Help required

[Smudger]

What causes what I can best describe as a 'machine-gun' effect when welding? I prefer the 'bacon frying' sound but my new welder (Portamig 211) is giving me problems, it burns through for fun too, even on the lowest amps.

I also seem to have the wire speed well up compared to my old Clarke 130 - I used .6 and had it on 9.5-10, I was advised to move up to .8 wire, so I did. I has helped a bit but not a lot, still setting 7 on the first amp setting (1 + 1).

I'm using 5% Argoshield.

Advise would be appreciated.

 

[shenion]

Sounds like you need bit more wire speed.

 

[Luke]

woah, that's crazy, I rarely get to above 4 wirespeed on my 211, on any voltage setting.

What are you welding?

 

[fingers99]

Could it be that the wire feed is too stiff? That's to say, that there isn't enough slippage between the rollers?

 

[Luke]

If the roller tension was incredibly low, causing the wire to slip through the rollers, it would explain the need for such high wirespeed.

 

[Archie]

I'm not 100% on what you mean by the 'machine gun' effect? I would have thought it means that either:

The wire feed is too slow and the wire arcs then burns back, arcs, burns back, etc

or

It's too fast and the wire hits the metal before arcing properly, melts off then hits the metal again, etc

Going with what you said about the wire speed being on high I'd say it'd be the latter so that sort of answers the first question.

The next prob is what to do about it!!! You can try turning the feed right back and giving it another go, otherwise it's something else. As Luke says, it could be that there is next to no tension on the wire and so you are having to turn up the speed to counter the massive slipage that's going on. The other thing could be if you've got the wrong sized rollers in the wire feed. Beyond that I've not got too many ideas.

Hope something helps, though.

 

[English Steve]

Having the nozzle too far from the job will also give that effect.

 

[Satsuma]

I have a 211 also and rarely change the wire speed from 5, I crank it up when I can't get the nozzle close to the weld.

As already said, it sounds like you have the wire speed up too high, you are not placing the nozzle close enough to the weld? Check the "Setting wire feed speed" in the tutorial section, I found it very helpful.

Using .6 wire and the "stitch welding" technique (as shown in the tutorial section) I have welded very thin metal, normally with the amps set to 2 or 3.

 

[Smudger]

That's very helpful indeed - Looks like too much wire feed.

Cheers guys

 

[weldequip]

I was advised to move up to .8 wire

If you are welding car bodywork thickness on standard mild steel wire you were advised wrong... 0.6mm gives far better results The "machine-gun" effect is most likely too much wire speed but could also be a bad earth connection.
weldequip

 

[shenion]

I The "machine-gun" effect is most likely too much wire speed but could also be a bad earth connection.
weldequip

Good point, or a bad connection inside the machine: corroded connection at rectifier or torch connection. Or loose connection on ground cable (either end.)

I had the similar effect with my Airco trying to do short arc on a CC machine. Entire stickout melts and falls away if too low current, or burns like a fuse if too high.

One of these days, I'll finish the CC/CV board for the Airco