Miller 180SD tig questions

[bcjm]

I am new to the hobby. Still practicing. I have an older version (no digital read out) of 180SD. I have two questions.
1. I noticed there is no gas flowing sound after the arc stops. I can hear the sound of the pre flow when I step of the foot pedal. I am not sure if this is normal. I can swear that I hear the post flow sound before. I had replaced the regulator to a flow meter lately. Not sure if that matters. Is there a way to verify my post flow is working or not?
2. I feel a small electrical shock through my arms and legs if I touch the welding table when stepping on the foot pedal. If the torch is near the work piece (actual welding) it is better. Is this normal? My machine is connected to a three pron dryer plug at home. A friend told me I need to ground the machine directly to earth. If that is correct, how?

[ryanjones2150]

1. Put your ear close to the torch and listen, or take a look at your tungsten after welding. Without post flow, your tungsten will oxidize rapidly and make you sad. <br />
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2. It is not uncommon for the HF (on arc starts especially) to give you a little tingle if you're not careful. You should be wearing long sleeves and long pants anyway.

[bcjm]

Thank you for the reply.

The tungsten does not look bad after welding. I see shinning round tip when I weld aluminum. I know how bad it looks if I forgot to open the gas bottle. Does it suppose to be pretty bad if I only have no post flow?

I feel the electrical on my leg even with long pants. I think I feel the electrical on my hand only if I touch the table with the skin. Does people ground the machine to earth normally?

[Olivero]

For the gas flow, just hit the pedal for a second or 2 and then take your foot off the pedal and point the cup at your eye or nose or whatever you use for sensing air flow the best (I use my eye, A co worker uses his nose) that will tell you. But the shiny tungsten is a good indicator that your post flow works, unless your welding at 10A, then it might not matter, but no one welds aluminum at 10 amps.

The HF can shock you but also while welding, if you are not wearing real gloves or a real welding jacket or sleeves, it can shock you. Anything labeled as "Welding" gloves, jacket, cape, etc. Has to be electrically resistive, I believe reading its part of a rule that if its labeled "welding" gear it has to be insulating which I find to be true. IF I weld without sleeves, especially if I am sweating and resting my arms on the table, i get shocked or I am welding on a floor and my knees are touching but I am wearing work pants (dikies with a C), I get shocked.

I don't ground mine any other way than through the outlet as I move it around but as long as you wear Welding gear and not just a long sleeve or a pair of gardening gloves and are not connected to the table with anything conductive, you should be just fine.

[ryanjones2150]

None of my machines are grounded other than the normal electrical wiring and everyone I know has the same setup and I have never seen a machine setup otherwise. Not saying some people don't have it wired up that way, maybe your friend can show you on his machine and welding table how he has his setup. <br />
<br />
I've been shocked a few times, but it's still pretty rare and only tig welding with HF starts and usually because I did something stupid or I was sweating through my gear. I have never felt a constant flow of electricity how you're describing it. Maybe you need someone with a bit more knowledge to come take a look at your setup. <br />
<br />
I use my cheek to feel for post flow gas. <br />
<br />
I've never heard that welding gear is supposed to be electrical insulating. I think it just happens to be generally so because of the thermal protection. But there would be some sort of moisture proof barrier if it were for insulating electricity. Water tends to render textiles that are highly resistant to the flow of magic little pixies to quite the pixie superhighway at times.

[bcjm]

The post flow is working. I can feel it when pointing the cup to my eye. I was really worried that it is going to zap my eye ball.

[Olivero]

Well, can't find the reference for it anywhere so maybe just my own little addition.

Glad you figured it out, glad you did not get shocked, definetley a second thought when testing it that way, first time I saw another guy hit the pedal and put the pedal to his face I kind of stepped back a few feet.

I did an aluminum diamond plate floor recently where at certain times, I would feel a small shocking, tingle type feeling pretty much constantly while welding, would go through the arm with the filler in it and ground through the knees. Adjusted the ground clamp and it went away but I doubt the grounding of the machine is the problem as the welding circuit is from the stinger/torch to the ground clamp, so if your left arm provides a faster route to ground it will go that way. Electricity will choose the path of the least resistance (lazy if you ask me) which is why you might feel the shock when sweating as water is the best conductor.

It is often recommended to "place the ground clamp as close the work piece as possible" which is to make it easier on the machine as well as reduce that hazard for you as you are making the circuit shorter and reducing the risk of something else providing a faster path to ground.

IF your machine is not grounded at all, as in there is no ground prong on the machine or in the outlet it could potentially be grounding through you no matter what but I doubt that is the case.

[H80N]

The post flow is working. I can feel it when pointing the cup to my eye. I was really worried that it is going to zap my eye ball.

YIKES.....................

I sure WOULD NOT point it towards my eye....

sounds like a great way to permanently join the pirate black eyepatch club....

BTW.... On older machines postflow is fixed at 18 seconds from the factory....

default post flow is 12 seconds on newer versions of the Sync 180SD it is adjustable between 5-18 seconds

see the postflow section (4-4 on the newer) of the manual that matches your serial number

https://www.millerwelds.com/files/ow.../O360J_MIL.pdf

https://www.millerwelds.com/files/owners-manuals/O355_MIL.pdf

[bcjm]

I don't feel the air when pointing to the cheek. Maybe I have thick skin or maybe I was using the gas lens.

[Aeronca41]

I can't picture any time I would be pointing an HF tig torch at my eye......things happen. No matter what, I would find another way. If someone walks by and bumps your arm or the lead at the wrong time-----my Dad lost most of the use of his right knee kneeling while welding on a railroad car. His helper laid down an old carbon arc torch by Dad's leg and got up to get something-tripped on the lead, flipped the torch into the back of Dad's knee and it lit off when it hit the sweaty wet jeans. Burned a good part of the way through his knee very quickly...ya never know what might happen.

[bcjm]

Very sorry to hear that. Safety is #1 thing is this business.

[H80N]

Very sorry to hear that. Safety is #1 thing is this business.

If you disable or maim yourself...... you won't be earning much money in "This Business"

but you are free to act as you wish...................

[aametalmaster]

I have seen blind machinists, blind tire changers and blind cabinet makers. But not to many openings for blind welders...Bob

[Meltedmetal]

In the interest of your eye ball you could buy one of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pro-Argon-Co2-Gas-Flow-Meter-Tester-Scale-Flowmeter-For-Mig-Tig-Welder-Torch-/121715836601

It's cheap and it is a second opinion on your regulator.

[H80N]

In the interest of your eye ball you could buy one of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pro-Argon-Co2-Gas-Flow-Meter-Tester-Scale-Flowmeter-For-Mig-Tig-Welder-Torch-/121715836601

It's cheap and it is a second opinion on your regulator.

A nozzle flowmeter is an excelent idea