Gas for short arc and spray transfer?

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I have a MM200, and it wont fully spray transfer at the top of it's voltage. Currently running .035 and 75/25 gas. Is there a different mix that will do well with short circuit (most of what I do) and will support spray when I do thicker metals? Thanks!Millermatic 200Lincoln SP-100
Reply:90/10 will spray.
Reply:Thanks. Will 90/10 change my short circuit welding/bead characteristics?Millermatic 200Lincoln SP-100
Reply:Originally Posted by pcoplinI have a MM200, and it wont fully spray transfer at the top of it's voltage. Currently running .035 and 75/25 gas. Is there a different mix that will do well with short circuit (most of what I do) and will support spray when I do thicker metals? Thanks!
Reply:I've always ran "Stargon" gas and never had problems with spray transfer, or short arc. Been a few years since I've used a MM200 though and don't remember if that was the gas of choice then or not.SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:95/5 will spray with a 200Amp machine. My lincoln powermig 200 made a beautiful spray on the highest voltage (around 23v) and about 350ipm with.035 wire. Be sure not to crank your flowmeter too high or it wont spray. 20cfm should be fineLincolin Power Wave 450, Lincoln Powermig 255, Lincoln Pro Mig 140, Lincoln Squarewave Tig 275, Miller Big 40 G(with Hobart Hefty suitcase), Thermal Arc 95S and Esab PCM875 in an already full machine shop.
Reply:Originally Posted by ZTFabI don't think you'll be able to get solid core into spray with that machine.Lincoln 71-M Outershield (dual shield Flux core) will spray with 75/25. I just got done running some again today running .035" in my Power MIG 200.
Reply:Originally Posted by propanehotrod95/5 will spray with a 200Amp machine. My lincoln powermig 200 made a beautiful spray on the highest voltage (around 23v) and about 350ipm with.035 wire. Be sure not to crank your flowmeter too high or it wont spray. 20cfm should be fine
Reply:Originally Posted by pcoplinWhy wouldn't it? It's quite a bit more powerful than the Power Mig 200. It's rated at 200 amps, 28 volts, at 60% duty cycle. It'll do 250 amps at a lower duty cycle.  I'm new to the machine though.
Reply:Originally Posted by propanehotrod95/5 will spray with a 200Amp machine. My lincoln powermig 200 made a beautiful spray on the highest voltage (around 23v) and about 350ipm with.035 wire. Be sure not to crank your flowmeter too high or it wont spray. 20cfm should be fine
Reply:Originally Posted by ZTFabMy bad...I didn't realize the Miller 200's went that high on the volts. I just ASSumed that it was comparable to the Power MIG 200 which tops out at 22volts. Spray on!!
Reply:Originally Posted by pcoplinNo worries. I've been getting that a lot from my buddies. Until they see the machine. One more question, I hear that spray can get really hot and can go through consumables quick and even run the gun. I have a Magnum 300 amp gun and cable on it. WIll I have any problems at higher voltage? The nozzle gets crazy hot just in short circuit...
