Miller 215 MIG undercutting and end crater

[steveV]

First time here and using the Miller 215 MIG process. The auto settings seem very hot. Cant get the bead to lay down, and cant stop the side undercutting and crater at the end. Welding 1/8" material with 75/25 gas @ 20#, and .030 wire. Ive tried to reduce the voltage, increase wire speed, decrease the material thickness on the auto setting. All with no good results. Im a good welder (not novice, not pro), but this new machine has me beat.

 

[Tigman]

Welcome to the forum , Have you got some pictures ? It may help !

 

[steveV]

Settings were as follows (voltage @ wire speed wfs)
1L-17.8 @ 305 (automatic setting), 2L-18.0 @ 315 (bullseye of auto setting), 3L-18.2 @ 315
1C-18.0 @ 315, 3C-17.8 @ 315
1R-18.7 @ 298 (highest voltage/lowest speed), 2R-18.7 @ 326 (highest voltage/highest speed), 3R-18.7 @ 315

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[steveV]

Settings were as follows (voltage @ wire speed wfs)
4L-17.1 @ 310, 5L-17.1 @ 300, 6L-17.1 @ 320
4C-16.5 @ 305, 5C-16.5 @ 295, 6C-16.5 @ 280
4R-17.1 @ 280, 5R-17.1 @ 295, 6R-17.6 @ 295

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[Erie Fred]

The end of the puddle & drag lines looks like your really moving fast.

Too fast.

Can you turn off the autoset function ?

Did you verify polarity ?

 

[123hotchef]

More technique than machine I think

 

[prepman]

First time here and using the Miller 215 MIG process. The auto settings seem very hot. Cant get the bead to lay down, and cant stop the side undercutting and crater at the end. Welding 1/8" material with 75/25 gas @ 20#, and .030 wire. Ive tried to reduce the voltage, increase wire speed, decrease the material thickness on the auto setting. All with no good results. Im a good welder (not novice, not pro), but this new machine has me beat.

First thing is your polarity correction?

 

[chrismac]

What gas are you using,
Are you pulling rather than pushing, wont help your undercut issue but an observation of the welds.

 

[Erie Fred]

What gas are you using,
Are you pulling rather than pushing, wont help your undercut issue but an observation of the welds.

OP indicated 75/25
Agreed with your statement, looks like pulling.

 

[steveV]

The end of the puddle & drag lines looks like your really moving fast.

Too fast.

Can you turn off the autoset function ?

Did you verify polarity ?

Tried manual mode, same results. Polarity is correct.

 

[steveV]

What gas are you using,
Are you pulling rather than pushing, wont help your undercut issue but an observation of the welds.

I was pulling. Will try pushing later today. Ive never pushed a MIG weld before, but Ill give it a shot.

 

[steveV]

Was reading up on "Tall Beads" and everything Im seeing says I need more voltage. Beads get tall due to lack of heat allowing for the filler material (solid .030) to flow outward and flatten.

 

[Erie Fred]

I was pulling. Will try pushing later today. Ive never pushed a MIG weld before, but Ill give it a shot.

Is your prior experience with flux core ?

 

[chrismac]

OP indicated 75/25
Agreed with your statement, looks like pulling.

Oh yeah, missed that, that will bring another issue, we would use 5% co2, mostly for MIG, 20% flux core

 

[Jack Ryan]

Was reading up on "Tall Beads" and everything Im seeing says I need more voltage. Beads get tall due to lack of heat allowing for the filler material (solid .030) to flow outward and flatten.

Voltage is not actually heat. If anything, it is pressure. Even so, more voltage tends to make flatter beads.

As to your problem, you start out building a levee and end up with a trench. Like the voltage started loo low and then was too high. As the voltage didn't change, I'd say what you have is the result of technique, not incorrect settings.

Perhaps you bolted when the gate opened (too fast) and then stopped for breath (too slow).

Pulling will give slightly different results from pushing, but not this.

My opinion is free, but remember, you get what you pay for.

Jack

 

[eddie49]

When in Manual mode, can you adjust Inductance?
If you increase inductance it softens the arc and increases weld puddle wet out, which should produce a lower and wider bead.