Rods snuffing out

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So I'm looking for some information on what might be causing rods to snuff out, specifically while capping, and more specifically 1/4" rod. My machine is a 2006 vantage 400, 7500 hours on it, very well maintained except I just had a new board put in it. Downhill pipe mode runs fine but I've been trying to run it in cc stick mode so i never have to swap to burn 1/4" rod. Every time I go to cap with it, after the first rod, it feels like I'm racing to stay ahead of my puddle until it just finally snuffs out.  I'm at +6 on my arc force, which seems to be ideal (I've tried every setting there), and running my amps at around 320-330. I sometimes run through my reels, but usually only for my root with a smaller whip and stinger, however i also run two 50' 4ø leads for ground and stinger, directly off the machine with a 500 amp stinger, so there should be very little resistance there. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Reply:My first thought with reels, are you using them with your leads wound up or pulled all the way out or only part way. If you want the welder to work correctly. Your weld leads must be pulled off the reels all the way. You can not have coils. lay them out in large S patterns. A coiled wire becomes an Inductor also known as a choke or stabilizer. They resist current change and will get real hot if left coiled up. I have seen them start smoking after using them real hard and only a small amount of leads pulled off the reels. Also the vantage uses a chopper module to control the weld output.It operates at inverter speeds and inverters do not like coils in the weld leads.Now you didn't say what rod you were using. You might want to call Lincoln tech support with your serial and code numbers. plus the specs of the rods you are using.Ask if you will have any problems using them. I called a while back with a problem a customer was having and before I told them what rod they were using, they told me the rod and process. That model welder had a problem with 6010 rod and whipping the arc.
Reply:Similar to what he said, a friend of mine thought his sa250 was broken when it started doing what you describe while capping.Switching to different rods cured it.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Every snuffing out issue I have ever had has been related to the rod. Open a new package and the problem disappeared. Biggest rod I have used was 5/32 though, no experience with a rod that big.
Reply:I've tried unspooling everything, as well as I said I have two 50' leads of heavy cable coming directly off my machine (no reels) for big rod. I'm using 1/4" 7018... tried with both blueshield and ESAB rod.
Reply:What is the joint design that you are running a cap on?