Problems weak arc ?

[Paul-n]

Hi all

I have a R-Tech TIG160 and have been successfully building bicycles on and off since 2011 however today things have changed ?

Not touched the welder for maybe 6 months and have a newly filled bottle , cannot remember if I used it ok before I stopped welding ?

Came to weld some joints today same steel as always , cleaned in same way and tungsten sharpened on planisher as usual.

There seems to be no power in the arc no matter how high I turn up the current ?

I had a 1/16th tungsten @ 115 amps and found I could touch it down on the work and it would not make a weld pool or stick to it ?

I am indoors now however I am sure I check all three switches were down ie. 2 way , Pulse off , TIG mode.

I tried the earth in 3 different places and checked the flow at the torch and upped it to 10 l/m still no difference ?

Bottle shows <200 psi.

I am sure I have overlooked something simple ?

regards Paul

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Pedal or torch switch?

 

[Paul-n]

R-tech TIG160 are torch only.

Having been to sleep on it , I assume I am getting the HF start and then once the arc is started it is not switching to the weld current set on the dial ?

I think a call to R-tech is in order ?

regards Paul

 

[Kent]

As above just make sure you ain't done something dumb first also

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Sorry, I didn't realise that. I have the AC/DC 161 and I know the pot in the pedal slips giving the same symptoms.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

It might be worth operating the switches a number of times to clear possible corrosion on the contacts and to whip the cover off to check for any obvious loose connections or dead spiders etc!

 

[Paul-n]

The TIG160 is DC only hence no foot pedal , suits me fine.

may get an hour looking at it this evening.

regards Paul

 

[Richard.]

When you turn the dial I assume the read out goes up and down?

 

[Paul-n]

When you turn the dial I assume the read out goes up and down?

It never has on this machine , always just shown 002 or 003.

I assumed it only read out when an arc was struck ? however that is next to useless as you cannot glance at the machine whilst weaving the magic wand

regards Paul

 

[Richard.]

Could be a link to the problem then. It's useless having a digital readout that only shows actual welding current. The idea is you set it and it displays your setting. Perhaps it's something simple like the knob is slipping round and not actually adjusting the current. Have you pulled the caps off and checked that it's actually turning properly. Check the screw under the cap is not loose.

 

[Paul-n]

Could be a link to the problem then. It's useless having a digital readout that only shows actual welding current. The idea is you set it and it displays your setting. Perhaps it's something simple like the knob is slipping round and not actually adjusting the current. Have you pulled the caps off and checked that it's actually turning properly. Check the screw under the cap is not loose.

Always been like that since day 1.

Have spoke to R-Tech technical support and they say.

' Stuck on minimum current ' will either be faulty pot or the chip that reads the pot.

UPS are picking it up tomorrow and I should get a call late Monday or Tuesday telling me the cost of repair.

Apparently the earlier models worked like that , the display was just so the machine could be calibrated if necessary for a customer.

Personally having no pedal I only use the readings on the knob as a starting point and move it up or down to suit the speed the torch is traveling at and thickness of material used for that weld , telling me I have set it to exactly 80 amps seems a bit pointless ?

regards Paul

 

[Richard.]

Is it not this panel then.
Having amperage set display is far from pointless but each to there own.
This panel shows it as a digital display 5-160 amps so I assume it should be used to set current. Did you buy it secondhand?

 

[Paul-n]

Is it not this panel then.
Having amperage set display is far from pointless but each to there own.
This panel shows it as a digital display 5-160 amps so I assume it should be used to set current. Did you buy it secondhand?

Actually no .....

They still market a TIG160PDC however it seems to differ in a few respects to mine ?

Mine was bought from R-Tech however they had it advertised on Ebay as ' shop soiled ' at a substantial saving and it came with the same warranty as a new one , apparently it had been sat on a shelf to show customer what that model looked like.

Maybe it was sold as the new model was about to come out ? it was certainly ' unused ' out of the box just a little dusty.

Thanks for trying to help , I am only a beginner/hobby welder so each time I turn the machine on it presents new challenges and I have forgot half the stuff I new from last time I picked up the torch.

However I can do all I want with it and would not hesitate to buy another should it have not been repairable , although the price of a new one made my eyes water some what.

regards Paul

ps mine also only has a 2 pin plug at the front for the on/off switch on the torch and not a multi-pin suitable for a foot pedal [ so that saves that expense !]

 

[Richard.]

Actually no .....

They still market a TIG160PDC however it seems to differ in a few respects to mine ?

Mine was bought from R-Tech however they had it advertised on Ebay as ' shop soiled ' at a substantial saving and it came with the same warranty as a new one , apparently it had been sat on a shelf to show customer what that model looked like.

Maybe it was sold as the new model was about to come out ? it was certainly ' unused ' out of the box just a little dusty.

Thanks for trying to help , I am only a beginner/hobby welder so each time I turn the machine on it presents new challenges and I have forgot half the stuff I new from last time I picked up the torch.

However I can do all I want with it and would not hesitate to buy another should it have not been repairable , although the price of a new one made my eyes water some what.

regards Paul

ps mine also only has a 2 pin plug at the front for the on/off switch on the torch and not a multi-pin suitable for a foot pedal [ so that saves that expense !]

They look good little usable units. Hope they fix it nice and cheap for ya. Can't imagine it will be too expensive to sort.
Rich.

 

[Paul-n]

Hi all

I have just had an email saying welder has already been repaired and picked up by courier and will be with me tomorrow [ Wednesday ].

Main PCB board has been changed and there is no charge ?

Unbelievable service ........

regards Paul

 

[Richard.]

No charge!!!
That is unbelievable service.
Does the readout work now? Can't fault them guys for there level of service to customers

 

[Paul-n]

Does the readout work now?

Richard

Not back yet , however I doubt it as on this model it was not meant to work like that.

regards Paul

 

[Richard.]

I disagree Paul I think it was meant to work like that because the dial it self doesn't tell you what your setting either. They wouldn't build a machine where you have to guess the current set.
Perhaps I'm wrong. If that's the case it's a really bad design flaw. Especially for an inverter.