Need Help

[81Malibu]

hey guys,
the other day i was in my workshop and I got a little bored so I thought I'd run a few more beads with my new MM 175. Well, to make a long story short, they turned out absolutly horrible , i have no idea what is wrong, everything is the same as the other day and they turned out as they should. Look at the pics to see what i mean. Pic 6 some of the other day when it was actually working.

[Thomas Harris]

you have no shielding gas.

[MigManiac]

Thats what it looks like to me also.
Thats what i get when i forget to turn on the gas.

[Zrexxer]

Make that three. You have a gas problem.

[81Malibu]

well it must be somewhere in the machine then cuz i always turn on my gas before i start and empty out the lines and regulator when im done, thats what i thought i should do, if im wrong please tell me or is it something else and what else could it be? And the cylinder isnt empty because i just got it brand new with the welder last weekend

[Tankee]

Looks like no gas to me. Turn the machine on and put your ear next to the nozzle (not over it that hurts) and pull the trigger. You should be able to hear gas flowing. Also look at guage and pull trigger. If you have pressure in the cylinder the flow guage needle should drop when you pull the trigger. Also check and see what your flow meter is at when your not pulling the trigger. I personally like mine set @ 25. I keep my machines at work about the same setting as well. Some folks would say it too much but Nothin worse that having to redo a weld in a crappy position because you lost shielding gas.

If everything indicates you have gas flow but none comes from the nozzle. Check the hose that hooks into the butt end of the whip just inside you machine .

[Sandy]

You're going to be testing for gas flow so it would be best to disengage the wire feed. Just in case you forget and squeeze the trigger with the wire feed on and pointing into your ear.

I had a similar scenario some time ago. Good weld/bad weld. The rubber lining for the gun is slit at each end for the trigger wires to enter and exit. Just so happens that the gun end was never done right at the factory and the orientation of the gun was letting gas flow out at different rates depending at what angle I was holding the gun. As time went on this got worse. I would get gas out the end, which was deceiving, but at different flow rates depending on how the gun was being held/hose bent. The rest was leaking through the slit in the hose.

Not at all saying this is where your problem may be but just saying these are the types of things to look for. "Prove" your gas flow from point to point from the reg to the tip of the gun.

[Roger]

Most common problem is electrode lead not plugged into welder all the way or nick cut out of O-ring at welder end of electrode lead.

You can only set flow rate with gas flowing, gas solenoid open by pulling trigger or switch in flow position. Your flow gage regulator uses a pressure gage calibrated for flow through down stream orifice. It will indicate wrong flow rate with no flow and when solenoid opens indicated flow rate will lower to actual flow rate.

Some new welders will have have hose disconected from wire feeder or gas solenoid inside the welder causing shielding gas problems.

[Sirarcalot]

You can have that same problem with a little wind to blow away the shielding gas. It takes a surprisingly small breeze to cause problems. Was your shop door open?