Mig question?

[Dirtybird103]

Hey everyone my name is Alex, Ive been lurking around for a couple weeks and really liked the what Ive seen so decided to join.

My question is about my lincoln 140 mig with .035 ER70S-6 (ZTfab recommendation and I really like it so far) 75/25 argon/co2, and copper ground clamp. Ever sense I switched to the .035 wire I have been popping the 15amp breaker more (the home builder wired it but am going to wire new outlets and breaker) Im welding a .072 2x2 tube arbor, the settings have been on "D" and 2.5 wfs" would I be ok to turn it down to "C and a slower wfs" so Im not using as many amps? Will I still get the penetration and flat welds?

(this is just to get by until the electrician comes out and wires in a dedicated line for the welder)

Thanks for any input and help!

 

[sberry]

That wire is too big for that machine, its really a 023 unit although with a good circuit will run some 030

 

[kazlx]

Not only is the wire too big for the machine, it's too big for the material.

 

[Dirtybird103]

Should I go to a 025 or 030 wire for this project?

 

[Jagmandave]

I believe that welder requires a 20 amp circuit.....

You might try the .023 wire, that way you can turn the amps down a bit and slow your pass down a bit to so you still get decent penetration.

 

[aggierailroad]

I'd use the .025 (or .023/4 for us Miller guys). That's thin stuff and you won't have problems holding it together.

The amperage is a factor of the wire speed and diameter. V/R=I tells us that having a larger diameter wire (less resistance) makes the amperage smaller for a given voltage.

 

[kazlx]

Definitely use 0.023. It will be easier to weld.

 

[zkling]

I would personally go with 0.023 wire for that machine. The top of that machine is really where the low end of 0.030 kinda begins. I run 0.030 on my MM210, haven't ever seen the need for 0.035, yet. Just my 2¢, I bet ZTFab is running that 0.035" wire on a much larger machine.

 

[Metalcat]

Another vote for .023 wire and of course the 20 amp breaker on a dedicated line.
I've got a Powermig 215 and usually run .030 in it for most of the stuff I do. Could even get away with .023 in it for a lot of my work.

 

[sberry]

I had the original HH210 for field testing from Hobart and we speculated about some numbers as at the time I didn't have a DC amp probe but in the compact class a 210 (really 175 thru 211) 030 was the winner. We tried 035 but you really couldn't wring anymore out of them before the arc gave it up. Its one of the good things about that class of machine, allows for bigger wire and makes it way more useful.

I can weld body sheet with 030 and do exhaust work with it regularly. I might go 023 if I had a steady diet of auto sheet etc but I don't need it and the 030 gives it a little "range", is so much faster.

 

[kazlx]

I would personally go with 0.023 wire for that machine. The top of that machine is really where the low end of 0.030 kinda begins. I run 0.030 on my MM210, haven't ever seen the need for 0.035, yet. Just my 2¢, I bet ZTFab is running that 0.035" wire on a much larger machine.

Or he's doing it for a reason and knows the expected outcome. .023 is the more correct wire for your application, especially on the material you're using.

 

[Dirtybird103]

Thank you for all the quick responses! I will swap out the wire and use a smaller diameter wire. This website is awesome.

 

[Metalcat]

The way I read the OP's initial post is that ZT Fab only recommended the Lincoln 140.
Not with .035 wire in it though, as the OP states that he is popping the breaker since he switched to .035.

 

[kazlx]

#1 tip: Clean everything, especially until you know what you're doing. You can't make parts too clean and it will help your learning curve. Plus, it's just good practice. The better your fitup, the easier it is to weld.

#2 tip: Make sure you weld in a position in which you can actually see the puddle, ie with your face 6" away from the arc. Get in there and you be surprised at what you can actually see what's going on.

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/improving-your-skills/mig/

 

[kazlx]

Yea, I'm pretty sure ZT uses 0.023 in his, but who knows.

 

[zkling]

Or he's doing it for a reason and knows the expected outcome. .023 is the more correct wire for your application, especially on the material you're using.

I wasn't questioning ZTFab's knowledge, I am very well familir with the gentleman. From what I can recall he was a proponent of 0.023 and 0.030 wire. IIRC he has a ~200amp lincoln mig machine.

I can't imagine much success or application for 0.035 on a 140 portable mig. Even in short circuit transfer


From the master himself
Post, #292

http://www.offroadfabnet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1114&highlight=proper+welds&page=15

".023" for 1/8" and under and .030" for anything thicker than 1/8""

BTW, I'm not the one asking the question, no need to jump on me, just to later agree with me.

Yea, I'm pretty sure ZT uses 0.023 in his, but who knows.

 

[kazlx]

No worries dude...I wasn't telling you, I was telling the OP that if ZT was using that setup, it was for a reason and not the norm...

 

[Dirtybird103]

ZTfab recommended the ER70S-6 wire and apparently I missed something and thought it was 035. Thats my bad so Im going to get a roll of 025 and 030 so i have them both on hand. When i was running my 025 wire it wasnt popping the breaker so that hopefully that helps until the garage gets rewired.

 

[kazlx]

Personally, I wouldn't waste the money on 30. Just buy the biggest roll of 23 that will fit in there and load it up.

 

[Dirtybird103]

Thank you for finding that zkling.

 

[Dirtybird103]

Thank you everyone for the help. I switched back to 025 today and didn't have any problems with the breaker. I'll post some project pics tomorrow.

 

[archirelic]

Some good stuff in this thread with regards to wire diameter.

 

[Dirtybird103]

Here is the picture of the arbor Im building for my mom, its going to have vines and grapes growing over it. Pretty happy with how its turning out. Thanks again for the help, Im just learning how to weld and its very appreciated. Practice practice.

 

[zkling]

One tip, watch the edges of the weld. That looks a bit cold with poor tie in or wetting action in the toes. Possibly some undercut, hard to tell from the angle of the pic. Specifically on the upper portion of the bead. What are the specs of the material and machine settings?

 

[theknurl]

One tip, watch the edges of the weld. That looks a bit cold with poor tie in or wetting action in the toes. Possibly some undercut, hard to tell from the angle of the pic. Specifically on the upper portion of the bead. What are the specs of the material and machine settings?

+10

thanks zkling

 

[kazlx]

Yea, go a little hotter, slow the wire speed and slow your travel speed down a little.

 

[Dirtybird103]

Thank you for the advice. I upped the amps and wfs a little bit, it looks more fluid now and not so stacked but the edges are connected. Yesterday the settings were on "D and 3.5wfs". Today I ran it on "E and 4-4.5" on a .072 thick tube. I wonder if on that weld my angle was off also?