New MIG Issue

After only having an old arc on the farm and at work, I decided I wanted a small portable welder. Found a new Lincoln 180amp mig for a good price.

Anyway, long story short, I got a tank of C-17 and tried running it with .025 and .035 in. (0.6 mm) SuperArc® L-56® Mild Steel MIG Wire. It will not form a weld puddle. Even on the highest heat setting, gas at 14-20L/hr, wire speed 3-7. It will not form a puddle, it will just build a bead on top of the base. This is doing a butt weld and a fillet, there is NO fusion. The metal will glow red hot, but no puddle. Just ropey looking welds basically sitting on metal.

If I change to .035 in. (0.9 mm) Innershield® NR-211-MP Flux-Cored Wire it welds as it should. Of course with the added spatter/spray and slag that comes with a flux cored wire, but it forms a weld pool just fine with penetration expected for the associated amperage setting.

Thoughts, tips, suggestions?

I was just playing with a sp125 Lincoln I got earlier. Did the same thing on dirty metal. Went to a clean piece and it was much better. Good penetration. Didn't get much time to play because this one wants to trip my breaker being only 120.

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Metal is clean.

I may be wrong but I believe there is something you need to switch with the polarity between flux and mig. I know it's vague but I pretty sure I remember reading it online

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U need to swap the wires by the rollers

Thanks guys, I'll bet that's it.

I followed the "instructions" on which lug to connect the clamp cable but had a gut feeling it wasn't right, but followed it anyway. I'll reply with results, good or bad.

e.nickkk said:

U need to swap the wires by the rollers

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That's what I meant. Thanks

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Wtf is c17?? Co2 or weldmix 75/25 is what the gases should be.

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moose99psd said:

Wtf is c17?? Co2 or weldmix 75/25 is what the gases should be.

sent from some haybarn

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yep you need 75/25 on mild steel. also check your gas flow.... if you are out of the wind 20cfh will get you in the neighborhood

Strait co2 is fine as well you will actually have a better weld because strait co2 has better pen but won't nearly as clean as mix will
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mclean said:

That's what I meant. Thanks

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No worries, I understood exactly what you meant.

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Polarity was definitely the issue. My lack of MIG experience was to blame for this one blindly following the instructions.



Main reason for buying this MIG was having difficulty doing almost overhead welding position needed to do my traction bar brackets on my axle with the arc welder. I tried 6011, 6013, 7018 and 70-105 amps, AC and DC with no luck on an acceptable weld IMO. After a couple test passes with the MIG I feel 90% ready. A very worthwhile investment. Test passes for axle brackets:





Wrong polarity:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/westcoast13/SamsungMobile/88410-1_zps5075ac54.jpg

Thanks again for the help guys. I feel slightly like a fool, but that's life! Lesson learned.

Praxair C17: recommended by the local machine shop we deal with
http://www.praxairdirect.com/PXItem...1&itemID=53931&categoryId=11539&top_category=

Gas is dcep polarity and flux core is dcen.

did you read the specs on the gas? spray transfer on real clean steel
you are doing niether.
for good results with mig you cannot be welding rust like the pieces you are showing

Argon/Oxygen blends are most widely used for conventional and pulsed spray transfer on clean (little or no scale or residual oil), plain carbon and stainless steel.

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prep is everything when welding. I would not try to weld a piece that dirty to my lawn mower. Make sure everything is freshly ground with a grinding wheel that has not seen oil or grease.

As I stated, those were test pieces to practice for the angle I welded under the truck.

Also if you look at the second pic, an inch out from the butt was ground to rust and pit free material. It discoloured after welding to make it look like the rusty surface 3/4" from the welds.

Besides, I finished the welds the day after the reverse ground "issue" was corrected and am very pleased with the results.

Having said that, I've played around with flux core in positive ground a bit more since and have to say, aside from the messier look, I really like using it. I still prefer mild steel wire + gas but the gasless flux is really easy to work with.

+1 for gasless flux. Love welding with it and much cheaper than gas. Just take a high RPM wire wheel to clean up burn and slag from the flux. Works wonders on exhaust.

bigaF250 said:

+1 for gasless flux. Love welding with it and much cheaper than gas. Just take a high RPM wire wheel to clean up burn and slag from the flux. Works wonders on exhaust.

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Ewwwwwe. I refuse to weld fluxcore. If I wanted to push slag I would burn rod lol

Lol ya. A lot cheaper this way tho

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bigaF250 said:

Lol ya. A lot cheaper this way tho

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That's no lie. We spend a ridiculous amount of money on gas each month. Production speed, it's worth it. You don't have to double hand each weld

Ya that is definitely an upside on a shop perspective. Very little downtime. But if I was that worried about being clean with it I would buy a tig

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