Trigger not working on mig

[Adam Marshall]

Has anyone none the trigger on a mig torch go bad? Mine seems to have stopped working but when I feed wire from pressing the button in the wire feed it feeds fine or could it be the pins on the connection?

 

[Robert Mullins]

The trigger is liable to damage, and wear and tear, positional work can result in spatter lodging along the torch/trigger join resulting in torches that refuse to stop welding, or reticent to start, if you visit a local welding company you'll find that most keep the old torches 'for spares' but this rarely happens and they collect dust hanging up in the store:
Vosper Thornycroft explored the idea of disposable torches, whereby not even the liner was replaced, but this too, never became reality.
Fitting a new trigger is not difficult, but how much one is, or how readily available I don't know, could you fit a generic switch, after all, the switch doesn't carry any welding current, it's on/off

 

[Shedendman]

Take trig out from torch and just touch the two wires together,if it feeds its trig if not its another prob
Think ive got a spare trig around somewhere

 

[Adam Marshall]

I'm hoping it isn't the wire feeder with the problem at the connections and it is just the trigger. I would just simply get a new torch but as it is at least 20 miles to my nearest suppliers or a 3 day wait from ebay i was hoping I could just fix it. Think I'm due an upgrade.

 

[Benterrier]

Have you got a multimeter. With the power off unscrew torch at the Euro connector and test for continuity at the wire terminals on the torch wile pressing the trigger.

 

[Robert Mullins]

Easier still, cut yourself off 100mm length of welding wire, bend it into a loop, and put the ends into where the torch plugs into the euro fitting: the connections on the torch are two 1mm diameter rigid projections, there are only two, so easily recognised, if all is good with the welding wire drive, it will feed gas and wire as the connection is made:

 

[Adam Marshall]

The wire feed does feed wire when i use the button on the feeder as if I was starting a new roll of wire but when I pull torch trigger it doesn't do anything.

 

[Adam Marshall]

thanks i will give that a go