Older Miller lectro spot model 11 spot welder

[miller_130xp]

At max the timer only runs for 3 seconds? What is typical for the maximum run time for a spot weld timer?

[Aeronca41]

Doesn't seem unreasonable. Some I've seen have 5 second max.

[H80N]

Questions related to performance..............

Did you follow the 1 minute "warm up period"...??

and that galvanized no thicker than 20ga should be spotted in the 1.5kva config...?

tip size dressed to no more than 1/8 in for 1.5kva config...??

per section 8 of the manual

https://www.docdroid.net/G2Jc7se/o74...-9-67.pdf.html

[miller_130xp]

I'm waiting more then a min for the tubes to get warm. The tips and tongs are brand new millers. The combined thickness of the metal is less then 1/8 in. Maybe I this 110v spot welder does not have enough juice and I need to run a 220v?

If I can get 2 more seconds out of the timer I think it might work. The manual says if the timing is short replace the 6p4 tube. Perhaps I need to replace this tube? I checked the connections and they look good after I opened it up. The machine has seen little use.

[H80N]

I'm waiting more then a min for the tubes to get warm. The tips and tongs are brand new millers. The combined thickness of the metal is less then 1/8 in. Maybe I this 110v spot welder does not have enough juice and I need to run a 220v?

1/8 is beyond the thickness that it will do in 1.5kva mode

also the smaller the tip contact area the more concentrated the heat

see the manual again

[miller_130xp]

What I'm welding is less then 1/8 thickness. I should be getting good welds. I appreciate the help. I'm not sure what else to do.

Maybe I should obtain some wider tips like these

http://powercustom.com/store/images/spot_welder_tip.jpg

[aametalmaster]

What I'm welding is less then 1/8 thickness. I should be getting good welds. I appreciate the help. I'm not sure what else to do.

Maybe I should obtain some wider tips like these

http://powercustom.com/store/images/spot_welder_tip.jpg

The nose is too wide...Bob

[H80N]

The nose is too wide...Bob

I agree..........

tip size dressed to no more than 1/8 in for 1.5kva config...??

per section 8 of the manual

https://www.docdroid.net/G2Jc7se/o74...-9-67.pdf.html

[Aeronca41]

At max the timer only runs for 3 seconds? What is typical for the maximum run time for a spot weld timer?

Just saw the link to the pic of the timer in one of your earlier posts; must have missed it before. Yours is calibrated in "cycles", which I assume means 60 cycle power line cycles. It goes up to 90 when set to MAX according to the manual. That would say the max time should be about 1.5 seconds. 90cycles x .01667 seconds per cycle = 1.5003 seconds. Now I'm curious about the 3 seconds you're experiencing-that's twice as long as the book implies.

[miller_130xp]

the 3 seconds was a rough count. I'll time it with stopwatch to be sure. Also when I run it the lights in the garage dim. I only have it on a 15 amp shared circuit. I'm going to turn of the other appliance to see if it helps. I appreciate the help. I like this machine and hope it can be used for autobody work.

[Aeronca41]

If the lights are dimming, it makes me wonder if the input voltage is dropping too low to produce a good weld. Can you try it out somewhere else where there is adequate power?

[miller_130xp]

I plugged it into an outlet right next to the electrical panel. This time the garage lites did not dim and it made more sparks. I have not performed a destructive test yet but it looks promising.

[miller_130xp]

I was reading the manual for the newer 110v spot welder and it calls for a dedicated 30 amp line. It is not clear from the old manual what the amps should be for the line. The line I'm currently using is shared and only 15 amps.

[Aeronca41]

30 A sounds reasonable. You need a large surge of current for a short time. A 30A circuit would be wired with AWG 10 copper, while your 15 A circuit could be as small as AWG 14. The difference in voltage drop would certainly be noticeable and may starve the machine for power.

[miller_130xp]

30 A sounds reasonable. You need a large surge of current for a short time. A 30A circuit would be wired with AWG 10 copper, while your 15 A circuit could be as small as AWG 14. The difference in voltage drop would certainly be noticeable and may starve the machine for power.

I'm not tripping the breaker on the 15 amp circuit. Would my poor weld quality be explained by the 15 amp circuit? Is there such a thing as a 30 amp 110V circuit? I'm just aware of 15 amp and 20 amp.