My very first TIG welder, wich doesnt work...

admin

Ive got a welding machine a while ago, and i just shipped it to my new garage where ive got 380Volt, so now i can actually hook it up and start using itBut... For some reason i cant get it to work.. Ive taken some pics to clarify:Here my bench, ive got a cleaned bit of scrap metal with the ground wire connected to it, and a new wolfraam welding stick thingie in the torch.Here is my argon bottle that has more than enough pressure:This is the actual welding machine.And here are the controls:A= main welding line, for lack of a better description. The extra line going to it are water lines, wich im not using.B=Ground wire, wich is connected to the metal subjectC=Amp meter, wich is broken so always show zero. The red amp test button also doesnt function.D=Power light, its connected to a 380V line, and fans are running and power light is on so should be fine.E=Amp regulator, goes up to 200, right now its a +- 100F=Up en down slope regulator, right now they are both at 4G=top button= foot pedal switch or hand switch, dont have a pedal so..middle button= Can explain it in english but its switching between the rods used by tig welder or the ones used by those small electric welders.Bottom button= argon gas regulator, at 5 right now.Here is the start button on the torch, i dont have a foot pedalIf i understood this right the top switch is to choose between the foot pedal and the torch switch.As far as i know ive connected everything right and set all the right settings, but i press the button on the torch nothing happens... Since ive never used any type of welder before im a bit lost here. Cant contact the previous owner either. Ive seen it working so i must be doing soething wrong.. any id's?
Reply:looking at pic i would say to move work-grd. in to the    -- neg.  mark slotthe pos + would be for stinger  in stick modeidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tigidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tig #2 used for sticklincoln sp100hh125dual arbor grinder polisher30 yrs of hand tools52 pitch blocks 6p-26prake gauge -pitch gaugeG&D prop repair 918-207-6938Hulbert,okla 74441
Reply:Tnx for the quick reply. Ive already tried this, doesnt make any difference. Here in holland this device is very rare, so i cant find anyone who can supply any sort of manual or data sheets. Already posted this on one of the biggest forums about welding in holland www.hetlasforum.nl but sofar no luck..
Reply:hang in there im sure someone else will chime inand can helpwill it stick weld? you might want to go the top left tab --user CP and inter your local will help people know where you are atidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tigidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tig #2 used for sticklincoln sp100hh125dual arbor grinder polisher30 yrs of hand tools52 pitch blocks 6p-26prake gauge -pitch gaugeG&D prop repair 918-207-6938Hulbert,okla 74441
Reply:Originally Posted by prop-doctorhang in there im sure someone else will chime inand can helpwill it stick weld? you might want to go the top left tab --user CP and inter your local will help people know where you are at
Reply:Well, it's hooked up just like this one:http://cgi.ebay.nl/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...m=130328155762Union Carbide welder? Perhaps there's a similar Linde model?The soldering toys pay for the welding toys.Hakko 928 dual iron, 4xHakko 936Madell 850D Hot Air SMT ReworkMiller 252, HTP Invertig 201 AC/DC, and a Hypertherm 45.
Reply:Ground should be negative (-) not positive (+).Grind the entire piece of that steel clean, then grind a bit of the bottom clean. It's not a scratch start is it? Can always try that.
Reply:you say you are not using the water lines. be glad the welder didn't work. a water cooled torch will melt quickly with no coolant,even at low amperage.the ground should be positive. a negative ground would be reverse polarity and would melt your tungsten.
Reply:in the photo,i dont see a control wire from the torch switch hooked up to the welder.
Reply:Sorry about the late replys, my car got broken into last week while parked outside a macdonalds. They took my laptop, 2 phones, ipod, dslr camera even the parrot carkit.. So havent been back to the garage for a while.. Anyway, Originally Posted by 65535Ground should be negative (-) not positive (+).Grind the entire piece of that steel clean, then grind a bit of the bottom clean. It's not a scratch start is it? Can always try that.
