Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello, I own a thermal arc 211i multi process welding machine. The mig setting has been having issues with the wire feeding system; Whenever I pull the trigger, the machine runs properly for about 20 seconds and then the motor for the spool just stops. If I release the trigger then pull it again the motor behaves properly again for only 20 seconds, over and over. Can I have some help on how to stop that?

Welcome fellow Texan. If you have personally witnessed that it stops on its own while someone else is welding with it, then it seems like it'sa control board problem. I'd like to hear more about how you determined that the wire drive assembly is stopping and not feeding wire. Actual visual inspection of the machine while a weld is going on, or are you holding the mig gun up in the air and trying to feed wire through it that way?

It’s possible that if it doesn’t sense an proper arc it will stop feeding and stop sending power to the wire. It’s a safety feature ( if this is the scenario) that keeps you from setting the gun down on the table accidentally hitting the trigger and feeding wire until the wire is long enough to short out, get hot and start a fire.

I have a Firepower 220i which is said to be almost identical. I fought with it for just over 2 years doing the same thing. I just left it sit and used my other machine.

Anyway, I finally had a coworker check it. It took him about 30 seconds to figure out what you have seen on your machine.

Back in the day, I ran a lot of stick, and did some oxy acetylene welding. Never any wire feed. I thought it was something I was doing wrong, even though my Multimaster did great. I asked on other welding boards and the answer was always, you need to adjust, loosen, check, dial in, or improve your technique.

I took it to General Air for warranty repair. After some convincing that there was in fact a problem, Firepower sent both the control board and the display board. The tech replaced them both, and it now welds amazing.

For 2 years I regretted buying the machine. I have an ESAB Multimaster 260 that welds like a dream. I figured this one was just not as good of a machine.

Now it is amazing. So much power and very smooth. I can now understand why many people liked the Thermal Arc 211's.

I hope yours is still under warranty. They used the serial number on mine for the warranty period.

Good luck, and get it to a shop. I almost let my warranty run out.

Steve