"Crater Fill" Setting on Pulse TIG Welder
Posted: Wed May 13, 2020 9:05 am
Hey Guys,
I listen to Jody's podcast, so I figured this would be the best place to get some help with some settings on a new (to me) TIG Welder that I got for free from a friend of my aunt's (someone had passed away and I was given the welder as thanks for helping move out some of the deceased heavy belongings). I work as a manufacturing engineer, so I know my way around the basic controls on welders, as I'm always fixing stuff at work, building tables and workstation for operators, etc. However, what is strange about this welder is that it seems to be very specialized for tool and die repairs. I say that because it doesn't seem to have a setting of just straight DC current when your TIG welding. Instead, you must have some sort of "pulse setting" dialed in on the welder in order to use it. I find that by cranking the frequency up to like 500 Hz and setting the "initial" and "peak" amperage knobs to just about the same amperage, it seems to mimic that of a "constant" DC voltage, although it's not exactly what I'm used to from the Miller TIG welders at work.
I could get into each and every knob on the welder, but I think I have most of the stuff figured out, save one or two settings. The one I'm hoping y'all can give me a little insight on, though, is the setting called "Crater Fill". I have a 3 zone selector switch for this setting, and each setting shows a picture of a pulse wave with little arrows pointing in different directions and small "on" or "off" words printed next to each picture of the pulse wave. The direction of the arrows and either "on" or "off" is dependent on which of the 3 "crater fill" settings you choose. I'm trying to get an idea of what exactly "crater fill" even is and which setting would I want to use just for hobby Tigging on mild steel in my garage (on 120V, btw). I appreciate any help y'all can give me. I assume there will be a need for pictures, and I will try to supply that once I am back home and can snap some shots.
I listen to Jody's podcast, so I figured this would be the best place to get some help with some settings on a new (to me) TIG Welder that I got for free from a friend of my aunt's (someone had passed away and I was given the welder as thanks for helping move out some of the deceased heavy belongings). I work as a manufacturing engineer, so I know my way around the basic controls on welders, as I'm always fixing stuff at work, building tables and workstation for operators, etc. However, what is strange about this welder is that it seems to be very specialized for tool and die repairs. I say that because it doesn't seem to have a setting of just straight DC current when your TIG welding. Instead, you must have some sort of "pulse setting" dialed in on the welder in order to use it. I find that by cranking the frequency up to like 500 Hz and setting the "initial" and "peak" amperage knobs to just about the same amperage, it seems to mimic that of a "constant" DC voltage, although it's not exactly what I'm used to from the Miller TIG welders at work.
I could get into each and every knob on the welder, but I think I have most of the stuff figured out, save one or two settings. The one I'm hoping y'all can give me a little insight on, though, is the setting called "Crater Fill". I have a 3 zone selector switch for this setting, and each setting shows a picture of a pulse wave with little arrows pointing in different directions and small "on" or "off" words printed next to each picture of the pulse wave. The direction of the arrows and either "on" or "off" is dependent on which of the 3 "crater fill" settings you choose. I'm trying to get an idea of what exactly "crater fill" even is and which setting would I want to use just for hobby Tigging on mild steel in my garage (on 120V, btw). I appreciate any help y'all can give me. I assume there will be a need for pictures, and I will try to supply that once I am back home and can snap some shots.
