New roll, amazing!

[Davek0974]

Interesting - this unit has always sounded like that?

Yes on the 0.6 the feed is pretty much maxed out for 3mm and on the 0.8 its about half way on the knob. I did do a feed chart but its at home, will look tonight.

I think most of the spatter comes from the when the arc strikes - as soon as the wire hits the metal there is a big spray of blobs, cant remember if that was always the way though.

The irregular arc/globular thing is baffling me though as the feed looks ok, difficult to tell though.

I need to get setup and do some videos of the actual weld area i think.

I don't know anyone with a MIG set locally to go and watch so this is going to be a slow diagnosis i think.

I would trade the set in for a newer model if i was certain it was at fault.

 

[Davek0974]

Looking at the tutorial video here - http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/mig-tutorial/mig-beads.mp4

I have never, ever got that sizzling sound. Always a louder crackle, never smooth sizzle.

A few have advised me not to worry about that though, just thought i'd mention it.

 

[octo0072000]

with your spatter problems have you tried instead of filing it off just use blunt chisel will shift most of it
are you sure you are getting a constant 10 lpm shielding gas at the torch do you use a pea shooter?
to test remove wire feed pressure so wire does not feed so if gas feedis constant not dropping off after say 20/30 second or so i would be looking at another roll of good quality 0.8 wire
try this one also have you you tried using anti splatter spray
http://www.weldequip.com/5kg-mig-wire.htm

 

[Davek0974]

Getting rid of the spatter is not the problem - the problem is that it is there in the first place I can't really use anti-spatter on this stuff as it usually goes straight into powder-coat, i will be getting a grit-blasting setup soon though so that might change things.

I do use a peashooter and generally run 8Lpm as i only weld indoors on the bench. I have not looked at the gas gauges when the weld turns crappy though, maybe its a duff reg or something, not sure that can force it into globular transfer though, might explain the spatter a bit though.

I will order another roll of wire soon, this one is new though and the same make as the 0.6.

 

[octo0072000]

Getting rid of the spatter is not the problem - the problem is that it is there in the first place I can't really use anti-spatter on this stuff as it usually goes straight into powder-coat, i will be getting a grit-blasting setup soon though so that might change things.


I do use a peashooter and generally run 8Lpm as i only weld indoors on the bench. I have not looked at the gas gauges when the weld turns crappy though, maybe its a duff reg or something, not sure that can force it into globular transfer though, might explain the spatter a bit though.

I will order another roll of wire soon, this one is new though and the same make as the 0.6.

as well as the reg could also the solenoid in the machine sticking try running at 10LPM see if it makes any differance

 

[Davek0974]

Will try tonight at 10Lpm

 

[Davek0974]

Ok, gas at 10L makes no change.

As far as I can tell, the tests were done at 18v, 220", 110-115A

Upping the wire feed seems to make the initial spatter worse but the arc sounds a bit better.

One slightly odd point i found was that as delivered, the rough start point for a weld condition was to set both volts and feed knobs to the same position on the dials - doing this now results in way too little wire feed and the accompanying pop-pop-pop weld.

 

[backpurge]

It sounds very much as if for some reason the wire feed is slowing down a fraction once you get welding, either caused by wire sticking in the liner or tip but you've changed these so what else can cause it. Is the wire cast consistent, is the wire diameter consistent.
Another cause could be the drive mother slowing fractionally, not so easy to check without a wire tachometer, may be worth taking it to a welding equipment dealer to check out.
Discrepancies in gas flow will not cause the problems you are having

 

[Davek0974]

Sounds like it might be worth getting R-Tech to collect it for a bench service maybe?

 

[daleyd]

It sounds very much as if for some reason the wire feed is slowing down a fraction once you get welding, either caused by wire sticking in the liner or tip but you've changed these so what else can cause it. Is the wire cast consistent, is the wire diameter consistent.
Another cause could be the drive mother slowing fractionally, not so easy to check without a wire tachometer, may be worth taking it to a welding equipment dealer to check out.
Discrepancies in gas flow will not cause the problems you are having

Could it be a fault causing voltage to "dip" as an arc is struck and slowing the feed motor down?

 

[Davek0974]

could be anything like that possibly, without pulling it all apart theres no way to tell.

Probably easiest to send it back

 

[Davek0974]

R-Tech just rang me in response to email (good service) and i have a couple of tests to do but after that i think its RTB for service.

Agreed it seems wire-feed related so need to check my tension and also check the connections in the supply plug have not come loose.

 

[WorkshopChris]

Just looked at the video how much tension does it take to feed the wire off the reel?
At one point when the feed stops you can see the liner bend back, was wondering if the feed unit is struggling to pull the wire off the reel?

 

[Davek0974]

I will check this today.

 

[zx9]

Just looked at the video how much tension does it take to feed the wire off the reel?
At one point when the feed stops you can see the liner bend back, was wondering if the feed unit is struggling to pull the wire off the reel?

That was my thoughts:
1. Don't know if it is compression on the video but the reel looks to be stuttering.
2. The entry to the wire feed keeps bobbing up and down.

Both say to me check the tension adjuster reel.

 

[ukracer]

I will check this today.

What is it like compared to mine. Its 0.8 wire on unprepped painted metal. Its going to be sealed so i have not bothered prepping as i have brand new metal to start an arc on.

 

[Davek0974]

I pulled the real off and check the shaft etc, seems ok and seems to feed off easy when i pull the wire at the torch with the feed released.

I have cranked down the feed tension to mid way- was only on 1/4 so its a fair increase, i ran about 48" of bead and it seems to have stopped the globular thing, may just be lucky and will try some more when i get a chance. Away for a couple of days now.

UKRacer - i don't think i have ever run a bead that smooth!

 

[ukracer]

UKRacer - i don't think i have ever run a bead that smooth!

Are you serious...mine is garbage..lol

Also had a lot of brown soot which i guessed might be the lack of prep and clean metal......but i dont know.

 

[arther dailey]

Just watched the video, seems to me its "popping" rather than smooth arc which could be wire speed to fast/power to low ? but there again i only have limited experiance . certainly doesnt sound right, if it was a tranny based machine I would suspect caps/diodes fault if not .hope you get it sorted,isnt there anyone from the forum close to you who could nip around and give second opinion?Arther

 

[Hood]

UKRacer - i don't think i have ever run a bead that smooth!

I think you are thinking the middle section is the weld rather than the two beads at either side of it.