No "sizzle", just a "hum"?

Trying my hand at thicker steel to try learn, after having trouble with the thinner stiff.

Not sure my setup is right though. Got a Clarke 151En, set to the highest setting (0.6 wire).

However, everything I read says I need to get a "bacon sizzling like sound".

I'm just getting a hum. Had trouble getting s puddle started, but think I managed it for one run. No sizzle, just wiggled it back and forth in a line, about as fast as I see in videos etc, with the recommended settings for 3-4mm steel with 0.6 wire:

Pic:



Don't seem to be getting much penetration, just seems to pile metal on the surface?

 

is it gasless ? Theres lots of soot in that pic.

 

Try 0.8 wire for a start

 

Solid core wire, with gas at about 20cfh at the regulator.

 

bigger welder?

 

Unless I'm reading the regulator incorrectly. I think the second dial shows tank pressure? It may have broken (when I bought it it had pressure, driving home it had none, but it still shows pressure when using the torch)

Here's is what it looks like with the trigger depressed, turning the dial allows me to adjust that dial showing 20:

 

is there any gas at the torch , can you hear it , even feel it at the nozzle ,,, dont look into the gun and pull the trigger , but put it beside your ear and listen ,,, should be like an aerosol of paint hiss ,,, more or less ,, but it should be there and obviously there.

 

Only want to weld 1mm steel for a car. Was told 3mm is much better to learn with, as 1 burns through so easily?

 

Yes, I can hear a gentle hiss when the trigger is depressed.

 

you need a few hose clips on the lines ,, the gas may be escaping , or drawing in air

 

can you actually feel the gas ,, its looking low on the content gauge , but as you say , it could be busted

 

Your dial on the right is showing your bottle is empty

 

give it a bit more gas pressure and have another go ,,,, see if things improve , you want to be indoors and away from draughts too
does the gauge stay constant at 10 , or 12 when the trigger is pulled , if it drops your out of gas , if it stays constant ,,, different issues .

 

Didn't seem to leak at 20 (well, held pressure when everything was off), gave it more pressure, and it definitely started leaking! Will try get some hose clamps on there and try with higher pressure.

I'm inside a garage with no breeze.

If none of that works, I'll try get the bottle refilled. Maybe it all leaked out, instead of having a busted dial.

 

Your bottle is definitely low/nearly empty if that dial gauge is working as it should

 

and when you get a refill ALWAYS turn the gas off at the end of the day, then check it every time you walk past the set,

 

In the highest setting with 0.6mm wire you are probably in spray transfer mode which does hum instead of sizzle.

Whilst spray is good on bigger wires and heavier welding it's not doing you any favors with your setup.

Turn the power down a bit and retry with a gas bottle that has enough gas in it.

 

Still just as sooty with higher pressure.

Will get a refill and try again. Presumably the regulator is fine and the bottle is near empty. I guess my assumption that the flow (?) reading on the torch output was the only thing that matters was wrong, and the bottle pressure is important too.

Thanks everyone. Sure I'll be back with something else soon haha

 

may get better if you fix the leaks too.

 

My welds with no gas have a dull finish and lots of craters in the surface, don't ask how I know,