I-Mig 205P Spoolgun Alum. welding First Time

[Kempy]

I got my I Mig 205P the other day and tested it today for the first time ever to use a spool-gun. I loaded with aluminum wire and set to what I thought would work a little adjustments up and down this what I got. So anyone got any suggestion on any thing to change or do I just play play play?
Gas flow 30 CFH
Wire alum. 5356 .030
Amps 200
Pules volts 22.8
Balance 40%
Hertz 120 to 200

[xalky]

If you have an android or iphone, miller has a weld settings app that you can get in the app store. It's free! I love it. Theres no need to guess anymore. At the very least the app gets you in the small ballpark. There's settings for mig, tig and stick and for most materials. I won't weld without it.

[performance]

First off, turn of the pulse and get it to welding correctly with regular mig. You did not say what your mig volts were. You should be in spray and it doesn't look like it. 100% argon? Oh and arc force should be set about at 7 to 8...back off from there. Volt are likely too low. You need about 23.5 to 24 V. You should probably be about 150 amps or so WHILE welding (wire feed will change to show welding amps). Aluminum needs volts and not amps. A 140 miller can spray arc aluminum wire easily with the voltage jacked up.

[zoama]

If you have an android or iphone, miller has a weld settings app that you can get in the app store. It's free! I love it. Theres no need to guess anymore. At the very least the app gets you in the small ballpark. There's settings for mig, tig and stick and for most materials. I won't weld without it.

No need for a phone app, it's on the web http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...calculator.php

[xalky]

No need for a phone app, it's on the web http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...calculator.php

That too! Same deal.

[Kempy]

First off, turn of the pulse and get it to welding correctly with regular mig. You did not say what your mig volts were. You should be in spray and it doesn't look like it. 100% argon? Oh and arc force should be set about at 7 to 8...back off from there. Volt are likely too low. You need about 23.5 to 24 V. You should probably be about 150 amps or so WHILE welding (wire feed will change to show welding amps). Aluminum needs volts and not amps. A 140 miller can spray arc aluminum wire easily with the voltage jacked up.

1-Well I set it as you suggested 24 Volts, 150Amps, Arc Force 8 and the tip melted instantly as in Pic.
2-Set the volts down to 23 and Arc Force to 7 Amps stayed the same slow instant melt down.
3-Set the volts down to 22 and Arc Force to 6 Amps stayed the same slower melt down.
4-I made a big change went to 18 Volts Arc Force to 5 and full 205 amps to get the wire speed up it is welding finally Pic.
5-up the volts to 19 and Arc Force to 6 and left the Amps at 205 better.
6-up the volts now to 20 Arc Force to 8 and Amps to 205 better
7-out of wire just had ½ roll from friend.
Final settings till I get more wire was Volts 20.0, Arc Force 8, Amps 205, argon 30CFM
I did not clean the aluminum plate or welds.

So if I set the Amps to 80 the Spool-Gun will not even push the wire out it needs to be 80 and over to get it to work the wire speed controller on the gun is not connected Duncan told me it is all done by the 205P internally.
I think if the wire speed could be ajusted on the Spool-Gun also it might work at lower Amps.

[Kempy]

No need for a phone app, it's on the web http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...calculator.php

I went to Miller site and the calculator suggestion is as below for 1/4 aluminum plate but the Spool-Gun can only use .035 to 023. not .045 or .062 the max tip is for .045 with the standard gun that came with the Power I-Mig 205P.
Thanks for the Miller site for other welding setups.
Wire Size & Wire Feed Speed:
3/64" (1.2 mm) at 350-375 ipm
1/16" (1.6 mm) at 170-185

Shielding Gas & Voltage Range:
Argon (AL): 24-25 Volts

Amperage Range:
180-210

[Odyknuck]

Could it be a Polarity issue?

[Kempy]

Got a new roll of wire 4043 .035 not .030 got it to work not to bad at setting the Argon at 25 CFH, volts 21.9, Amps at 205, Arc Force 6. need to have some adjustment on gun to dial it in but it is disconnected.

[performance]

KEMPI. The unit reads in a rough I.p.m when you are setting it up. Is that what you are using for 205? That would be wide open plus some. It reads out true amps while welding. You have to make the adjustments on the fly, usually with someone elses help. But if you set it at 150, then it would burn back up into the tip. I am not sure the exact amp setting that corresponds to the wire speed since it is a rough IPM and not a truly accurate one, but good for repeatability of settings.

