loud whilst welding

[BrokenBiker]

hi all,

hoping for some knowledge here

as most of you know i run a sealey 100amp gasless.

while using it this morning, from the first time i pulled the trigger, to the time i finished about 20 mins later, i couldnt help but notice the sound of the arc is much louder, but still sounds like a normal weld, just much louder, and also the wire feed motor was much louder too. at first i put this down to the fact i was sat on the floor welding, and it may have been echoing off the very close walls, and floor, but even when i stood up and put the welder on the table, at the height i usually weld, it was still loud, regardless of voltage or ampage.

the wire is the same reel as i have been using previous, fairly good quality, nice weld, and good slag coverage, still 1/2 to 2/3rd's of a reel on there. i run with no shroud as i have no gas, and the gas outlet on the torch has a rubber seal in it anyway, and my tip looks ok, although i doubt its the tip or shroud thats causing it. the wire isnt snagging, and feeds smoothly, but its just so loud. even with earplugs in it sounded louder than normal.

any ideas on what is potentially wrong, or am i just not as deaf today as i have been

could it be that i havent done any grinding before hand and my ears havent been destroyed before welding, so i can hear it better?

 

[Premiershipman]

Dodgy ground connection can cause the welder to sound loud, check the ground cable connections and make sure the point that it connects to the piece being welded is clean and gives a good contact.

Shady

 

[BrokenBiker]

Cheers for the help, will check out the earth clamp when i get home although that may be a while as its sunny and beer is calling

 

[Premiershipman]

I know that feeling....!

 

[BrokenBiker]

well, just got home, and the benefit bums from the rest of my block, and the next block of flats, are all outside, blaring music, screaming at each other and trying to start fights with anyone who looks at them, so short of going down with a crow bar and sorting a few of them out, im staying indoors, so no welding this evening.

i think it may have been the clamp on dirty metal, as it has been out in the weather for about 6 weeks, and i only cleaned up the bits i was sticking together

 

[Premiershipman]

Dont have that hassle round my way, just one annoying curtain twitcher next door (50 odd year old spinster). She tends to have nothing better to do than whinge about our new extension and the fact that the drive looks a mess with blocks and bricks on it...

The clamp on dirty metal sounds the exact reason for it sounding loud, a dodgy ground connection causing numerous issues for mig welding and I was always advised to check that first if there are any issues.