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HF crackle problem
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 12:21 am
by jakesterusp
Sometimes I seem to have a problem with getting HF start to work correctly. It seems to crackle and spark from the whole tungsten and when an arc starts it sometimes comes from the gas lens.
I suspect the collet is not making good contact with the electrode but seems to have a firm grip on the tungsten.
Doesn't happen every time but I have to watch or it will destroy a gas lens.
Help!
Re: HF crackle problem
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 12:05 pm
by LtBadd
jakesterusp wrote:Sometimes I seem to have a problem with getting HF start to work correctly. It seems to crackle and spark from the whole tungsten and when an arc starts it sometimes comes from the gas lens.
I suspect the collet is not making good contact with the electrode but seems to have a firm grip on the tungsten.
Doesn't happen every time but I have to watch or it will destroy a gas lens.
Help!
Hi Jake, welcome to the forum.
It would be helpful if you tell us what equipment your using, and the machine settings. Also a pic of your torch showing what the tungsten looks like, sharpened and ready to weld.
If the tungsten is contaminated from dipping into the puddle, this could cause such a situation. If so take it out and sharpen.
Re: HF crackle problem
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 6:43 pm
by Otto Nobedder
Jake,
It seems to me you either have crappy tungsten, or inadequate gas flow/gas start. Can you set a pre-flow on your torch? You need a positive flow of inert gas when the arc initiates, or you can get random arcing until the flow comes up.
Steve S
Re: HF crackle problem
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 8:22 pm
by TRACKRANGER
Welding in an environment where there is excessive air flow might be a contributing factor. Is this indoors / outdoors, near a doorway?
Is the machine a transformer or inverter, and what gas flow rate and pre-flow time do you have?
Trev
Re: HF crackle problem
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 11:13 pm
by dave powelson
jakesterusp wrote:Sometimes I seem to have a problem with getting HF start to work correctly. It seems to crackle and spark from the whole tungsten and when an arc starts it sometimes comes from the gas lens.
I suspect the collet is not making good contact with the electrode but seems to have a firm grip on the tungsten.
Doesn't happen every time but I have to watch or it will destroy a gas lens.
Help!
There's contamination waaaaay up the electrode to the collet face.
Need to trim back the electrode and/or grind the contamination off, but stopping
short of the collet area.