Brand New Millermatic 211 Fouling Up

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • kestrel452
    Junior Member
    • Feb 2014
    • 21

    #46
    Originally posted by BukitCase View Post
    Wow, that was incredibly useless (the "manual", that is)

    The good news is, they got the math (apparently) right - 8kw @ 240 volts works out to 33 amps (33.33333 actually) - other than that, not much info. NO mention of running electronics to speak of, but so far I'm thinking it's either the welder or you, probably NOT the genny.

    I'd still wait til you get the verdict from the seller - if THEY can make it work, be sure that YOU can make it work at their facility. If THEY can, but YOU can't, I would ask about local classes and consider it a "new life challenge" :=) - then, once you get the hang of it, you may find that your genny "magically healed itself" - but all of this is a moot point til you know the welder is/is not OK.

    Stay tuned for tomorrow's installment, it's too crappy a weather out for me to wanna bail just yet :=) Steve
    Thanks for checking that out. Honestly don't know what to say about the generator. Unless the air filter is so dirty that it's bogging something down, I'm not sure what it could be.

    Unless I'm so terrible at welding that I'd force the machine the shut itself down like this every time, I doubt it's "me" causing the problem. It also seems to operate okay at low thickness settings (gauge metals). I'm not totally ignorant on how to operate a welder, and using the wrong settings should result in poor welds, not machine malfunction.

    Tomorrow's return trip to the shop will hopefully bring new revelations.

    Comment

    • Cgotto6
      Senior Member
      • Feb 2012
      • 685

      #47
      I may have missed it, but did you ever check the spool tension? I think I suggested that a ways back. It should have almost no drag to it. Also your drive tension may be too tight?

      Comment

      • kestrel452
        Junior Member
        • Feb 2014
        • 21

        #48
        Originally posted by BD1 View Post
        Looking forward to the results. I imagine you are pretty frustrated, OK REALLY PISSED ! That would make anyone upset. Hopefully we'll all know in the next couple of days. Sometimes alcohol helps.
        I hooked up a multimeter between the plug today and tested the voltage drop under load. It was within limits, didn't go under 220 and averaged around 240 under load.

        Called Miller again, explained everything, and they said it doesn't sound like it's anything I'm doing wrong so they're going to get the ball rolling on an exchange. When I said the unit came broken (door was broken clean off), they said it might be shipping damage related. Got to love that top-tier Miller customer service.

        Comment

        • Jimmydoc1
          Member
          • Dec 2013
          • 45

          #49
          Well, I'm happy for you, but in general, as far as everyone else learning from your experience, that sucks.

          I guess as an old jet mechanic, I feel the best way to know that you've properly troubleshot a problem is to duplicate it under controlled circumstances, eliminate all other possibilities, change the bad part and then confirm the fix.

          I guess we'll have to wait until the new welder arrives and you hook it up to your generator just like this one was. Please be sure to post how well the new one works under the same conditions this one was under. Thanks.

          Comment

          • Scott V
            Senior Member
            • Jan 2007
            • 1217

            #50
            Just so you know, I have that exact same generator in my storage. (my friends) I did adjust the HZ to factory specs, but it performs well with the plasma, and Inverter mig machines I have plugged into it. It's clean enough power to work just fine IMO.

            Comment

            • ericher69
              Senior Member
              • Nov 2011
              • 169

              #51
              Originally posted by kestrel452 View Post
              Originally posted by BukitCase View Post
              Wow, that was incredibly useless (the "manual", that is)

              The good news is, they got the math (apparently) right - 8kw @ 240 volts works out to 33 amps (33.33333 actually) - other than that, not much info. NO mention of running electronics to speak of, but so far I'm thinking it's either the welder or you, probably NOT the genny.

              I'd still wait til you get the verdict from the seller - if THEY can make it work, be sure that YOU can make it work at their facility. If THEY can, but YOU can't, I would ask about local classes and consider it a "new life challenge" :=) - then, once you get the hang of it, you may find that your genny "magically healed itself" - but all of this is a moot point til you know the welder is/is not OK.

