No Power

[NewHampshire]

I'm trying to fix a clarke E100mk2, I pull the trigger and the wire feed works, but I touch the wire directly to the work lead and nothing!! doesn't even get hot, I have a feeling it's a bad transformer, but I have no idea how to test it with a multimeter. so if someone can tell me the steps to progressively diagnose the issues i'm having it would be great, thank you in advance.

 

[shenion]

Hard to see anything from those thumbnail pictures.

Could be a break in the lead to the torch or the work clamp.

If the transformer was bad, it probably would not feed.

 

[NewHampshire]

so would I need to take the torch apart and replace anything like the liner?, I was also told gas flow doesn't work correctly I'm using fluxcore, so I'm not too worried about it, just the power issue. I've never taking one of these apart nor anything like it.

 

[shenion]

You would need to take the torch apart to replace the liner. You owuld also need to remove the clamps at the wire feeder end.

The lineer wont have anything to do with the power issue.

 

[NewHampshire]

I have got myself a multimeter, and conducted a few tests. I took the work lead and held a mig wire right to the torch lead, nothing I even did the same from within the welder, nothing, multimeter is reading zero volts when I test from where the work lead comes out of the transformer to where the torch lead connects inside the welder to those parallel silver plats at the top of the machine, and still nothing. I'm starting to think its the transformer but I have no idea how to test one.

 

[shenion]

You can measure the resistance between the two big wires from the transformer to the rectifier bridge (metal plates.)

It should measure low resistance. If it does, also check the wires going to the transformer from the switches.

You should get 20-30V DC on the torch lead and probably the same on the transformer output wires but AC.

 

[mike 109444]

In pic 1 did you take thoses two wires(spade connector) with the orange covers off or where they already off? If already off then I would suspect they would have / should have connected to a thermal cutout, a device mounted to the main transformer or the "silver plates" (diode pack). With out that device connected you would lose you welding power.
Better pics needed!!

 

[NewHampshire]

sorry about the bad pictures I'll try to take better ones, I'm using my cell phone to take the pictures, as for the pictures everything is as is how I found it when I took the cover off.

 

[shenion]

You posted thumbnail pictures. If you posted the full size picts they might be some help.

 

[NewHampshire]

I'm going to upload the pictures to photobucket and post the URL, my phone wont allow me to upload them here.

 

[NewHampshire]

I'm going to upload the pictures to photobucket and post the URL, my phone wont allow me to upload them here.

http://************/a6ewdgx

I disconnected all parts to the torch lead to inspect breaks in lead, I put them back on for show that they were connected.

 

[shenion]

That is a useless link. You need to post the actual link, not the "abbreviated" one shown in the browser.

 

[NewHampshire]

http://m1296.photobucket.com/albumlist/Tim_Toribio
Try this.

 

[shenion]

Your camera must be able to take pictures bigger than 240x180.

Still too small and low rez to be useful.

 

[NewHampshire]

Its my cell phone camera, ill try taking them in a higher resolution tomarrow. I really don't know how to make them bigger.

 

[Wedg1e]

In pic 1 did you take thoses two wires(spade connector) with the orange covers off or where they already off? If already off then I would suspect they would have / should have connected to a thermal cutout, a device mounted to the main transformer or the "silver plates" (diode pack). With out that device connected you would lose you welding power.
Better pics needed!!

Mike, as far as I can make out (pic 5) the thermal cutout is mounted on the rectifier heatsink and is connected; the two orange things are those stupid twist-on wire connectors that make Scotchloks seem like a good idea

 

[shenion]

If you can't put decent pictures up, we can point you to what to check.

 

[mike 109444]

Mike, as far as I can make out (pic 5) the thermal cutout is mounted on the rectifier heatsink and is connected; the two orange things are those stupid twist-on wire connectors that make Scotchloks seem like a good idea

Funny enough I was looking again at the pics last night (went cross eyed ) and yep you are right about the connector type. Use to see them being used on one of the American builder programs, two mains connector joined with a bright coloured (or should that be colored) cap usually yellow and just screwed onto cable and they live in wooded houses !!!
Any ho thoses connectors in there imply that at some point a repair has been done?

 

[voipio]

Hve a look at the "how do you test a 3 phase transformer" thread for a follow up message.