HELP! With Dynasty 200 "Help" messages!!

[j-shovel]

I am having BIIIIG problems with running my dynasty 200 recently!

I had a problem about four months ago with my machine and the "Help-8" message came up, it was taken to the local shop and the miller tech repaired it. It ran flawlessly for those four months since,..and then!!,..the same message came up!

I had a completely NEW welder delivered and earlier tonight (the first time using it by the way,..),..the SAME thing happened as I was welding aluminum!!?? **(note: for reference the first time any problems ever occorued with the first original machine I was welding regular mild steel not aluminum)**

The first time the message came up with the original machine it seemed that the machine decided to change polarity on its own!? it started blowing stuff away and just cutting through stuff almost.

The second time this happened withe the first original machine I had switched to AC for Aluminum and had accidentally touched the puddle and stuck the tungston roughly twice as I was practicig a little on some out of position welds. The machine suddenly wouldn't even strike and arc and the HELP-8 message came up,..same as the first time!

Tonight with the band new machine,...I switched over to AC and started welding aluminum. it was fine. I started back into welding some out of position stuff (practice..practice that out of position stuff) and stuck the tungston about three times,..(after I had what seemed to be a problem balling up the tungston in the beginning.) THEN,...the machine went from its normal inverter sound of buzzing to an almost "frying" sound!!?? Then the HELP-8 message appeared and it wouldn't even strike an arc,..and a weird smell appeared,..like something burning, but I didn't see anything wrong with the machine at taht point. Since I thought I was going nuts and it was my imagination as far as the smell and sound went,..I decided to shut off the machine and give it a few moments. I turned it back on and everything came up and seemed fine. After striking a weak arc I heard and smelled the same thing,..only this time when I flipped my hood up,..there was smoke coming out of the back of the machine and inside the machine could be seen a small flickering blue light when I decided to strike and arc to see what was really happening with this thing!!?? of course after that I shut the machine off.

I checked my connections out....electrical from outlet,..argon hose,..flometer,...leads,...and the welder settings as I had recalled them...I have no idea what the heck is going on here!!!!! Is something shorting the machine out..and if so waht and how and where?? What could be doing that,..or waht is going on?? it was the end of day so I couldn't call a Miller rep either, so here I am seeking you guys out. Can ANYONE out there help me with this?? I have used syncrowaves, trailblazers, XMT's, etc. and never had a problem until I got the dynasty that I bought for myself,..and now this happens??....I am TOTALLY lost on this.

I ran my electrical from my house to my garage this summer in the same way my father and I ran his years ago,...and so I can't imagine it would have anything to do with my electrical...my father even was there for a few days when we were putting stuff in and running line.

A big thank you goes out in advance to all who will be helping me with this!

J-shovel

[j-shovel]

So I'm guessing no one has any idea??

As to what is going on here with these problems i'm having with my dynasty??

...or is it so simple a fix that no one is bothering to reply??

oh well, i'm sure someone will be able to give me a hand...

J-shovel

[cope]

As to what is going on here with these problems i'm having with my dynasty??

...or is it so simple a fix that no one is bothering to reply??

oh well, i'm sure someone will be able to give me a hand...

J-shovel

I think the reason no one has replied is that no one has any idea what the problem is. Contact Miller on Monday, but first check voltage and so forth this weekend. Be sure you don't have a wire crossed or shorted somewhere in the run from the breaker. Other than that you may have the same knack I have of being the first one to discover an issue with an otherwise good product. Miller will stand behing their product, so cheer up!

[fun4now]

,..(after I had what seemed to be a problem balling up the tungston in the beginning.) THEN,...the machine went from its normal inverter sound

this may have nothing to do with your problem but you dont ball the tungsten on the dynasty series machiens, grind to a point and put a small flat spot on the end (about 20% i believe see HAWK's posts )


as for the problem HAWK or ANDY might be able to help. it could have somthing to do with the way you are balling you might post your process.

good luck
sorry to here about your trubles

[jeffscarstrucks]

I would like to know what comes of your problem and what Miller says. they have always bent over backwards to take care of my problems. Please keep us up to date. I hate to here of your problems, Thanks, JEFF

[j-shovel]

Thanks guys!!

Yeah One thing a friend asked was "do you think you are grounding out your machine??...do you have a cut in your grounding lead soemwhere??..its like you have double grounds almost??..."

That make any sense to any of you guys??

As for balling up my tungstun,..WOW!! ****!!,..I never knew that you didn't bal up your tungstun with the Dynasty,..is that the same for all inverters??
As for my process,...I was using DC straight polarity to bal it up on the aluminum,....nothing special really.

I'll go out later and check my setting on my machine and report back to you guys with them to give you more details,..thanks.

My BIG BIG BIG problem is that I was given two jobs to do for friends and I also have some work of my own to finish up,..and was trying to get everything donw before next weekend,..guess that's out now!!

