Welder Woes

Okay so I'm beyond pissed off with my welder at this point. Its only about 6-7 months old, and for more than half the time I've had it its been acting up. Heres the deal. Sometimes when I go to weld it will act like theres no gas. But I put a tack somewhere else and its fine. If I try to start a weld on that tack it will act like there no gas. But if I start 1/4" away from the tack and virgin metal it welds fine and I can go over the tack.

But now its getting so bad that sometimes I can't start a weld anywhere on a clean piece of metal. I just tossed two link mounts I spent an hour cutting and fitting up and bending because I can't weld to it.

My grounds are fine. I've checked the gas lines and they're clear. Theres nothing wrong with the regulator, and its not a cheap one. When I pull the trigger it doesn't drop off more than 1 PSI on the meter.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm kind of stuck until I can fix this. I can't go on with a welder like this anymore.

If it matters, its a Millermatic 175.

bad trigger

did someone mess with your psi setting? someone did to mine and i was dumgbfounded for awhile. same welder and about the same simptoms.

But it still feeds the wire?

I was just messing with it. I tried welding on the tube and it wont do shit. Then I grab a scrap plate aand lay a bead just fine. I just welded the tabs on the axle too without trouble.

That's what I was thinking, trigger. Double check your the ground on the inside of your welder, that's kinda how it would act if that was comin' loose. Just a thought.

Originally posted by dragginmazda86



did someone mess with your psi setting? someone did to mine and i was dumgbfounded for awhile. same welder and about the same simptoms.

I've been having the problem for like 4 months now. And its off and on. I've even tried turning the PSI up to see if ti would help, still the same thing.

But my regulator is still set where I keep it.

Originally posted by ascension11



That's what I was thinking, trigger. Double check your the ground on the inside of your welder, that's kinda how it would act if that was comin' loose. Just a thought.

Yeah I checked the ground inside the welder. Everything looks good.

Can I get a new trigger for this? Will most welding shops have them in stock? I pulled my trigger apart before.

are you welding outside? is there any wind? if you pull the trigger when your not welding, can you always hear gas come out? the tip is clean?

Weldersource.com is probably the first place I would check. Type "trigger" into the search. Millerwelds.com would be the other if Weldersource doesn't have yours.

if you bought your welder new from a local shop, more than likely they will have that part in stock, its a miller and that is a common part to be replaced. its not that hard to take it apart. just place the "gun" in a vice and with some pliers you turn the plastic collar towards the end i dont remember which direction but i think there is an arrow on it and thatll let you slide the trigger switch out.