Lowest amperage displayed

[trackmaster]

Hey just curious, for you guy's with a 250ex, what is the lowest amperage you show on the digital display at full counter clockwise? Mine shows 9 amps. I know there is a tolerance of + or - something on the display versus the spec of 5 amps. Just wondering what anybody else is seeing.

[performance]

There is a tolerance of 3-4 amps either way +/-. Depending upon your use, you might want to check your start amp settings. Watch the unit as well while you are welding.

What are the maximum amps? That is the best indicator.

[trackmaster]

Thanx Mark, i thought it was somewhere around that. Just curious, as i have a particular interest in SUPER low amperage, ..... with stability of course. I'd love to have a machine capable of say bout 1 amp with a .020 tungsten! Believe it or not for welding jewelry! They DO make jewelry welders that are similar to Tig, use argon shielding and a tungsten, .... but they use capacitive discharge, for a very brief pulse, and the tungsten retracts into a stylis, according to a very precisely timed sequence, that is begun by touching the sharpened point to the metal for a kind of lift arc start, but not really. The discharge is timed and controlled digitally, as is the retraction. A seam weld is done by a series of single pulses. very small wire filler can be added as needed but it is just a tiny blob as there is no puddle, and finishing is required.

I have tried several conventional tig machines, including the 250EX, at minimum setting with .040 tungsten on sterling and Argentium sterling, with limited success. Certainly nothing smaller than about 16 gauge wire and thicker seems to be possible, even then not consistant yet. I know there are MICRO TIG machines availible that go down to fractions of an amp, for commercial uses but they are big dollars. The Pulse Arc jewelry welders are about $5,000.00 as well! So thats where the curiousity came about what is the "actual" low end of the 250EX.