R-tech ac/d 161 settings

[Utukku]

Guys, I have been given a box load of 1mm & 2mm aluminium plate to use as practice pieces. Can anyone tell me the optimal settings and tungsten size before I get cracking? I'm hoping to make a day of it tomorrow.

My main reason for the practise, is so that I can try to weld up an aluminium cube made of 2.5mm box section.

Cheers

 

[Wallace]

If you have a read through here you should be able to get most of the information you need to get up and running.

 

[Richard.]

Start off with a 1.6 ceriated tungsten grind it sharp with a small flat on the end.
Keep your balance 65-75% DCEN as you really do not want that tungsten balling up too much with thin material. Go for around 50-60 amps to start and see how well your puddle comes through. Start with 100Hz and increase it if you want to narrow that arc further. Obviously there is a massive difference between 1 and 2 mm thickness so tune your kit up and down from these rough guidelines to suit the thickness you chose.
Use a pedal if you have one it will give much more control on thin stuff. You will copper or thicker Ali to soak up the heat out of your work peace also. There is loads of tables and calculators available to get you somewhere near.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I agree with most of what Richard said apart from the choice of Tungsten, I prefer Zirconiated over Ceriated for AC as it gives a more stable arc.

 

[Richard.]

I agree with most of what Richard said apart from the choice of Tungsten, I prefer Zirconiated over Ceriated for AC as it gives a more stable arc.

Yeah, I've not got on as well with Zirconiated for thin stuff as I've always found it loses it's point too quick. Could be my settings though. I do use lanthanated also for it and again I think they are also good for thin Ali.

 

[Richard.]

Zirconiated,(white) Ceriated(grey) and lanthanated(gold) are all good for AC welding with an inverter like yours. Have a play to see which ones you prefer. Some carry current better others hold a point better and so on. There is no written rule on which to use it's down to the welders preference.

 

[Richard.]

I've just read that back to myself and carrying current and holding a point is kinda the same thing but you get what I mean

 

[Utukku]

Well, been at it for an hour or so.. And run out of tungsten. Within 1 min the tungsten burns all the way back into the cup.
My settings are:
Base current 55 amps
Up slope 3secs
Down slope 3 secs
Post flow about 9 secs
AC freq100
AC balance 50%
Gas flow 12 lpm

 

[Richard.]

ac balance is set too far into the DCEP (cleaning ) for a 1.6 tungsten. What colour or type of tungsten have you got. set it at 75% DCEN. Gas flow is almost double what you need try around 6-8 LPM. Usual rules apply regarding clean the Ali. Use a SS wire brush and scrub it in one direction. Wipe down your consumables (acetone is good for this).

 

[Utukku]

I've been using a white thrilled tungsten.

 

[Richard.]

Post a pic of the front of your machine how you have it set and I'm sure some of the RTech owners will point it in the right direction.

 

[Utukku]

Will do

 

[Richard.]

I've been using a white thrilled tungsten.

Personally this is not the cause of your problem but I believe it will help if you can change it to grey or gold as I find they do keep there point better but as posted before it is a matter of opinion. Defiantly increase your balance though or they will all ball up. You should only apply the minimum amount of DCEP % needed to create that initial puddle and keep the weld clean. Too much and a tungsten that small won't take the strain. Start high an the DCEN side to save your remaining tungstens and decrease it until that weld pool looks like a mirror. You should see two tungstens with Ali welding. Yours and it's reflection.

 

[Utukku]

Thanks for your advice, off to buy some more. Tapatalk won't post my picture for some reason, so will do it later at home.

 

[Richard.]

Get some 2.4 ones a swell if your gonna start a job with 2.5 mm Ali afterwards these would be better suited for that as you will need to increase the current.

 

[Richard.]

Ok so I wanted to try out some conditions to help you on. This is just a straight bead sat on top of a small 1.5mm plate. 55amps 70% DCEN 100hz 1.6 grey tungsten sharpened. In the next pic you can see the tungsten has formed a small ball of around 0.5 mm. If I want to reduce that ball size I'll just the balance to 75%.

 

[Richard.]

 

[Utukku]

Ok, just back from BOC. Now a few quid lighter with gold 1.6 & 2.4 lanthinated and 2.4 grey (that's all they had)

 

[Richard.]

Give it a whirl mate let me know how ya get on.

 

[Utukku]

Right, as I'm understanding it, the AC balance. (which goes from 30% - 70% on my machine) . Basically controls the amount of cleaning to penetrative.
I've tried it at 30% using gold 1.6 at 55amps and it balls up right back into the shroud. The same at 70% and 50%. Gas flow set at 6-8 lps