CV vs CC

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still having trouble with  are vatage 400 i though  it was my by pass board but its not they  can weld like crazy with CC but when they go to there LN 25 pros the CV  pulses.  does any one know  what i can check? we can go to another vantage 400 and they can weld great with the same LN  ill take any ideas im stumped and lincoln tech has no clue it seems either
Reply:I have seen some thing like this in a ranger 305g. On it the only fix was to slow the wire speed down. I am assuming you are using flux core wire.Slowing the wire down from 130ipm to 100 ipm made a huge difference.If you can get your welder on a load bank, see if it will put out full output.Also get them to run it up to 200 amps then turn the output up to 400 amps real fast.See if the welder responds or falls on its face. How old is this welder?It could get pricey he fix this welder if it is out of warranty. If out of warranty you will need to check the voltage feedback wires to the control pcb and the connections in the CV circuit.Check your mode switch. It may be bad. Stick CC is an open switch, The other modes are closed switches. Get an ohmmeter Probe the back of the plug J7 and see if the switch is opening and closing correctly. If you unplug it and try to measure at the sockets you will spread them and you will be stuck in stick only. A very very small screw driver can be used to close the socket up a little and make it work again.Do the mode switch test first. Make sure you touch the welder frame before making the measurements. You do not want to zap the pcb. as long as you do not brake any wiresor cause other damage making this test should not void your warranty.
Reply:there are 3 new welders that are doing this they have around 150 hours on the machine. im out on the ocean in the  artic  so a load bank wont happen untill we can get a barge here that will be in  3 months when the ice goes. we are welding .045 dual  at 31.5vlt. @ 300ipm. Am i looking for  a certin ohm. in the switch. or just contact.
Reply:You are looking for the multi position switch contacts to open and close (0 ohms).Each position except stick has a wire to the control pcb. You need to check from the common to each wire. If the control pcb sees an open on all lines it defaults to stick mode.To enter one of the other modes the control pcb must see the switch closed in that mode position. Are you sure your process is right. You didn't post the wire type only that it was 045 dual shield. I checked some different process charts and found your weld voltage or your wire speed could be to high. 300 ipm and 31 volts is for 1/16 inch dia. wire.045 wire at 300 ipm uses 22 to 27 volts. Try reducing the weld voltage down. Look up your wire on line and get the process chart. See what the set up is then make some adjustments.If we need to do a load test. We can do a short one using a long welding cable. just don't take the welder to max and watch the temp. of the cable. don't want to burn it up. Use a clamp meter to measure the current. make sure it matches the display.Let me know what you find.also when you are welding lay out all your leads so there are no coils. Coils cause different odd problems in the welds.Last edited by ccawgc; 06-07-2011 at 01:40 AM.
Reply:we are using ultracore 8in1a75-h. im working with the guys to lower the volts but there liking how it welds im not a welder im just the mech on the job. ive been keeping the leads short as possable  and keep them from being coiled. To do a load test use a seprate  peices of wire to and hook them to the leads, thats what your saying. ive finaly got  ahold of lincoln to and there saying i could have problems with my  chopper board beacuase i kept loosing my bypass bord to.  there sending me there  exstream  condtion board to try that to.   i will give all this a  try thanks  i will let you no what i find
Reply:Whoa bulawa, take note of the volts with this wire size like ccawgc advised!I'm guessing the filler is actually AWS E80-1Ni or Lincoln E81Ni1A75-H, which would be picked for welding high strength low alloy, or improved impact properties at low temps.Over volts with wire has the same effect as overheat with stick electrode or too many amps and too small a rod with tig. There will be a loss of chemistry in the weld pool. Some of it can end up as little more than mild steel.More to the point, some of the alloys will leave the puddle as metal fume and not stay where they are supposed to. Also, some of the alloy in the wire will go up in smoke before it gets to the puddle.It would take a metlab guy about as long as check alloy percents on a failed section as it took me to type this up...At those settings it's about the same as running 1/8" 8018 at 180-220 amps, and your burn off to deposition rates are gonna suck. I'm guessing to keep from undercutting they are traveling slow, and penetration will be less than desired as a result also.Good LuckMatt
Reply:looked you wire up on Lincoln's web site.Just look up under consumables then fluxcore.  Then gas shielded, then Ultracore. At 300ipm the voltage range is 24 to 29 volts. The load test can be done several ways. One way is to just put a 50 foot set of leads and use a welding rod as a fuse to connect them. The shorter the leads the larger gauge they have to be. You must watch the current and voltage and make sure the wattage drawn out of the welder does not exceed the duty cycle limits. Watch the temp of the leads so the do not get to hot. Welding rod could get red hot. Let us know if the new chopper makes a difference.
Reply:hey guys well i  got a better board  from lincoln  and it has helped. i just got back   from  a break.  i looked up the  wire to and i seen it  up to 32.  but im with  you guys on  it being set up to  hi, but why is it  doing it randomly   where almost done  now where back to  fighting  magnatizem.  they have  past every  weld  UT there  doing and are QC  is saying its all good.  we never got  the new chopper boards or my alt.  didnt  say  what they all did  in  two weeks.  thanks  for all the help
Reply:i found the main board  right behind the all the controls warped with two bulbs in the coating so theres somthing in there  got really hot. now its the game of warranty Attached Images
Reply:Look a little closer to the blobs. They are most likely RTV sealant that has been covered by the board sealant. Lincoln double seals some parts on their pc boards.private message sent.