              Stay tuned for tomorrow's installment, it's too crappy a weather out for me to wanna bail just yet :=) Steve
              Thanks for checking that out. Honestly don't know what to say about the generator. Unless the air filter is so dirty that it's bogging something down, I'm not sure what it could be.

              Unless I'm so terrible at welding that I'd force the machine the shut itself down like this every time, I doubt it's "me" causing the problem. It also seems to operate okay at low thickness settings (gauge metals). I'm not totally ignorant on how to operate a welder, and using the wrong settings should result in poor welds, not machine malfunction.

              Tomorrow's return trip to the shop will hopefully bring new revelations.
              Is the generator bogging down when you are welding?

              Sounds like it from what you said above...

              Also I know that I did short the contact tip on my M-25 gun on the 252 and the welder did NOT like that. I can't imagine what would have happened if running off a genny.
              Anyways let us know.

              Comment

              • kestrel452
                Junior Member
                • Feb 2014
                • 21

                #52
                Originally posted by Scott V View Post
                Just so you know, I have that exact same generator in my storage. (my friends) I did adjust the HZ to factory specs, but it performs well with the plasma, and Inverter mig machines I have plugged into it. It's clean enough power to work just fine IMO.
                Good to hear someone has had good luck with this generator. Mine also seems to power the plasma cutter just fine too.

                Originally posted by ericher69 View Post
                Is the generator bogging down when you are welding?

                Sounds like it from what you said above...

                Also I know that I did short the contact tip on my M-25 gun on the 252 and the welder did NOT like that. I can't imagine what would have happened if running off a genny.
                Anyways let us know.
                It bogs down, but strangely it doesn't bog down every time I weld, or even right when I start the arc. When it bogs down, it's mid-weld. I was reading a solid 240V under load with the wire still stubbing, so things aren't working right even when its not faltering on me.

                Comment

                • BukitCase
                  Senior Member
                  • Jun 2013
                  • 249

                  #53
                  I gotta say, I find it interesting that you didn't think to mention that the unit came to you DAMAGED, until the 48th POST in the thread - can't help wondering what ELSE you didn't think was worth mentioning

                  In a few of my previous lives, I spent quite a bit of time "phone troubleshooting" on audio and video gear - if I found out halfway thru a conversation that the customer had held back information THAT IMPORTANT, I would "accidentally" hang up on 'em.

                  Try and do better, please... Steve

                  Comment

                  • Cgotto6
                    Senior Member
                    • Feb 2012
                    • 685

                    #54
                    Bukitcase nailed it perfectly. I just about laughed out loud when I read that there was damage to the unit. Of course this wouldn't be any relevant info to somebody troubleshooting an erratic machine... Also, you just now posted how your genny has been behaving while welding and I gotta say if you would have just said that in the beginning of your thread I would have been leaning much more towards your welder having an issue, not the generator. In my experience, if a genny will power a unit, it will either work on arc start or not. I haven't had it ever start without a hitch, then mid weld bogs down and screw up the bead. That symptom makes me think something is binding on the wire feed system or something (bent motor output shaft or something) which was likely caused when it was DROPPED. Maybe you should pull the cover off and pull the trigger and watch the feed system operate and look for oblong movement or binding.

                    Oh also, all of this could be related to your drag tension on the spool being set too tight. Slowly over heating the feed motor... Just thought I would throw that out there again since you have never said if it has been checked. Good luck. Let us know what's the outcome.

