PORTA MIG 185 voltage/power settings

[buffer]

Hi I'm new to this forum and have just bought a Portamig 185 could any one please explain to me the difference between course and fine voltage and how does this relate to power settings i.e from the lowest power setting to the highest.

Any help would be much appreciated

 

[shenion]

Coarse 1 fine 1
Coarse 1 fine 2
Coarse 1 fine 3
..
Coarse 1 fine (highest 6?)
Coarse 2 fine 1
Coarse 2 fine 2
..
and so on. to
Coarse 2 fine highest.

Coarse is big steps, fine is the ones in between.

Welcome to the forums

 

[Weldinator]

Surely the instructions explain what the setting are about, well at least i hope so as im waiting for mine to come.

I dont have a clue what the above settings mean, is there a way of having the setting for the type of thickness of steels etc ?

Portamig have a technical help line for issues like these i think ?

 

[shenion]

There are 12 voltage setting.

Think of coarse as 0 and +6 for 1 and 2.
Then fine is 1-6.
The two add up.

The 185 specs at 15 to 185, in 12 steps that is just over 14 amps per step. That does not consider wire speed or wire size that can effect current. 0.6mm and 1.0mm wire will have probably 3:1 different currents for the same voltage setting.

On this site is a rough MIG calcualtor. Here's results for the 185:

Power setting -Steel thickness (millimetres)
1 - 0.7 to 0.9
2 - 0.9 to 1.1
3 - 1.1 to 1.3
4 - 1.3 to 1.6
5 - 1.6 to 1.9
6 - 1.9 to 2.3
7 - 2.2 to 2.8
8 - 2.6 to 3.3
9 - 3.1 to 3.8
10 - 3.5 to 4.4
11 - 4.1 to 5.1
12 - 4.6 to 5.8

I assume that is for 0.8mm wire.