MIG or MAG ???

[atconut]

Here's a question for all you welder experts.
i've been welding for years so i'm no stranger to welders. my old welder is a Tekker Multimat and on the front there is a switch with the options Mig or Mag. now i allways thought the only differance between Mig or Mag was the gas you were using so here's the question what does the switch do? i've tried it on both settings and it doesent seem to make a differance

 

[madkayaker]

its down to the choice of gas as far as i know. i have seen welders with a CO2/ Argon switch i think they alter the voltage settings a bit

 

[atconut]

it's a lovely old welder i've had it for 15 years and it came out of a college that closed down. i'll have to try it out by welding a bit with it on mig then flick the switch and compare it. the switch must do something

 

[aametalmaster]

I thought the processes were the same also its just the difference on how you say it.
Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), sometimes referred to by its subtypes metal inert gas (MIG) welding or metal active gas (MAG) welding. I don't know...Bob

 

[asmeix6g]

yeh its down to gas, MAG is metal ACTIVE gas - used for your carbon and stainless steel
MIG is metal INERT gas - used for aluminium and its alloys... but still not a clue what your mig/mag switch is for! its new to me! :/

 

[Ed.]

Just guessing, but might be a pre heater for the different gasses? I vaguely remember that straight CO2 may come out of the reg much colder than a mixed gas.

 

[asmeix6g]

Ed, if your saying it might be for pure co2 when mag welding instead of pure gas, well MIG is 99.9% pure gas aswel... So im guessing its not that?

 

[Drains]

Ed, if your saying it might be for pure co2 when mag welding instead of pure gas, well MIG is 99.9% pure gas aswel... So im guessing its not that?

Old fashioned MAG welding used CO2 with a heater. It's not very common now but was totally standard practice 25 years ago. Asme, have you had a hard weekend?

 

[asmeix6g]

Eh?? Hard weekend? Been a hard weekend baby making with mrs.asme yeh....
What im saying is wen ed said pure gas will be colder than mixed n I said id you was migging ud be using pure gas aswell?
Plus them co2 heaters iv seen before have always been on the reg and not inline or on the set? Maybe cuz they are retrofit gear I dunno?
I just said that I doubted it was that.... Im not saying hes wrong as it seems a mystery to everyone on here....

 

[Ed.]

Ed, if your saying it might be for pure co2 when mag welding instead of pure gas, well MIG is 99.9% pure gas aswel... So I'm guessing its not that?

As I said I wasn't sure, but I think it had something to do with the different gas properties, the 100% CO2 when decompressed would be colder than the 100% Pure Argon when decompressed, a bit similar to refrigerant gasses as some are better than others when they expand after they leave the compressor, but it was a very long while ago and I wasn't really paying too attention when I heard it. I personally have never used straight CO2, always in a mix which technically made it MAG. Although most people nowadays just call the process MIG no matter what gas is used, and welders know what process that person is referring to. But regarding the switch I am only guessing as I don't know for sure, as it could also be for changing the arc characteristics or voltage for the different gasses.

 

[matt1978]

I think it maybe some sort of automatic inductance.

You dont need as much inductance with Mig for Aluminium as you do with Mag for Steel/Stainless and especially Co2 welding

 

[Drains]

Ed, here's a quote from me old mate Runnach, who were once on this forum..

There are two types of CO2 gas cylinder: the first type allows CO2 to come out as a gas which may contain moisture; the second type is called siphon cylinder. It draws CO2 from the bottom of the cylinder, avoiding the problems of unwanted moisture. To prevent the regulator from freezing when the liquid CO2 expands into gas, an electric heater /vaporiser unit is used between the the cylinder valve outlet and the regulator.

So basically the dip tube sucks up the liquid CO2 from bottom of cylinder, keeping it separate from the top 1/8 which is gaseous. CO2 cylinder with a white stripe, represents liquid CO2, the white stripe representing the siphon tube.

 

[snowcat]

Eh?? Hard weekend? Been a hard weekend baby making with mrs.asme yeh....
What im saying is wen ed said pure gas will be colder than mixed n I said id you was migging ud be using pure gas aswell?
Plus them co2 heaters iv seen before have always been on the reg and not inline or on the set? Maybe cuz they are retrofit gear I dunno?
I just said that I doubted it was that.... Im not saying hes wrong as it seems a mystery to everyone on here....

Plenty of space to post on here, If you wish to construct sentences and use full words Asme Rather than Acronyms and text speek....

 

[atconut]

i've traced the gas pipe from the reg all the way through the welder and it dosent go through any kind of heater it only goes to the selonoid then straight to the harness. there are no plugs of any kind on the rear of the welder. i'll have a go this weekend and use it on both settings see if there is any differance

 

[matt1978]

Trace the wires off the back of the switch and see what they are connected too. The more I think about it the more I think it has something to do wih Inductance/Choke

 

[bigdubber]

i also have a tekker multi
its a briliant welder.
i also have the original manual with mine if you need a copy

 

[chunkolini]

I think asme's hard weekend has turned him into a yoof?

 

[mike 109444]

Maybe there will be a sticker inside on the switch saying "do not operate this switch"!! : )