Reply:For tig, connect the torch to the negative terminal and work cable to the positive terminal.  This is called Straight Polarity, or DC Electrode Negative.For mig, and stick with most electrodes, connect the torch or electrode holder to the positive terminal and the work cable to the negative terminal.  This is called Reverse Polarity, or DC Electrode Positive.  Some stick electrodes can also be run straight polarity, dcen, to decrease penetration on thinner metals.  6013 and 7014 are 2 of them.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:You MUST hook up those water lines. Any liquid cooled torch will be destroyed almost immediately without liquid cooling at almost any current level. You can use municipal water from a nearby faucet and just drain the return water on the ground outside, but you must have some type of liquid cooling for the torch. A one gallon per minute flow at about 60 lbs pressure is the correct amount. That or anything close will be satisfactory.Check for continuity between the torch tip and the power block. The water cooled cable of a liquid cooled torch will corrode and open circuit if the welder hasn't been used in a long time, if it wasn't used with coolant that contained corrosion inhibitors. If you don't have a recirculating cooler, then your welder was likely connected to the municipal water system, which will corrode the torch cable over time. If this cable was corroded and burned open immediately it may have saved the torch it self from destruction. You will only know after you have replaced the cable and achieved water flow through the torch.I restored a Miller DialArc HF that hadn't been used in about 10 years, that had been used on municipal (drinking) water. As soon as I attempted to weld, I got a small arc and then nothing. The Torch power cable had burned open (even with water flowing). Replacement of the water cooled torch power cable was all that was necessary to repair it. Shortly afterward I built a recirculating cooler and I'm now running a distilled water / Miller antifreeze mix in the system. The antifreeze has corrosion inhibitors in it.   CharleyMiller MM252Miller Bobcat 225NTMiller DialArc HF / DIY Cooler2 Victor O/A TorchsetsMilwaukee 8" Metal SawMilwaukee Dry Cut "Chop" Saw 5 Ton Wallace Gantry Various Grinders, Benders, etc.
Reply:"UCAR" Maybe from a time and place when the Union Carbide name wasn't so proud.Although I think that their welders were never anything to be ashamed of.Anyway, I suspect external control issues.For a quick check of basic welder function:Insert a long bolt, or a rod, or something metal, that will fit snug into the welder's  "+'‘ connection plug. It must fit snug, you do not want to arc the terminal during upcoming tests.Next, clamp an electrode or scrap metal in the work clamp. Set the welder to "stick" mode, and then with the current control set at minimum, see if you can strike an arc between the two connections. See if the arc gets more intense by turning up the current control. Once you know that you have at least some basic welder function, you can move on to more advanced troubleshooting.Knowing that the basic welder functions, I would move to the torch's panel connection. Between the water lines there are probably two terminals leading to the torch switch; these terminals must connect to start in TIG mode. Maybe you could jump the terminals at the panel. I said MAYBE! Any jumper connection must be made with caution. Inside the cover there may be a schematic to reference.Good LuckLast edited by denrep; 12-06-2009 at 02:30 PM.
Reply:Ok first of all thx for all the info, im still nog giving up on this old beast Yesterday ive tried the following:* Ive measured the current betweent the + and - terminals on the machine, they give out a constant 16V DC, both in stick and tig modus, with the switch on the torch in the off modus.* Ive also measured the current between the + terminal on the machine and the torch, in tig modus, this also gives out a steady 16V DC. I cant test this with the switch turned on because i only have a very expensive Fluke meter from work, wich i cant risk blowing up..* I then took the torch apart and opened up the switch, this has a seperate cable running to the machine, switch seems to be working correctly, when i press the button, i have contact on 2 pins.*To make sure it hasnt got anything to do with the switch, i shorted the 2 pins used by the switch. But still nog arc.*Ive also opened up the machine but there arent any schematics of info to be found.Any other things i can test or is this thing ready to be scrapped?