AL problem with dynasty 200

[TJS]

I have been following this thread. Just wondered how you made out. I just demo'd one this past weekend and had great results. Looks like you are having gas coverage prob. I would try re-setting the machine back to factory specs. It is in the manual. I think you have to hold three buttons at once when you power it up. When I demo'd the machine we had to do that to get the pre-post-flow to work right as well as arc starting. I used to have a 180SD that had wave balance as well and I always kept it on the low side to make flatter welds. I think the 200DX blows the 180sd away even for the 10 min. I used it for.
T.J.
www.tjsperformance.com

[dyn88]

What about trying a new ges lens/ collet body, tungsten and gas cup. Ive seen this problem in my shop before and the guy nearly pulled his hair out yelling at me that the heater was blowing the sheild away(the same heater has been there for 2 years and never before a problem). I looked at the setup and tried welding with it(with a 10 lens) I could see a fog come out of the cup. I changed the afore mentioned parts and wala all fixed.

[J hall]

Andre,
Sorry to hear your troubles. I have heard that inverters act differently.
I have an invertec v205t, and it works beautiful on AL. Your dynasty should do the same. I would re check settings.
Good luck, JH
PS let us know what you find

[grocery_getter]

Thanks for bumping the thread back up.

I've been playing phone tag with Dave Fisher from Miller for a couple days. Finally got to speak with Jack this morning and he took my concerns very well.

We went over the gas setting, the torch, the tungsten, and the setup on the AL plates and filler rods. Everything checks out ok. He was under the impression that there must be something wrong with gas coverage. I countered that thought with how beautiful the SS and mild steel welds come out to be. If there is a prob. with gas coverage, then I should be seeing problem accross the board.

I am still going to triple check the gas connection on the torch, but now we suspected that there is something wrong with the balance setting on the machine. He suggested for me to lower the balance to 50% from the 68-75% that I've been using. Hopefully this works, otherwise, he said that he is going to send out some people to look at the machine.

I will certainly update the board with the outcome.

Andre

[dyn88]

have you tried replacing the torch parts?

[grocery_getter]

This is why I buy miller...customer service!

I tried all the settings and suggestion that Dave Fischer and Jake @ Miller gave to me and the weld on aluminum is still UGLY. So I talk to Dave one more time and we finally come to the conclusion that there is something wrong with the welder. He asked me to call the local AIRGAS where I got my machine to contact the local Miller service rep.

Within an hour of calling Air gas and telling them the whole story, I have Don Knight, the local Miller district manager, standing infront of my shop door. He went back, reset the machine and started to play around with it. After about 20 minutes of play time, he told me that there seems to be something that is wrong with the dynasty because it is not doing any cleaning on the AC.

I was VERY relieved to hear that. Finally, someone who actually agree with what I had thought for a while. He grabbed the machine and dropepd it off to the nearest service center himself. I should be getting the welder back middle of next week.

I'll update you guys on what happen after I get the welder back.

[HAWK]

grocery_getter,

After all has been evaluated it sounds like the polarity switching IGBTs are not functioning properly. This could explain why your DC welds are okay, but the AC beads are porous and prickly. In the beginning there were a few units in a specific serial number range that had exhibited this problem. However, the problem was neither prevalent nor on going. I am really interested in what the service techs tell you.

[grocery_getter]

HAWK, how do you know about this? Are you some sort of a secret agent?

Should I let them fix it or should I get them to get me a new unit? Do I smell a LEMON?

Andre

[HAWK]

grocery _getter,


Secret? Yes. Agent? No.

To quote a famous saying: I get by with a little help from my friends.

In this particular case I saw one do it. I was at a client's shop teaching basic aluminum welding to their shop guys. They had a Lincoln Squarewave 175 and really hated the machine. For a demo I picked up a 3/32" zirconiated tungsten and ran 6" fillet on 3/16" 6061 test coupons. It did a great job and they were really impressed with the machine and the Zirtung.

Then the problems started. I set up a Dynasty 200DX to demo and hopefully sell a couple to this shop. The D200DX has been working well as of the week prior. I hauled it out and set up for the demo. The first bead was bad and had me puzzled. The more I welded the worse it got! I went back to the Lincoln and everthing was great: nice shiny beads, good penetration, all you could want.

I took the unit back to the shop and tried everything from tungsten and gas to filler and base metal. I ran the balance from 40 to 90 and nothing helped.I took the unit to my good friend who is also a Miller dealer. We set it up, scoped it and called Miller. Bottom line" bad PS IGBTs.

Just let them fix it. It will probably need the PS IGBT's and a new driver board. Lemon? Probably not. This will only be one of a few to actually exhibit true problems.

[HAWK]

grocery _getter,

I would have to say every welding and cutting unit on the market has had a problem or two along the way. Even with great quality control things can happen. Let me tell what most customers in any business will tell the manager: It is not the mistakes you make, but how you fix them. That is what Miller is all about. Great equipment and fantastic customer service!

[grocery_getter]

How is the long term track record for DX200?

After it is out of the warranty period?

[HAWK]

grocery_getter,


All I can give you is what I see and hear along the way. I would call Miller @ 1-920-735-4505. See what Dave Fisher has to say. Everything I have heard about the Dynasty track record is good.

[grocery_getter]

Bad gas....

This is one of those time I wish I can delete the whole thread but on the flip side let this thread stay up and be a learning tool for others.

There is nothing wrong with my Dynasty200.

The problem was in the gas. I have always run 100% Argon from Liquid Air. Got them from my local supplier, and never a problem before. They were telling me though that sometimes they'll have a couple bad tanks every year or so. I switched tank and walla cleaaaaaaannnn weld. Smooth ***y AL beads. I am very happy and also very mad at the same time that all this time bad gas was responsible for the whole thing.

To take care of this to not happen anymore in the future, I've completely switched all of my old used and un-used regular Argon to PRE-PURIFIED Argon from AIRGAS. This new gas is sooooo clean, it makes ***y AL weld just so easy to do.

So thanks again for the helps on troubleshooting the problem. it was not the material prep, not the torch, not the regulator, and most importantly not the machine. It was bad contaminated gas all along.

Andre

[Scott V]

What happens when you change your wave balance? too much into the negative side can do some of that. Rememember with your machine can get way farther into the DC- wave balance then the Syncro. It's a true sq. wave so it means it's more into the dc side then a syncro at the same settings. Is you argon good?
How about trying some 5052 aluminum and seeing if you get black spots in it.
Change your filler metal too.

I thought I would post this for you again.
Shoot I only know Thermal machines.

Which by the way is working great with the blue tungstens.

[Wheels]

Sticking my neck out here and speaking for everyone ....how about some pictures of those ***y aluminum welds PLEASE.

Mike