Welder maintenance Do's and Don'ts!

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I am about a week from ordering my first welder, a Millermatic 252.I have a question...  (and yes, I read the threads in the newb sticky!)What are the insider tricks and secrets of welder maintenance?As an example of the kind of tips and tricks I would like, when I was in the welding class at the tech college, we had about 10 Millermatic 252's.  We went through liners like no tomorrow, Usually the instructor would have to pull and replace a liner once a week - once he did 3 in a single week. (and that was just the evening class - there was a morning and an afternoon class as well!) I asked if it was typical they need to be replaced that often, and he said his mig welder at home needs the liner replaced every few years. He then mentioned in passing that we students were wrapping the 15 feet of hose and gun around the handle as tightly as we could, and that tends to kink the liner.  Of course, other things also apply like don't run over the hose, drop tanks on it, step on it, etc.Not sure why he didnt tell us to knock it off, and just drape it loosely, but thats the kind of tip a new welder wouldnt necessarily know that can save a lot of time, aggravation and money.Any other tips and secrets out there?
Reply:Keep your machine as clean as practical. Blow it out once a month or so, and follow the maintenance guidelines in the manual.
Reply:Keep your machines covered when not in use.  Simple Home Depot BBQ covers work great.  For me, this is the big'un:  DONT GRIND NEXT TO THE MACHINE...or anywhere close if possible.  I know not everybody can do this, but all my grinding and abrasive cutting is done OUTSIDE.   All that iron dust finds its way inside the cooling fan air-intakes of the machines.  I have a bench grinder that sits atop its own table.  Same goes for my chop saw.  I just wheel them down the driveway and cut/grind away from the welders and  plasma equipment.Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:As others have already mentioned.  Keep the welders clean and blow them off/out periodically.  Also try to keep the leads/cable in a large radius when on the floor rather than tight coils.  This preserves the liner as much as possible.  In a home shop with only one person using the machine and who takes care of his cables, the liners can go several years between replacements even when used a lot.In our shop at work we replace the liner seveal times a year but that is with about a dozen guys using the same welder and none of them giving a **** about it because it is not theirs.Mike.
Reply:Thanks for the tips, esp about grinding.Can it cause internal arcings/shorts? Anyone have experience with that? (Its always nice to know WHY we should avoid it. IE, dont do This, because it results in That)Miller covers for the 252 are $125 online. Massive thanks for the BBQ cover tip, thats going to save me $100 bucks! (Which will go into my plasma cutter fund )Thanks all, and keep the tips coming!
Reply:Originally Posted by SuperArcKeep your machines covered when not in use.  Simple Home Depot BBQ covers work great.  For me, this is the big'un:  DONT GRIND NEXT TO THE MACHINE...or anywhere close if possible.  I know not everybody can do this, but all my grinding and abrasive cutting is done OUTSIDE.   All that iron dust finds its way inside the cooling fan air-intakes of the machines.  I have a bench grinder that sits atop its own table.  Same goes for my chop saw.  I just wheel them down the driveway and cut/grind away from the welders and  plasma equipment.
Reply:Miller 252, nice machine. I made my own cover for my Dynasty. I bought during a deal from Miller where the cover and a hood bag came for free. I just used some heavy vinyl upholstery fabric and that works quite well.Regards,RobGreat Basin WeldingInstagramBlue weldersRed weldersMy luscious Table DIY TIG Torch cooler
Reply:I remove the MIG gun and blow out the liner with compressed air as needed. This usually results in a puff of copper/steel dust. Occasionally remove some tin and carefully blow out the interior components and check for rodent nests. Grinding dust can't be good for a PCB (Printed circuit board) and I would think an Inverter machine would be at a higher risk of damage from metal dust than an old transformer machine. I wonder if most newer machines are going to last as long as the old timers from the 60's thru the 90's.
Reply:I would personally look at another brand than miller, I have bought lots of machines in the past and personally have not found much of anything I like about the new 252.
Reply:Fix repair or replace the fans if they go out or not working properly
Reply:Other than keeping it clean...Make sure that you allow it a cool down period after you finish welding before you cut it off. It made me cringe at school because everybody would stop welding for the night and immediately reach up and flip the switch off. I would clean up my booth, pack my tools, cart my workpieces off to the bins, and then finally reach up and flip my welder off, thus giving it a cool-off period of about 10 minutes. I let my welders at home each run for about 10 mins or so after I finish welding for the day before shutdown. Not grinding right there at the welder is also a great tip. All that dust, better to grind away from the machine rather than have it get inside. Also while you will probably never hit it, be mindful of the duty cycle if you need to weld at the upper limits of the machine's capability. Hope you enjoy your new 252!Hobart Stickmate LX235AC/160DCRanger 305GVictor 315 O/A rigHope to acquire in the next couple of years: Hypertherm PM45 and Dynasty 200DX
Reply:Thats a great tip, JD. I never thought about leaving it on to let the fan cool down the machine.New question, I see people mention on here taking the machine to the car wash. Can that be done with a new 252? I would think no, because of the PCB's, the digital LED readouts, etc etcBut then I think, so long as it all dries out, what can the harm be? I live in Utah, very dry state, so moisture accumulation leading to rust is a minor concern. So, water wash or no?
Reply:I have worked on old john deere welders, lots of different aircraft/welding generators. We pressure washed them, I was always careful to wash low and away from electrical parts. Over time they got rusty and got bad connections but I think that was more from weather than washing.old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder