miller 180 SD syncrowave ac tig problems

[dukie1877]

Hello name is Duke, I am an experienced welder, but new to tig welding. I am trying to practice on aluminum. I'm running 100% argon 20 cfm. 2% thoriated tungston and pure. I can start an arc on DC, but I'm having such a hard time lift starting on ac. I'm using a foot pedal and welder is set to 100 amps. Once it starts I usually can keep it going for a bit, but nothing like DC. Am I doing something wrong?

[walker]

My 180 does doesnt have Lift Start, didn't think any of them did. I think you may be calling it the wrong thing.
If you are just having trouble with starts, download the manual, and check the point gap.

[raferguson]

High Frequency

Hello name is Duke, I am an experienced welder, but new to tig welding. I am trying to practice on aluminum. I'm running 100% argon 20 cfm. 2% thoriated tungston and pure. I can start an arc on DC, but I'm having such a hard time lift starting on ac. I'm using a foot pedal and welder is set to 100 amps. Once it starts I usually can keep it going for a bit, but nothing like DC. Am I doing something wrong?

Sounds like your high frequency is not working right. I used to have a 180. Download the manual and adjust the points. You should be able to start an arc without touching the tungsten to the work, really you should not need to get that close. The Syncrowave does not have lift arc as a feature. When the panel switch is switched to TIG, the HF should come on as soon as you start to depress the pedal, like the gas does; this is true AC or DC.

High frequency is a convenience on DC, but a necessity on AC.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to be a welding expert, I replied because I used to have a 180 Syncrowave.

[dukie1877]

Okay thank you for the help guys. I will download the manual this Friday and see if I can figure out how to adjust the thing.

Just curious did you like your 180s you guys had?

[walker]

I still have and use it quite a bit. It is a little low on amps for me, it tops out at 3/16 plate on aluminum, anything thick is a struggle most of the time.

[raferguson]

Just curious did you like your 180s you guys had?

I loved my 180. So simple, three switches and one knob, as I recall. Relatively small in size, which was good for me.

I replaced it because I got a deal that I could not pass up on a Syncrowave 200. The main advantage of the 200, for me, is pulse, which I use on thin copper. I don't generally work on thicker metal, so power is not a concern. I can always stick weld thick steel or SS. At this point, I would not go back to a welder without pulse. In a perfect world I would have a Syncrowave 250 or 350 with pulse, but since I don't really need the power, I will probably stay with the 200 for the foreseeable future.

Good luck on resolving the high frequency problem; I hope that it is only the points.

[dukie1877]

good deal!

So you guys were correct. Downloaded the manual and adjusted the point or spark gaps to .012. And that thing jumps like 2 inches now. Crazy!! Thanks for the good advice.

[walker]

Good to hear!