Welder Woes

Originally posted by layinbody 720



what kind of gas are you using, and it might be your gas solenoid valve. Your regulator should be set around 21-25psi. Also, how much spatter around your tip. There are small holes in the base for your contact tip, they may be blocked with spatter or there may be enough spatter oround the edge of your tip that it is restricting good flow when you are putting down a bead, but enough to do a tack.

Sometimes my tacks bubble too. But the tip is fine, I clean it out a lot, and I have 3 new tips. I've tried swapping them out.

The gas I run is 75/25 Argon/Co2. Been getting it from the same place for 3 years now. Its been doing this on the last 3-4 bottles I've had.

My welder did the same thing but it ended up being a combination of 2 things. The line that feeds the gas from the welder out to the gun came loose and some how I had the wrong size tip in the nozzle. Pretty frustrating trying to figure it out but now it works fine.

Okay I've checked out everything you guys have said. Gas lines are all snug, O-ring is fine, ground is tight, swapped out the wire. Swapped the tip, inner and outer. Crank the regulator up to 35 PSI. Tried it on several types of steel, Hot and cold rolled, it won't weld on anything right now. Even the tacks are coming out like shit.

Okay I just tried something else.

When I pull the trigger I can definitely feel the gas against my hand. And theres enough pressure to blow grinding dust across the table. But if I pull the trigger a few times in a row quickly I feel gas the first time, then a very faint amount the second pull and then nothign after that. And if I pull the trigger and hold it it gets a short burst and then nothing and it won't blow any grinding dust after that.

Im almost positive its your gas valve. If not that, the electronics controling the gas valve. Put a voltmeter on the valve to see if its getting voltage while the trigger is pulled.

Where is the valve at? Is it on the side that you have to unbolt?

im gonna say gas valve, the only way you would get the porous welds like that is contaminated metal or lack of gas, both causing contamination of the weld area.... if you bought it from an authorized dealer, they will have a tech, if so, call them and see what they can do.......

check and make sure the whip is pushed into the machine all the way

Its definitely not bad metal. I've cleaned and champhered everything properly. I'll call the place I got it from. They werent much help whenb it first started.

DAMM IT SETH EVERY ANSWER THEY GIVE YOU,YOU SHUT THEM DOWN JUST BUY A NEW DAMM WELDER!!