Power setting confusion

[Flynn]

Hi guys, just purchased a nearly new Clarke 151EN for a shade under £200 as despite the brand new Sealey MightyMig 150 being about £20 cheaper they seem to be regarded with suspicion up against the much revered Clarke units.

One thing I noticed is that most welders have switches for power settings despite having a range of power like in the case of the 151en 30-150 amps. I noticed this when I started paying attention to welders but they are all like it. I was expecting a dial of some sort with 30 amps on one side and 150 on the other but it has three switches instead with 1 and A, Min and Max and 2 and 3.

So say if I wanted the minimum 30 amps what would I have to do to get it? Or any specific output for that matter?

I have scoured the tutorials and I believe I read in one of them that the wire feed controls the amperage? But then what do the switches do?

Thanks.

 

[owas]

Here's an interesting thread

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/wire-speed-controlling-amps.1014/

 

[Wozzaaah]

Hi guys, just purchased a nearly new Clarke 151EN for a shade under £200 as despite the brand new Sealey MightyMig 150 being about £20 cheaper they seem to be regarded with suspicion up against the much revered Clarke units.

One thing I noticed is that most welders have switches for power settings despite having a range of power like in the case of the 151en 30-150 amps. I noticed this when I started paying attention to welders but they are all like it. I was expecting a dial of some sort with 30 amps on one side and 150 on the other but it has three switches instead with 1 and A, Min and Max and 2 and 3.

So say if I wanted the minimum 30 amps what would I have to do to get it? Or any specific output for that matter?

I have scoured the tutorials and I believe I read in one of them that the wire feed controls the amperage? But then what do the switches do?

Thanks.

The switches control the voltage.
If you want the lowest setting then it will be 1/MIN, 2 and 3 will only work with the 1/A switch in A position I believe.
The manual may tell you which order they go in but if you want to do a physical test, turn the gas off and release the wire feed mechanism so it can't drive the wire then get a multimeter that's set to DC volts.
Connect the positive probe to the contact tip and the negative to the earth clamp and press the torch trigger. Note the reading at 1/MIN then do the same on all the power setting combinations and write them down for future reference.

 

[Flynn]

I read the thread about wire speed but it went right over my head. So can someone explain if I wanted 30 amps how I would get it? Would I simply put the wire speed on the lowest setting?

 

[BrokenBiker]

it is not as simple as just getting 30 amps like on a stick welder.

you set the voltage to control the heat in the puddle, the higher the voltage the hotter the puddle.

the amps are controlled by a combination of wire size and wire speed. If you use 0.6mm wire on voltage 1/min and 4 on wire speed dial you will get less current than with 0.8mm wire.

basically when you set the voltage switches, there will be a point on the wire feed where you get a sizzling sound from the weld. This means it is set right for the conditions.

you cannot simply set the current on aig, as migs work off constant voltage, not constant current like stick or tig sets

 

[Flynn]

Thanks for the detailed explanation, electricity is still something of a mystery to me, I just like to work on me motor but have always wanted to weld It's just the theory side I don't get too much.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Thanks for the detailed explanation, electricity is still something of a mystery to me, I just like to work on me motor but have always wanted to weld It's just the theory side I don't get too much.

electricity is easy. Just the flow of electrons down a wire

best way to learn is by practice. You will soon pick up the basic theory based on what you observe

 

[rushandy]

Read this as well - the power settings aren't always as per the manual!!

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/clarke-power-settings-151-te-not-as-per-manual.47775/

 

[BrokenBiker]

I didn't bother reading the manual for power settings, I have never found any manual with correct settings for things like this