NOTE: I will be attending a class on tig welding next month. So only topic specific input please.




So, I wasn't sure if I was buying into a trade that wasn't for me when I bought it, but I bought an Everlast 200dx. I am pretty sure it was an inverter machine. I say that because it only takes a 30 amp service outlet. And it also could run on that service all day. Also from my research, transformer machines use much more power. Correct me if im wrong. Had a really hard time with aluminum at first, but I got the hang of it. Not until I ruined some tungsten, and a little bit of scrap. At first I had a hard time even building a puddle. Crazy arc wander , then with the tungsten balling too much, but I can't recall what happened to stop it. I got to a point where I could do pretty well with aluminum on that machine, and ss was simple....still is. Here is the thing though, I switched to a Lincoln Precision Tig 225, and now I am having all sorts of issues with aluminum again. The tungsten is balling up more than I think is proper, and it's much harder to maintain my puddles. Also, getting any amount of time before the breaker flips is a pain in the ***. Im going to rewire the outlet tomorrow. I got the welder used, so no manual, but I got too good of a deal to pass it up. I am running some 3/32 2% ceriated, a lense, and a #7 cup. 4043 aluminum. I usually practice on 1/8" plate, or what ever cast I have laying around. Now my questions are these:
1. Would too little amperage to the welder cause it to not weld as easily?
2. What service should I be using with this machine(welding shop is closed, and I already researched)
3. Just to make sure I'm not wasting gas, with the tungsten 1/4" out of the cup, about how much cfh should I be setting my flow to? Sometimes if I used too much torch angle on accident, it will blacked the bead on ss, and contaminate the bead on aluminum. Does that mean I'm running it too low. Have heard that too much will sometimes have similar effects.

 

Well to answer your gas question 15-20 cfh is plenty for 1/4" stickout on a small gas lens with a #7 cup

 

What about the service? Would that have anything to do with why i. Am having a few issues with aluminum?

 

Not to sure, when I first bought my Dynasty I was using it on 115v service and If I used too much amperage it would simply pop the breaker.

 

The Lincoln is a transformer machine, and you need to run green pure tungsten and ball it up when welding aluminum. I used one on at my last job, was great for steel, but really didn't like it on Al that much.

As far as popping the breaker, if you're welding on 30A service, that would be why. You need to be considerably more.

 

You don't need to use pure tungsten on it at all. My opinion, but green was used used back in the day on old sine wave machines. I'm not super up to date on Lincoln stuff but the percision tig's I have used were square-wave and came with a balance adjustment.

 

It does have balance adjustment. Just in my experience, green was best. It welded with thoriated ok, but it REALLY wants to ball the tungsten so running green just helped things out. The arc really tends to wander around either way, while I was able to eventually get ok with that welder, Al was always a pain compared to my Diversion.

 

Everyone is throwing in their 2 cents here on tungstens, but 2% lanthanated is the only tungsten i've seen that dosnt develop a ball or melt when welding aluminum.

2% ceritated from my experience sucks *** on aluminum if you're above 100 amps or so. Which usually you're going to be. The tip just melts the **** off.

 

So, try Thoriated, and Lanthinated. I will see if it changes anything. Thanks guys.

 

I don't think the tungsten is to blame. The difference between each one is not noticeable enough that a beginner will find one better than the other.

If the breaker keeps popping it means either the breaker is too small or your wiring is not big enough. Too much resistance in the delivery will cause amperage draw to increase. I had my PT 185 at my parents' house before starting the shop and I believe I was on a 40A breaker. It never tripped a single time, even when welding AC at 185A. Just be 100% certain you are using a big fat wire from the breaker to the machine.

All that being said, I still don't think the power supply would affect the arc in that way. Worst case you'd have a lot of trouble welding without tripping the breaker.

I would focus on technique, proper gas settings, making sure there is no breeze in the welding area, maintaining an impeccably-clean tungsten, making sure the parts you are welding are nice and clean etc ...

Best thing to do is post some pics of the welds you are getting. We can tell a lot from pictures, color of the smoke or soot etc ...

Hope that helps!

 

Thanks Agtronic! I just enrolled in a training coarse for tig welding too. This should give me the fundamental base knowledge to help me understand the "why's" more. But I will post some pics real soon.

 

I switched up the service to the welder, up'd the wire gauge, and now it's an entirely new welder. My last was an inverter(everlast) which welded pretty nice, but this is way better. arc start is much smoother, and welding thin material is much easier. Along with the thicker stuff being way easier.

 

Are you taking the tig night class at isu?

 

Ya, they havent moved me on to aluminum yet though. I can weld the **** out of some steel, and pretty good with aluminum, but want to use some of their consumables to learn on. I did find out why I was having such an issue as soon as I switched welders though! Ended up being 2 things actually. The gas in my tank was getting to it's last leg(200psi) and the valve cover I was welding was a little oily still. I cleaned the outside really well, and the bung as well, but as soon as I started to penetrate to the other side, it started to crackle and pop. I am thinking it also was getting a little low on gas at that time as well. But as long as I kept the bead small, it would weld just fine, but as soon as I gave it some juice, it would pop again. So, I am getting it figured out I think. As long as I use new material, it weld just fine on aluminum.

 

Well the problem is that alluminum is easily contaminated. The more you penetrate the more impurities you pull out of the vc. It's better to lay a quick small bead on top of it with more on the cleaning side of your car force then penetrate and pull impurities into your weld.

 

Ya, I am still learning. Will be for a while still. For me, I want the welds to look really good as well, and I only achieve that when I get it right the first time. Capping of an old weld with aluminum is a skill that still eludes me. But practice makes better!

 

I had problems with my diversion 180 for around a yr, b/c i would get frustrated with it and just not use it. Like i would get some ok welds then shitty... I tried everything, swapped tungsten, cleaned and prepped metal really good, gas flow, change bottles 2 times. never could get a clean weld every time... Well just one day i sat down and noticed the wires in my ground clamp were cut. So pretty much the whole time i had a faulty ground, a 5 min fix and that was my cause. Main reason I couldn't weld aluminum, just wouldn't carry the current with a bad ground. Now welds look really good. just wanted to throw it out there! happened on my mig as well, ground strap broke.

 

I'll check. Thanks!

 

So my instructor told me to sharpen the tungsten a little sharper(more gentle tapper), and use a different tungsten as well. In trying this, the tungsten seems to be balling up a little more than one might like. I don't know for sure though. How big is acceptable? Is it a bad thing all together? Still having a hard time with thick materials(weld bung) to a thin material (sheet). I think that may have something to do with my lense set up though. I am missing the rear insulator for the lense. I think it siphoning oxygen in when I give it some real juice. It seems to pop and crackle with thicker materials.

 

Did some more welding at school, and also had a chance to pick my instructors brain about tungsten. He informed me that ceriated, and thoriated and pure tungsten do just fine on aluminum, pure just works better in terms of stability, and wander. Figured out that my torch angle was way too far back and the filler rod was just melting before it would even contact the puddle. Not to mention, the fillet weld is one of the hardest welds for aluminum. But I am getting better for sure. I will post some pics later tonight.