When to turn off welder?

[Desperado]

OK....I was wondering ...How long should you keep the machine on after your done welding to keep the blower goin' in order to prevent any possible damage due to heat sink? Is this a concern?
Machine is a HH175.
Thanks for the input.
Merry Christmas!
-Rob

[cope]

Originally posted by Desperado
OK....I was wondering ...How long should you keep the machine on after your done welding to keep the blower goin' in order to prevent any possible damage due to heat sink? Is this a concern?
Machine is a HH175.
Thanks for the input.
Merry Christmas!
-Rob

Just for grins I leave mine on until I have wrapped the gun and ground lead and purged the gas line. With a Miller or Hobart, chances are its plenty cool any way. If you've been settring the woods on fire, check air flow with your bare hand; if its cool, shut it down.

[Rocky D]

I won't hurt to leave it on...only the fan is blowing, anyway, when you're not welding. I do remember somewhere reading that it is good to cool down the machine before you turn it off. 15 minutes should do. Good question!

[want2weld]

Originally posted by cope
...and purged the gas line.

Any technical reason for doing this?
I typically do but wonder if it's just wasting good gas in the line?

[cope]

There was a discussion on this yesterday. I don't like leaving pressure on any regulator any longer than necessary. Some people don't worry about it, but I do. Same with leaving adjusting screw turned in. I back mine off when through purging.

[Aaron]

Right after that, he wipes it all down with shinola on white felt.

[Franz]

Cope, how many times a year do you wax the machine and buff?
Do you use Armorall on the gun cable too?
You got that kind of time to mess around, you can come over and put my tools away and sweep the shop.

[Aaron]

I know a guy who waxes his welder.....

Machines are just machines. I don't beat them up, but I don't treat them with kid gloves either. I turn off the gas valve, and turn off the lights. I don't even use my Miller cover on my MM251 unless I am sanding or grinding or something.

I think it's about time I wash my truck again. I think it was Christmas the last time I washed it, too.

[cope]

Originally posted by Franz
Cope, how many times a year do you wax the machine and buff?
Do you use Armorall on the gun cable too?
You got that kind of time to mess around, you can come over and put my tools away and sweep the shop.

If I don't coil up the gun, who will?

[Franz]

Coiling up the gun is a total waste of time x 2 since you also gotta uncoil it. That time can be put to better use on a project, or having coffy.

[cope]

Originally posted by Franz
Coiling up the gun is a total waste of time x 2 since you also gotta uncoil it. That time can be put to better use on a project, or having coffy.

Except in my garage someone would trip over the thing.

[Jerry]

If I do a lot of welding at high amps I'll let machine cool itself for a little while, but as far as shutting gas down all I do is to turn tank off. Some of us would be purging lines 5-10 times a day.

I guess for you guys in the garage shutting down by purging surely won't hurt. My concern has been when opening tank up to do this slowly and like cope said backing off the regulator is probally a good thing as to not shoot the ball out the top of regulator.

[cope]

Originally posted by Jerry
If I do a lot of welding at high amps I'll let machine cool itself for a little while, but as far as shutting gas down all I do is to turn tank off. Some of us would be purging lines 5-10 times a day.

I guess for you guys in the garage shutting down by purging surely won't hurt. My concern has been when opening tank up to do this slowly and like cope said backing off the regulator is probally a good thing as to not shoot the ball out the top of regulator.

Jerry, my reply was based on the poster being a home/hobbyist weldor. You, Franz and the other professionals obviously would leave the machine set up all day. Bet you don't leave your gun and cable strewn all over the shop floor like Old Fart Franz does. Of course, he is too busy doing honey dos for SWMBO to do any welding.

[Jerry]

Hey cope, no never laying on floor, I just loop here over the regulators usually.

Hope you have a great x-mas, we got a inch or so of snow last night looks great and the weather hasn't been bad lately.

Must be in the 20's this morn.

[cope]

Originally posted by Jerry
Hey cope, no never laying on floor, I just loop here over the regulators usually.

Hope you have a great x-mas, we got a inch or so of snow last night looks great and the weather hasn't been bad lately.

Must be in the 20's this morn.

Jerry, same back at you. Was 37 here in Houston this AM.

BTW, saw a clean PowCon on Ebay; it was at $380 or so and I forgot to check and see where it finally sold. Darned things are getting out of sight.