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View Full Version : 187 MIG wire feed irratic?



9 LIVES
10-08-2007, 09:16 AM
I just bought this welder new this past weekend. Let me just say im thrilled to have a welder that does not hold me back from projects unlike my past welder (lincoln weldpak 100) :D

My first project was small and went great I had to weld my exhaust togather on my diesel truck (got rid of those pesky clamps)

Now on my second project I was going to weld up a set of engine mounts for my Cummins engine convertion project. This is right at or a little less than
1/4" steel. I opened up the side door on the welder and turned both my dials to start at the level they suggest for this size metal along with my .30 line (flux cored no gas). I got maybe 15 seconds into my first weld when the line started feeding irregular. It would shoot out line like it should then quit putting any out at all. So I would feed some line out....cut it and try to go back to working and it would stop feeding again as soon as I would spark. I took the tip off which is the same size as my line. And its fairly clean. Clean enough that the hole is not covered with any slag.

If I just hold down the button it will feed out 3-4" then stop and you can hear the machine trying to feed but nothing comming out. Then it will feed another inch or two and stop....back and forth back and forth. I checked my tension on the line inside the box and that knob is almost cranked in all the way. Do I need to use a size larger tip? It is difficult to push line by hand down over this tip when trying to put the tip back on after cleaning. Maybe I warped the tip from getting to close or to hot of a weld? :confused:

Im new to a welder of this abbility so maybe I carried over some bad habbits from my last smaller welder..:o

AnotherDano
10-08-2007, 09:31 AM
Is the guide wheel set to the correct groove for that wire?

Dan
10-08-2007, 09:56 AM
If you have the spring tension to tight on the spool of wire it will cause feeding issues. You justy want enough tension on the spool to keep it from free willing after you let off the gun trigger. You may have to adjust this some depending on the wire speed setting being ran.

To much drive roll pressure, can crush (deform) the fluxcore wire making it difficult to push the wire through the bore of the contact tip.

If you're going to run a lot of fluxcore on the unit, my suggestion would be to order the knurled V - groove drive designed for running fluxcore. http://store.cyberweld.com/midrro0flcow.html

9 LIVES
10-08-2007, 10:25 AM
Thanks guys for the super quick response :D

I will go give those things a try. I never checked the groove to see if I had the wire in the right one. Your right about the spring tension I more than likely have been deforming the wire.

mrcaptainbob
10-08-2007, 09:50 PM
Same thign happened to mine. I drilled the tip out .o4o and haven't had a problem since. Was told the wire might wiggle too much and would cause sloppy welds. With my ability, that might just straighten things out! In any case, it's been working fine. No more flux shaving off in the tip and cam locking the wire.