Dialarc HF questions

[H80N]

DIY Coolant for a no freeze environment like FLA...

I would dissolve 1 teaspoon of boriax as a corrosion inhibitor per every 2 gallons of Deionized distilled water

Simple & Cheap....

you can get "20 Mule Team Borax" at the grocery store (laundry aisle)

Info:

http://www.svminerals.com/Our%20Products1/Borax.aspx

[H80N]

For clearing out torch passages and cutting slime and other deposits

Try some CLR (citric acid) from the grocery store..... let the pump circulate it for a while... then flush with clear water a couple of times

[redcaddy51]

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAck.

Well, a bit of water has gone under the bridge, since my last post. I finally took the bull by the horns and tore into the cooler. I checked continuity first and there was none. peeled off the cover and found a 10 amp slo-blo fuse in an open holder. Yep, you guessed it, new fuse, plug in, flip switch to "on", runs like a train. (so much for the trouble shooting skills of the Miller certified repair tech)

The truck ride stirred up a ton of slime and sediment in the tank. (Some of that mess looked ALIVE), I tore the old girl down to parade rest, media blasted every thing, Acid/alkali washed the cooling coil and replaced all the rubber hoses with clear vinyl tubing. A coat of primer and some paint, she looks brand new. I split the pump, all was well inside, I was careful enough to save the gasket for reuse, re assembled and torqued, she acts like new. (I did find a very small nick on one gear tooth, a couple strokes with a slip stone and all was well)

The torch hose was/is plugged solid, I'm soaking and blowin' out with LP air, using Royal purple and 505, with water rinse. slowly I'm getting all the muck out, that stuff is evil, oily and stinks... The resident old fart at my LWS opined that there might be a pressure activated shut off for the welding current, just like I experienced. I think he may be right, given the condition of the torch hoses. With every thing cleaned out and flowing, I 'll bet the old girl comes right to life.

I am still totally underwhelmed with the Tech service I received at my local authorized Miller Service center. Charging me a couple hundred bucks for NOT finding a blown fuse is , in my opinion , theft, with criminal intent.

I have to take full responsibility for ignoring the maintenance on the tank, and causing all the problems, but ****, if you sell your self as a technician, you really should be one.


Thanks for letting me rant, I'm almost over it,

Paul


PS Any body have a favorite coolant additive/biocide for those of us in the "high humidity" deep south?

[ryanjones2150]

I have never had what I consider a good experience with my LWS of choice's service folks. It's not that they're mean, just not really interested in solving the problem for the small guy. Now if I wanted to spec out an automated welding lathe for an industrial application, they'd probably be great, but I'm pretty far from that. This forum fills that void for me and I am great full beyond words for the men on here. <br />
<br />
But get ready for the beat down, Paul! Just no video....

[redcaddy51]

Ryan, I guess I just read more into the post than was ever intended. You guys have been very helpful and I sure don't want to come off like the village idiot. (I'll order up a little thicker skin, you sharpen your jabs, and we can Rodney King this thing...

I'm still pretty irritated at the level of service I encountered at the service center, so, I'll just get over it and , with the help I get here, and a grasp of basic troubleshooting, I'll get back in the game. Keep them cards and letters coming , folks

Thanks, Paul .

[ryanjones2150]

Don't be so sensitive Red, didn't mean it as a slap. More like a friendly jab, that's all. After reading tons of questions and getting plenty of help from guys on here myself, most of the guys are all about getting your machine going. It's like a challenge in a way. I've been jabbed, don't sweat it. And you nailed it, simple stuff first.

[redcaddy51]

H80N,
I'll have the old girl back in my shop by tomorrow, noon. I'll check out the cooler first. I gave it a cursory look, before I took it to the service center, coolant looked clear, with no odor apparent. but that could certainly hide a clogged filter, broken impeller, burned pump motor, etc. I've been told that if a filter clogs it can kill the weakest point in the torch,/ tubing, for lack of cooling.This kind of trouble shooting sure ain't rocket surgery. Simple stuff first, I guess.

