Welding Tips and Tricks

I am still trying to translate generic terminology about pulse settings as described in general by Jody and how the controls are named on the alphatig.

Jody:

% on time (% ratio set)
Background current

On the alphatig 201xd:

Pulse time on (PTO)
Pulse amps (PA)
Pulse frequency (PF)
Main amps

I was trying to get a narrower lap-joint on some 1/8” steel and was welding at 105A, with 3/32” 2% lan and 1/16” filler, on the the following settings:

PTO-80%
PA-50
PF (7-30)

i think I like the upper range of the low, and lower range of the high, but don’t know why I like it.

Can someone PLEASE explain PTO and PO.

That being said, you're likely not gonna get a lot of benefit from using pulse with a lower-than-needed amperage, IMO. Pulsing reduces heat input, so the base amps need to be a lot higher - that is what helps focus the arc (high amperage for short periods of time).

Thank you so much.

Its a rosetta stone for the alphatig.

So yes, i read that you want rough.y set the base ampergae to approx. double what you would normally use because in the end you just get an average of each pulse’s high and low....i think...

I really liked how my weld looked and the pulses make the puddle behave differently. I am going to print that out and put it in a plastic sleave... awsome!

vdotmatrix wrote:Thank you so much.

Its a rosetta stone for the alphatig.

So yes, i read that you want rough.y set the base ampergae to approx. double what you would normally use because in the end you just get an average of each pulse’s high and low....i think...

I really liked how my weld looked and the pulses make the puddle behave differently. I am going to print that out and put it in a plastic sleave... awsome!

You generally need more amperage when pulsing, but not necessarily double. Highly depends on what your PTO and PA are set to. Higher values for both will require less of a main amperage boost, lower values will require more, etc.

Also note that PTO and PA are sometimes defined differently between manufacturers, and even different machines from the same manufacturers (i.e., most machines treat PTO as the main amperage portion exactly as in Oscar's nice drawing; however, some machines use the opposite and treat the PTO value as the other, lower, half of the pulse cycle). Same for the PA value on some machines. All depends on how the manufacturer defines the term "pulse". Hopefully that makes sense. It's the same dilemma we face with the definition of AC balance, and best to visually test the settings to make sure you are making adjustments to the side of the wave that you think you are adjusting.

I thought I understood the math behind "pulsing" until I saw the equation in the diagram..... my interpretation of the diagram's equation goes something like:

• Average AMPS = ( (MAX "Dialed" Amps x % On Time) + (Pulse Base AMPs x (100% - % On Time) ) / 200

What puzzles me, why the division by 200 ?

I assume I'm missing something. What am I missing or is the division by 200 just a typo ?

sportster wrote:I thought I understood the math behind "pulsing" until I saw the equation in the diagram..... my interpretation of the diagram's equation goes something like:

• Average AMPS = ( (MAX "Dialed" Amps x % On Time) + (Pulse Base AMPs x (100% - % On Time) ) / 200

What puzzles me, why the division by 200 ?

I assume I'm missing something. What am I missing or is the division by 200 just a typo ?

Not a typo. It is an algebraic manipulation of the numbers via distribution/factorization in order to not have to change the %-number into a decimal (where 100% actually represents 1.00). You see, in arithmetic, percentages are not used in calculations because percent is a naming convention to represent a decimal equivalent of "per 100". To use percentages in calculations you'd have to convert to decimal first, otherwise your final numbers are off by a factor of 100. I manipulated this fact using factorization to arrive at a more elegant form of the avg amp equation that eliminates having to change "90%" to "0.90" (just as an example). You could just leave 90% as the number "90" and it makes it work out because my equation is an equivalent form.


(you might have to open this image in a new tab)

sportster: You asked...

My head is hurting...makes me wanna stick weld...

TraditionalToolworks wrote:My head is hurting...makes me wanna stick weld...

Same here. Giving 6013 some love! Highly under-rated!

cheap a*@ blue demon 5/64" E6013 on 16ga sq tubing. Clean shiny, smooth, nicely wet'd toes, self-peel slag. What more can one ask for?

Oscar wrote: Same here. Giving 6013 some love! Highly under-rated!
What more can one ask for?

Never having to stick weld?

Meanwhile, back to my project, i bumped the pa to 140, pto to 80 and the low around 55, PF 10, off the top of my head....sitting here on the couch while the pizza dough rises....

NIGHT AND DAY results....so smooth and pretty. I hope using pulse doesn't deceive me thinking I am making nice welds.

I seemed to not cook the shit out of the piece coming around the corner.

I stayed at a holiday inn express once and got locked out of my room in my pajamas. You didnt need to know that either. Lol

Oscar wrote:

sportster wrote:I thought I understood the math behind "pulsing" until I saw the equation in the diagram..... my interpretation of the diagram's equation goes something like:

• Average AMPS = ( (MAX "Dialed" Amps x % On Time) + (Pulse Base AMPs x (100% - % On Time) ) / 200

What puzzles me, why the division by 200 ?

I assume I'm missing something. What am I missing or is the division by 200 just a typo ?

Not a typo. It is an algebraic manipulation of the numbers via distribution/factorization in order to not have to change the %-number into a decimal (where 100% actually represents 1.00). You see, in arithmetic, percentages are not used in calculations because percent is a naming convention to represent a decimal equivalent of "per 100". To use percentages in calculations you'd have to convert to decimal first, otherwise your final numbers are off by a factor of 100. I manipulated this fact using factorization to arrive at a more elegant form of the avg amp equation that eliminates having to change "90%" to "0.90" (just as an example). You could just leave 90% as the number "90" and it makes it work out because my equation is an equivalent form.


(you might have to open this image in a new tab)

I have not welded without the pulse setting since reading everyone’s posts except for tacking up pieces.

You would not believe how Much of a difference this makes with my welding experience.

The pulse tig is so smooth and seems to be not as hot, i guess...one thing I do know is i like the blue-green welds and near dimes Stacking up. I dial up the machine to about 145 and use a needle sharp electrode for welding on pulse that I can terminate without the big fisheye.

I want to thank everyone for helping me understand this missing piece for welding steel on my machine. I really appreciate it!

Aluminum in a few months but for now I am very happy!