Buzz Box Tune Up

[TOMWELDS]

For all you buzz box owners, like me. Today, I put an amprobe on my welding cable to see how accurate that 'clock dial' amp lever really is. I was always wondering why my best welds were at a high setting. With the welder at 135amps, i was actually using 95amps. Im going to recalibrate the dial this week. If you use a wide assortment of electrodes, like me, I suggest checking your machine.

[frank]

DO NOT try to recal your range sw. What you found out with your AP is that for the rod you chose, it required 95 amps to burn . Change rod size or type, lengthen or shorten your arc, voltage input variations all contribute to the amp readings. You need a calibrated load bank to be able to see this. As you change the load the output will very.

[ventureline]

Frank is right, I spend a Grand a year to verify my load bank and meters. You can't calibrate a machine without having a reliable reference, ie, a load bank. burning a rod, which is just a resistance doesn't tell you squat unless you happen to have meters on your machine.

[TOMWELDS]

Good point. I was just gonna mark the rod type and size on the dial so i knew the setting. The machine is way off though. 1/8 7018 runs smooth at 185amps AC. Where do you get load testers or can get it done?

[Mike W]

One of my old Lincoln books talks about calibrating a machine by getting the specs for a particular rod and then measuring how long it takes to to melt so many inches. You could derive the current that way. They also said you could use use a clamp on ammeter.

Try some different rods Tom and make up a chart that shows actual current versus the dial setting.

[TOMWELDS]

Thats what im doing, marking the dial with the different rod specs. Once i was using MG500 5/32 on 1/2 plate and had the machine at full tilt..(230amps)..I figured it was off..a little..Lol

[frank]

Most welder repair stations will have a load bank to check that any repairs are made correct.Very few cracker box units are ajustable at any setting. Over the years I have done many ,many Lincoln SA200,Sa250,SAE400, ClassicII, etc Lincoln welders for pipeliners. They can be one of the most demanding welders you have ever seen. Lincoln DC generaters have a movable brush rack much like a distributer in a car. You can adjust the "timing" to get the arc for the proceedure you are doing. If set wrong the machine lets all the smoke out and I can look to a good commission check for the week. You can tweek a SA250 to put out over 400 amps but not for very long.