Mig welder power

[Cade]

Hi
Couple of years ago I bought a Draper 'Inverter' MIG Multi weld 160A - I was mislead by the description that said it went down to 20A that I thought would be ok for thin mild steel on my 1960 Mini I'm restoring.

Turns out the 20A setting is only for MMA whereas the lowest I can get is 40A for MIG with gas. This welder has no wire speed control either.

I am constantly burning holes in the thin metal.

I appreciate some of this is my 'novice' technique but would I be better off cutting my losses and getting a better welder? I've found one (Impax) that states 10A to 160A.

Thanks

 

[Popcorn]

This one ?

IMPAX IM-MULT160-K 160A Inverter Multi Function Welder 230V - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Compact and portable, lightweight MIG welder featuring MMA and TIG lift functionality. Equipped with powerful IGBT components allowing gas/gasless MIG and MMA (stick/arc) welding processes. Offers consistently reliable performance with enhanced user interface and...

www.screwfix.com

For that price you could buy something good, like the R-Tech 180

R-Tech 180 Amp Portable Inverter Mig Welder (240v)

Mig Welder R-Tech MIG180

www.r-techwelding.co.uk

Use the Summer Discount code: SUMMER10

 

[hotponyshoes]

Have a look at the phaeton migs, about the same price, 200a plus they have pulse which makes a world of difference on thin materials

 

[eddie49]

The Impax is similar to the Uptime 160, except that it is priced at £300 more ....

Can you "fool" the Draper into providing less current by selecting a different wire/gas option than you are actually using?
If there is a 0.6mm groove in the drive roller, you could try using 0.6mm MIG wire, which will carry less current.

Have a look at the phaeton migs, about the same price, 200a plus they have pulse which makes a world of difference on thin materials

I think you mean Paton.

 

[KemppiFrog]

Hi
Couple of years ago I bought a Draper 'Inverter' MIG Multi weld 160A - I was mislead by the description that said it went down to 20A that I thought would be ok for thin mild steel on my 1960 Mini I'm restoring.

Turns out the 20A setting is only for MMA whereas the lowest I can get is 40A for MIG with gas. This welder has no wire speed control either.

I am constantly burning holes in the thin metal.

I appreciate some of this is my 'novice' technique but would I be better off cutting my losses and getting a better welder? I've found one (Impax) that states 10A to 160A.

Thanks

View attachment 459129

Just curious, but no wirespeed control?? or is done by the power settings? Never seen one without wirespeed.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Just curious, but no wirespeed control?? or is done by the power settings? Never seen one without wirespeed.

I think it's just labled as 'amps' on some of the draper/etc Sets.

Twiddle the Amps knob with the trigger pulled. If the wire speed does not change that might explain some of the difficulties with welding!

 

[Mark 2]

You really need to be able to vary the amps and the current independently. All number of tricks then become apparent.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I think it's just labled as 'amps' on some of the draper/etc Sets.

Twiddle the Amps knob with the trigger pulled. If the wire speed does not change that might explain some of the difficulties with welding!

It seems to be a synergic machine with the primary adjustment being current. The voltage adjustment is just a trim.

The welding selection switch only allows for 0.8 mm wire so the only adjustments you have with minimum current are the voltage trim and the duration of the stitches.

Jack

 

[hotponyshoes]

A synergic machine still works the same. Turning the knob with the trigger pulled should visibly change the feed speed. If it doesn't, there is a problem with the welder.

Some machines will run the wire slow for a short time or stop if no arc starts but I doubt the draper has that level of functionality.

 

[eddie49]

I am constantly burning holes in the thin metal.

As Jack Ryan said, this synergic MIG welder has a voltage "trim" control. It is centre-zero, with a range from -2.5v to +2.5v.
Have you tried welding with that dial turned fully-anticlockwise, to the -2.5 volt setting?

If you post some photos of your welds, it may be possible to provide suggestions to get better results from your existing Draper machine.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Some machines will run the wire slow for a short time or stop if no arc starts but I doubt the draper has that level of functionality.

Many will speed up if there is no arc, it assumes you are feeding wire through the lead.

As it has wire feed control as part of the synergic programme, it likely has this functionality.

Jack

 

[tom2207]

get someone who is used to thin material welding to show you , I would be very surprised if that welder wont do what you want ,, I think the problem lays behind the trigger .
you wont be running beads on a mini.

 

[Mark 2]

What's the thickness, as a matter of interest.

 

[Cade]

Hey - thanks for all these replies they have been really really helpful.
To answer some of your points I checked the wire speed while twiddling the current adjustment and it does speed up the wire - there is no separate wire speed adjust.
I tried Eddie's point and put a roll of 0.6mm wire in - the spec says the machine takes 0.6mm to 1.0mm but the wire roller only has two grooves 0.8mm and 1.00mm.
I put the 0.6 in the 0.8 groove and it seems good.
I am pretty sure it is my technique - I am basically not any good yet. I've managed a few better welds now with the thinner wire and a higher amperage. The voltage adjustment makes quite a bit of difference too.
Parts of the original Mini body are very thin - I measured 0.9mm with a micrometer so I really need to get better at this as I have to lap weld some panels that are highly visible.
Thanks again for all the help here.

 

[tom2207]

Hey - thanks for all these replies they have been really really helpful.
To answer some of your points I checked the wire speed while twiddling the current adjustment and it does speed up the wire - there is no separate wire speed adjust.
I tried Eddie's point and put a roll of 0.6mm wire in - the spec says the machine takes 0.6mm to 1.0mm but the wire roller only has two grooves 0.8mm and 1.00mm.
I put the 0.6 in the 0.8 groove and it seems good.
I am pretty sure it is my technique - I am basically not any good yet. I've managed a few better welds now with the thinner wire and a higher amperage. The voltage adjustment makes quite a bit of difference too.
Parts of the original Mini body are very thin - I measured 0.9mm with a micrometer so I really need to get better at this as I have to lap weld some panels that are highly visible.
Thanks again for all the help here.

treat yourself to a joggler / punch , and practice with it , you will never look back , and of course see if you can get some copper buzz bar to use as a backer , with those two and some practice it will soon leap into place .