Powertig 185 cannot melt metals

[judy]

I was just having problems with my PowerTig 185 machine.
fire looks weak and cannot melt metals. I've tried to raise high amps but still it looks like a tiny spark.
anyone here can help me to solve the problem.
thank you very much for all the responses and suggestion.

[Rodsmachineshop]

check your ground first is the metal clean were your ground clamp is

[performance]

It sounds as if you need to readjust the points. You are only getting HF and the arc is not transferring properly. The readjustment is given in the 185 manual.
http://www.everlastgenerators.com/do...-185-Micro.pdf

See Page 26.

[judy]

It sounds as if you need to readjust the points. You are only getting HF and the arc is not transferring properly. The readjustment is given in the 185 manual.
http://www.everlastgenerators.com/do...-185-Micro.pdf

See Page 26.

I have checked the point gap but the machine still weak spark. When I pressed the trigger I saw a light in the point.
Should I readjust the point or there something else should I check?

Thanks

[judy]

It sounds as if you need to readjust the points. You are only getting HF and the arc is not transferring properly. The readjustment is given in the 185 manual.
http://www.everlastgenerators.com/do...-185-Micro.pdf

See Page 26.

My friend say that may be the capacitors is weak. Is it possible? Or my adjustment incorrect?
Need advice

[kenwhite]

My friend say that may be the capacitors is weak. Is it possible? Or my adjustment incorrect?
Need advice

Judy IIRC, the point gap should be glowing blue (ionized air) when the torch is not engaged and the gap should be extinguished when the torch is being used.

Sounds like you gap is too tight... It needs to be about 0.030" or the thickness of a credit card.

[Rodsmachineshop]

they could be dirty to mine goofed up last year and was just because contact was dirty use some crc contact cleaner on a piece of paper slid the paper between contacts and worked perfect . . a credit card is about the perfect thinness for a gauge a credit card is .025 thick . safer since plastic never use a metal feeler gauge when setting contacts it scratch the points pluss chance of getting shocked using metal . hey talking contacts lol was over at my buddy welding shop he had a old very old tig welder with the cover off it used a spark plug as its contacts sorta cool lol just was a double platinum spark plug

[judy]

they could be dirty to mine goofed up last year and was just because contact was dirty use some crc contact cleaner on a piece of paper slid the paper between contacts and worked perfect . . a credit card is about the perfect thinness for a gauge a credit card is .025 thick . safer since plastic never use a metal feeler gauge when setting contacts it scratch the points pluss chance of getting shocked using metal . hey talking contacts lol was over at my buddy welding shop he had a old very old tig welder with the cover off it used a spark plug as its contacts sorta cool lol just was a double platinum spark plug

I've tried again to readjustment the point gap in accordance the instructions.
I also clean the points with contact cleaner. But my tig still does not work, still weak spark.
And when I press the trigger I saw the green LED on bottom left side at the IGBT board is off. The three other LED is on.
is it any relation with the LED indicator?
So what the problem with my Tig.

[kenwhite]

I've tried again to readjustment the point gap in accordance the instructions.
I also clean the points with contact cleaner. But my tig still does not work, still weak spark.
And when I press the trigger I saw the green LED on bottom left side at the IGBT board is off. The three other LED is on.
is it any relation with the LED indicator?
So what the problem with my Tig.

You have cold solder joints located on the bottom of your picture - X5 and X6 areas. While they "may" not be your problem, they still should be fixed...

[Scotty1]

I was just having problems with my PowerTig 185 machine.
fire looks weak and cannot melt metals. I've tried to raise high amps but still it looks like a tiny spark.
anyone here can help me to solve the problem.
thank you very much for all the responses and suggestion.

Hi Judy
Do you have your Gas turned on?
Had the same problem today with my 250ex(had a welding break and fogot to turn gas back on) Bugger
Burnt out my gaslens etc.
Cheers

[ncsugrad2006]

they could be dirty to mine goofed up last year and was just because contact was dirty use some crc contact cleaner on a piece of paper slid the paper between contacts and worked perfect . . a credit card is about the perfect thinness for a gauge a credit card is .025 thick . safer since plastic never use a metal feeler gauge when setting contacts it scratch the points pluss chance of getting shocked using metal . hey talking contacts lol was over at my buddy welding shop he had a old very old tig welder with the cover off it used a spark plug as its contacts sorta cool lol just was a double platinum spark plug

My dad built some sort of tig welder a while back that used spark plug(s) as well. Was pretty wild

Although his creation worked like crap and wasn't reality worth the time it took to build it, lol