penetration issues? pocket turbo 130

[vtechnician]

Im sure this is going to be down to user inexperience/error but here goes.....

Ive recently bought my first welder and have been practising on some 1mm box tubing.

I dont seem to get any penetration unless i set the power to setting 2(MIN) and turn the wire feed to halfway. There are four settings BTW ie 1,2,(MIN,MAX).

The power calculator on the forum suggests i should be using the lowest setting. Could the machine be faulty?

thanks

 

[cumbriasteve]

The power calculator is a guide only and you may need to be either side of what it states, there are many other variants too.

You sure the box section is only 1mm wall, the smallest my stockist holds is 2 mmm wall, which your setting would match mine when welding that thickness.

 

[normspanners]

Just a thought are you welding on a long extension lead ? you can get a massive volts drop when using a welder on even a shortish extension , Ideally you should try to plug the extension into your cooker socket and if using a roll type extension lead it needs to be the biggest section cable you have and unroll it out all the way out, even a small number of turns is too many as it forms a magnetic coil. I have used two extensions wired together (in parrallel) to get a decent weld when a long way from the supply. I now have a 6mm welding extension on 16a plugs and my welder runs much better.
Norm

 

[vtechnician]

Blimey thats a good point! yes i have it plugged into a 30m rolled up extension lead!!

I'll try agian this eve with it plugged straight into mains socket and report back.

thanks for the tip.

 

[Jester]

A rolled up extension cable can melt if a heavy load is taken ........ I know - my wife used the vacuum cleaner on my favourite (now deceased) rolled up extension reel

 

[vtechnician]

Well its got overload protection on it. Surprisingly it never tripped.

 

[Wozzaaah]

You're not overloading it, you're overheating it!

 

[penfold]

You're not overloading it, you're overheating it!

What he said; even with fuse protection it can overheat and melt if it is used while still rolled up. The rating for use while rolled up will be about half the uncoiled figure; an uncoiled extension can dissipate heat much better than one still rolled up, so it can handle more power without setting itself alight.

 

[vtechnician]

Ok so i connected it directly into the mains and there was a very noticeable improvement so thanks for the heads up!!

What i found really made the difference was the starting temperature of the metal. Once it heated up nicely i was able to blow holes in it on the lowest setting! Im surprised at how much difference this made! i guess this is part of the learning process...

 

[penfold]

i guess this is part of the learning process...

I've been hobby welding for 21 years; I hope to be good at it one day...