Idiot question about the pedal

[Ali]

Hopefully I'm posting this in the right place, apologies if not.

I just changed the potentiometer on my pedal as something went wrong. Fitted the new one, all working lovely (my oh my this is fun, but still glad I spent some time on the button). However, I set the welder to 80A and out of the corner of my eye behind the mask I can see the amps on the welder - most I could get out of it was 74 at full pedal.

Should I be adjusting the pot travel? It's fitted with a gear held in place with screws - the original seemed to be at the minimum position with the pedal in the return (off) position, so I set up the new one the same way.

RTech TIG 161, belt driven pedal, circa 2013. Anyone know how these work?

Cheers

 

[500e]

If you remove the pedal does it weld at 80Amps ?
Does the pot go to full travel at full travel ?

 

[Richard.]

Turn it up to 86.
Then you'll get your 80 amps.

 

[MattH]

Was the pot like for like? You didn't get a logarithmic one instead of a linear (or vise versa)?

 

[Ali]

No the pot doesnt seem to go to full travel at full pedal travel, but it was like for like so presume old one was the same? Will need to strip it out to check. Will try on the button later and see what I get.

I'm liking Richards idea so far...

 

[Brad93]

Pot isnt getting the full rotation of off the rack on the pedal most likely. Most cheap pedals do this.

 

[HughF]

The r tech pedals from this era are terrible. If you plan to keep the machine, buy an ssc pedal for it.

 

[Brad93]

Mine has just started playing up again needs the pot playing with and adjusting again.

 

[Ali]

Yeah, the button gives me the correct amperage - must be travel. Will have a fiddle to see if I can adjust it so that at least the max is full pedal. Can't spend any more on this at the moment! If push comes to shove I'll figure out the ratio and draw up a new gear and get someone to 3D print it for me. (One with proper teeth that mesh with the belt without having to take a needle file to them...) Cheers for all the replies.