Welder not working on tig mode? Or any mode.

[Hobby_Man22]

I bought a miller cst-280 that does both stick and tig. It works when stick welding, but I couldn't get an arc with the tig torch connected. I have a power block with connected with a tweco connector which also connects the argon line. My tungsten is worn down and only like 3" long. Does the steel need to be bright and shiny? I used a roloc sanding disc to grind the rust off and the rust was gone, but it definitely wasn't bright and shiny metal. The stinger made an arc, so i'm not sure if it's the torch or what. The torch is a weldcraft 150 air cooled model.

 

[rockinacummins]

The mill scale needs to be gone to produce a clean TIG weld, but it should arc as long as you have good connections. Also, don’t forget to reverse the polarity, but that will have no effect on whether it will arc or not.

I would pull the collet and everything out of the torch and make sure all the parts are clean and making good contact. Doesn’t matter how long the tungsten is.

 

[Firebrick43]

I have used several syncrowaves that need to touch the electrode to the metal first. If you don't do that they wont strike an arc? Just the first weld of a session unless you stop for 10 min or so. Also foot pedals do go bad. Try the foot pedal on stick mode and see if it works there.

And for tig the weld area needs to be spotless.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Can you use it without the foot pedal? I don't have a foot pedal and never used one. Maybe it's expecting to have the foot pedal, does it work like a gas pedal where there are no amps if your foot isn't on it?

 

[GeoBruin]

Tough to know without knowing the machine. I assume HF start? Mash the pedal all the way to strike an arc then throttle back. Otherwise, lift start as described above?

 

[u3b3rg33k]

Tough to know without knowing the machine. I assume HF start? Mash the pedal all the way to strike an arc then throttle back. Otherwise, lift start as described above?

This happened to me. I couldn't figure out why TiG was SOOOOO HARD. then I swapped to my plasma and it wouldn't cut. HF start had failed.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

I think it has lift arc and reading the specs it makes it so HF start isn't needed? It didn't work in stick mode either so I'm guessing it's either the metal wasn't clean enough or I need a foot pedal to make it work.

 

[claas880]

foot pedal should not be needed. with dial turned to tig and leads reversed from stick it should work. lift arc takes a solid touch sometimes to get started.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

foot pedal should not be needed. with dial turned to tig and leads reversed from stick it should work. lift arc takes a solid touch sometimes to get started.

I was scraping the tungsten across the steel. It should have sparked.

 

[claas880]

you could try switching back to stick but leave your tig torch attached and put a piece of stick rod in place of your tungsten. that would test the path of power.

 

[matt_i]

Sync 250 owner here, but strange things happen if the amp dial is set around 95A and you're used to pushing 250A thru the tig torch. Also typical DC stick is DCEP and the tig is normally DCEN if you are using any meaningful amperage.

As mentioned the HF start (mainly lack thereof) can make the tig difficult to start.

One time a guy at work was doing something and holding down one of the radio buttons while he cycled power had everything in a weird state, I was about ready to send it for service.

One of the watercooled jumper wires to the torch could be compromised...

Tl;dr....going thru the setup via the manual can sometimes help.

 

[WhoWhatNow]

I was scraping the tungsten across the steel. It should have sparked.

The CST-280 is a lift arc machine. You should touch the tungsten to the steel then lift up, not scratch. There will be a low start up current as you touch the steel then as you lift the torch, the full current is applied. Your steel should be clean - no mill scale and wiped down with acetone. Your tungsten should also be sharpened and free of any contaminating deposits.

 

[rlitman]

This happened to me. I couldn't figure out why TiG was SOOOOO HARD. then I swapped to my plasma and it wouldn't cut. HF start had failed.

I had HF start on my TIG welder stop working for me once. HF start is dependent on arcing between a pair of points (usually tungsten) inside the machine, and in my case dust had accumulated between the points, shorting them electrically. Some vigorous cleaning with an air blow gun fixed it right up.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

The CST-280 is a lift arc machine. You should touch the tungsten to the steel then lift up, not scratch. There will be a low start up current as you touch the steel then as you lift the torch, the full current is applied. Your steel should be clean - no mill scale and wiped down with acetone. Your tungsten should also be sharpened and free of any contaminating deposits.

I did touch it to the steel. After that didn't work I dragged it across thinking it was because it wasn't clean enough. I guess the machine is messed up then.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

I had HF start on my TIG welder stop working for me once. HF start is dependent on arcing between a pair of points (usually tungsten) inside the machine, and in my case dust had accumulated between the points, shorting them electrically. Some vigorous cleaning with an air blow gun fixed it right up.

I tried adjusting/cleaning the gap, it didn't help. the board got stupid.

I did touch it to the steel. After that didn't work I dragged it across thinking it was because it wasn't clean enough. I guess the machine is messed up then.

