Power Pro Tig Pedal Issues

[Grandslam99]

Today was the first time I utilized the PP 256 supplied Tig Pedal and here's what happened. Setting of 125 Max amps #6 cup, 3/32" Thoriated etc. etc. on 1/8" steel test piece. Installed the pedal and the PP256 lite up beautiful, varied the pedal and I could see the current increase/decrease, let off the pedal and the ramp down and post flow worked as set. Hit the pedal again but this time I wasn't able to get what appeared to be the full range of the pedal as I had done earlier. Tried it again and again and I wasn't able to get current to fully change from zip to 125 amps.
I took the pedal off and removed the bottom cover. What I found was the cog belt was jumping the teeth on the cog wheel and I wasn't getting the 270 degrees of movement on the 50k ohm pot. It would jump a cog or two if it the pedal was released quickly. It seems that the cog belt maybe TOO stiff and when the pedal is released quickly it jumps around the cogs on the pot shaft.
I have it disassembled on the garage workbench awaiting suggestions for the correct repair.

Anyone experienced this and have a corrective solution other that don't release the pedal quickly.

Thanks

[JimMinKent]

I dealt with this same exact issue on my 250 EXT's pedal. I did not like the action even before I fired it up, so I 'blueprinted' it. Here's what I found to be the fix for the belt skipping: simply chamfer all the sharp edges of the belt teeth and the gear teeth. Dont make the teeth triangular, but just break the sharp edges so the belt easily sinks all the way down to the bottom of the cogs, I used a belt sander and a moto tool to do this detail work. I probably gave it a light spray of silicone spray, too.

I also made sure that the bolt holding the spring doesn't tweak it a little sideways, but aims it straight in line with the direction the spring goes. I made all other the pivot points operate smoothly, adjusted the micro switch and added non-slip feet to the base.

It works perfect now, and I don't see where replacing it would be any benefit.

Stick with it,

Jim

[Grandslam99]

Worked on it for quite a while and here's what I found and did to correct it.
1) Pot cog wheel set screws, (2) were attempting to hold the round pot shaft with just a pointed end on the screw and one set screw was too short it didn't bite into the shaft at all. -- Removed pot from mounting and ground two flats on the shaft inline with the set screws, replaced the short set screw with a longer one and ground the seating surface of both screws flatter so they sat on the pot new shaft flats.
2) White plastic follower roller was not rotating smoothly and causing the cog belt to jump the teeth on the pots cog wheel on the return stroke. --Removed the white plastic roller and found one end had a very rough cut, sanded and polished both ends of the white roller, lubed it with silicone grease and reinstalled.
3) Found that the pot wasn't fully rotating the 270 degrees. --Adjusted the pedal stop so the pot rotates the full 270 degrees but that is a lot of movement for the pot to go from 0 ohms to 50K ohms.
---Finally tried to make it jump some cogs by fully depressing the pedal and just letting it go, numerous attempts but it no longer jumped any teeth, reassembled the pedal and as Jim had done applied 4 non-slip feet to the base.

Now for the operational test!

[Grandslam99]

Operational test resulted in much more control of the current BUT the ergonomics and the degree of pedal movement makes it very uncomfortable to use. Will continue to utilize the pedal and see if I can get better accustomed to it. Thanks for the assistance in the repair.

[everlastsupport]

We do have an optional low profile foot pedal as well. The pedal that comes with our TIG units is a standard foot pedal. You can PM or email sales@everlastwelders.com for a price to upgrade to the low profile if you need a lower pedal.

[Grandslam99]

Ordered some Plasma A81 consumables and added the SSC Pedal to the list. It arrived today, just finished ohming it out, perfect. Set it on the floor and MY OH MY what a ergonomics difference from the factory supplied pedal. I also have a CK Flex Lock on order and I can’t wait to try them both. I'll report the results after testing

[everlastsupport]

Ordered some Plasma A81 consumables and added the SSC Pedal to the list. It arrived today, just finished ohming it out, perfect. Set it on the floor and MY OH MY what a ergonomics difference from the factory supplied pedal. I also have a CK Flex Lock on order and I can’t wait to try them both. I'll report the results after testing

Wow, sounds like early Christmas there. Where did you order the A81 consumables from?

[Grandslam99]

The A81 consumbles and male quick disconnects were ordered from Everlast at the same time as the SSC pedal. They still are in transit as is the CK torch.

[Ron66]

Here's how I fixed it.
http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...Foot-Pedal-Fix

[Grandslam99]

Thanks for the info Ron66, but the factory Everlast pedals must have been re-engineered between your PP256 and Mine. My coged belt isn't on a piece of channel. It just rides over the cogs on the Pot and under a white plastic roller. The repairs that I accomplished above made it fully functional BUT the degree of movement to go from zero to WOT was greater than 110 degrees and just uncomfortable for me. When I get the rest of the "stuff" I'm hoping that the new SSC pedal makes GTAW more enjoyable.