enhance the transfer to minimize spatter and promote a flatter weld profile. Slope adjustment limits the short-circuit amperage, while inductance adjustments control the time it takes to reach maximum amperage. Proper adjustment of these two factors can produce excellent bead appearance and is essential for short-circuit transfer with stainless steel electrodes.

I've bolded out what seems the relevant bit, so it seems that I am running way to much voltage/current? Maybe the voltage readout is up the spout and Its gone too hot?

I would have wound up the WFS which then maybe gets me into the border between short-circuit and globular?

Maybe do some beads at 0.5v increments????

Any thoughts?

 

[normspanners]

I initially thought yours and mine were identical BUT,

Your machine is different to mine as mine is a 180 looking at the vid the welding wires seem to come out of the front and back in again , is it therefore a gas /none gas machine? --- and therefore are you using neg earth ?
also on the vid you have a metal washer for the wire reel to sit on, mine is plastic have you tried a very little amount of grease to smooth the reel rotation ?

 

[Davek0974]

yes its a gas/no gas

will be going out to have a play in a minute will check the feed reel

 

[ukracer]

Reading "The Fabricator" site, i see this...

Short-circuit Transfer
In short-circuit transfer, the electrode touches the work and short circuits, causing the metal to transfer as a result of the short. This happens at a rate of 20 to more than 200 times per second.
The advantage of the short-circuit transfer is its low energy. This method is normally used on thin material ¼ inch or less, and for root passes on pipe with no backing. It can be used to weld in all positions.

This mode of transfer generally calls for smaller-diameter electrodes, such as 0.023, 0.030, 0.035, 0.040, and 0.045 in. The welding current must be sufficient to melt the electrode, but if it is excessive, it can cause a violent separation of the shorted electrode, leading to excessive spatter. Using adjustable slope and inductance controls can enhance the transfer to minimize spatter and promote a flatter weld profile. Slope adjustment limits the short-circuit amperage, while inductance adjustments control the time it takes to reach maximum amperage. Proper adjustment of these two factors can produce excellent bead appearance and is essential for short-circuit transfer with stainless steel electrodes.

I've bolded out what seems the relevant bit, so it seems that I am running way to much voltage/current? Maybe the voltage readout is up the spout and Its gone too hot?

I would have wound up the WFS which then maybe gets me into the border between short-circuit and globular?

Maybe do some beads at 0.5v increments????

Any thoughts?

Sorry but my thoughts are you should be following your thoughts in post 40.

A call to Daz explaining they have no loan machine available so could he ensure it gets turned around as quick as possible might help....

 

[Davek0974]

What your wire feed speed? Be interesting to try your settings on a different machine

240 IPM

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

Drop the voltage or increase the wire feed speed that seems very low! You could probably increase to nearly 350inches a minute, but not sure off top of my head what I am running at that voltage

 

[Davek0974]

Varying WFS from 180 to 140IPM makes little difference, both welds at same speed/stickout


Using the rough setting of 1A per .001" gives me 120A for 3mm and using the 2x formula for 0.8mm wire gives 240 IPM feed, the voltage was then adjusted to give 120A which resulted in 22.4v

It seems ok, very hot, but the toes are fused well and its flat. Still inconsistent though, turn things down and it starts to get rougher. Can certainly be made to go globular though

What settings would you guys reckon on for a 3mm fillet weld on 0.8mm wire and Argoshield light??

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

This is off miller weld settings app, reccomends between 21-22v and 280-300 Ipm for 3,2mm

 

[normspanners]

Have you checked polarity BAC? somebody did it on the one that we used for rallying, swapped it to no gas then put it back as was, so next time on gas it was a PITA.

 

[Davek0974]

Drop the voltage or increase the wire feed speed that seems very low! You could probably increase to nearly 350inches a minute, but not sure off top of my head what I am running at that voltage

Pretty sure it won't go that far, possibly get 320-330" at the limit

 

[Davek0974]

Have you checked polarity BAC? somebody did it on the one that we used for rallying, swapped it to no gas then put it back as was, so next time on gas it was a PITA.

Never been taken off of gas, i'm the only user as its in my shed

 

[Davek0974]

This is off miller weld settings app, reccomends between 21-22v and 280-300 Ipm for 3,2mm

The lid-chart on mine only gives voltage, nothing else and that was 21-23v for 3mm so seems similar.

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

Try and run close to those setting and see how you go, you've tried everything else maybe time to forget your calculations and step into the unknown!

 

[Davek0974]

Pretty certain i went there before, at 22v the WF is maxed out to get a decent condition but IIRC it still was not very stable, i think that was about 140A

I'll try again tomorrow night to make sure.

 

[normspanners]

you could try and make a choke to go in your output lead all you need is some cast iron drain pipe and welding cable wrapped around it that might help smooth it out and help stop spatter.

 

[Davek0974]

its got an adjustable one, seems not to make too much difference though, usually i just leave it half way.