Lorch V30 AC/DC Arc Shape Ac setting??

[Freshfabrications]

Hello Lorch owners,

I have Had my V30 for a few years now but have barely ever used it for AC welding as I mostly build with 4130 and other steels!

The machine when set to AC mode has all the usual, Hz frequency, AC ballance, etc , but it also has a setting called Arc Shape indicated as a %, running from somthing low to about 200% I think, and the % looks like it represents a value of the set amperage.

I have played about with it but have been unable to see any noticable effect on the arc or weld pool.

I would love to hear a proper explenation of what it actually does, how it affects the arc and what it's best uses are, to mind the boffins at Lorch would not likely have put it in if it was with out good use, but, sadly there are no usefull instructions on how to use it!

Any clues would really help, and please if you know the full tech on it let me know as I like technical

thanks

 

[Shox Dr]

The UK importer for Lorch is on here, He's a really nice bloke* I'm sure he will be along soon to help you out



*never met him just what I read on here

 

[Wozzaaah]

Matt1978 is your man as Shox says. What he doesn't know about Lorch machines nobody does.

 

[Freshfabrications]

Ok Matt is my man, help please Matt, or anyone else.....

 

[Hitch]

Matt is often here, no doubt he will attemp to help you when hes here next. Perhaps looki in again this evening or tomorrow.

 

[matt1978]

Sorry, I was in Germany at the factory, but back in the UK now.

Firstly, thanks very much for purchasing a Lorch machine, I hope that you have been pleased with it so far.

Ok, the Shaping function only works on AC Mode and its there so you can alter the size of the ball at the end of the Tungsten.

If your using a 2.4mm Dia Tungsten for example and you have already told the machine this (by selecting it on the front panel) the machine will give you a pre-determined ball on the end of the Tungsten, if you decided that you wanted a larger ball for example, you then increase the Arc Shaping function to a higher value than 100%. If you wanted a smaller ball then you select a lower percentage. This feature is purley for the ball formation and has no effect whilst actual welding

 

[zst]

Dear Matt, Do you speak about ball over the whole diameter of the tungsten rod or about ball on the tip of the pointed tungsten (as recommnded for AC welding with TIG inverters)?

 

[hotrodder]

Curious how this works Matt, does the machine alter the the amount EP used during arc starting or some other way like momentarily altering the AC balance?

 

[matt1978]

Hi Zoran,

Its quite common to grind the Tungsten to a sharp point initially and then strike up on some scrap material to ball off the tungsten. This way, with the factory pre-setting of the machine you will then get a ball on the end of the point which is good for T-fillet work. However this is only really suitable up to a certain amperage.

Hotrodder, I belive that the EP is increased aswell as the ignition current, but only for milliseconds, not anything that you would notice by eye.

 

[hotrodder]

Cheers Matt

 

[Freshfabrications]

Thanks Matt, got the machine waaaay back about 2008 I think, extreamly happy!!

My only fear with a machine of this calber is the potential costs if anything did ever go wrong?! But I seriously doubt that would happen as I keep my machine almost in clean room conditions, she is my baby and the quality speaks for itself.

Thanks for the explination, as I understand it your saying the machine alters the +hot start amps and the positive portion of the AC to a slightly higher amperage if you set to over 100% giving a bigger ball on my tungsten and a lower +hot start and lower amps in the positive portion of the AC when below 100%.

To my mind this sounds a little like altering the ballance of amperage applied to the +ve and -ve AC, kind of like Miller does on the 350 machines!?
Is this an ok analysis?

I just want to know exactly how I can use it best as I'm looking to weld some 1.6mm tube for ally bicycle frames, if I can lower the +ve amps and get a better arc shape for tighter bead width and better penetration then it's a god send!

Is this how I can Best use this setting, or should I look at it in a different way?
Thanks

 

[Drains]

Freshfab - the arc focuses better with a higher frequency on ac. It's the simplest way of doing it.

I've a bells and whistles Lorch which always works best when I use the factory settings - I think it gets all disconbobulated when I mess with its knobz.