I'm gonna ignore the slap, above, it was made with no knowledge of my situation or adjustment for my lack of experience, and **** little respect.

Thanks, RED

[ryanjones2150]

Well, that was the first response you got off this forum from one of the most active and respected members..."Have you tried trading out the TIG torch for another one that is known good??..........<br />
<br />
they have been known to fail..... the HF will jump the break in the damaged power cable conductor and appear normal.... but welding current may not..."<br />
<br />
Your response was...I don't have a spare torch, next?<br />
<br />
When you should've gone and begged, borrowed or bought a known good torch. So look at it like this, it's a penalty for blowing off solid advice, but it's still probably cheaper than any of those other problems that were listed. <br />
<br />
Slap an air cooled torch on there and see if she chooches.

[H80N]

Hello out there, I had a box 'o rocks meltdown. After all the help that was offered and acted on, I didn't want you guys to think I was a drive by poster. Sorry about the delay.

I gave up and hauled the old girl to the miller Authorized service center, in Sarasota. After 4 days, I was called an told that the welder was fine but the torch and cooler were broken. I enquired as to a repair estimate and was told that they don't work on peripheral's, but could probably order me new items for me to install. I asked how much all that technical advise was going to cost me, and was told: $255.00

That strikes me as an outrageous amount of money for little or no help.

If this is the kind of service a Miller Authorized Service Center provides, I think I'm done with the local service center. I'm going to pick up the machine tomorrow I don't think I have any other choice but to pay. Anybody ever had this problem?

How do I find a trouble shoot guide to work on the miller cooler?

Thanks in advance for more help. Paul in venice

Which model cooler do you have...??? and serial number..??

probably has a "Procon" pump.... likely with a clogged strainer

[redcaddy51]

Hello out there, I had a box 'o rocks meltdown. After all the help that was offered and acted on, I didn't want you guys to think I was a drive by poster. Sorry about the delay.

I gave up and hauled the old girl to the miller Authorized service center, in Sarasota. After 4 days, I was called an told that the welder was fine but the torch and cooler were broken. I enquired as to a repair estimate and was told that they don't work on peripheral's, but could probably order me new items for me to install. I asked how much all that technical advise was going to cost me, and was told: $255.00

That strikes me as an outrageous amount of money for little or no help.

If this is the kind of service a Miller Authorized Service Center provides, I think I'm done with the local service center. I'm going to pick up the machine tomorrow I don't think I have any other choice but to pay. Anybody ever had this problem?

How do I find a trouble shoot guide to work on the miller cooler?

Thanks in advance for more help. Paul in venice

[duaneb55]

How about the Contactor? My Dialarc HF lost power and then quit welding also....Cruzier said change the contactor , I just changed that out today and back to normal...........Just saying!

Definitely but as H80N pointed out, eliminate the easy stuff first.

redcadd51 stated he's not an "electrician" so attack it by process of elimination that involves other machine functions that could indicate the general area of cause and go from there as needed.

Could be range switch contacts, magnetic amplifier windings, failed output rectifier and a host of connections but . . .

Good to hear you got yours back up and running as it should.

[H80N]

How about the Contactor? My Dialarc HF lost power and then quit welding also....Cruzier said change the contactor , I just changed that out today and back to normal...........Just saying!

Yup... the contactor is also a good possibility.... I was just trying to eliminate the easy stuff first...

[tarry99]

How about the Contactor? My Dialarc HF lost power and then quit welding also....Cruzier said change the contactor , I just changed that out today and back to normal...........Just saying!

[duaneb55]

Stick OR TIG with amperage control in local (Standard) mode?

For your benefit, the amperage control and HF control are from two separate secondary power circuits of the main transformer so as such it's not puzzling that you have no amperage control but still have HF operation.

That being said, IF you don't have any amperage control from the panel in STANDARD as H80N inquired, then the bridge rectifier SR2 (use the wiring diagram to identify) would be suspect as would circuit breaker CB1 and finally the transformer 30VAC secondary output winding on wires #31 and #32.

[H80N]

I don't have a back up torch, next?

Can you stick weld with it in local mode...??