*******NOOB ALERT*********Help PleASE

[Blackbird455]

Ok, I Just got a Syncrowave 200.............

I mainly bought it to weld thin (.030-.063) aluminum.

The problem is that I have an unstable (at best) arc. I am seeing a wide (1 inch Blue arc cone that has little sparks all around. What is wrong? The only cups I have are a 10n48 and a 10n50, what "number" are those (#7 , #8 etc....)? I am using a 3/32 ceriated tungsten.

I have had great sucess welding stainless, and poor results on aluminum.

What I would like to know is ,

Lets say that you are welding .040 aluminum:
What cup size?
What flow rate?
tungsten?
PPS?
AMPS?
BALANCE?

Thanks

[metal-doctor]

Make sure you are switched to AC. for aluminum. Let us know if this may be your problem.

[Blackbird455]

Yeah............I paid $2,500 for a machine.......... I researched it thouroughly......... The whole A/C thing goes without saying, I should have specified though

Notice I did say BALANCE?

[fun4now]

drop down to the 1/16" tungs. i would also go with one of the rare earth tungstens you can point and add a small flat to for better control. that may allow you to stay with the 3/32" tung. if you are using pure tungsten balled i suspect the 3/32" is too large. what filler are you using ??

I'm using an inverter so all i use is 2% lanthanated but many with transformers are going to it also for its control advantages.

sorry #5 cup

[Badd00SS]

Ok, I Just got a Syncrowave 200.............

I mainly bought it to weld thin (.030-.063) aluminum.

The problem is that I have an unstable (at best) arc. I am seeing a wide (1 inch Blue arc cone that has little sparks all around. What is wrong? The only cups I have are a 10n48 and a 10n50, what "number" are those (#7 , #8 etc....)? I am using a 3/32 ceriated tungsten.

I have had great sucess welding stainless, and poor results on aluminum.

What I would like to know is ,

Lets say that you are welding .040 aluminum:
What cup size?
What flow rate?
tungsten?
PPS?
AMPS?
BALANCE?

Thanks

Contaminated gas? and drop your tunsten size down...

[Craig in Denver]

Ok, I Just got a Syncrowave 200.............

I mainly bought it to weld thin (.030-.063) aluminum.

The problem is that I have an unstable (at best) arc. I am seeing a wide (1 inch Blue arc cone that has little sparks all around. What is wrong?

I think your tungsten is too big. I see that instability on all starts; it quits as the tungsten 'gets up to temp'. Just try on a thicker test piece to see if the arc stabilizes in a second or so. Apply pedal steadily, allowing the tung to heat. The sparking should stop and a round cotton ball arc should establish.

The only cups I have are a 10n48 and a 10n50, what "number" are those (#7 , #8 etc....)?

The # equals 1/16ths. #8 equals 1/2". So just measure the I.D. of your cups. I use a #8 because it gives me a bigger circle to work in. Your stick-out should be no more than 1/2 your cup diameter.

I am using a 3/32 ceriated tungsten.

I have had great sucess welding stainless, and poor results on aluminum.

What I would like to know is ,

Lets say that you are welding .040 aluminum:
What cup size?
What flow rate?

15-20cfh

tungsten?
PPS?
AMPS?

Maybe 100 on 1/8th. Full pedal should give you a puddle in 2-3 seconds. You shouldn't have to hold it full for very long.

BALANCE?

Thanks

100% Argon is mandantory.
Try to keep your arc down to 1/8".
I'm assuming you've run a few practice beads on 1/8"?

[Blackbird455]

One more question............What is the best way to start the arc on aluminum with a Syncrowave 200? I have absolutely no problem starting in DCEN mode on ferrous........... But on aluminum, crap shoot at best.

Another thing.......my regulator is acting up........if I close the bottle valve and leave it sitting overnight without purging, I have to break the line slighty
with the valve open to get any gas flow......wonder if my flow is WAYYYYY off , and I am experiencing these difficulties because of a chewed up regulator???

Also.......I have a black soot residue on the north side of ALL of my stainless welds.........is this normal, or just another indicator that I am having flow rate malfunctions.

BTW.........I have tried from #4 to #8 cups, gas lenses and their respective cups, and flows ranging from 8 to 30 cfm.......????.....????.....???? Anyone have any helpful thoughts?

Also.......this may or may not be unrelated.....I had a 7 amp grinder plugged into my 115 accessory outlet, and it took way longer to get up to speed, and never reached "full" speed.......could my problems be caused by a bad/weak/insufficient/piss poor/20 year old/corroded 220v 50a plug?

[fun4now]

Also.......this may or may not be unrelated.....I had a 7 amp grinder plugged into my 115 accessory outlet, and it took way longer to get up to speed, and never reached "full" speed.......could my problems be caused by a bad/weak/insufficient/piss poor/20 year old/corroded 220v 50a plug?

short answer is yes.
if the circuit is not feeding the syncrowave enough power its going to complain. thats why i had to go inverter for my shop. if its a bad/old plug i would replace it and try again. if the hole circuit is in question......supose you really don't have much choice but to get it upgraded.
you asked about balance early-er, i don't know the syncro, but on mine i would set up as fallows.

