clarke 135te wire feed problems

[bennyy]

Hi, I have the above welder, but it has started to play up and come to use it over the weekend and it is un useable, whenever I press the trigger, the wire feeds through and either snaps or jams just before it goes into the liner, do I need a new liner?

Thanks in advance

 

[madkayaker]

Try a new tip, check the tension on the rollers and a new liner. Check that the wire is clean and not rusty. I recently had the same problems with my machine and it was down to the wire not being rolled on the spool correctly. In one afternoon of trying to get the job done went through 4 tips!

 

[bennyy]

I gave tried a new tip, I will also try a new liner, but now you mention it, the wire is not wound tightly on the spool

 

[bennyy]

Just had a quick look, and bird nesting is the name used, I have exactly this problem, also the welder has not been used for about 6months, could it be a combination of rusty wire and liner? I didn't notice it looking rusty though.

 

[shenion]

Rusty wire will quickly plug up the liner and not feed well.

I'd get new a new liner and wire.

Also check the liner runs up close to the feed rollers. It can get pulled away.

 

[bennyy]

That was the next thing I noticed, inbetween the rollers and the start of the liner there is probably an inch of space. Possibly a combination of all 3 then

Thankyou

 

[bennyy]

Right so I changed the wire, tip and shroud and it made it better, but still bird nests after 2 or 3 mins of welding, is the liner the only thing it could be? I have a metal liner fitted already so looks like its been changed before.

 

[Coo]

Take a picture if you can...people may see something immediate

 

[keith19]

Is the reel adjustment set too loose, so the reel rotates ahead of itself every now and then, and the wire comes off and starts to birdsnest?

The wire feed rollers need setting to just pull the wire through, and the reel itself should be rotating just enough to let off the required amount of wire.

If set too loose the reel may rotate another half way around or more, enough to start the wire coming off.
Observe if there is any unevenness in the way the reel rotates in use, make sure it fits snugly on its spindle.
This can also happen if the reel is big for the machine, and the wire feed motor struggles to pull evenly.

 

[bennyy]

I will try again tomorrow with the reel tension, although I think its about right.

 

[Lanzecki]

I've the same welder (10 years) and had a similar problem last year

I changed the liner even though I don't think it needed it, and gave it a new tip.

You should be able to reduce the tension to a point where if the wire jams in the liner or at the tip the drive will slip on the wire therefore it shouldn't birds nest. I have to spool tension set to 'reasonably' tight. Hard to tell, but the reel doesn't float free.

The biggest change I made was a wire cleaning pad and a small can of what looks like lighter fluid. Or the can does. The soaked pad goes on just before the wire feed. no problems since.

Ahh, my welder hates extension leads the motor speed changes a lot if it's on a extension lead. But that's probably a poor power supply from the local power station.

I almost forgot, The disposable bottles don't give enough gas flow. USe a proper bottle and you'll be able to bring the torch further away from the weld, that'll mean less chance of the wire sticking to the tip, and even less chance of birdsnesting.