Reply:@ pcoplin - not a spray wizard, but have done quite a bit of axial transfer with .035 and 98/2 Oxy using a Bernard Q300 Gun.  3/8" to 1/2" mild steel.  XMT304 coupled to a 74DX feeder.  As Paul eluded to, spray is hot:hot.  A 200A gun with brass nozzle can work for short durations.  Really boils down to rated duty cycle of the gun:  time spent burn'n ON. Even with my 300A Q, the gun and ......more importantly....the work area/environment, heat up significantly. FCAW-G, same same.If you decide to attack spray,  your 300A gun with a reflective shield for your non-trigger (support) hand should work."Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:There really is no gas mix that performs ideally in spray and short arc. Realize, the CO2 content in your gas mix influences penetration and weld puddle wet out. In short arc, higher CO2 content translates into deeper penetration and better weld puddle wet out. Short arc by nature is a shallow penetrating process, because of this, for general purpose use, I don't feel it is wise to go below the 25% CO2 mix.98/2 oxy, 92/8 CO2, 90/10 CO2 would be the best choices for a spray arc gas mix with your unit. Your unit will spray with 95/5 oxy too, understand though the puddle gets pretty running/fluid with it.  98/2 produces a fairly fluid puddle but it is still controllable.Last edited by Dan; 07-23-2014 at 08:06 PM.ESAB Migmaster 250 Hobart Ironman 230Multimatic 215TWECO Fabricator 181i & 211iHH125EZ - nice little fluxcore only unitMaxstar 150 STH - very nice
Reply:Like Dan said, it's gonna be a compromise. 8% CO2 is best for spray with mild steel, 20 - 25% CO2 is best for short arc. The lower the CO2, the narrower the range of WFS for short arc. The higher the CO2, the more difficult it is to get into spray transfer. If you are determined to only have one tank, see if you can borrow or rent tanks of different mixtures or try them at someone else's shop.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:The problem with spray and the duty cycle on a might gun is the gas mix uses less C02 and the C02 is what cools the gun most effectively.
Reply:I have run mine on 90/8/2 ..When i do spray which is not often...and i can achieve real hot welds just running 75/25 and set to kill ...Mig-6 .035 wireBut i am also running a lot more machine than youMy advice is a heat shield and a dark lens i set mine to 12 to 14 ..Because the brightness will stun you and the heat will set your gloves to smokingat least my left oneBacked my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:The magnum 300 will do just fine..Came stock on a Lincoln powermig 300/350. My friend runs them on his Invertec 350, and Powermig 300/350/C-300 All his suit case feeders too. You can change out the front end of the gun to a screw on nozzle, and that seems to help the durability. The MM-200 is just a bit below a Esab Migmaster 250 in top-end power..Esab/Lorch ET-220iEsab 160i caddyThermal LM-200 Lincoln feedersThermal Pee-Wee 85sThermal 60i- 3phase /RPC powered (Beast)Thermal Drag-gun 35CINE 1500 Klutch 140i
Reply:Excellent info guys, I appreciate it. I'll stick with the 75/25 for all of my mig work (my 200 and my 100), and get 90/10 or 92/8 for spray. Anyone hook up a little Y to run two bottles off the same regulator?Millermatic 200Lincoln SP-100
Reply:The Magnum 300 gun I have has a screw on nozzle. I was contemplating getting a slip system for ease of changing different nozzles, but didn't know they weren't durable. Thanks!Millermatic 200Lincoln SP-100
Reply:Originally Posted by pcoplinExcellent info guys, I appreciate it. I'll stick with the 75/25 for all of my mig work (my 200 and my 100), and get 90/10 or 92/8 for spray. Anyone hook up a little Y to run two bottles off the same regulator?
Reply:Spatter is something you clean up with a little work ..Splatter is a real mess and it burns tooAre you talking about mixing CO2 and Argon from separate tanks using a Y...I don't know about doing it that way...consistency problems would be my first concernGuys i know that do that use a gas mixer and they are NOT cheapYou would have to talk to weldorwes or shovelon since i know them personally and have seen it done with the mixerbut there are other guys who can answer that question alsoBacked my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:Not a gas mixer.  Just a bottle of 75/25, a bottle of 98/2, each on a ball valve before a Y prior to the regulator.Millermatic 200Lincoln SP-100
Reply:To achieve spray transfer you need to use a shielding gas at concentrations higher than 75% argon. You should also have at least 250 amps.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:Originally Posted by pcoplinNot a gas mixer.  Just a bottle of 75/25, a bottle of 98/2, each on a ball valve before a Y prior to the regulator.Originally Posted by pcoplinNot a gas mixer.  Just a bottle of 75/25, a bottle of 98/2, each on a ball valve before a Y prior to the regulator.