1/16" 2% lanthanated tung. ,
15-20cfh argon
0.1 sec.pre-flow,
hot starts 20 amps,
weld amperage of 80A,
90 Hz,
balance about 20%,
post flow about 6.5 sec.

this would be a good starting point. keep in mind the peddle is part of the equation here, as the piece heats you will need to back off a bit.
let us know how its going, pic's would be good. if you cant post them e-mail them to me and i'll post them for ya.


P.S. did i mention, congratulations on getting the new syncro 200. i soooo wanted one. hope this helps a bit.

[Blackbird455]

Thanks ,

Just wanting to know about the black soot now..........
I get it on my stainless welds, its very fine and wipes off clean.
Is it normal?

[fun4now]

black soot is not normal. metal contamination can do that. how did you prep the aluminum ?
you can only use Stainless steel wire brushes on aluminum not standard steel brushes. also some sand papers are not good, but i cant remember which??sorry.
i generally wipe it down with alcohol and then give it a quick brush with a SS wire wheel. not in the grinder but by hand. do the ss brush just before starting as it re-oxides up fast. also good to hit the filler with the same wipe down, scotch bright is good for this also.

keep in mind anything you have used on steel can not be used on aluminum after. it picks up microscopic steel parts and thats enough to kill a weld on aluminum. i keep all my aluminum prep stuff separate so it never gets used on anything but aluminum. i also keep it in a closed cabinet so grinding steel dust cant get to it..
just a few things for ya to look into as possible problems. also you cant sharpen the tungsten on a grinding wheel thats been used for steel. it embeds small pieces in it and they come out during the AC cycle. best to keep one wheel just for Tung.

[Blackbird455]

Yeah, so ok I forgot to mention that I have an extensive aviation background.
Im so OCD about dissimilar metal contact that I used to make scrapers out of 7075-t6 if that was the alloy that I was scraping, 2024 on 2024 , etc......

I have that "tungsten groove" in my DEDICATED grind wheel,and its only a week old.

Has anyone tried prepping aluminum in the presence of argon?

I'm thinking that a large pyrex dish with a 5 cfm argon flow would slow sown the oxidization progess.............Does anyone do this?

I DO use aluminum foil to create a bowl around some of the thin stainless
..............to keep that nasty ?oxide? from forming on the backside, by pre-flowing with the pedal for about 8-10 seconds.

Anyone else have any tricks or hints?

[Craig in Denver]

Yeah, so ok I forgot to mention that I have an extensive aviation background.

We all have secrets.

Im so OCD about dissimilar metal contact that I used to make scrapers out of 7075-t6 if that was the alloy that I was scraping, 2024 on 2024 , etc......

I have that "tungsten groove" in my DEDICATED grind wheel,and its only a week old.

Has anyone tried prepping aluminum in the presence of argon?

I'm thinking that a large pyrex dish with a 5 cfm argon flow would slow sown the oxidization progess.............Does anyone do this?

If both of these are aluminum questions: When AC welding aluminum, oxidation is not a problem. One half of the wave cleans the oxidation, the other half welds. You do not have to back gas. Since you can't keep it shielded forever, it IS going to oxidize. I have OCD also, many weldors do. This, however, is a waste of energy; unless you're welding up someone's aluminum experimental aircraft. Craftsmanship is highly reqarded, perfect is unnecessary and over-rated. (Unless you work for NASA?)

I DO use aluminum foil to create a bowl around some of the thin stainless
..............to keep that nasty ?oxide? from forming on the backside, by pre-flowing with the pedal for about 8-10 seconds.

I think: You can't just 'pool' argon on the backside of your stainless weld; it needs flow. OBTW: I've never welded stainless.

[fun4now]

think: You can't just 'pool' argon on the backside of your stainless weld; it needs flow. OBTW: I've never welded stainless.
thats what i heard also.

[Jetmekdc-10]

No one has suggested a gas cup/nozzle setup yet. I will never use another of the old style nozzles again. The two most important things I have found while doing thin aluminum is good gas coverage and getting it clean. Practice, Practice, Practice. It will get less frustrating. Good Luck, Adam

[Craig in Denver]

No one has suggested a gas cup/nozzle setup yet.

Neither did you.

I will never use another of the old style nozzles again.

Do you mean a gas lens? Rocky D said that Hi Freq kills gas lens with the vibration on AC. I'm just trying to learn and meant no disrespect.

The two most important things I have found while doing thin aluminum is good gas coverage and getting it clean.

I thunk AC did its own cleaning, goo excepted?

Practice, Practice, Practice. It will get less frustrating. Good Luck, Adam

Amen to that!