                    Comment

                    • Broccoli1
                      Senior Member
                      • Dec 2007
                      • 3179

                      #55
                      Originally posted by Cgotto6 View Post
                      Bukitcase nailed it perfectly. I just about laughed out loud when I read that there was damage to the unit. Of course this wouldn't be any relevant info to somebody troubleshooting an erratic machine... Also, you just now posted how your genny has been behaving while welding and I gotta say if you would have just said that in the beginning of your thread I would have been leaning much more towards your welder having an issue, not the generator. In my experience, if a genny will power a unit, it will either work on arc start or not. I haven't had it ever start without a hitch, then mid weld bogs down and screw up the bead. That symptom makes me think something is binding on the wire feed system or something (bent motor output shaft or something) which was likely caused when it was DROPPED. Maybe you should pull the cover off and pull the trigger and watch the feed system operate and look for oblong movement or binding.

                      Oh also, all of this could be related to your drag tension on the spool being set too tight. Slowly over heating the feed motor... Just thought I would throw that out there again since you have never said if it has been checked. Good luck. Let us know what's the outcome.
                      I asked him about that in post #4 and he answered in post #5 but the fact that the service center said the unit works. Like you said he really needs to have the service center operate the machine in front of him.
                      Ed Conley
                      http://www.screamingbroccoli.net/
                      MM252
                      MM211
                      Passport Plus w/Spool Gun
                      TA185
                      Miller 125c Plasma 120v
                      O/A set
                      SO 2020 Bender
                      You can call me Bacchus

                      Comment

                      • kize
                        Member
                        • Nov 2013
                        • 46

                        #56
                        Originally posted by Broccoli1 View Post
                        I asked him about that in post #4 and he answered in post #5 but the fact that the service center said the unit works. Like you said he really needs to have the service center operate the machine in front of him.
                        And brought up again in post #12. Talking on deff ears.

                        Comment

                        • Doughboyracer
                          Senior Member
                          • Apr 2011
                          • 369

                          #57
                          Originally posted by kestrel452 View Post
                          Called Miller again, explained everything, .... When I said the unit came broken (door was broken clean off), they said it might be shipping damage related.
                          SOOOO, when were you going to tell the people here that were trying to help you?
                          And in another post you said "I just hope it doesn't get scratched or dinged in the process..."
                          The F'n door was ripped off!!! What else could they do to it!

                          Edit: I see others thought the same thing...(I posted as soon as I read it.)
                          Last edited by Doughboyracer; 02-18-2014, 12:10 PM.
                          MillerMatic 211 Auto-set w/MVP
                          Just For Home Projects.

                          Comment

                          • BukitCase
                            Senior Member
                            • Jun 2013
                            • 249

                            #58
                            Yup, like I said - "bout time to "accidentally" hang up... Steve

                            Comment

                            • kestrel452
                              Junior Member
                              • Feb 2014
                              • 21

                              #59
                              Guys, guys....come on. You think Miller and Weldfabulous didn't know this? As soon as I got the machine, Weldfab got a call from me saying it came broken. They told me it must have gotten so cold that the plastic shattered. They then instructed me to contact Miller to get new hinges drop shipped. I figured "what do i know, i suppose i'll buy that story for now...". Miller even asked me if the machine was new or had previous repair history when I talked to them about what's been happening, and told them about the broken door (each time I called). It wasn't until my 4th phone call with Miller that someone took the whole broken access door thing seriously. Honestly, thinking about it now I realize just how much of a jolt the thing must have taken to have the hinges completely rip out, but when Miller and Weldfab kept playing it down as if it was no big deal what was I supposed to think? I also told everyone on my WeldingWeb thread and no one seemed to think much of it.
                              Having everyone here trying to convince me that the problem was *me* also fueled the search for something *I* was doing or set up wrong. Ah well, the machine is on its way back to Weldfabulous as we speak.
                              Last edited by kestrel452; 02-18-2014, 09:23 PM.

                              Comment

                              • Cgotto6
                                Senior Member
                                • Feb 2012
                                • 685

                                #60
                                Sorry, I thought you guys were talking about the drive tension, because I've been referring to the spool tension.

                                Either way, hopefully you get a new machine shipped and all is good. Let us know how it gets resolved.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X