Welding machine buzzes. Loud.

[bad_idea]

Is that normal? I have a Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC machine. I bought it off of CL and this is the first time I have used it. Using 7018 3/32 at 90 amps it buzzes loud and gets screaming loud if the rod sticks. I haven't used a stick welder like this before, only the Dynasties at work.

 

[A_Pmech]

The Thunderbolts are fairly loud transformers. I wouldn't say "screaming loud," but they're talkative.

 

[malibu101]

Once you learn the sound of a transformer machine (and you are welding close to it) you can kinda hear it "talking" back to you.

Without hearing it personally, it sounds like what you are describing is normal for a transformer machine.

Go burn some rod and enjoy!

EDIT- These smaller transformers do make more transformer noise than larger transformer machines. Comparing a transformer (Thunderbolt) to an inverter (Dynasty) is an apples and oranges comparison.

 

[Outlawmws]

There is a reason they always called arc welders "buzz boxes"...

 

[malibu101]

There is a reason they always called arc welders "buzz boxes"...

Yes!

And, as I hope the OP knows, when the rod sticks that is a direct low-resistance short.
The machine does not like that and will yell at you for doing it.

 

[66vette]

You could also have a loose lamination on one of the transformers, they are welded in two places in the transformer assembly. Normally when that happens you just rock the loose lamination back and forth to break the other weld and remove the lamination.

 

[bad_idea]

I am fairly young at 28, this is the first time I have used an arc welder with a transformer. I have heard the term "buzz box" but never knew what it meant. Thanks for the info guys.

I am fully aware a rod sticking is bad malibu101, I never said I was terribly good at welding, just persistent.

 

[welder4956]

I am fully aware a rod sticking is bad malibu101, I never said I was terribly good at welding, just persistent.

Why do you think they call it "stick" welding?

 

[AndyA]

If it's "humming" that's normal. If it's "buzzing" you probably have a loose lamination.
It's possible you'll wear insulation off of a wire and create a short. On the other hand I've seen AC225 that have loudly buzzed for years without problems.

 

[CoyoteFlatz]

The Miller Thunderbolt has a shunt that slides thru the transformer. Unplug the machine, remove the cover and you'll see there are adjustments bolts with lock nuts that will allow you to tighten the clearance between the two. Don't over tighten, just add a little friction and the rattling/buzzing should be reduced.

Good Luck...

 

[tedsters]

i have an old miller ac/dc stick welder if the rod gets stuck on what your welding mine will get loud and talk to ya also thats why they were called a (Buzz Box) if it welds good i wood say its nothing out of the norm,
i see you bought off from C/L make sure there is not a mouse nest under the cover any where and the fan comes on when you turn it on blow it out good with some air

 

[Outlawmws]

You could also have a loose lamination on one of the transformers, they are welded in two places in the transformer assembly. Normally when that happens you just rock the loose lamination back and forth to break the other weld and remove the lamination.

I would not consider this to be a good fix if you are talking about the core the windings are on. Changing the core changes the transformer. If a weld is broken as described, shield the copper windings well (you do not want to damage the varnished coatings...) and re-do the tack weld mentioned.

 

[66vette]

Having worked for 35 years at Hobart I have seen numerous loose laminations and removing one lamination does not affect the workings of the welder.

 

[Ruger_556]

Thunderbolts are loud (As in they sound like they are destroying themselves)

 

[Outlawmws]

Having worked for 35 years at Hobart I have seen numerous loose laminations and removing one lamination does not affect the workings of the welder.

With all due respect to your 35 years at Hobart;

1)sliding a lamination out of this enter of a transformer, and risking damage to the delicate varnish insulation of the winding, does not sound like a good solution to the problem,

2) reducing the core thickness by one lamination's may not change the specs of the transformer much, but it WILL change it some. It was designed with a particular core size with a particular number of lamination's for a reason. It may not have the impact of making a change to the winding's themselves, but you will lose a bit of the tight proximity of the wingdings to the core, as well as some of the mass of the core. I don't believe that wouldn't have an affect, having been deeply involved in the design and manufacture of more than a few wound inductive devices in my career. They may not have been of the size and capacity of a welding transformer, but the electrical fields are designed to a spec and a tolerance. Changing any part of it will affect the output to one degree or another.

 

[AndyA]

I'd be more inclined to use something like epoxy to reattach a loose lamination. You might want to look at the temperature rating of the epoxy before using it.

 

[May Pop]

The reason it buzzes?










It doesnt know the words!