Why is it not welding properly, Help from the expert welders!!
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Northern Virginia
Why is it not welding properly, Help from the expert welders!!
I have a hobart MiG and I was welding with "GLASLESS FLUX-CORED WELDING WIRE .030. Ok. no problem.
Ran out of wire and decided to buy MIG SOLID WELDING WIRE .035. Someone said you could see the puddle better when you weld with this wire, which I noticed was true while I was welding.
The problem is, this wire was not welding the metal together. I made a pass, but I could pull the metal apart. The weld simply did not weld the metal together. I tried it on different sheets of metal. I even increase the voltage and wire speed, but nothing.
Any idea why???
Ran out of wire and decided to buy MIG SOLID WELDING WIRE .035. Someone said you could see the puddle better when you weld with this wire, which I noticed was true while I was welding.
The problem is, this wire was not welding the metal together. I made a pass, but I could pull the metal apart. The weld simply did not weld the metal together. I tried it on different sheets of metal. I even increase the voltage and wire speed, but nothing.
Any idea why???
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 197
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From: Tulsa Oklahoma
overkill I think you have the answear. Most units have a switch at or inside the back of the cab which reverses polarity. Also you need to use gas when welding with solid wire, and yes it is much easier to weld with solid wire and gas.
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Lead Driver
Joined: May 2003
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From: Lyndonville, Vermont
You could be using the wrong wire for the material you are welding. Also not enough heat for the thickness. Do you have a polarity adj?
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sancochojoe,
The rest of the guys here are correct. You need to change the polarity.
On many of the smaller machines, there is no "adjustment" per se. You may have to physically switch the leed connections just inside the spool housing. You may see a + or a - next to the connection terminals.
Let us know what you find.
The rest of the guys here are correct. You need to change the polarity.
On many of the smaller machines, there is no "adjustment" per se. You may have to physically switch the leed connections just inside the spool housing. You may see a + or a - next to the connection terminals.
Let us know what you find.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Northern Virginia
Well guys, you had it on the money. I needed to change my polarity.
It does help to read the manual every once in awhile, which specified to change
the polarity when I switched from self shielded(electrode Negative) wire to Solid wire(electrode positive) with shielded gas. Thanks for raising my
awareness guys.
It does help to read the manual every once in awhile, which specified to change
the polarity when I switched from self shielded(electrode Negative) wire to Solid wire(electrode positive) with shielded gas. Thanks for raising my
awareness guys.
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,591
Likes: 14
From: Pflugerville, tx
Originally Posted by sancochojoe
Well guys, you had it on the money. I needed to change my polarity.
It does help to read the manual every once in awhile, which specified to change
the polarity when I switched from self shielded(electrode Negative) wire to Solid wire(electrode positive) with shielded gas. Thanks for raising my
awareness guys.
It does help to read the manual every once in awhile, which specified to change
the polarity when I switched from self shielded(electrode Negative) wire to Solid wire(electrode positive) with shielded gas. Thanks for raising my
awareness guys.
electrode negative has the electrons flowing from negative to positive (ground), and this places most of the heat on the work. This is good for solid wire with gas. For flux core, you need MORE heat on the eletrode, so it is normally electrode Positive,
(ground negative) so the electrons flow from the work TO the electrode. At least this is the way my MIG welder works, and also my stick and TIG welder.
Miller calls electrode negative(- on the welder) Straight polarity, and electrode positive(+ on the welder) Reverse Polarity.
Sam
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 788
Likes: 1
From: Hendersonville, TN
Originally Posted by sdetweil
It really should be the other way around..
electrode negative has the electrons flowing from negative to positive (ground), and this places most of the heat on the work. This is good for solid wire with gas. For flux core, you need MORE heat on the eletrode, so it is normally electrode Positive,
(ground negative) so the electrons flow from the work TO the electrode. At least this is the way my MIG welder works, and also my stick and TIG welder.
Miller calls electrode negative(- on the welder) Straight polarity, and electrode positive(+ on the welder) Reverse Polarity.
Sam
electrode negative has the electrons flowing from negative to positive (ground), and this places most of the heat on the work. This is good for solid wire with gas. For flux core, you need MORE heat on the eletrode, so it is normally electrode Positive,
(ground negative) so the electrons flow from the work TO the electrode. At least this is the way my MIG welder works, and also my stick and TIG welder.
Miller calls electrode negative(- on the welder) Straight polarity, and electrode positive(+ on the welder) Reverse Polarity.
Sam