New member_I need serious HELP with my 350MP PLEASE :)

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Hello all! I just recently purchased a Lincoln 350MP and have it set up with a push/pull gun to weld aluminum....but I'm having some issues with it.I got the machine because I'm totally re-fabbing a boat and if I would have paid someone to weld it up, I'd be at about the same as a new welder soo...I went this route.I have a little bit of fab experience from years ago, so I know the technique of MIG, I'm just lost on the MANY settings of this machine. I'm not sure if the trouble I'm having is because the machine is not set up right, or the machine is defective etc.I bought the machine from a friend who is a sales rep for Lincoln, and he sold me the machine at a 'demo' cost; new machine just had an hr or two on it, full warranty. We set it up at his shop and it welded great.However, when I took it to my buddy's shop, it seems inconsistant. Some welds look great, while others look like crap-they lay on top of the joint, and are kind of 'balled up', with almost no penetration, and black soot around the weld. When I was at the rep's shop, there was pretty much NO black soot or spatter. I've even had this machine start off with the weld sitting on the metal, and then halfway through the weld start penetrating and get that nice silver appearance, and vice versa-start out awesome, then it starts popping and sputtering and my weld goes to helll....Speaking of popping/sputtering, the machine seems to do this fairly often. It will seem to 'cut out' and then re-start in the middle of the weld, and the result is not pretty. OR, it will sort of 'cut-out', then make a loud hum noise and start blowing or spraying the wire-it looks like just a flame shooting out of the nozzle.Any advice? On settings specifically...or if you think the machine is defective. I'm using brand new metal, 6061 and 3002 alloys, ground down before I weld. Not sure if I should take the machine in for service or...??Thanks in advance! Last edited by CarpCommander; 06-27-2010 at 10:56 PM.
Reply:Check your service voltage at the outlet and check the voltage jumper connections inside the machine to be sure you have it connected right for the voltage available.  Also check your plug wiring.Now is a very good time to sit down and spend an evening reading the owner's manual for the machine.First iron out any feed adjustments.  Check spool axle tension, drive roll tension in the feeder and drive roll tension in the torch.  Turn the pulse or pulse-on-pulse features off and weld in straight mig mode.  This will eliminate alot of the complicated setting adjustments that machine has available.  You'll be down to just volts, wire speed, and a handful of others, like inductance, hot start and gas timers.  Set to factory recommended settings, which should be in your owner's manual or on the door chart.  Adjust volts and wire speed from there till you get it welding.If your previous mig experience is with steel rather than aluminum, I would set the machine up for steel and weld some steel with it, so at least you're welding something you have familiarity with to eliminate operator error in that respect, then test the machine.  You should be able to get it welding on steel in the mig mode.  If you still have the same problems, then maybe there's some issue with the machine.  Most likely, the machine is fine and the operator is to blame.  You have an unfamiliar, very complicated machine and welding on an unfamiliar metal, so the recipe is set for a rocky start on your project until you iron out those details.General causes and solutions for mig welding... If you have consistent burn back into the tip, either turn down the voltage or increase the wire speed.  If you have consistent popping and spattering, either turn up the voltage or decrease the wire speed.  If you have general lack of penetration, increase the voltage.  If you have over fill, increase the travel speed.  If under fill, travel slower.Hope that helps you some.Last edited by DesertRider33; 06-28-2010 at 12:43 AM.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Ditto the above!Also with lower settings in pulse or pulse on pulse you don't whip the torch around, stay steady.Increase the push angle of the torch with aluminum to reduce soot and contamination problems.Good LuckMatt
Reply:+1 on the two above, but I would also look into the gas supply.  If it comes and goes it may have been from reg setting either too high or too low.  That does cause Black soot to appear when gas coverage is an issue.  An evening with the book is always a great thing to do.  If you dont have it you can download it from the miller web site for free.  A very reasonable investment in resources indeed.  Good luck, hope it helps, cause I envy the machine, just cant afford one as nice as yours...BobI'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:Thanks for the replies guys!I really do need to get familiar with the machine, because I'm sure it can make beautiful welds. But I really do think there's an issue with the machine itself-there's just too much inconsistancy. It changes during mid-bead, and welds different on the same type of alloy, same prep, etc etc. At the least I think it would weld either really crappy all the time, or really good all the time.Plus if I shut it off, then turn it back on, it goes back to welding decent for awhile...I have welded with a spoolgun before, had good technique and got some decent welds. Even thought they weren't show quality, they were consitant.My rep buddy called me and said bring it to his shop and they will check it out...meanwhile Imma do some reading! I'll keep ya'll posted on what I find out....
Reply:I've known of a couple weld shops that had problems with the aluminum pulse schedules on the 350MP's not working consistently. In one instance, the machine worked perfectly until you completed 2 welds, then it went non-functional. They had to turn the machine off to reset it, and again they could get two welds. If you talk to the service dept at Lincoln they can send a new schedule to your sales rep who can upload it onto your 350MP. Also check to make sure that it has the most current software available. It looks like the most current version is Z050139M.CWI, CWE, CST for Miller, Lincoln, Thermadyne, Hypertherm & ESABMillermatic 350PLincoln Invertec 205 AC/DCVictor combo torchESAB PCM 1125
Reply:Originally Posted by MaedarI've known of a couple weld shops that had problems with the aluminum pulse schedules on the 350MP's not working consistently. In one instance, the machine worked perfectly until you completed 2 welds, then it went non-functional. They had to turn the machine off to reset it, and again they could get two welds. If you talk to the service dept at Lincoln they can send a new schedule to your sales rep who can upload it onto your 350MP. Also check to make sure that it has the most current software available. It looks like the most current version is Z050139M.
Reply:Had similar issues with my Lincoln... this set-up procedure helped me. Might help you, worth a try.From Lincoln 350MP Manual20V4. Synergic Weld ModesThe POWER MIG 350MP is designed to enable synergicweld modes and synergic pulse processes with thespool gun. The actual wire feed speed (WFS) of thespool gun must be measured and manually set on thePOWER MIG 350MP as a work point for the POWERMIG 350MP (SPD).• In synergic modes when the spool gun trigger ispulled, an adjustable value for the SPD workpoint is displayed in the left meter. The lettersSPD are displayed in the right meter.• The left control knob adjusts the SPD value.The right control knob is inactive.• Measure the actual WFS, in inches per minute,at the spool gun and set the SPD at thePOWER MIG 350MP to match this value. WFScan be measured by pulling the trigger of thespool gun and feeding wire for 6 seconds.Measure the length of wire (in inches) that wasfed and multiply by 10.• The POWER MIG 350MP is now configuredand ready to weld in the synergic mode.• Adjustment of the SPD value from the set valuehas the affect of adjusting trim or arc length.• To increase the arc length; increase the SPDvalue at the POWER MIG 350MP to a valuehigher than the actual WFS.Remember; do not change the WFS at the spoolgun.• To decrease the arc length; decrease the SPDvalue at the POWER MIG 350MP to a value lowerthan the actual WFS.Remember: The dialed in SPD value at the POWERMIG 350MP does not control the WFS at the spoolgun. Rather, it is adjusting the POWER MIG 350MPsynergic work point. Therefore, adjusting the SPDvalue will not change your actual WFS at the spoolgun. WFS can only be changed at the spool gun.