Clarke 180 EN Manual Error

[clevinski]

I've just read some older posts here about errors in the Clarke manuals, so I decided to check the one that came with the 180 EN I just bought and haven't hooked up yet. (Because I have yet to run a 230 VAC line for it, before someone asks...)

I think whoever wrote this thing has inhaled too many welding fumes, because it makes no sense. The workpiece thicknesses are in inches in strange, non-standard fractions, which appear to be conversion or typo errors, so I've converted them here to mm to make like easier.

0.6 mm Wire
0.4 mm: Min 1
0.4-0.8 mm: Min 2
0.8-1.2 mm: Max 1
1.2-1.6 mm: Min 3
1.6-2.4 mm: Max 2
2.4-6.4 mm: Max 3

0.8 mm Wire
0.4 mm: (not recommended)
0.4-0.8 mm: Min 2
0.8-1.2 mm: Min 3
1.2-1.6 mm: Max 1
1.6-2.4 mm: Max 2
2.4-6.4 mm: Max 3

This makes no sense at all that I can discern. For example, they recommend Max 1 as lower than Min 3 for 0.6 mm wire, but the opposite for 0.8 mm wire.

Is there somewhere that I can find a correct chart or at least the correct sequence (E.G., Min 1, Max 2, Min 2, Max 2, etc) for the 180 EN?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Wozzaaah]

I think the settings just go min 1, 2, 3 and max 1, 2, 3, simple as that, looks like they've just got the 3rd and 4th lines muddled up. Putting a voltmeter between the contact tip and the return clamp and pressing the trigger will tell you which settings are which, you will see a step in DC volts with each switch combination.

Edit, in actual fact it's 1 min, 1 max, 2 min, 2 max, 3 min, 3 max according to this post where someone has done the voltmeter thing.

 

[clevinski]

OK, Wozzaaah, I'll give that a try once I get it set up. Many thanks for your help!

You'd think that Clarke would get their act together and start correcting the manuals...

 

[Robotstar5]

You'd think that Clarke would get their act together and start correcting the manuals...

My Clarke manual (2007) recommends having a Halon fire extinguisher handy when welding - as far as I know it's been banned for at least 10 years and they stopped producing Halon in 1993!

 

[Damaged]

Halon in a garage, that would be fun

 

[JFBlouin]

I use my voltmeter and that give me:
20.0 V 1 Min
22.0 V 2 Min
24.0 V 1 Max
26.0 V 3 Min
28.0 V 2 Max
32.0 V 3 Max

 

[clevinski]

Geeze, that makes no sense at all... unless the 3rd and 4th are reversed?

 

[Wozzaaah]

That contradicts what the other guy found when he did the voltmeter thing on his. I'm surprised at the readings too, wouldn't have expected the steps to rise by such even increments, would have expected to see say 18.1, 20.4 etc.
Anyone else with a clarke to check theirs and compare the results with JFBlouins? It would be interesting to see what variations people get.

 

[clevinski]

JFBlouin, I humbly crave your forgiveness...

I figured that the easiest way to resolve this for myself was to measure my own 180EN. Here's what I found.

1min - 20.2 VDC
2min - 23.0 VDC
1max - 24.7 VDC
3min - 26.5 VDC
2max - 28.7 VDC
3max - 34.5 VDC

This is the same sequence that JFBlouin reported. This is also the sequence documented in the Clarke 180 EN manual for 0.6 mm steel, so I guess I owe them an apology, too. The manual shows the following sequence for 0.8 mm steel: 1min, 2min, 3min, 1max, 2max, 3max. I had assumed that the 0.6 mm data was in error, whereas now it appears that the 0.8 mm data might be in error.

Unless... The Clarke manual doesn't actually tell you how to set the welder for more current. It tells you how to set the welder for various steel thicknesses. It specifies wire speed setting (qualitatively) as well as the switch settings. Is it possible that the voltage difference between 1max and 3min is less critical to welding current that the difference between the wire thicknesses and the feed speeds for that specific thickness? (Assuming the distance from the work is a constant...) I don't see how that can be, but now I'm thinking maybe Clarke is not that dumb after all.

And Wozzaaah, the sequence you pointed to in your post was for a Clarke 150TE, not a 180EN... maybe that's why the sequence is different?

Anyway, I'm going to have to tape a note to the welder with these sequences, because I will NEVER remember that illogical series otherwise.

 

[Wozzaaah]

Well, that sorts that one out Charlie (and JFB), what an odd and confusing sequence though!
I did notice that other thread was for a 150 but would still have expected the sequence to be the same for all the clarke models with 6 power settings.
I still can't get my head round why the sequence changes for 0.8mm wire though, the OCV will have the same readings regardless of the wire size but the current will change. Unless it's that part of the manual which is wrong?
I much prefer coarse and fine settings on welders, you know where you are with them .

 

[Drains]

The OCV will be the same regardless of the wire size. You shouldn't be welding when testing the voltage anyway- it's Open Circuit Voltage, not closed circuit.

34.5 volts is way too high for a 180A set. Even 28.7 is pretty high, as you're in spray transfer territory, and i bet you don't get that on that machine.

Were those tests run on DC on the voltmeter?

I agree that the weird sequence is, well, weird. You'd have thought they could have managed to wire up the switches so they make sense.

 

[shenion]

Looks like min/max is about 1.5 as big as 1/2/3. So there is overlap in the steps. I guess to increase the range over the 15x, they made min/max 3x as big instead of it being one half step.

They really should use a 6-position switch

The Clarke's will measure high OCV as a meter will read the peak voltage due to the caps in the bridge. The actual RMS voltage will be about 16-28v.

 

[JFBlouin]

I'm a beginner welder but I often weld in Spray Transfert on aluminum with my 180EN and on 2 Max setting with 0.30 5356 wire and 100 % Argon.

 

[clevinski]

The only thing I can figure is that the 0.8 mm wire listing is wrong...

 

[clevinski]

Simondrains, yes, the voltmeter was definitely on DC and the readings were, of course, open circuit.

Regarding my speculation about the wire weight and feed speed affecting the welding selection, I was not inferring that the open-circuit voltage would be influenced by the wire size or feed speed. I was questioning whether, for a given metal thickness, feed speed and wire size, Clarke was recommending a lower voltage for a thicker material. It didn't make sense to me, as I stated, and everyone seems to concur, but I noticed that there were a lot of other factors influencing welding results and wasn't sure I understood all the other relationships as a beginner.

I agree with Shenion that a six-position switch would have been MUCH easier...

 

[JML]

Its nice to see you having a go at fathoming the unfathomable. Basically you see, all things considered, so to speak, at the end of the day, when all is said and done, on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being a cheap machine and 10 being the Rolls-Royce of the welding industry, Clarke MIGs are, well.... crap

 

[JML]

In my opinion, having welded with and repaired too many

 

[shenion]

Clarke's are good for the price. You have to go near 2x the price to get a good unit.

They are good for DIY use. There are many MIG's that are far worse, SIP's, Chinese no-name, store branded, Wolf and others. Clarke's are alone in their price range for their value.

I loved my 130EN, it worked near flawlessly. The only reason i got rid of it was I got a Mack Truck welder