Struggling with my new gas.

[lennylogknob]

Good evening all,

I managed to get hold of a bottle of what's described as 'Migweld Universal' gas a while back but I'm struggling to get any decent results with it.

According to the label it's a mixture of 'pure argon with oxygen and carbon dioxide'. I've previously only ever used straight old Co2 in the 'hobby' bottles from Machine Mart and got on okay with it but I cannot get on with this new stuff for some reason.

I've recently replaced the rear chassis crossmember on my old Range Rover so was welding good thick steel but couldn't seem to get any penetration.
The weld just seemed to sit on top of the metal and when I was welding at any sort of angle is barely even stuck and basically dripped off onto the floor (or on one occasion, into my shoe which smarted a bit.)

I turned the gas up and down but still had no joy. I played with the wire speed and different power settings but eventually gave up and did it with good old Co2.

Any suggestions for what I'm doing wrong?

 

[cumbriasteve]

Sounds like the right gas, CO2 runs hotter so you perhaps would need some extra power..can you put a couple of pics up of the weld, it usually gives a better idea.

Regulator correct and working ok? Can you hear or feel gas coming out.

 

[the snooper]

the gas is usually a mix of Argon & Co2

 

[slimjim]

sounds more like a bad earth, so its strange that you could weld it with Co2.

 

[backpurge]

the gas is usually a mix of Argon & Co2

The vast majority of gases for MIG welding mild steel have 2% oxygen in them as well as various amounts of Ar and CO2, in response to the original post, it sounds like you need to wind the volts up a bit