earth clamp get warm

[cortina2003]

my mac tool mw140et welder is making my earth clamp and lead get warm,within 1min warm to touch,,,any reason why?

 

[rtbcomp]

What current are you using? What type of clamp?

If the clamp is getting appreciably hotter than the wire make sure you have good connections between the clamp & workpiece and the clamp & earth cable.

 

[cortina2003]

would that give poor welds aswel?

 

[madkayaker]

Sounds like a rubbish earth to me that is causing high resistance and heat. This will effect weld quality as the current is being used to heat the clamp instead of melting the wire!

 

[cortina2003]

its a push and twist earth lead

 

[madkayaker]

Is that the machine end? There normally a good connection unless there warn. It's often the clamp end of the wire crimp

 

[cortina2003]

push and twist at machine end,,,wire does feel hard at the clamp end
just looked inside double checked the connection and check the earth termanials all ok

 

[octo0072000]

Earths

try one of these for £4.25 delivered got to be better than original one
and as said above check all the earth cable
also inside the welder as well pull back any rubber covers on joins etc
failing that cut the insulation back about 3 inch to bright copper clamp the bright copper down to what you are welding with mole grips and try that earth cable faults are one of the most common causes of bad welds



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Crocodile...042?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27c2b9ff9a

 

[Seano]

Either rubbish cable / clamp or bad connections I would think, not much else to cause it, with mig you need a really good tight earth, will also give you better welds...I know mine was getting hot @ about 140a but then it was really slack as well, just put a new nevada style 200a clamp on, need both hands to squeeze the damn thing open now.... but it doen't get hot anymore....

 

[cortina2003]

sound like new earth clamp and cable are needed soon
thanks all comments

 

[Seano]

sound like new earth clamp and cable are needed soon
thanks all comments

Make sure you get a decent one, some of those tinplate things from fleabay are atrocious...