I was able to drag start, but I'm not good at it, nor does my welder auto-limit current when you do that (not the intended use). I suppose you could modulate with the pedal on lift, but I'm not exactly a professional welder.

 

[DerekV]

Page 27

 

[Hobby_Man22]

I tried adjusting/cleaning the gap, it didn't help. the board got stupid.

I was able to drag start, but I'm not good at it, nor does my welder auto-limit current when you do that (not the intended use). I suppose you could modulate with the pedal on lift, but I'm not exactly a professional welder.

Wtf? There is no such thing as drag start. I was doing that to test it out and see why it wasn't arching.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

Wtf? There is no such thing as drag start. I was doing that to test it out and see why it wasn't arching.

like i said, my HF start was broken. I had welding to do. call it what you want, I was able to strike an arc.

 

[rlitman]

like i said, my HF start was broken. I had welding to do. call it what you want, I was able to strike an arc.

Yeah. You don't technically need HF for DC, and yes, there is such a thing as "scratch start". It's used all the time by TIG welders better than me who don't have pedals. In this case, the welder is at full OCV and is set to its full current, so if your tungsten isn't scratched on the surface quickly like a match, you may do bad things.

Lift start also doesn't rely on HF, but works in a more user friendly manner by applying a low OCV and very low current limit to the tungsten, waiting for a tiny arc to initiate before turning it to full blast.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Scratch start yes, drag start no. Not in tig welding.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

Yeah. You don't technically need HF for DC, and yes, there is such a thing as "scratch start". It's used all the time by TIG welders better than me who don't have pedals. In this case, the welder is at full OCV and is set to its full current, so if your tungsten isn't scratched on the surface quickly like a match, you may do bad things.

Lift start also doesn't rely on HF, but works in a more user friendly manner by applying a low OCV and very low current limit to the tungsten, waiting for a tiny arc to initiate before turning it to full blast.

Yeah I had to grind out a couple busted tungsten tips. HF start is super easy.

Scratch start yes, drag start no. Not in tig welding.

scratch start then. I basically tried to do what I do with stick (well, I tried to hover start it without touching, but good luck lol)

 

[Firebrick43]

Scratch start yes, drag start no. Not in tig welding.

So you buy a tig and all the sudden now your correcting people’s regional variances of the same thing?

 

[Hobby_Man22]

I didn't know there were different terms for different areas of the country. I talked to my buddy and he said i have the gas set too high. Supposed to be like 8cfh and I had it at 20

 

[Hobby_Man22]

I didn't know there were different terms for different areas of the country. I talked to my buddy and he said i have the gas set too high. Supposed to be like 8cfh

 

[PCustoms]

I talked to my buddy and he said i have the gas set too high. Supposed to be like 8cfh and I had it at 20

Does it work now?

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Does it work now?

I haven't tried it yet.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Okay so the lift arc tig function doesn't work but when I put it on soft xx18 stick mode it works. What does that mean now?

 

[Hobby_Man22]

All i did was touch it to the metal like you normally would which is basically lift arc anyways.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Are you guys sure I don't need a foot pedal in lift arc mode?

 

[u3b3rg33k]

Are you guys sure I don't need a foot pedal in lift arc mode?

what does the manual say?

 

[corn chip]

I think it has lift arc and reading the specs it makes it so HF start isn't needed? It didn't work in stick mode either so I'm guessing it's either the metal wasn't clean enough or I need a foot pedal to make it work.

it may be wise to dload the manual (should of been first thing you did)l. that machine i believe is lift arc only. the port on the front is probly for remote amp control in pipe welding and such. just a guess as im not familiar with that machine

 

[GaryM909]

It could be the board. Mine quit on one of my machines so I just use scratch start.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Well it works now in tig mode. Lol Not sure what I did other than put a new collar in and new tungsten. Tig mode runs much cooler than stick mode. Had to turn it down to like 20 amps in stick mode

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Sure brings out your carpal tunnel. I forgot about that.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

There is a little bit of a delay in lift arc mode so maybe I wasn't waiting long enough.

 

[rlitman]

...Tig mode runs much cooler than stick mode. Had to turn it down to like 20 amps in stick mode

Stick will have a higher OCV, and arc force or dig characteristic.

 

[welder4956]

I recall something about the Miller lift arc mode only working with specific type of tungsten. I think it needed 2% thoriated.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

I recall something about the Miller lift arc mode only working with specific type of tungsten. I think it needed 2% thoriated.

Thats what I used.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Thats what I used.

The old tungsten was worn down and only like 2" long so maybe that had something to do with it. I hadn't used the torch for like 8 years.

 

[rlitman]

The old tungsten was worn down and only like 2" long so maybe that had something to do with it. I hadn't used the torch for like 8 years.

So long as it holds in the collet, it is long enough.