Old welder with new machine = problems.. please help?

[mantakev]

Hi. I recently made the jump from an old clarke machine to what was called a professional mig. I've used loads of peoples mig set ups over the years and always had good results.
This is my new machine


I am using new wire and argon/co2 mix at 13 lpm




The tip is clean and gas passages clear enough to blow away grinding dust



But the problem is my welds are porous and I don't know what's going on?
From the lowest setting I get this



Mid setting I get this


To the highest setting ( amps) all plugged into a 16A supply I get this
( I'm embarrassed to show this) I upped the gas lpm for this too..



All using 0.8 copper coated quality wire and clean steel

Has anyone any ideas what the hell I'm doing wrong?

 

[wheresmejumper]

that flowmeter is showing 16,not 13 lpm
turn it down to 8 and try again

 

[mantakev]

So I'm using too much gas?
Oh balls, never had a flow meter before!

 

[wheresmejumper]

yeah there is such a thing as too much gas,seems strange at first
but its the first thing you should check,as those bubbles in the weld/porosity are usually down to a shielding gas issue.

 

[Wallace]

It's that manky old Manta metal you're welding! How sad am I noticing a Manta front panel upside down on your bench?

Looks like not enough gas or contamination from the material such as paint or seam sealer burning. Have you tried running some beads on clean material?

 

[arceyered]

If all else fails

Is it a new bottle of gas ?
You can sometimes get a contaminated bottle of gas ?
if suspect try it on another welder.
Or could be sucking in air some where along the gas line through a loose connection or damage, also check that there is a little O ring on the gas spiggot on the Euro connecter.

 

[arceyered]

Addition
Just a thought years ago in the long distant past I used to repair welding machines for a living.
I had to go and have a look at a New Telwin in Darlaston that had the same issues ,Pull the trigger and the gas flowed try to weld and it was full of porosity.

It turned out to be the mutual conductance from the main transformer acting on the gas valve switching it off when welding current flowed.

Repositioned the gas valve and it worked ok this was on a new machine which we repaired under warranty and a report was forwarded to Telwin.

If its a new Machine I would contact the seller .

 

[Wallace]

As you have a flowmeter inline leaks are easy to test for. Flip the wirefeed roller up and pull the wire back to the tip or out completely so it cannot feed, pull the trigger and set the flowmeter fairly high around 15/20lpm. Check that the flow rises to the same point each time the trigger is pulled then keep the trigger down and block the nozzle. The ball/bobbin in the flowmeter should drop to the bottom once the pressure equalizes. Any movement indicates a leak between the flowmeter and nozzle.

I used to do similar tests over the phone with patients on long term oxygen therapy to save sending an engineer. I found a major leak on my Tig welder purely by chance after 3 years of using it by fitting an old WP9 torch that had a flow valve on the torch, I tried regulating the flow and the Tig started hissing. Should have checked that when I took it out of the box 3 years earlier!

Just had a thought, how are you regulating the flow, with the flowmeter control or the regulator? Check the flowmeter knob is open fully then adjust the regulator to get 6/8lpm and try welding on some clean sheet and see if you get the same problem.

Mike

 

[Wendelspanswick]

You can loosen the pinch rollers and place a rubber glove/balloon/condom (which ever you happen to have handy) and place over the nozzle to confirm pressure at tip.

 

[arceyered]

Hello mantakev
Did you find and fix the problem ?

 

[Wallace]

He's probably sat in the Opel Manta owners position I know so well; head in hands sobbing quietly!

 

[mantakev]

thanks for the ideas fellas
I'm still getting porous welds, i did have a small gas leak at the crimp just below the flow meter. Did that but still getting porous welds, they are horrible.
I'm going to see if the gas gives porosity on a different welder with a different weldererererer
Gas coming out of nossle, 8lpm
Oi! manta manky metal.. its like welding kit kat wrappers together

 

[Wallace]

I used part of a Manta upper steering column in the week for the front feet on my shrinker/stretcher stand, nice bit of material.

 

[Woody.v8]

Hi. I recently made the jump from an old clarke machine to what was called a professional mig. I've used loads of peoples mig set ups over the years and always had good results.
This is my new machine


I am using new wire and argon/co2 mix at 13 lpm




The tip is clean and gas passages clear enough to blow away grinding dust



But the problem is my welds are porous and I don't know what's going on?
From the lowest setting I get this



Mid setting I get this


To the highest setting ( amps) all plugged into a 16A supply I get this
( I'm embarrassed to show this) I upped the gas lpm for this too..



All using 0.8 copper coated quality wire and clean steel

Has anyone any ideas what the hell I'm doing wrong?

As per the 4th pic, You are welding with a shroud aren't you

 

[mantakev]

As per the 4th pic, You are welding with a shroud aren't you

good spot but yes I am

 

[Richiew]

Looking at the pictures I don't think that the metal you are welding is clean enough. Can you try welding on a few clean offcuts of fresh steel and check if you still get porosity?

In your pics you seem to be welding to a lot of brown, oily and corroded metal which would cause the porosity you have shown. Especially in your last two pics.

 

[mike 109444]

What is the "quality wire" brand? It has happened before that someone post up pics of poor weld that they then changed to another brand of wire and all ok.

 

[k13wjd]

I've had issues like that before, turned out to be caused by the previous use of a rust killing product.


Perhaps try welding some known clean steel......

 

[mantakev]

Solved
I got soooo fed up of the welds it just had to be a shielding problem.
For the sake of £25 I got a new bottle of Ferromax
Test welds with new gas....

So it looks like the last gas bottle I received wasn't any good?
Different torch angles used to test it wasn't just the gas being blown off and they all welded ok.
Been using the new gas on the car all day and the welds are great

 

[Wallace]

Did you register a complaint?