A stupid question??

[Will_Davis]

I believe that the only "stupid" question is the one that's not asked!

So here it goes:

My Tig Inverter will also do Stick welds.

What happens if I set up the stick electrodes, set the correct polarity, and typical current for the rod, but leave the Inverter in the Tig setting?

Argon bottle is either off or disconnected!

Would this give me a HF start?

Would this work?

Is it something to do with constant current versus constant voltage?

Only curious!!

Will

 

[wheresmejumper]

if you still have the SIP,then there is a trigger on the tig torch to switch on so nothing should happen

 

[Will_Davis]

Dooh!, So much for posting at bedtime!

I'd completely forgotten about the switch. But I could use a switch fitted on the stick or the footswitch I made up (simple push-to-make footswitch from Maplin wired in parallel to the torch) to initiate the arc.

Am still wondering what would happen electrically as I believe one setting is constant current (Tig) the other is constant Voltage (Stick)

 

[hotrodder]

TIG and stick are both constant current, MIG is constant voltage (with a couple of oddball exceptions). Multiprocess machines/powersources are switchable between CC and CV
Flicking the TIG/MMA switch changes the volt/amp relationship some along with switching out the gas solenoid and the TIG start circuit

Volt/amp curve and 'arc force' in more detail here... http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/articles/index.php?page=article108.html
Stick welding with a TIG torch here, apart from the comment about the HF put tongue in cheek when reading... http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/stick-welding-with-a-tig.html

 

[matt1978]

My colleague at Lorch Netherlands sold a lot of our V series tig machines to a company who were welding with a lot of large diameter Basic type electrodes. Anyone who has used these electrodes knows that they can be a bit of a pig to re-strike.

We made an adaption to the machine and a electrode holder so they could have HF ignition on MMA. Worked superb.

 

[Will_Davis]

My colleague at Lorch Netherlands sold a lot of our V series tig machines to a company who were welding with a lot of large diameter Basic type electrodes. Anyone who has used these electrodes knows that they can be a bit of a pig to re-strike.

We made an adaption to the machine and a electrode holder so they could have HF ignition on MMA. Worked superb.

Ah Ha!!, Yes some of my rods are a "little past the best Before date"!

Come to think of they don't have a BBD! Do modern ones?

They have been kept dry for the last 25 years or more and once the arc strikes they are fine. Its just there are a Bu***r to strike.

They are only used for garden type mild steel projects but still all the scratch marks and stick-ons are a pita.

As long as it won't harm the machine (still new so under waranty) I will give it a go

Thanks for the info

 

[matt1978]

Hi Will, I didn't explain properly the modified units were being used in MMA mode. Not in Tig mode.

In Tig mode the HF might help you strike the arc but I don't think there will be enough voltage output to keep a stable arc by welding MMA in Tig mode

Give it a try and see, your not going to damage anything