Whats wrong with these welds?

[Michaeljp86]

Again like gordfraser mentioned, make sure your polarity is correct.

Ground was negative

[gnewby]

Again like gordfraser mentioned, make sure your polarity is correct.

[Michaeljp86]

I did alot more welds then this, they were all the same. I tried all different voltages, stickout, and different pieces of steel. It was all pretty much the same. The hiss of gas wasnt as loud as the tig welders I used to run in school. Since nothing seemed to have a effect on it Im wondering if it is a gas problem. I didnt have time today but Id like to check everything out from the solenoid valve to the mig gun. I should have cranked the gas all the way up and tried it.

[Daniel]

What is your stick out. You might have your gun tip a little too far from the workpiece. 25 flow is more then enough for gas.

[davedarragh]

This was the first weld, the pic in the first post was my 2nd weld after I changed regulators.

Do you have any parameter settings? Looks typical of too much amperage (WFS) for the voltage. Definitely have some "balance" problems between voltage and WFS. I know you just got this machine up and going, based on your other post. Just wondering if the nomenclature was still on the machine.

[gordfraser]

what polarity are you using?

G

[Thinker upper]

Maybe a little flash rust on the filler wire

[Thinker upper]

My guess is turn up the gas, check the sticker on the bottle and be sure they gave you the correct gas, or maybe turn the shop fan off or at least in a different direction.

[mikecwik]

is that bed railing?

[kcstott]

Give us all the parameters and we'd be better able to give you a good guess.

Voltage:
Wire speed:
Wire size:
Distance tip to work:

[Michaeljp86]

If you don't have a FLOW METER you are not measuring FLOW.

If you have a dial type ORIFICE PRESSURE gauge, you are simply measuring pressure behind the regulator orifice. Your hose could be kinked and 100% blocked with absolutely no flow at all and it will still read wherever you set it before you pulled the trigger. If you put it to your ear to listen for a hiss, is that a 1CFH hiss or a 20 CFH hiss? Without a FLOW METER, you are just guessing.

That said, it appears that is a combination of a few things. First, ineffective shielding (not specifically insufficient flow) which could be caused by a nozzle contaminated with spatter, or more likely, excessive contact-tip-to-work distance in combination with turbulent air.

Second, excessive voltage.

Third, failure to push the gun at the proper angle and travel speed.

You can measure gas flow directly by connecting a rubber hose to the mig nozzle and discharging into a partially submerged, water-filled container of known volume and measure how many seconds it takes to displace the volume of water. Do the math to convert to CFH. Or you can buy a ball-type flow meter. Every shop needs one.

It has a hiss of gas and when I used the regulator that came with my machine it had the ball type meter. I had the ball type meter set at 20cfh.

Unless there is a leak after the solenoid. The O rings were on the mig gun when I put it in. Ill have to check the hose from the solenoid valve to the mig gun.

Looks like you're also trying to weld on some extremely rusty, gritty, dirty material. Your work pieces need to be clean and free of contaminates.

It was clean, I ground it down to clean bare metal. I did some welding on some paint and thats where the smoke mess came from.

[davedarragh]

Looks like you're also trying to weld on some extremely rusty, gritty, dirty material. Your work pieces need to be clean and free of contaminates.

[Bodybagger]

If you don't have a FLOW METER you are not measuring FLOW.

If you have a dial type ORIFICE PRESSURE gauge, you are simply measuring pressure behind the regulator orifice. Your hose could be kinked and 100% blocked with absolutely no flow at all and it will still read wherever you set it before you pulled the trigger. If you put it to your ear to listen for a hiss, is that a 1CFH hiss or a 20 CFH hiss? Without a FLOW METER, you are just guessing.

That said, it appears that is a combination of a few things. First, ineffective shielding (not specifically insufficient flow) which could be caused by a nozzle contaminated with spatter, or more likely, excessive contact-tip-to-work distance in combination with turbulent air.

Second, excessive voltage.

Third, failure to push the gun at the proper angle and travel speed.

You can measure gas flow directly by connecting a rubber hose to the mig nozzle and discharging into a partially submerged, water-filled container of known volume and measure how many seconds it takes to displace the volume of water. Do the math to convert to CFH. Or you can buy a ball-type flow meter. Every shop needs one.

[bretsk2500]

is there any gas in the C25 bottle? do you hear an audible click (gas solenoid opening) when you pull the trigger?

[pkwelds]

I'm no expert but, it looks like you aren't getting enough shielding gas on the weld