Mig welder won't strike a strong arc

[Mcfarlandr27]

I have a Hobart mig welder and can't get it to strike a strong arc.. It was welding fine I stopped for few hours then I went to finish up and it wouldn't weld.. I tried straight to the ground and changed the ground wire... The wire feed is working fine.. I don't understand.. Please help

 

[Loscaldazar]

How is the tip?

 

[Mcfarlandr27]

Brand new I changed it thinking th hat is my problem

 

[BD1]

If a 220 volt machine check incoming voltage for 220. Loose connection ?

 

[Fender1325]

Make sure metal is very clean (flap disc until shiny) where your ground is and also where youre welding.

Make sure your gas actually has gas and is set up to the proper flow rate.

Make sure your wire feed is set to the right speed for your power setting, and make sure its not snagging a little inside your gun hose liner.

Let some wire out and clip the little ball off the end.....about 1/4" stickout.

If you've ensured all of that, I might try a different roll of wire.....maybe its a dud of some sort.

All else fails call Hobart customer support, number on the machine. They rock.

 

[gungatim]

how old is the machine, and what model? it may have a bad board in it. Mine went bad just after the 5/3/1 warranty was up due to a power surge, but they replaced it anyway and only charged like $75...supposedly there is an upgraded board that can handle surges better, mine is a HH175 if that helps...

 

[Ign]

Also check the nuts for polarity just above the drive rolls. Bad connections here cause all sorts of problems. Take 'em off, inspect everything and re-install. May not do a damn thing but it's easy & free.

 

[Ign]

And when you say straight to the ground, do you mean you took the ground clamp out of the equation and sent bare wire to the work? Most OEM ground clamps are questionable when new.

 

[Jure]

If a 220 volt machine check incoming voltage for 220. Loose connection ?

this...

 

[Cope]

I would call Hobart. Their tech support is excellent.

 

[merr6267]

On my Millermatic 212 with the transformer system (no board) that would send a very weak arc. Aside from the grounding issues like you've mentioned, check your power source.

I had a breaker go bad on one leg. At no current it was fine, but when loaded the voltage would drop to 60v (to ground) on one leg of the 220v circuit. A new breaker and I was in business. The breaker was water damaged and corroded inside. It would supply sufficient voltage when you were not asking for current, but under load there was sufficient corrosion to cause a voltage drop.

Good luck,
Phill

 

[Mcfarlandr27]

Yea I tried bare wire and even changed the ground wire

 

[anndel]

Blown fuse?

 

[Murphy4570]

Check for a bad liner. One wentbad on my little lincoln SP-100, and it would kill the arc intermittently.

 

[R.Anderson]

If you are handy with electricity and electronics, open up the welder and test the diodes, one of the four rectifying diodes may have burned out. What Hobart welder do you have?

 

[My Old Tools]

I'm betting the feed roller is slipping, even though you think it's not.