thermal arc tig question

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I have been trying to get my tig to work well and I have not had any luck. I may be doing something wrong I don't know. I have the thermal arc 181i along with the tweco 17v and I'm using straight argon. 3/32 tungsten running about 25lbs on gas. I set it around 100 amps. Machine is set to the 4t which I understand is trigger hold. I have used high frequency set ups and scratch start rigs before. For some reason I am not getting the results I want out of this thermal arc. It seem like it is way too hot. I was practicing on a 2x2 square tube. I cleaned metal up, sharpened tungsten, set tungsten on tube, opened gas, hit switch and lifted and it started. I fed it some 3/32 filler rod and tried to lay a bead. It does not look good at all and it splatters. Feels like its running too hot. I turned the voltage down and tried it again. It still did not look right. I know this post is useless without any pictures but any help would be appreciated.
Reply:Sounds like bad gas, too much gas or dirty metal. Also make sure your tig torch is on the negative side. Good luck.Thermal arc 211iCk flex-loc 150 & 130Clamps, saws & grindersHarbor freight 80 amp inverter
Reply:Your argon flow meter should read in cubic feet per hour CFH. 15-20 cfh should be more than enough for almost any application. Are you using a gas lens? How far is your tungsten stick out.Thermal arc 211iCk flex-loc 150 & 130Clamps, saws & grindersHarbor freight 80 amp inverter
Reply:Check your manual.  In TIG mode the dial on the right is not voltage, but down slope time.  To get less heat in TIG turn down the amps.  In 2T the down slope starts when you let go of the trigger.  In 4T you hit the trigger to start and then release the trigger.  It stays at the set AMPs until you press the trigger again.  After the second press and release it ramps down based on the setting.If you turned down the dial on the right you didn't turn down the heat, you just made the ramp down shorter.Also make sure that you are getting gas flow and the torch is negative.
Reply:im not using gas lens, tig torch is on negative side. tungsten is out a little about a quarter inch from cup. Should i be using gas lens?Last edited by silvervic99stang; 11-20-2014 at 12:24 AM.Reason: typo
Reply:What size nozzle?  1/4" stickout isn't too bad.....on a #7+ cup.  Anything smaller and you'll have to shorten the stickout by quite a bit. 1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:I went home and turned my gas up to 35cfh looked like it did a lot better, still not as smooth as i would like for it to be. I have always ran gas around 25 on different set ups. Thank you guys i guess i will just have to work with it more and more to get it going like i want.
Reply:You have a leak somewhere. Pretty sure, whats the color look like?Constant Current Weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by silvervic99stangI went home and turned my gas up to 35cfh looked like it did a lot better, still not as smooth as i would like for it to be. I have always ran gas around 25 on different set ups. Thank you guys i guess i will just have to work with it more and more to get it going like i want.
Reply:If 35 CFH is working better the added CFH Is probably overcoming a leak......as was mentioned.
Reply:Originally Posted by rahtreelimbsIf 35 CFH is working better the added CFH Is probably overcoming a leak......as was mentioned.
Reply:i will check and see if there is a leak, i was wondering if 35cfh was way to much, will also try it at 15 to see what happens. been busy at work so realy have not had a chance to check it out. Thank you guys again for all the advise.
Reply:I have a 181i also and am just starting to play with the TIG torch running beads on a piece of plate.  I've been running 15 cfh and 75 - 80 amps. 90 - 100 was too hot for what I was doing.GraysOrnamentalIron.com