wire feed welder not feeding

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So My, dare I say it, chicago electric wire feeds welder, was in a shipping container that got water in it last summer.  Didn't get to it due to a death in the family and building a new house. It only gets used occasionally for jobs around the home.Everything seems to be working, but the wire wouldn't feed. I suspected corrosion in the tip. I removed the splatter shield and tip, cut the wire off and refed it. It goes fine right up to the gun then stops.  I tried it about 6 times so far with the same result every time.It feeds fine right up to that point and gets stuck.Would you suspect the minor corrosion on the wire spool, or something jamming it up in the line ?  Is there a way to get at this part ?Is it just plain toast ?Now I need to check my Lincoln tombstone to see if it survived


Reply:Will it feed with out any problems with the tip removed?  Almost sounds like a liner issue.Lincoln, ESAB, Thermal Dynamics, Victor, Miller, Dewalt, Makita, Kalamzoo.  Hand tools, power tools, welding and cutting tools.
Reply:

Originally Posted by N2 Welding

Will it feed with out any problems with the tip removed?  Almost sounds like a liner issue.
Reply:I don't know that equipment and you didn't give its model or post any links to sites even showing it, let alone a picture or better yet, to a breakdown diagram...That said, Tweco guns and other name-brand ones I know all use a liner that installs in the cable from the feed end. If you also have a liner, removing it to clear the far end might be the best solution.
Reply:Could be corrosion and or it could be a bent or kinked liner.  Best way to diagnose the liner is to pull it from the gun.Lincoln, ESAB, Thermal Dynamics, Victor, Miller, Dewalt, Makita, Kalamzoo.  Hand tools, power tools, welding and cutting tools.
Reply:Never had a liner with blockage. Check size wire I had one that was miss lable. I would take liner/gun off and cut a new wire and see if can slide to end of gun without the contact tip on Dave

Originally Posted by dockmasterdave

So My, dare I say it, chicago electric wire feeds welder, was in a shipping container that got water in it last summer.  Didn't get to it due to a death in the family and building a new house. It only gets used occasionally for jobs around the home.Everything seems to be working, but the wire wouldn't feed. I suspected corrosion in the tip. I removed the splatter shield and tip, cut the wire off and refed it. It goes fine right up to the gun then stops.  I tried it about 6 times so far with the same result every time.It feeds fine right up to that point and gets stuck.Would you suspect the minor corrosion on the wire spool, or something jamming it up in the line ?  Is there a way to get at this part ?Is it just plain toast ?Now I need to check my Lincoln tombstone to see if it survived


Reply:Have you tried increasing drive roller tension?
Reply:If you increase the drive roller tension and it starts bird nesting that's proof of liner issues, replace it. If not, all good.
Reply:OK, I think I understand the liner and agree it is probably a liner issue. I'm guessing if the liner had pulled out slightly, the wire would snag in the gap near the gun. I just made sure it was pushed in all the way and re fed it. It birdnested. How does the liner fit at the gun ? Does the gun come off ?I wasn't sure if I could pull the liner out and get it back in.This is a chicago electric 63583 from harbor freight. The manual says some of the parts shown are not available and are for illustration only. A customer service rep was going to see what they could do for me.
Reply:Perhaps you can post some pictures of how the gun is connected to the machine.  There is normally a screw or bolt of some sort that holds the gun to the machine then similarly the liner at the end of the gun where it plugs into the machine.Lincoln, ESAB, Thermal Dynamics, Victor, Miller, Dewalt, Makita, Kalamzoo.  Hand tools, power tools, welding and cutting tools.
Reply:Here are the pages from the manual.Hope I did the attachment correctly.

Attached Images



Last edited by dockmasterdave; 04-03-2022 at 11:55 AM.
Reply:You can find new gun with cord on Amazon and Ebay for around $40.00Did you ever kink the mig gun cable?Dave

Originally Posted by dockmasterdave

OK, I think I understand the liner and agree it is probably a liner issue. I'm guessing if the liner had pulled out slightly, the wire would snag in the gap near the gun. I just made sure it was pushed in all the way and re fed it. It birdnested. How does the liner fit at the gun ? Does the gun come off ?I wasn't sure if I could pull the liner out and get it back in.This is a chicago electric 63583 from harbor freight. The manual says some of the parts shown are not available and are for illustration only. A customer service rep was going to see what they could do for me.
Reply:Below here is a link to his manual, (in .pdf form). Following that is a Quick Start guide, that may show the assembly of the gun better.It might be easier to download them ourselves, rather than reading his attachments, which do though clearly show the gun being a separate part.https://manuals.harborfreight.com/ma...3999/63583.pdfhttps://manuals.harborfreight.com/ma...999/Q63583.pdf
Reply:Thanks for all the help guys.  The "quick start" came in the bag. I found the manual today but downloaded it yesterday.I guess I'll search a new gun, with cables and liner.  I understand a lot more about this now, with your help.
Reply:Liners are much cheaper than a whole gun.  Diagnose the liner or gun to be the cause of the problem before just throwing money at the problem hoping and praying to solve the problem.  You might be able to get a $10 liner and that frees up money for materials and wire.  Not that $30 is anything to sniffle over but not everyone has money to throw away especially in today’s economy.Lincoln, ESAB, Thermal Dynamics, Victor, Miller, Dewalt, Makita, Kalamzoo.  Hand tools, power tools, welding and cutting tools.
Reply:

Originally Posted by N2 Welding

Liners are much cheaper than a whole gun.  Diagnose the liner or gun to be the cause of the problem before just throwing money at the problem hoping and praying to solve the problem.  You might be able to get a $10 liner and that frees up money for materials and wire.  Not that $30 is anything to sniffle over but not everyone has money to throw away especially in today’s economy.