Synchrowave 180 sd issues

[pAn3]

Hello all, I am writing this in hopes of some sort of resolution...

Several years ago, I purchased a brand new Synchrowave 180SD from Airgas in Flint, Michigan for 1500 of my hard-earned dollars. ( the one that does not have any other controls on it than heat. It took me 2 years to save for this welder. I use it appx 2-10 times per year, sometimes more. The work seems to come in spurts, but when it comes, I need the welder to work. After using it 2 times, I sent it in for warranty work via Airgas due to no HF start. They sent it to Saginaw for the warranty work. After waiting a month and a half I got it back. They said there was a known issue with a capacitor in the HF start circuit. OK no biggie, that sucks, but its fixed now, life goes on. Its 6 months later, I have appx 3 jobs on it since repair, still under warranty, and no HF start again. Sent it in again, waited again, and fixed again. Ok maybe 2nd time is a charm. They said they replaced a circuitboard. So time goes on, and again no HF start. This time I let them have it a little bit. They said they talked to their Miller rep, and next time it does it , they would give me a new unit. Ok that sounds like a good deal. Since then I moved to a new house, picked the house up, put a basement under it, so a great deal of time has passed. Welder is no longer under warranty. Done a few odd jobs with it in the last year or so, intermittent HF start, but I need it to supplement my income, so I have been living with it. Welded a snowmobile tunnel a couple of weeks ago for a guy, and it worked, but took a little time to get the arc to start. Went out last night to weld another tunnel, and intermittent HF start problem is worse, extreme pitting, and I cant seem to control the heat, when I try to give it just a little heat to clean the AL, the arc is wandering out of control, too much power, and sounds/acts/looks like there is no wave shaping whatsoever (raw AC, is that even possible)? Input power is good, using argon and green tungsten, 15-20 CF, the aluminum is clean, was using tried it at 70A, as well as 130. It was very cold in my garage, but I pre-heated the AL. Since it was making this guys tunnel worse, I got a couple of test pieces and moved to the bench, and tried a butt weld on those, and it was turning them into blobs of garbage. The pedal is working, but I cant seem to keep it running with a low amount of current for cleaning (either too little or too much). So after I couldnt weld 2 pieces together on my bench, I pulled it out of the cart, set it on the floor of my garage, told my customer I couldnt help them, again, and I'm thinking of sending it in for repair, again. This time I'll have to pay for the repair. After this repair, Synchrowave 180 SD go bye bye. I cant keep turning work away. I dont know what to do, but I need a welder that works. I'm sure I'll get some replies to this questioning my abilities/procedures, but rest assured, I know how to weld.

[Miller servicedude]

Hello all, I have no idea why I am writing this, because I'm sure no one cares.

Several years ago, I purchased a brand new Synchrowave 180SD from Airgas in Flint, Michigan for 1500 of my hard-earned dollars. ( the one that does not have any other controls on it than heat. It took me 2 years to save for this welder. I use it appx 2-10 times per year, sometimes more. The work seems to come in spurts, but when it comes, I need the welder to work. After using it 2 times, I sent it in for warranty work via Airgas due to no HF start. They sent it to Saginaw for the warranty work. After waiting a month and a half I got it back. They said there was a known issue with a capacitor in the HF start circuit. OK no biggie, that sucks, but its fixed now, life goes on. Its 6 months later, I have appx 3 jobs on it since repair, still under warranty, and no HF start again. Sent it in again, waited again, and fixed again. Ok maybe 2nd time is a charm. They said they replaced a circuitboard. So time goes on, and again no HF start. This time I let them have it a little bit. They said they talked to their Miller rep, and next time it does it , they would give me a new unit. Ok that sounds like a good deal. Since then I moved to a new house, picked the house up, put a basement under it, so a great deal of time has passed. Welder is no longer under warranty. Done a few odd jobs with it in the last year or so, intermittent HF start, but I need it to supplement my income, so I have been living with it. Welded a snowmobile tunnel a couple of weeks ago for a guy, and it worked, but took a little time to get the arc to start. Went out last night to weld another tunnel, and intermittent HF start problem is worse, extreme pitting, and I cant seem to control the heat, when I try to give it just a little heat to clean the AL, the arc is wandering out of control, too much power, and sounds/acts/looks like there is no wave shaping whatsoever (raw AC, is that even possible)? Input power is good, using argon and green tungsten, 15-20 CF, the aluminum is clean, was using tried it at 70A, as well as 130. It was very cold in my garage, but I pre-heated the AL. Since it was making this guys tunnel worse, I got a couple of test pieces and moved to the bench, and tried a butt weld on those, and it was turning them into blobs of garbage. The pedal is working, but I cant seem to keep it running with a low amount of current for cleaning (either too little or too much). So after I couldnt weld 2 pieces together on my bench, I pulled it out of the cart, set it on the floor of my garage, told my customer I couldnt help them, again, and I'm thinking of sending it in for repair, again. This time I'll have to pay for the repair. After this repair, Synchrowave 180 SD go bye bye. I cant keep turning work away. I dont know what to do, but I need a welder that works. I'm sure I'll get some replies to this questioning my abilities/procedures, but rest assured, I know how to weld.

Sorry to hear about the problems you are having. Can I get the serial number from you please ?

[pAn3]

Thank you for your interest!!!! The serial number is LC049576

[pAn3]

Lol I enter the S# on miller prod registration page, and it says serial number invalid.

[Mr Bigs]

Lol I enter the S# on miller prod registration page, and it says serial number invalid.

Be patient Miller will help.

