.030 wire vs .035 wire

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So what is the principle behind using the a thinner wire vs a thicker wire.I know the metal thickness range for it all.What I was thinking is more heat and less wire using .03 vs using .035 wire?How does this sound?
Reply:The wire carries the amperage,  so more amps can flow through a thicker wire at the same wire speed.  I think you have it backwards in your postspend some time with the Miller mig welding calculator http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...calculator.phpit gives wire diameter and the amps needed and wire feed speed.so you can get an idea from that.023 is about 4-5" per amp (cant remember exact. maybe wrong).030 is about 2.5" per amp.035 is about 2" per amp.045 is about 1" per ampso take the amperage needed and multiply by how many inches are needed per amp for you wire size will give you the wire feed speed.   so to get say 100 amps you would need a wire feed twice as fast if you use .035 than if you used .045Last edited by soutthpaw; 10-26-2011 at 08:46 PM.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Originally Posted by soutthpawThe wire carries the amperage,  so more amps can flow through a thicker wire at the same wire speed.  I think you have it backwards in your post
Reply:you get a finer control when you are running twice the wire speed (just a guess).  the gas you use will affect the actual amperage too.  maybe just not wanting to change out wire all the time.
Reply:I choose .030 wire in my home mig because it's a good compromise size in my 200 amp mig. I can weld sheetmetal or heavier steel with the same wire and not have to change rolls or go dig out the tiny 110v mig with .023 wire. Given that however, I'd grab the small mig if I have a lot of thin stuff to do, or go use the XMT with the .035 wire and the hotter gas if I have a lot of heavy work to do, say with the plow frame..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I run .035 mostly due to most of my welding is 16 ga and up.  the lion share of my welding is 3/16 and 1/4 inch metal.  I also do this for economics.  I can buy a 33 lb spool of .035 of $35.00 but buy the a 11 lb spool of .030 same wire for $25.00.  It is cheaper to buy the .035.  Before you ask .035 is cheaper to buy due to less machine time making the wire and it is in higher demand as it is the primary wire for most industry production mig.  In all the shops I welded in over the last few years they buy .035 by the pallet loads and buy the .030 and .023 only as needed.  .045 is also purchased by the pallet load typically. this is my experience, so other's mileage may vary.
Reply:Lots of good info here, but I'll add a couple of points:For a given number of amps, thinner wire will give you more penetration and a higher deposition rate. This is one reason many welders use the thinner wire.Also, many people find that their machine "prefers" a certain wire diameter, that it makes nicer welds or has a wider "sweet spot". You may want to try both diameters on a variety of jobs and see what works best for you.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Hey pyro,The fellows have provided good data to consider. I use .030 for all welding .187. Of course, you have to remember that the smaller MIG's have a smaller/limited current(amps) output & thus will burn .030 much easier to get a good weldment. Since I do a lot of production runs, I have several MIG's set up for any particular application: .023=sheetmetal up to 12ga.(MIG/120A), .030=everything up to .187(MIG/140A), & .035=everything over .187(MIG/180A). Generally, for most, .030 will suffice unless you are getting into heavier applications(.200+) & then your unit should be >180A & .035 would be best. Don't let a minor issue as changing spools be a detriment to getting better results & ease of usage/results.DennyComplete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."
Reply:The numbers. .045 = 1 amp per inch per minute.      200 ipm = 200 amps give or take a little.035 = 1 amp per 1.6 inch per minute  200 ipm = 125 amps.030 = 1 amp per 2 inch per minute     200 ipm = 100 amps.023 = 1 amp per 5 inch per minute.    200 ipm = 40 ampsMost wires poop out a little above 300 inches per minute. then you need a bigger wire.What size wire has to do with the job, the machine and operator.  I burned up a lot of .045 with Co2 because its just plain cheaper.  I find the bigger the wire, the more stable the arc.  Lots of variables.   .045 runs pretty nice at 100 ipm.   My pulsed spray machine almost always uses .030, but I can run that from 100 to 600 ipm and get a great weld.  It all depends on the job.Not for all cases YMMV   Yadda Yadda YaddaLast edited by David R; 10-27-2011 at 12:59 PM.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.