Warning Light kicks on easily

[chuck2302]

I have my welder hooked up on a 220 outlet, Just came in the mail and just started getting set up. Just practicing on small piece of aluminum strap. Pure argon gas.

On pulse mode should the digital display jump so much??131 63 132 78 and so on

I can only make about 5 passis across 1 1/4 x 3/16 aluminum strap and the welder kicks into a limp mode. Not familiar with tig welders. but is there supposed to be that spark inside the welder itself? and thats about what I get out of the tip to material when it kicks out just a little wimpy spark not a weld arc.

When I let it cool and reset the breaker on the welder It welds perfectly otherwise.

Just trying to get to know the product.

Not watercooling the torch yet either. But im making very small welds and taking time between. Would this affect much besides consumables being used up?

Thanks in Advance!
Chuck C.

[chuck2302]

Would to much electrode positve case me to have issues with lowering the duty cycle, I believe i was 180 degrees where i needed to be on that. Havent kicked it out since.

[performance]

Chuck,

It would be helpful to know what welder you have. I am not sure what you mean by "limp" mode. The question you have is related to duty cycle I believe, but depending upon your amps and the unit, you may be exceeding the duty cycle. How long are the 5 passes in length and how long does it take?

A blue spark is normal when welding as that is the High Frequency kicking in.

The pulse does jump around as it is probably pulsing at a faster rate than the digital meter can catch up. The best way to set the pulse is to turn the Hz all the way down and allow the meter time to catch up.

As far as the positive electrode percentage, what do you mean by 180 degrees?

You shouldn't use the water cooled torch for extended periods of time over about 140 amps or so, really, I don't recommend much over 120 amps, but you have to sense how hot the torch handle is getting. If you have thick gloves, then you may not notice when the temperature begins to spike.

If the consumables (tungsten) is being used up, then you have either too low of flow or you are using a CO2 mix with argon which is a "urban myth". So many people new to tig welding believe you can use Argon CO2 mix, but you cannot.

[chuck2302]

I have a Power Master 256, Im using pure argon. I found some issues with the machine itself. Upon inspection The front cover was loose. So I removed the screws holding it on and plastic parts fell out, those were the pieces that hold the plate for the dials on.

Then I took a light and looked in and there was a green ceramic tube that was broken or Chipped looking, then i seen it had a wire fallen off.This pice is towards the front of the macine and soldered to a board below a heat sink.

My total weld times were only about 4 minutes on thin material at about 1/4 to 1/3 power of the welder, It had real inconsistency with heat as far as arc strength. But it seemed the foot controll had no overall effect on the heat in either 4t or 2t mode(I realize it only works in one mode) and i am real concerned about what I think is a resistor or something that is broken inside the machine and the Outer plasic face plate being broken, I have had the machine for about two days and have only checked it out one night for an hour goofing around on scrap.

I am GMAW certified welder.

[performance]

You will need to report the damage to the office as soon as possible. This is the type of damage that we see happen in shipping.

[chuck2302]

Pictures of Damage

Keep getting my email to warranty@everlastwelders.com returned.I will call tomorrow but This is here so it can be looked at.

I would Like to say that the packaging was ok to me. I dont see how this happened but I guess its a bumpy ride. Just my luck sometimes, I know well get it figured out, I did send emails to the warrant area, I did register my product when I got it as well, looks like a total replacement im guessing at this point.

Charles C.

[Longlasting]

Hi I have had an overheat light on my machine a 200 amp import, ups dropped the package in delivery(idiots) and dented the back panel, but it was all intact inside, tried it out, everything worked ok then on a cold day I sarted playing with the adjustments and the overheat light went on and a strange sound like those old tv's with the tubes starting up....then poof!!!!and a miny explosion from the inside indicating something had fried big time.
Pretty good indicator of problems when the overheat light goes on without any welding.
Got it all worked out now.

[performance]

What company was this that you had this problem with? This is an older thread about damage. It sounds like you had a generic mosfet unit.

[Longlasting]

No it is a new unit.Leave it at that. I am just quite upset at UPS because I have searches about these import machines, through alot of threads and the biggest failure rate of these units seems to be after UPS handles them, when you have a two inch dent in a new unit the cause of failure isn't hard to figure out.

Good Day!

[performance]

There are a lot of differences in the "import" machine market. Ours are quite different from any other company. Some guys are claiming they are nearly identical to ours. And a lot of guys believe it. But our factory builds its own boards, and sources its components direct from the manufacturer such as the IGBT's. No middle men. We have improved our packaging and have cut down on some damage, but it seems to peak and wane from time to time.

Which unit do you have?