[everlastsupport]

I would have to dig for it, but years ago I wired in the pot in the spool gun for fun.

I gave that gun away and never did wire another one since all the control can be done from the panel. If I find it I will post it up, but it is not really needed. As long as the pulse is off, it should be wire speed/amps and volts to get it dialed in. My arc force is 5 on my 205P, we we normally use the 200 for aluminum. Aluminum should be clean and you should be able to lower the gas a little as well.

[Kempy]

Mark & Mike
Thanks for the input I did some more testing today the welder is work different than the other day for some unknown forces. It is welding so nice with zero splatter at setting that it would not do the other day maybe the scrap aluminum is different back to unknown forces just like W???? or computers.
Got from Princess Auto some wall holder that work just fine for Spool-Gun holders and the screws holes are close CAUTION it is close to the trigger when lifting out with the power on I know.

[everlastsupport]

Mark & Mike
Thanks for the input I did some more testing today the welder is work different than the other day for some unknown forces. It is welding so nice with zero splatter at setting that it would not do the other day maybe the scrap aluminum is different back to unknown forces just like W???? or computers.
Got from Princess Auto some wall holder that work just fine for Spool-Gun holders and the screws holes are close CAUTION it is close to the trigger when lifting out with the power on I know.

Holder looks nice, good fit.

On the welds, they look good too. Maybe something with the other aluminum. Sometime things happen, gas, gas flow (wind too), dirty metal. But he welds look.

The 205P is a good machine, but the first one I tested, it took a little getting used to far as the pulse. All good now. I have a 200, 205P and 250P. 250P covers both of them pretty much, a good pick for a MIG.

[Rambozo]

Looks like that 25.5 is about perfect with just a little preheat. By the midpoint and farther the toes really wetted out nicely. How thick was that plate? It seems like every MIG unit is always a little different for the perfect settings. I know some of that is the analog controls, I wonder if a fully digital unit is also (never used one myself). Is the wire speed you show measured or just from the display? I MIG so infrequently that I always have to check my notes or re-figure out the best settings.

[Kempy]

Looks like that 25.5 is about perfect with just a little preheat. By the midpoint and farther the toes really wetted out nicely. How thick was that plate? It seems like every MIG unit is always a little different for the perfect settings. I know some of that is the analog controls, I wonder if a fully digital unit is also (never used one myself). Is the wire speed you show measured or just from the display? I MIG so infrequently that I always have to check my notes or re-figure out the best settings.

The plate is 1/4 inch thick 6061 this I now and cleaned the surface before welding.Will test with a camera on the welder to see what happens on the readouts. Will have to make drawing for I-Mig face like 250EX for notes.

[Kempy]

Looks like that 25.5 is about perfect with just a little preheat. By the midpoint and farther the toes really wetted out nicely. How thick was that plate? It seems like every MIG unit is always a little different for the perfect settings. I know some of that is the analog controls, I wonder if a fully digital unit is also (never used one myself). Is the wire speed you show measured or just from the display? I MIG so infrequently that I always have to check my notes or re-figure out the best settings.

My Note pad for I-Mig 205P

[performance]

The plate is 1/4 inch thick 6061 this I now and cleaned the surface before welding.Will test with a camera on the welder to see what happens on the readouts. Will have to make drawing for I-Mig face like 250EX for notes.

The 25.5 bead is spread too far, which would indicate it is on the verge of being too hot. The first one has complete wet in of the toes and a true spray. Another issue that may be different and something I can see in the photos you are struggling with some, is the gun angle. It's inconsistent. You should be pushing aluminum.

[Kempy]

The 25.5 bead is spread too far, which would indicate it is on the verge of being too hot. The first one has complete wet in of the toes and a true spray. Another issue that may be different and something I can see in the photos you are struggling with some, is the gun angle. It's inconsistent. You should be pushing aluminum.

I am pushing at about 20-25 deg back from 90 deg as up and down and towards me about 10 deg. I appreciate all the help.
Has some ever put pictures of aluminum MiG welding on the forum I have not see any.
Now the big question how do I set up to try the Mig pulse.

[performance]

I'm going to give you a general statement or two, since exact setting results may vary. Pulse MIG is designed to operate by primarily spray arc, but to dip into the globular transfer range long enough to cool the weld but not transfer any metal. Using the basic setup you'll probably push every ounce of power out of the unit to get marginal results at the results you have posted in regular mode. Anything you do will cause the weld to weld cooler so, creating a too big of differential in amps will create issues.