[pAn3]

Thanks for giving me a little faith in Miller, and American made products. I need some right now. I have a Miller 175 that has worked flawlessly since the day it was new, and i run the $h1t out of it doing auto body, and trailer repair. I cant believe I'm having this much trouble with my 180 SD. I purchased it after using a friends Miller 250 to do a swingarm extension on a motorcycle, and it worked so well, granted it was a much more expensive welder. Miller please help!!!

[cruizer]

Good serial #, last tested at Miller on 2/14/2002, WAAAAY past warranty.

I'd be more inclined to say you have a torch issue, conduit pulled out perhaps.

Try the machine with a stick stinger to verify

[Miller servicedude]

Hello all, I am writing this in hopes of some sort of resolution...

Several years ago, I purchased a brand new Synchrowave 180SD from Airgas in Flint, Michigan for 1500 of my hard-earned dollars. ( the one that does not have any other controls on it than heat. It took me 2 years to save for this welder. I use it appx 2-10 times per year, sometimes more. The work seems to come in spurts, but when it comes, I need the welder to work. After using it 2 times, I sent it in for warranty work via Airgas due to no HF start. They sent it to Saginaw for the warranty work. After waiting a month and a half I got it back. They said there was a known issue with a capacitor in the HF start circuit. OK no biggie, that sucks, but its fixed now, life goes on. Its 6 months later, I have appx 3 jobs on it since repair, still under warranty, and no HF start again. Sent it in again, waited again, and fixed again. Ok maybe 2nd time is a charm. They said they replaced a circuitboard. So time goes on, and again no HF start. This time I let them have it a little bit. They said they talked to their Miller rep, and next time it does it , they would give me a new unit. Ok that sounds like a good deal. Since then I moved to a new house, picked the house up, put a basement under it, so a great deal of time has passed. Welder is no longer under warranty. Done a few odd jobs with it in the last year or so, intermittent HF start, but I need it to supplement my income, so I have been living with it. Welded a snowmobile tunnel a couple of weeks ago for a guy, and it worked, but took a little time to get the arc to start. Went out last night to weld another tunnel, and intermittent HF start problem is worse, extreme pitting, and I cant seem to control the heat, when I try to give it just a little heat to clean the AL, the arc is wandering out of control, too much power, and sounds/acts/looks like there is no wave shaping whatsoever (raw AC, is that even possible)? Input power is good, using argon and green tungsten, 15-20 CF, the aluminum is clean, was using tried it at 70A, as well as 130. It was very cold in my garage, but I pre-heated the AL. Since it was making this guys tunnel worse, I got a couple of test pieces and moved to the bench, and tried a butt weld on those, and it was turning them into blobs of garbage. The pedal is working, but I cant seem to keep it running with a low amount of current for cleaning (either too little or too much). So after I couldnt weld 2 pieces together on my bench, I pulled it out of the cart, set it on the floor of my garage, told my customer I couldnt help them, again, and I'm thinking of sending it in for repair, again. This time I'll have to pay for the repair. After this repair, Synchrowave 180 SD go bye bye. I cant keep turning work away. I dont know what to do, but I need a welder that works. I'm sure I'll get some replies to this questioning my abilities/procedures, but rest assured, I know how to weld.

Please check the points. Clean the HF spark gap points and re-gap them to .012. With the machine in AC, hold the torch in the air and step on the foot pedal, watch the HF at the points. Is it nice and smooth/strong or weak and going on/off or getting weak and cutting off. The spark gap point assembly in that first generation may short out to the case sometimes, if it has we can get you a replacement updated spark gap point assembly.

[rbertalotto]

See.........This is why I'm such a BLUE fan! Great customer support!

[pAn3]

The gap prior to readjustment was .013". Inserted the .012" guage, and adjusted the points to it. The HF is nice, blue strong and consistent, pre and post adjustment. So I tried welding another piece, and I did notice I could hear the HF jumping the gap, and had nothing at the torch, it would not jump a .25" gap to the workpiece(intermittently, a few times I had good HF at the torch)? Which leads me to my next question. Inside the welder, what is between the spark gap and the torch cable connection on the front of the welder? I checked any connections I could see for loosness, and everything was tight. The torch cable tests 0 ohms from the connector to the tip, so the torch cable is OK (I couldnt imagine it going open inside intermittently while welding without melting/gas leaks, etc...?)

Also, once welding is underway, I still heard HF jumping the gap the entire time I was welding, is this normal? I seem to remember HF continuing for a few seconds, then turning off.

As far as my heat control issues, is it possible to get a bad bottle of Argon from Airgas?

Thanks for your help.....

[Jake SS]

HF on constant for AC welding. Think there was an issue with a HF cap sometime ago!

[Miller servicedude]

OK, so the hf at the points stays nice and strong but we are getting nothing at the torch ? When in AC the HF should run all the time. In DC it will shut off after the arc is struck. Remove the spark gap point assy from its mount and look at the back of it, does it have any carbon tracking or burned or melted spots on it ?

[pAn3]

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!


I removed the metallic gaps from the plastic base, and I cannot see any signs of arcing at all, everything is nice and bright and shiny, no melted or carbon traces in the plastic. Its even clean around the screw holes with the brass inserts.

[pAn3]

There are some special rivits holding the plastic base in, I will have to drill those out to see whats going on on the backside of the plastic base, should I do that?

[Miller servicedude]

There are some special rivits holding the plastic base in, I will have to drill those out to see whats going on on the backside of the plastic base, should I do that?

No, it sounds like that is ok. Can you get the machine into a dark room and run the HF and see if it is being lost inside of the machine somewhere? Look for it jumping to the frame or anything metal, it will look like it does at the points but jumping to the case or frame.