Poor Bead Color on steel Tig welds, advice needed

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My Tig welds on mild steel all have a flat gray appearance to them.  They don't have the same "shiny" bead like others I see that look similar to mig beads.  I only have about ten hours on my Tig torch but I want to try to correct this now if I can. Here are the Specs, thanks in advance:HTP 221, CK17 torch with #7 gas lens, 3/32 tungsten (tip pictured), 2% Ceriated, Stick our 1/4 max, torch angle no more than 15 degrees off vert, 3/32 filler ER70s-2, 1/8 inch mild steel ground clean with a 30 grit disc and wiped with acetone, Argon at 20CFH.  From left to Right AMPs start at 90, 110, 130.  I have gone up to 150 amps, gone fast then slow, still no color change
Reply:Did you dip the steel in water to cool it off? That will cause a little contamination like that, but doesn't seem to hurt anything.(long as the water isn't dirty)Your beads show that you are a little inconsistent with travel speed/ amperage adjustment. I'm guessing that is what is causing the overheating for you. Also need to make sure to let small pieces of steel like that cool after each bead, so you don't start out with too much heat already in it.Start with a fresh ground piece and set your machine at 120 amps. Use all the amperage to get going, when you see the puddle wet in and fuse move. If you move too slow, it just overheats the steel and the argon won't be over the hot area long enough to keep the bead shiny.Keep practicing and posting pictures, lots of guys will try to help you figure things out.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:The super cold bead (2nd from left) looks like it's got some color.  Esp at the end when u killed the arc and let the gas cool it.  Turn CFH down to 10-12 with that gas lens.  Move faster.  Hammer pedal down, look for puddle, reduce amps, dip and move.  More amps faster = less heat input.  Think of cutting an icycle in half with a cutting torch vs. A small propane torch.  The lower heat will allow a greater area to heat up slower.  The faster heat will cut through the area and not give the surrounding area time to melt.  I also see some orange.  Did u dip the tungsten and not regrind?
Reply:Flip your plate over and you  will see melt through. That shows that you are over penetrating. The shinier bead to the left is about the best you are going to get without going to thicker steel.How thick is your plate? You are risking pulling in contaminates from the backside which also makes your weld gray and chalky.Your setup looks spot on to me. Your gas is at the high side for your #7 gas lens. It could drop some.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:bead colour like that can come from a few thingscontamination (on the tungsten, filler or parent metal)running to how/slow cooking the metalnot keeping the wire in the weld pool, i find it much easier to get a nice weld by keeping the wire in the weld pool, it ensure's the filler doesn't oxidise if you accidentally pull it out of the gas coverage, and keeps the weld pool a more consistent tempurature
Reply:Thank you all for the help.  I will try the suggestions and see how it works!!Nick