Think I'm using the wrong wire

[Wobbly]

Hiya. I've been practising the last few weeks using a Clarke 150en and gasless wire, with pretty poor results. I struggled with getting consistent welds which I partly blame on the flux bubbling and obscuring my view. I have now just upgraded to a 20% Argon/CO2 set up using 0.6mm wire. I have just been practising on some 2mm thick sheet, but I don't seem to be able to get a similar level of penetration as I did with the gasless wire, even on full settings. Should I be using 0.8mm wire?

 

[shenion]

0.6mm should do 2mm; the wire speed will be much higher than you are used to.

 

[Wobbly]

I just keep getting tall thin welds with very little penetration. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

 

[shenion]

Did you swap the polarity when switching to gas?

I don't use 0.6 on anything over 1.6mm. I have seen it used on 3mm though (200A machine.)

I find 0.6mm is much more sensitive to torch/work length. I try and keep it around 10mm with 0.6mm wire. Otherwise the current gets limited.

 

[mike os]

my first guess is polarity.

 

[Wobbly]

POLARITY!!!! Flippen heck what a dumbass. Cheers guys I knew I forgot something. I'm sure I'm not the first and I guess I won't be the last

 

[mike os]

if you are I will be very very surprised

 

[spivomatic]

polarity?

What is the meaning" polarity" surely the clamp is negative.

 

[shenion]

When using gasless the electrode will be negative, for gas, the electrode is positive.

 

[spivomatic]

Do you have to change something over ? , If so I'm not sure I have the facility with my welder.

 

[shenion]

Usually there are a set of terminals to swap the power for the torch and work lead power. Gas-only machines will not have them.

 

[R Kraft]

You could try looking at a Clarke manual.:http://www.clarkeservice.co.uk/manuals/mig_welders/mig90en_151en.pdf
Though I find Clarke manuals poorly written.
Robert

 

[Wobbly]

Quick update for you, I swapped the polarity over and all is well. I'm getting some nice welds now, it makes a huge difference being able to see the weld pool clearly. Thanks for the help guys

 

[Wozzaaah]

Do you have to change something over ? , If so I'm not sure I have the facility with my welder.

As you're asking about gas supplies in another thread it sounds like you don't need to worry.

But...as has been mentioned, normal wire and gas uses torch positive, gasless wire uses torch negative.
Dual-purpose machines (able to run gas or gasless) have an easy way to swap the polarity, usually it's as simple as swapping two cables over, either inside the wire compartment or on the front of the machine.