testing electrical

[musselmark]

I have a 200 amp hybrid mig from northern tool (mig, stick and tig)and it does not seem hot enough. My buddy has the identical machine and it works fine. This is a replacement unit under warrantee as the old one was the same. I am thinking the problem may lay in the input voltage/amperage. I had an electrician do some tests, voltage is perfect. I had him test amperage under wide open load, he said each leg in panel showed 12 amps while in mig mode and 19 amps while in stick mode. The machine is supposed to put out 140 amps on stick and 200 on mig so shouldn't the load on the panel in mig mode be the same or more than in stick? My buddy can set heat to wide pen and speed at 7 while I can only go 4 all other variables being the same. What other tests could I do?

 

[Mysfyt]

The first thing is bring it to your buddies shop and try it there. Then we'll know if it is your machine or your shop electrical.

 

[stingray1]

The first thing is bring it to your buddies shop and try it there. Then we'll know if it is your machine or your shop electrical.

I agree. Sounds to me like your shop elect. Is ok.

 

[musselmark]

Will do, but I thought it was weird to have 2 machines act the same way (original and warrantee replacement) and the fact that the warrantee people had never heard of these symptoms.

 

[Big Barn]

Will do, but I thought it was weird to have 2 machines act the same way (original and warrantee replacement) and the fact that the warrantee people had never heard of these symptoms.

For those entering employment in the customer service, complaint, and warranty departments the first phrase they learn is "hmm, we've never had that problem before" and my personal favorite "let's try to figure out what YOU did wrong...." Terry

 

[CNC Dan]

....I had him test amperage under wide open load, he said each leg in panel showed 12 amps while in mig mode and 19 amps while in stick mode. The machine is supposed to put out 140 amps on stick and 200 on mig so shouldn't the load on the panel in mig mode be the same or more than in stick?

It depends. What was the output voltage? Input POWER (watts) should equal output POWER(watts), with some loss as heat in the machine. For DC current(output) you can just multiply voltage times amperage . For AC loads that have a low power factor the current and voltage waveform are not lined up, so it may not be so easy as multiplying the two together.
Most inverter welders have a high power factor(good), and most transformer machines (without power factor correction capacitors) have a lower power factor.

 

[musselmark]

I took the welder to my buddys place and tried it on his plug. It acted the same as at my house. I then switched to his bottle of co2/argon mixed gas and it welded much hotter????? I thought 100%Co2 ( my bottle is 100% Co2) was supposed to be hotter. I doubled checked by running his machine on my 100% Co2 and it acted the same as mine was, poor penetration, colder weld. There is a very noticeable difference.

 

[dragoneggs]

I took the welder to my buddys place and tried it on his plug. It acted the same as at my house. I then switched to his bottle of co2/argon mixed gas and it welded much hotter????? I thought 100%Co2 ( my bottle is 100% Co2) was supposed to be hotter. I doubled checked by running his machine on my 100% Co2 and it acted the same as mine was, poor penetration, colder weld. There is a very noticeable difference.

Sounds like problem solved?

 

[musselmark]

yes, but it is counter intuitive to everything I have read about different gases for MIG welding

 

[Mysfyt]

Glad you found your problem so quickly. I once tried 75/25 instead of straight Co2 and really didn't notice that much of a difference in the welds. More spatter with the Co2 from what I remember. The other thing I remember was the cost- $19 a tank for Co2 vs $45 for the mix. Keep in mind, this was probably 20 years ago. But if this is what works for you, go with it and don't look back.