Old School Engine Driven Welder Loses RPM When I Strike an Arc.

[Iplayfarmer]

I picked up an old school engine driven welder today at a yard sale. I replaced the spark plug and cleaned the carb, and it runs great with one exception. When I strike an arc, the engine loses RPM and the rod sticks. I can get a bead with it, but it's really difficult.

Is there some trick I don't know to keep the RPM up? It's a Ward welder with a Kohler engine. It's old school to the point that I have to wrap the cord around the flywheel before I start it.

 

[DaveOmak]

Sounds as if the governor is out of adjustment.... and/or the high speed fuel jet needs adjustment also, it could be a little lean...


Dave

 

[BukitCase]

I started arc welding on an old Lincoln SA200 (friend's) that was crank start, don't remember much else about it - other than, it would idle til you struck an arc, then the governor would kick in - problem was, if you just tried to start welding, it would kill the motor - you had to "fake" an arc (scratch the rod against the piece), wait for the governor to rev up the engine, and THEN actually strike off and burn you're rod.

Don't know from your comments yet if you're already doing that and STILL having problems, or??!?

Or, Dave's on the money, you're doing everything right already, and yer in fer ANOTHER "ride" like the compressor :confused2:

Hopefully it'll be something easy this time... Steve

 

[Shield Arc]

I started arc welding on an old Lincoln SA200 (friend's) that was crank start, don't remember much else about it - other than, it would idle til you struck an arc, then the governor would kick in - problem was, if you just tried to start welding, it would kill the motor - you had to "fake" an arc (scratch the rod against the piece), wait for the governor to rev up the engine, and THEN actually strike off and burn you're rod.

Generally when that happens the first thing to check is the idle RPMs. If the RPMs are to low the engine can't jump up to high RPMs when the arc is struck. If that isn't the case, then the idler has problems.

 

[2458n]

Lincoln ranger 9 has a switch you flip which allows engine to idle between work loads and the other way it maintains a higher rev. I know yours is before this feature was invented. Turn the idle screw up alittle and see if this helps. If not the governor needs some attention. How long has it been sitting? The new gas has eatten up alot of small engine parts. The kohler is worth putting some money into.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I think I figured it out. It was 2458n's comment that got me thinking. There's a little black knob in front of the air cleaner that I didn't know what it was (pictured). I connected it where it goes and tried the welder with it pulled out and locked in place.

I didn't try to run a bead, but I did stick a rod for a few seconds just to see what happened. Voila!! the engine didn't loose much RPM. I'll try to run a bead tomorrow when I have a little more time and report back.

Next question... What's the little electrical knob looking think that is just under the knob in the picture. It doesn't have any kind of button or anything, and there's a single wire coming in to the back of it.

 

[bigdeano]

Looks like a kill switch, but I'm just guessing.

 

[CNC Dan]

Next question... What's the little electrical knob looking think that is just under the knob in the picture. It doesn't have any kind of button or anything, and there's a single wire coming in to the back of it.

Grounding lug?

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Let's see the other sides of this thing! Nice find. The wire could be a converted hi/lo idler, or it could be as it was mentioned by bigdeano, a kill switch.

 

[ThomasH]

Sure looks like a kill switch. I only see one wire, which is probably for grounding the ignition primary. Does the wire go over towards the points or coil? If so that's what it is.