Welding Tips and Tricks

Very new to welding, not that my question just wouldn't scream that...

Using a Lincoln PowerMig 180 dual plugged into 240v. Welding on some .065 wall square tubing using .025 wire. When I start the weld, initially strike the arc, I get a bunch of spattering and sputtering, then the arc takes off and I weld fine. Sometimes it'll do it in the middle of the weld but not very often. When it sputters, it'll throw off a piece of wire perhaps, like a piece of shrapnel. This is a recent phenomenon, at least I don't think it was doing it on my last project. Thoughts on what could cause that?

That's almost always an "intermittent ground" issue. The newer machines come with cheaper ground clamps, with brass and copper getting so expensive.

I like to strip the insulation off the ground lead from the clamp to a foot or two back, wrap the wire directly over the metal of the workpiece (not the bench) a time or two, and use the clamp to clamp back to the ground wire making a loop. This creates many thousands of contact points for the ground path. Helps, also, to buff the area you're grounding to shiny.

Jody has a video on a mig ground that does essentially the same thing; He uses a loop of fine-strand stripped heavy welding wire around the part and clamps the ground clamp to it, if you don't want to strip your existing ground wire.

Steve S

I recently bought the same welder and had the same problem. As Steve said it was the ground, so I changed it out with a 1/0 cable and 200 amp ground clamp and problem went away. Lifes Good.

Len

Hey,

Possibly slightly to high of a wire speed. It will pop and fart as the weld starts, then seem normal. The ground issue will only exacerbate this.

Mick

I had this same symptom recently on a small machine I've owned for many years from new - I started with the obvious & never found the cause initially - I began to think it was time to replace it although it still welded most of the time not bad - it then got worse & I had the cover off the side & saw the flash from the mains relay when operating - so a simple fix when I get around to it.
If your machine is fairly new it's not the most likely cause - but worth checking on high mileage machines especially if used on spot much - hope this helps.

I'll update my ground and make a ground assist device like Jody has in his video.

For the grounds, what's the difference between a 200A ground and a 500A ground, besides 300A? They both look exactly the same, at least online? Is bigger better and I should just get the 500A one?

It's just heavier to carry more amps, that's all.

Len

So tonight I made a grounding assist device like Jody described in his video. What a difference that thing makes! Wow. From now on, around here, it's known as the Jody Wonder Braid. Rapunzel's got nothing on that thing. Smooth starts to the welds, nice and clean.

It works really well on round parts and doesn't leave arc burns on machined finishes. I've used them for years welding new ends on hydraulic cylinder rams. I even just lay it on my welding table and set what I'm welding on it. Plus it's recycling at it's finest, better than getting $.40 for a pound of old welding lead.

Len

PaterNovem wrote:Very new to welding, not that my question just wouldn't scream that...

Using a Lincoln PowerMig 180 dual plugged into 240v. Welding on some .065 wall square tubing using .025 wire. When I start the weld, initially strike the arc, I get a bunch of spattering and sputtering, then the arc takes off and I weld fine. Sometimes it'll do it in the middle of the weld but not very often. When it sputters, it'll throw off a piece of wire perhaps, like a piece of shrapnel. This is a recent phenomenon, at least I don't think it was doing it on my last project. Thoughts on what could cause that?

I noticed this during my welding introductory class, and it was a poor ground contact. The main GND from the welder was in the table like shown in this picture:


But we also had a smaller metal table just sitting on the main table, so ground is "supposed" to transfer .... Well, it wasn't

So as soon as we moved the GND from the large table to the small table (where I am actually doing the welding), the problem went away.

Will

I'm glad the ground issue has been solved.

I am surprised that the supplied lead was not satisfactory. I have the Lincoln 180 C (240 volts, 15 amp, single phase), and the ground clamp is very sturdy, and makes a great connection. (The gun is puny, though.) I would recommend this welder to anyone with a smaller operation. I guess the "dual" is a different animal.

The "connect the ground to the table" approach is widely taught, and it has sometimes let me down, over the years, so I try now to always connect onto the work piece.