Hi All,
Excuse the mammoth post
Recently my 105EN has started going off the boil.... The standard earth clamp was looking tired, so I bought a nice clamp from Weldequip and fitted it today, and gave it a try:
On 1mm mild steel sheet, on gas (definate flow of gas), started with max setting (2, Max) blew a hole through, no probs. On 1 Max, Was popping as if wire feed was out (usually 5-6). Tried with the 1 and 2 min power settings, same popping, not sustaining an arc.
Next I adjusted the wire feed with one hand whilst welding with the other.... got down to speed 3 on the dial, and got a nice arc on the two higher settings, but got a fairly poor arc on the min settings.
No real penetration on the lowest settings, I would describe the welds as 'cold'. The higher two settings would weld ok, but penetration was way down on what the welder is capable of. Even on max settings, it's struggling to penetrate 1mm sheet. I noticed that the weld would get poorer in the last minute before the thermal cut off came on.
Basically, anything over 3 on the feed dial, and it won't sustain an arc, just pops and burns the wire back. At feed setting of 3 welds ok on higher settings, but is down on power. The lower power settings are ok from cold, but as the welder warms up, the arc won't sustain, even at 3 on the feed dial.
I've changed the earth clamp, wire feed is working well, gas is flowing ok and wire is clean. Nothing looks burnt out inside, and the welder is nice and clean inside. The earth clamp was stone cold when removed from the steel after welding, which makes me think it's not an earth problem, else I'd expect it to be hot.
Wish I'd checked the voltages for each power now, but ran out of time tonight.
Any ideas?
Cheers,
Mark.
Excuse the mammoth post

Recently my 105EN has started going off the boil.... The standard earth clamp was looking tired, so I bought a nice clamp from Weldequip and fitted it today, and gave it a try:
On 1mm mild steel sheet, on gas (definate flow of gas), started with max setting (2, Max) blew a hole through, no probs. On 1 Max, Was popping as if wire feed was out (usually 5-6). Tried with the 1 and 2 min power settings, same popping, not sustaining an arc.
Next I adjusted the wire feed with one hand whilst welding with the other.... got down to speed 3 on the dial, and got a nice arc on the two higher settings, but got a fairly poor arc on the min settings.
No real penetration on the lowest settings, I would describe the welds as 'cold'. The higher two settings would weld ok, but penetration was way down on what the welder is capable of. Even on max settings, it's struggling to penetrate 1mm sheet. I noticed that the weld would get poorer in the last minute before the thermal cut off came on.
Basically, anything over 3 on the feed dial, and it won't sustain an arc, just pops and burns the wire back. At feed setting of 3 welds ok on higher settings, but is down on power. The lower power settings are ok from cold, but as the welder warms up, the arc won't sustain, even at 3 on the feed dial.
I've changed the earth clamp, wire feed is working well, gas is flowing ok and wire is clean. Nothing looks burnt out inside, and the welder is nice and clean inside. The earth clamp was stone cold when removed from the steel after welding, which makes me think it's not an earth problem, else I'd expect it to be hot.
Wish I'd checked the voltages for each power now, but ran out of time tonight.
Any ideas?
Cheers,
Mark.