Blindingly bright arc.. what am I doing wrong? Also balling up filler.

[carl0s]

Every now and then (certainly a couple of times during tonight's half hour practice session), when I start up, the arc is blindingly bright. I mean it's about 50% like I'm not using the mask, or to put it another way, it's about 5 or 10 times brighter than the normal arc that I see (through mask of course). It leaves me dazzled a bit.

I thought it might be because I was too close, and had the arc gap too small. Or perhaps that I am making contact, but I'm pretty sure that on the last time this happened tonight, I wasn't making contact.

Hope you can help, but also while I'm asking questions, and rather than starting a new thread.. My other problem, still, is that I seem to keep balling up the ends of the filler rods. Is this simply because I haven't got the feeding technique sussed? It seems like the arc is attracted to the end of the filler. I haven't been able to master this "backing-off of the torch while dabbing the filler into the pool" business at all yet really.

 

[Hitch]

What heashield are you using, has it got sensitivity control?

 

[FranV8]

Carlos, I had the same problem(s), using a generic auto darkening mask:-

Mask - as Hitch says, you probably need to uP the sensitivity of your mask. That's the control inside the helmet, not the one on the side. The thing that got me was that you turn it the opposite way to which the label suggests to up the sensitivity. Test the effect by bringing the mask up to a garage light, that should be enough to make it auto darken. It looks like the arc is "flaring" from in the mask when it does it doesn't it?

Balling of the filler- you're holding it too close to the weld area, you need to keep it further away (but not too far, I'd say anything up to an inch) an then quickly dab it in and out of the EDGE of the weld pool. You shouldn't really need to move the torch out of the way as you do this.

 

[pedrobedro]

The bright light sounds like a mask problem not the welder. The rod balling is probably due to the angle you are holding it at. You need it nearly flat to the metal at about 90° to your torch tungsten and slide it in under the heat to just touch the front of the weld pool. Don't move the rod too far out as it needs to be shielded by the gas coming out of the cup.

 

[matt1978]

As Pedro says, the problem with the wire will be due to incorrect torch angle. And is even more apparant with Aluminium filler wire.

There isn't any reason to move the torch to co-incide with the dabbing of the filler wire. The torch should remain constant. Anything else is bad practise and incorrect. (Not withstanding Weaving) but I hope you know what I mean

 

[Engineer]

Cheaper welding shields are often not much use for low amp TIG, as they are simply not sensitive enough.

 

[Wozzaaah]

^ wot 'ee says.

If you look at the specs for headshields they will often tell you if they're suitable for low amp tig work, if it doesn't, find one that does to ensure you don't end up with the wrong type.
Low amp work simply doesn't provide enough light to trigger the sensors on some masks and can often result in no darkening or flickering.
Be very careful of your positioning too, failure to darken or lightening during welding is often caused by something being between the arc and the sensors.

 

[FranV8]

After I adjusted mine the RIGHT way, it has been fine ever since. But I can adjust it so that holding it up to the fluorescent tubes in the garage triggers it from 18" away.

Today I've been back on welding 1mm aluminium, so was probably sub 30 amp in places, no flickering.

 

[hotrodder]

Pretty much all been said but filler wire/torch angles of attack are covered with here with video... http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/tig-technique.htm and with diagrams for different joint types here... http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/improving-your-skills/tig/ (note the Miller guide is a bit on the sloppy side with regards to arc length).

 

[carl0s]

Oh right, I am glad I asked now. I really didn't think it was the mask.
It's a Speedglas 9000V. I just checked and I had the sensitivity about only about a quarter up from minimum.
While we're talking about the mask, do you know why it has two sets of numbers for the shade setting? One with a red TIG style torch in brackets, and the other just with pictures of different welding types? I have it set like this:

I have been testing the mask by just looking up at the fluorescent tube light, and it darkens when I do that. I had presumed that that meant it was at least as sensitive as it needed to be, but perhaps the small size of the arc changes things.

 

[Normsthename]

Some masks will not work with certain TIG plants, I had a real nightmare finding a mask that worked with my Nexus TIG
I tried 3 or 4 masks and none would work at low amps with my TIG plant.
I ended up with a Speedglass 9002x that works perfectly.

Andy

 

[carl0s]

It may have a lot to do with my positioning. It has been fine about 9/10ths of the time.

^ wot 'ee says.
Be very careful of your positioning too, failure to darken or lightening during welding is often caused by something being between the arc and the sensors.

 

[carl0s]

As Pedro says, the problem with the wire will be due to incorrect torch angle. And is even more apparant with Aluminium filler wire.

There isn't any reason to move the torch to co-incide with the dabbing of the filler wire. The torch should remain constant. Anything else is bad practise and incorrect. (Not withstanding Weaving) but I hope you know what I mean

This has been a great help and I have now laid some lovely beads. Only a few mind you, but progress is definitely being made.

 

[Big Mick]

I've got a Speedglas 9000v

The red numbers are for the TIG function. You set the sensitivity to deal with the ambient light conditions where you are welding. Switch the mask on, select whatever TIG (red) shade you need, look at your workpiece then adjust the sensitivity until the mask darkens and then back it off slightly until it lightens again. this setting will be different for different situations.
What it does, is allow the mask to darken at low arc light levels which are encountered when striking a TIG arc with a ramp up or pulse function. This is not needed with MMA and MIG welding, as there is effectivley no ramp up in arc strength/brightness.

Cheers, Mick.