- Thread starter TH1983
- Start date
When you can't weld with it is the basic one!
Slow wire speed sometimes runs the arc back to the tip, tacking it shut. (Don't rush to change it while it's hot, turn off the m/c and let the tip cool; some swan necks can be damaged by forcefully removing a hot tip).
Tip gets sooty and mucky. Usually working upside-down under a vehicle. So the tip doesn't pass current properly, the weld spits and the arc goes on and off, making bad welds. (Usually cleans up okay with a fine wire brush).
Hole in the tip gets distorted, wire jams now and then, causing wire feed problems. Usually caused by chucking the torch down carelessly, or knocking the tip to clear the shroud of spatter, bad practice. (Tip can be ground back carefully, although I prefer to use a file, or just replace).
Tip loose in the end of the neck, giving poor welding current. (Tighten up carefully).
Wrong size tip used for the wire. Usually too big a tip will cause breaks in the current, again the arc comes and goes, or is low on power, as the wire is moving about too much and not fully contacting the side of the hole in the tip. Easily missed when you change down wire size in a hurry.
Just a few to go on with, other folks with doubtless come up with more.
Slow wire speed sometimes runs the arc back to the tip, tacking it shut. (Don't rush to change it while it's hot, turn off the m/c and let the tip cool; some swan necks can be damaged by forcefully removing a hot tip).
Tip gets sooty and mucky. Usually working upside-down under a vehicle. So the tip doesn't pass current properly, the weld spits and the arc goes on and off, making bad welds. (Usually cleans up okay with a fine wire brush).
Hole in the tip gets distorted, wire jams now and then, causing wire feed problems. Usually caused by chucking the torch down carelessly, or knocking the tip to clear the shroud of spatter, bad practice. (Tip can be ground back carefully, although I prefer to use a file, or just replace).
Tip loose in the end of the neck, giving poor welding current. (Tighten up carefully).
Wrong size tip used for the wire. Usually too big a tip will cause breaks in the current, again the arc comes and goes, or is low on power, as the wire is moving about too much and not fully contacting the side of the hole in the tip. Easily missed when you change down wire size in a hurry.
Just a few to go on with, other folks with doubtless come up with more.
My welder has gone back to supplier because after a few hours of use and going to the next day,the power seems to have gone down from easily welding 3mm to poor arcing at low wire speed. When you turn the wire feed up it goes away but no penetration. At low wire feeds the weld is awful.
Overnight it went from being great to being awful. Could the tip make this much difference?
Overnight it went from being great to being awful. Could the tip make this much difference?
Unlikely to be just the tip, unless you had a really bad combination of the factors above.
Sounds more like an internal fault with the welder, perhaps a diode gone open circuit. Sometimes electrical and electronic parts pack up in the first hours of use, simply because they have an unknown manufacturing fault but have never been stressed before.
Usually if the machine is okay after a few days of welding the electronic parts will be alright for a long time.
Sounds more like an internal fault with the welder, perhaps a diode gone open circuit. Sometimes electrical and electronic parts pack up in the first hours of use, simply because they have an unknown manufacturing fault but have never been stressed before.
Usually if the machine is okay after a few days of welding the electronic parts will be alright for a long time.
Gasless 0.9mm wire wire feed 4 setting 2 and max , welded perfect untill overnight
Did you post any pics of your welds telling us what size wire, what gas, what power setting, what thickness steel you were using, what wire speed etc?
You've got so many threads running now I've lost track of them.