J-shovel

[fun4now]

no ball on all inverters

well i'm not 100% shoure but i would think that you dont ball any of the inverters.
i am 100% shoure you do not ball on the dynasty 200 as i have fallowed all posta on it because i'll be getting 1 soon.
also i am reading the TIG handbook from miller it said advanced squarwave use pointed
you should do a serch for dynasty 200 here HAWK has put out some realy good information that you should find verry helpfull

i'm suprized neather HAWK or andy has jumper in on this ???
anyhow good luck

P.S. pure tungsten is also a no-no 2%lath i think check HAWK's posts he will let you know

[Bendaman]

J-shovel,
Did you find anything out about your Dynasty today? I was just
wondering I also have a Dynasty. I have not had any of the problems
you mentioned, please keep us posted, thanks.

[j-shovel]

Talked to a Miller Tech today.....but,...

He didn't have any idea either as to what the heck is going on.

I just got off the phone with the local repair shop and after talking with him, he had mentioned that there might (though he said he was simply taking a shot in the dark about this..) be a problem with the fact taht my electrical line for my welder is tied into my main electrical box in my cellar of my house,..with everything else. The fact is, I have more than enough juice to run the thing (especially after talking with two seperate electrician friends) and this should NOT cause any problems!!?? The guy at the repair shop said that maybe the machine is somehow not getting enough power to it and therefore these problems are coming up,..but in my mind I'm sitting there thinking,.."uh,..yeah right,..then how is it getting so hot that its smoking out the back fo the machine??...." so that din't make any sense to me at all!

I also took the liberty of calling up a good friend of mine who teaches at the local VOTEC,..he was as puzzled as everyone else!

*****The ONLY thing I did notice today upon very close inspection of my welder, leads, etc....was that the point at whcih I have two ground leads connected to give myself a longer ground,..well, when you pull them apart and disconnect them, it looks like something was arcing right there in the plug,..right on the brass female and made plugs where they hook up. There was what looked like an area you just struck an arc on with your torch!***

ANY IDEAS ABOUT THAT GUYS!!??????

Thanks in advance..
J-shovel

[ASKANDY]

I hate to sound harsh but it sounds like you have something messed up. Do you have the plugs wired correct. I have seen failures where one of the 230 hot lead was put on the gnd pin of the plug and caused some issues. I also don't like the arcing thing with your extension plug. The machine may have been trying to give you all it had but if there was a bad connection at your extension, it just plain gave up the ghost. Also by balling your tungsten, the machine has to work a ton harder to start the arc and you may inadvertantly messed up the arc starter. This machine does NOT take green tungsten. RED, Orange, Black or Blue is ok. Please read your manual on tungsten type and prep. It will make your machine run like a missle.

Good luck, Sorry about your troubles.

Andy

[dyn88]

to add to andys post you should know this- black and red are your hot green and white are your nuetral and ground(one in the same on three phase) Im not familiar with the dynasty but there is usually three screws labeled line and one labelled nuetral/ground. In your manual it will explain all this it will also probably say to have a liscensed electrician hook up the machine. At the very least have an electrician come and inspect your connection. This does sound harsh but miller probably wont keep rreplacing machines if indeed it is user error. And I would feel horrible if I were to read a post entitled"help with miller warranty" sorry to sound mean but you already invested around 2500 dollars whats another 100 to have an electrician come and inspect for you?

[Bendaman]

Just a thought, my dynasty did not come with a plug in on the machine, my
dealer put one on for me. I think all Dynastys come this way from the factory
If your putting on your own plug that might be a place to recheck, just a
long shot idea????? My machine has traveled with me to different locations
and different shops and has worked at every place without any problems.

Can you try the machine at a different location, buddies garage or shop ????

[fun4now]

draw a picture

i would draw a picture of the inside of your electric pannel and where you conected all the wires comming out of the dynasty ( collar coded red here, black here and so on) then take that to your service rep or post it here to insure that you are wired right
might be a waist of time , but might save you another trip to return another welder.

and by all means as andy said read your owners manual this is not a toster and you will find out how to get peek preformance out of your dynasty

[snow]

Greetings

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum......been lurking around as a "guest". I'm in the market for a new tig and have been considering this Dynasty. Largely due to the reviews of the members here. Obviously, I am curious to find the answer to this problem.

One thing that catches my attention is that the machine was "repaired"........and then worked flawlessly for four months........ Doesn't sound like a crossed wire to me.......While I'm not famillar with these inverter machines, usually, a crossed wire in the plug is a dead short and will trip the breaker.

j-shovel, a few thoughts.......You say that you have enough power and perhaps you do.......But, many older homes only have a 100 amp service.....some only have 60.......if you have a 100 amp service serving your house and shop, You are under powered and out of amps........not all the time, but with a few appliances running, you are out of amps.

Ok, even if YOU have wired your machine properly.......You could still be out of power.......Sometimes the addition of a new shop will over load the main supply if the electric company is trying to run too much off one transformer..........I have seen this happen several times..........and/or the transformer is bad......sometimes they will lose one power leg.......

Check the main power coming in to the box, check the power coming out of the breaker, check the power at the receptacle,check the plug on the welder for proper connections........if these are good then the problem is in the welder..........or possibly a sparadically working transformer..........the electric company will check thier side for free........


What did they fix/change/replace when they repaired it the first time??Does anyone know what the "8" trouble code represents??

Good Luck

[Bendaman]

In the owners manual, page 55, Help 8 Display " Indicates a malfunction in
the secondary power circuit of the unit. There is a high open circuit
condition. Contact a Factory Authorized Service Agent if this display is shown." This is word for word from owners manual.