Multimatic 215 Mig Settings

[Sandyg]

Just fired up a Multimatic 215. I have an older Millermatic Pulser that is too big to move around so I picked up the Multimatic. Was going to start working on a car project and figured nice to have the smaller box to tote around.

Loaded it up with C25 gas, and some ER70S6 0.023 wire that I got when I purchased it. Set it to the default auto settings for 16 gauge steel, and couldn't weld clean, the auto settings were way off, so went back to the chart and they were as the chart shows as well. Fiddled with the settings to bring the wire feed waaaay down and it started working fine, something like reducing the wire speed from 350 feed to a 250 feed rate (from memory...)

Also not sure if it matters but was welding on 15 Amp 120V plug not 220V. The 120 V was well within parameters for the thin welding from the chart.

Anyone run into the auto settings and chart being way off for the thin wire?

I'm going to pop in some .035 wire to see how it works with the chart and settings.

Sandy

[Lostone]

I have this machine at home and use it quite a bit. I never ran .023 in it, but I have used .030 and .035 solid and flux though it. I found the settings to be pretty close to spot on.

I will I'll tell you to check what your input voltages are. I have an outlet out in my out building that's 300+ ft from the breaker panel. The 120 outlet that's in there pretty much only runs the lights and a battery maintainer. I used to have 140 that would start acting up when I'd use it out there, due to what I beleve was the voltages dropping below 100 volts.

Im not saying that's your problem, just if your on the end of a long electric cable run or using extension cords, it may be something to check.

[Sandyg]

Voltage was at something like 118V on one of the screens when flipping around. I have a 120V 20 amp circuit with a short cord so should be OK. Might be worth popping it onto the 220V 50Amp circuit just to be sure.

I too have had good luck on using the chart, on the Millermatic Pulser, always pretty close to good. The Multimatic seemed to be way off for this wire size. I'll have to swap wire and see how it does with .035 solid as to matching the settings.

Sandy

[Sandyg]

OK, got back in the garage Miller settings as recommend were 16.2 volts at 330 wfs , not useable...

17volts at 200 wfs to 18volts to 250 wfs is what seemed to work. Pretty far off from chart or machine.

Anyone have similar settings with .023 or settings on 16 gauge from similar mig machine (millermatic, etc)

Sandy

[ryanjones2150]

Sandy...I'm not familiar with that machine, but have heard good things about it. Have you checked to make sure you're welding with the correct polarity? ....I haven't the slightest clue how to set that on your machine, but many smaller MIG machines are a simple swap of two wings nutted wires inside where the spool compartment near the feed block.

[Sandyg]

Thanks for the heads up Ryan!

I didn't think to check that as the 'Machine Told Me' it was OK. It actually was when I check. The display is nice, as it tells you how to move the dinse connectors if you change settings, but not sure if it actually knows which is plugged in where.

Sadly it's not operator error (well so far), the Mig is set up for DCEP. It does weld very nice once settings were jacked around with. But my main reason to have the fancy display was to help make it easier for me to get dialed in. On the pic of the display below you can tweak the settings a bunch but you can't move the wire speed down enough to make it weld. On manual mode with the settings I did, works great, but again nothing close to what on the display OR the chart.

I need to try it with .035 wire and see if things are really off. If so, then the extra money for the fancy auto setting is pretty much a waste... BUT before I make that conclusion have to experiment more and make sure it's not stupid crap that I'm doing

The other issue, and I need to read the manual, is CAN THE DEFAULT SETTING BE CHANGED AND/OR SAVED. If so, not much of a problem, but if not that would really bug me as the nice feature is the simple setup and adjusting of parameters, ie, set process, dial in wire, dial in thickness and give it a go.

Last questions could wire brand cause a wide variant in setting?? Never noticed before, but not ruling anything out.

More testing needed for sure before I make any conclusions.

Sandy

[Lostone]

Are you sure this it's .024 wire? Reason I ask is what you say you have to set it on would be almost spot on for .030 wire.

[Lostone]

I just checked. If I set mine for 16ga with .030 wire it auto sets to 15.7 volt and 226 IPM. That's pretty close to what you're having to manually set the machine on

[Sandyg]

Are you sure this it's .024 wire? Reason I ask is what you say you have to set it on would be almost spot on for .030 wire.

Yep, what you see on the picture is the display as recommended by the wire size and metal gauge. Running 0.023 wire and contact tip. I'll double check just to be sure.

[Lostone]

Yep, what you see on the picture is the display as recommended by the wire size and metal gauge. Running 0.023 wire and contact tip. I'll double check just to be sure.

set the machine got .030 wire and see what happens.

Also I thought that these didn't have liners from the factory for .024 wire?

[Sandyg]

Hmm, don't know about the liner size limits, but seems to feed fine when I set it up. I'll have to crack the manual and see, but I suspect it's all good. I'll see what the settings are for 0.030, but if the 0.023 wire is right then machine is wrong as is the chart.

[Lostone]

I just went and look at my chart on our 252 and it doesn't have a recommendation for 16ga for some reason but for .024 wire it says 17/190 for 18ga and 18/240 for 14ga.

Seems miller messed up on this one. Call them and see if they know about it already.

[Sandyg]

That's my guess, but didn't want to holler before I got some feedback. I really want to try the .035 as that would be a bad thing of that common of a setting was off. Again, may not be a big deal if you can update the settings on the display to default to a user preference, but I have yet to check the manual to see if the software will do that.

It may be the plight of having purchased a new machine...

Sandy

[Lostone]

I don't think you can change the default settings.
I can tell you mine runs .030 and .035 without adjustment. Only time I have to fiddle with it is if I'm filling gaps or want to do something that I shouldn't be doing anyway because I'm lazy and taking shortcuts.

[Sandyg]

Lostone -

That's at least some good news, I would be really pissed off if the most common wire settings are off. Not super happy that the 0.023 is off. I have to dig into the manual a bit. My initial inspection showed no way to save settings or update firmware like on some other machines. Seems like would be a good idea if it doesn't have it... Lazy and taking shortcuts... Never, well always but that what the machine is supposed to help with