Weak Arc on Lincoln 225 ac

[jhendric]

Folks, I am new to welding and on my first attempt it just didn't happen. I would describe it as a weak arc, just didn't seem like there was any energy getting to the electrode. It would spark a bit and stick, but would not hold an arc and what little welding did happen was superficial at best. My welder is a used Lincoln 225 AC. The ground and the electrode holder do seem dirty and worn but it worked fine when I bought it a year ago. It has not been used since then. Can you give me some ideas on what I might check?

 

[ruffdog]

What AMP setting and rods are you using? Maybe adjust the amp setting back and forth a few times then try it again??????

 

[jhendric]

I did that for sure, there was only a slight difference even when cranked all the way up.

 

[user.69169]

Rotate the amp switch back & forth few times to clear corrosion.

Dat don't work, make sure ground connection to work good
Also light scuff stinger jaws wid chain saw file

Dat don't work make sure machine is getting 220 volts from wall plug

None dat works post again

 

[crazyal]

What rods are you using? Some are for DC only. Are they new? Are you sure your ground clamp is making good contact?

 

[WranglerX]

Check ground clamp wire connection and contact points of clamp and that clamp is on "clean" surface. (usually hit contact point with angle grinder for clean steel)
Check the wire connection at electrode clamp and be sure jaws are clean.
Rotate switch several times to clean any corrosion, or unplug and open back and polish contact points with scuff pad.
Check if you are getting good 240 Volts to unit.
Check rod type and size for work at hand.

These are just transformer machines (no electronics inside), basically they either work or they do not....

Dale

 

[Industrial Toys]

I think DL covered anything I could have thought of.

Just as far as checking voltage. That has to be done under load otherwise it's a meaningless test. It's about checking voltage drop, which only happens unlder load.

 

[jaxs]

Sound's like something minor,or something major. On the other hand it could be a combonatiion of something minor and something major. I feel safe in saying most of us thought something was wrong with the machine first time we TRIED stricking an arc.
Seriously,we need MUCH MORE information and a video if possible. The simplest solution is to let an experienced welder try it. Doesn't have to be a certified welder or 20 years experience,just a hack like most of us can tell you more with hands on than 3 pros with no information to go on. Hubba,hubba,now go get'um.

 

[jhendric]

Thanks guys, let me do some more poking around and I'll post back asap.

 

[r porter]

turn the switch back and forth a few times- the copper contacts can get corroded.

they are an easy clean if you take off the cover.

 

[big bubba]

probably poor ground connection as DL mentioned sand or grind ground contact

 

[jhendric]

I figured it out, I had a malfunctioning adapter to take my 4 prong outlet to the welder 3 prong outlet. Apparently it was only delivering half of the voltage. New adapter and it works just fine. Completed my first weld ever just now. Thanks for the advice folks!

 

[ruffdog]

:cool2:

 

[1 of U]

I figured it out, I had a malfunctioning adapter to take my 4 prong outlet to the welder 3 prong outlet. Apparently it was only delivering half of the voltage. New adapter and it works just fine. Completed my first weld ever just now. Thanks for the advice folks!

how is the 220 wired out of the box ?

 

[jhendric]

Not sure what you mean by "out of the box" so I'll describe everything...the circuit itself is a 50AMP 220 circuit that was installed specifically to power my air compressor which is not hooked up yet. It is 2 110 hots, a neutral and a ground. I have a 4 prong "dryer" style outlet on my wall and a 3 prong welder male plug coming off my welder. I have an adapter that makes that change. I had tried most all of the suggestions in this post so I was eliminating "voltage into welder" (which I was SURE was not the problem) both hot ports on my 4 pronger were at 110 out of the wall as they are supposed to be. My volt meter does not do 220 so to test the adapter I got a new adapter. That worked. I can't quite put my head around why that worked. my guess is that only one hot (110) made it out the adapter.

Regardless, it works now and I thank all who posted tips!

 

[jaxs]

It sometimes seem's long distance diagnostics is becoming a lost art. There's no shortage of nice folks but it's rare seeing one like Old over on YT. He answers 8 or 10 complex questions daily without even breaking a sweat. I've tried but concentrating hard enough to see problems long distance make's my noggin hurt. :laughing:

 

[Industrial Toys]

Great you got it going. BUT, since it probably doesn't have or require a neutral connection, technically, it can't be getting half the power. It's ONE circuit. Comes in on one pin, goes through the welder and goes out on the other pin. Maybe poor connecton and that would have resulted in heat, usually making an even poorer connection.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Great you got it going. BUT, since it probably doesn't have or require a neutral connection, technically, it can't be getting half the power. It's ONE circuit. Comes in on one pin, goes through the welder and goes out on the other pin. Maybe poor connecton and that would have resulted in heat, usually making an even poorer connection.

I dont know a lot about electricity but my 3 prong welding plug has 2- 110v that if you check each lead to the ground you get 110 on each leg so I always assumed that both 110v legs went back thru the ground lug to complete the circuit.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Any 220 welder, I ever saw, does not use the neutral. Most 220 equipment does not use a neutral. In fact, most widly used "welder" plugs (here) only have two pins and the ground.

 

[BukitCase]

One of the reasons this topic (240 volt outlets) is so confusing, is that most electricians, even tho they KNOW, tend not to mention that just having two "hots" and a ground does NOT necessarily get you 240 volts - household services nearly always have both 120 and 240 volts available at the breaker box - the 120 volts is EASY - grab EITHER "hot" in the box and a NEUTRAL and GROUND, and you have 120 volts. (No, I don't mean actually GRAB 'em)

HOWEVER, to get 240 volts you need to understand that those two "hots" coming into the breaker box are NOT THE SAME - they are OPPOSITE in phase (When ONE hot is going positive, the OTHER one is going NEGATIVE) so if you were to measure BETWEEN the two hots, you would see 240 volts. This is the ONLY way you can get 240 volts - if you were to use the SAME "hot" to both "hot" leads on a device, you would still measure 120 volts to ground or neutral; but you would see ZERO volts between the two "hots" - because they would be the SAME WIRE...

Pretty much ANYTHING that ONLY uses 240 volts, does NOT use a neutral; only a SAFETY ground. If working correctly, the device would NOT have current in its GROUND wire; it's only there so that the chassis of the device doesn't have voltage on it.

Newer devices, like clothes dryers, now have the FOUR wire hookup - so you have TWO (out of phase with each other) hots, a SAFETY ground for any 240 volt parts of the devise, and a NEUTRAL to RETURN current from one of the hot wires. This lets delicate electronics have a 120 volt source, and higher power (like the heater in the clothes dryer) still have its (zero current) SAFETY ground.

I searched online for a useful diagram of this; looked at about a dozen diagrams, and NOT ONE of them mentioned that those two "hots" are NOT the same - hopefully the above explanation will help clear this up... Steve