Feed problems

[Shanedog]

Gidday fellas.
I'm having wire feed trouble. It seems to be getting as far as the gun, but isn't emerging on the other side to the tip end.
Do I need to open up the guts of the gun to find the problem.

I've cut the wire end as clean and square as possible, but something is stopping it.

Cheers.

 

[oddball90]

Have you taken the tip out to feed the wire through? Also every so often i blow compressed air back down the wire feed tube. If that dosen't improve things then take gun to peices. Are you feeding wire by hand?
Don

 

[Shanedog]

Have you taken the tip out to feed the wire through? Also every so often i blow compressed air back down the wire feed tube. If that dosen't improve things then take gun to peices. Are you feeding wire by hand?
Don

Yeah, i've taken the tip off first. I don't have access to compressed air here. I've tried feeding both by hand and with the motor.

 

[Shanedog]

I pulled the gun apart and fed the wire through the bend in the nozzel where it was getting stuck and had it clear at the end, but it still won't feed. ******** if I know whats up.

 

[oddball90]

What sort of welder is it? Some have a liner in the swan neck that can cause problems.

 

[malcolm]

Is the swan neck held on by a little grub screw? If that's the case then you'll be able remove the swan neck, pull out the swan neck liner and unblock it. There's nothing else in there to stop the wire from feeding.

If not then twisting the torch around a bit while trying to feed the wire can help if it's catching on something.

 

[Shanedog]

The neck has a nut inside the handle holding it on. I'll have another play with it today and see what I can do. Welder is a Weldwell.
Thanks.

 

[Shanedog]

There is a fine rust powder covering the wire, I think I'll replace the wire and get the hose blasted out.
How do I prevent the rust from forming on the new wire when I replace it.??

 

[Drains]

There is a fine rust powder covering the wire, I think I'll replace the wire and get the hose blasted out.
How do I prevent the rust from forming on the new wire when I replace it.??

Keep the wire somewhere dry. As one of my mig sets lives under cover, outside, I have to remove the wire after use and take it inside. Even then if you don't use the set that often its probably worth stripping off the outer later of wire until you're back to bright copper.

Don't bin your reel until you know there's not good stuff underneath!

You could also bag the wire, I'm sure that'll help.

If you're using a 15 kg roll, it'll be a tiny proportion of the roll, and no great waste. More of a hassle to do.

 

[Shanedog]

Yeah i've got a 15 kg reel, i've wasted heaps of it trying to get this sorted.

 

[Shanedog]

I replaced the wire and blew out the tube yesterday and everything is working fine again, was an expensive exercise though, as I had to buy an air compressor as well lol.
Hopefully this coil of wire doesn't crap out on me also.