stuttering portamig help please

[shenion]

You cant measure the amps with a meter across the output. The 15A setting is something like 16V (under load.) The power settings set voltage not amps.

Still should be able to do well over 100A on the lowest setting.

Does sound like loose connection or a short. If it tripped the breaker with no load, something is definitely wrong.

 

[500e]

Ring Weldequip if they supplied? the feedback on them seems to be 1st class.
Why fiddle with a new unit if it is apparently faulty, no good to grump till the suppliers let you down.

 

[Premiershipman]

There is the possibility that something has been knocked in transit, dont think you would invalidate the warranty just unscrewing the side panel to look at the internals to see if anything is loose as I am sure weldequip and or tec arc would probably get you check this first before looking to send it back.

BUT

Whilst it may be an internal issue, i was taught that if a machine is welding badly always suspect the ground connection first as a dodgy ground will affect your welding and cause spluttering and dodgy arc due to a bad ground.

Myself I would recheck the ground clamp copper connection, you did say that there was it was loose, recheck/tighten all fittings on it and then check the connection to the metal (any surface coatings preventing a good connection ?) also maybe check the ground cable for any kinks / breaks in the cable and its connector onto the portamig front panel at the front and also its continued connection inside the machine.

A suggestion I have seen on another site is to get a set of jumper cables and clamp one end on your existing welder's ground cable while it is clamped to the metal you are welding, and clamp the other end of the jumper cable to anotehr area on the metal you are welding (double ground) and see if this sovles the issue as it definitely sounds like a bad ground.

Maybe check this page - http://www.thefabricator.com/article/arcwelding/troubleshooting-welding-conductivity

Shady

 

[steve.h]

Just another thing I recalled when I got my welder (I had never welded before my protamig arrived) have you checked how tight the wire reel is on the holder, I did mine up far too tight at first and it took me ages to figure that one out, obviously a newbie mistake, but getting the reel to roll freely but not unwind on the reel was important, obviously once done it is more or less left alone.
Like I said just another idea. I love my portamig, although not ever using anything else so I have no comparison, but thats why I bought it, wanted to learn without having to deal with the cheapo welder issues...

 

[penfold]

I'm sure there is a problem with your machine, but it's a little unfair slagging it until you give weldequip or the maker an opportunity to sort whatever the problem is.

 

[mantamatt1]

this is my up date to the problems i have had.
i changed my gas to argon instead of co2 and it welded beautifuly on 2mm
it pured like a kitten... what a difference!!!
im still having problems with the welder set on the no2 corse setting its a bit splattery sounding but getting tidy welds with good penatration. i have done no further testing as the argon was only borrowed and had to go back. i need to get around to opening an account with boc.
on the higher settings i can do spray transfer good results (couldnt do that with my previous welder)
the power tripping out on the higher setting has not happened again? dont know what was causing that???
after posting on here steve from weldequip gave me a call and we ended up chatting for nearly an hour talking about the welder and the problems. so the feedback from weldequip aftersales i was getting was second to none.
really didnt like wainting 7 weeks for the welder and i think the estimated time when ordering should be more realistic.

in a nut shell. good welder for the money weldequip were great. DONOT expect this welder to show great results with co2, it just doesnt work.
my testing will continue and will update when i have argon shield of my own.

thank you for all your help
matt

 

[Seano]

good welder for the money weldequip were great. DONOT expect this welder to show great results with co2, it just doesnt work.
my testing will continue and will update when i have argon shield of my own.
U
thank you for all your help
matt

This may sound really stooped, but does the TYPE of gas used REALLY make that kind of a difference to how a machine works, something I personally have never come across.

 

[Wozzaaah]

It seems to Sean!
I've lost count of the number of this type of thread we've had posted over the years. We've often 'gone all round Bristol to get to Bath' as we say down here and arrived at the conclusion that it was purely down to the choice of gas, as seems to be the case here!
It's often been down to the fact that the poster is so used to how a machine behaves that the change of gas simply throws them off-kilter.