Welding question. No penetration.

I've got a older 220 Hobart mig welder in great condition, running .023 wire with argon mix, it's set at max and running at about 3/4 on the speed dial.

I've been welding plate (1/8-1/4) and I'm not getting any penetration (no jokes please) I get a good sizzling sound but the weld just builds on itself and doesn't seem to puddle. What am I doing wrong? Help!!! -stick

 

cold weld its called. tip nozzle distance / angle to the joint, your speed your moving the gun. What type material are working with? Your might be at the limit for the mig welder itself. probably not. move tip closer and try moving slower. are you able to get a good tack weld with it?

 

Possibly a bad ground, or your welder just isn't getting the juice it needs to operate properly? How old and what size is your breaker? What size wire are you using to feed the outlet? Are you using an extension cord? If so what size wire. Or possiblt turn down the feed and weld slower.

 

You might try running your wire speed down a bit, and slow down your travel to compensate. This will give you a little more "dell" time to get the heat down in there better. Not sure if this is your problem, but it helps me get some decent penetration on 1/4" with my 110V Millermatic 135.

Also try leaving about a 1/16" gap (or more) on plate like that.

Edit: Wow. I type slow.

 

If I'm reading you post correctly "your running your SPEED dial @ 3/4......perhaps you need to turn the heat setting up & the wire speed down just a bit.

Let us know...

Paco

 

Check your wire speed, it seems to high.

 

The .023 wire is not recommended for use with that thick of metal, probably due mostly to not being able to carry adequate current to perform the weld on that thickness. Try .035 or .045 wire and see if it makes any difference.

wire size recommendation chart:

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-10832267511754_1980_6679614

 

Thanks all. Single phase, new breaker and outlet, heavy cable no extention. I'll try .035 and get back to ya' Stay tuned. -stick

 

I'd start by stepping up to .035 wire, gas volume around 30 cfh depending on air movement. Save your .023 wire for body work.

 

I run .035 wire.

Don't forget to check all the cable connections in the circuit for heat. The ground clamp, the connections at the machine etc. A frayed connection at the ground clamp can use up some of the amperage before it gets to the tip making a colder arc. If you find a connection that feels a little hot, fix the connection. It's arcing inside and not at the tip. I've also seen this happen inside the cover on the machine at the terminals leading from the transformer to the housing. Pull the cover and have someone pull an arc while you look for sparking at the connections.

 

This sounds right on the money.

-ns

 

All of the above, and don't forget to bevel your edges. Surface preperation is just as important as anything else when welding.

 

I agree with all that has been said but there may be one more issue that may be the problem.
I have had a transformer problem on a plant before that had the same symptoms. It would weld thin steels fine but when welding thicker steel the weld would start fine then after 1/4 inch the power would drop.
I only mention this as you say it's an older plant.

 

Excellent point here. Make sure you're prepping everything properly, and that means beveled edges so you're welding into a little Vee shaped ditch. If you're trying to butt-weld 1/4" plate you're not going to have much luck.

1/4" plate is some thick shit. What are you building?

 

I suspect that might be the problem but I'm going to try .035 and see if that helps. -stick

The machine. Hobart Mig-Man

 

Not really plate. I shortened a tie rod by splitting it, removing a 4" section, beveled the edges then welded together. (Don't worry, it's just for mockup purposes. I would never hit the road with my welds.)
Once mounted just, out of curiosity I put foot on it and it bent way too easily. Then when I really put weight on it, it snapped revealing absolutely no penetration. So I'm doing something wrong. I'm getting better penetration with my 110! Hahahah...-stick

 

Also, grind the grey crusty coating off of the steel if it's hot rolled steel. Check if the wire is really loose in the tip -- might be an old tip where the hole is worn out too big, making lousy contact to the wire.

But .023 is too thin for 1/4" plate usually.

 

mig welded metal has to be very very clean.

 

Make sure you've got the polarity correct for MIG versus flux core. If it's reversed, will act a lot like you describe.

Good luck

 

Something must be wrong with the welder. My 220 machine is doing spray arc / spray transfer when pushing towards max. Carl Hagan

 

i second Shifty Shifterton. with the polarity reversed all the power of the arc is headed to the handpiece and not the work.

 

The only thing I basicly use .023 or .025 wire and 75-25 argon mix on is sheet metal and welding pot metal to sheet metal. There is probably nothing wrong with your welder it is the wire you are using on that thick of metal and the argon is not helping either. It will not penetrate as it is too thick. Thats my $.02 Thanks. BOBBY FORD

 

Eddie maybe the wire is rusty and old, i know the wire can go bad, even though it looks ok, if you look close it is rustyish looking

I think that might of been what was going on with that 110 when i was welding my floor

 

I use nothing but .023 wire on 20 guage up to 1/4" without any problems. Make sure your ground cable is in good shape, crank the welder all the way up for the thick stuff and turn your wire speed up.
And don't forget to push your weld not pull it towards you.

 

New wire. New tip. What gas should I be using? -stick

 

everyone has valid points, but with my 220 i can poke holes in a car frame like butter if its cranked up.

so, we now know your wire, tip, power supply, welding surface and gas tank are in working order.... did you try to slow down a bit? how did that work out? sounds like your machine is jacked up.

 

Make sure you've got the polarity correct for MIG versus flux core. If it's reversed, will act a lot like you describe.

+1

 

75% argon, 25% Co2 . . . . . . .right ?

 

I run the mix 75/25 on mine - seems to work just fine.

 

Make sure your gas is running at pressure. It almost sounds like you don't have any gas, Argon is the atmosphere that will help build up heat for penetration.

-All penetration is good