Flux Core Steel Welding Wire - Does it go bad?

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I'm about to do some welding and I'm very bad at it.  All I have is a 120V MIG wire feed welder for smaller welding jobs (3/16" thick and smaller I think)I have flux core welding wire in the machine.  The wire is at least 5 years old.  Does it ever go bad or can I use it forever?I tried a sample welding piece lastnight and it came out terrible - very bad weld.  It's probably just me or the setting on the machine, but I'm thinking it may be the flux core steel wire I'm using is old.Lee
Reply:If the wire is not rusty at all, then it should be good to go.  I have used 15  year old flux core with no problems.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Maybe.  Depends on the type of wire.  David R has had some luck with old wire.  I've seen wire used successfully that had rust on the outside of it.Where I work, we frequently throw away some types of wire if they're from a container more than a few weeks old.The only way to tell for sure is to double check your equipment settings and technique.  If everything there looks ok, but results are still bad, try a new spool of wire before you admit defeat.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Anything tubular is going to wick moisture back inside from the open end. There's nothing wrong with running 15 or twenty feet off and trying again. Depending on local humidity and length of time how far the moisture has migrated. 5 years is quite a long time.Then there is always the question of how much are we looking at here, 10 lbs or 1 lb??
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_doWhere I work, we frequently throw away some types of wire if they're from a container more than a few weeks old.
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_doWhere I work, we frequently throw away some types of wire if they're from a container more than a few weeks old.
Reply:It also depends on the wire.  If its GS, or something, try it and see.  If its fancy stuff, consult the manufacture.  Some wire comes in a foil pouch, some comes in a cardboard box.....I'm thinking about plain ol  (-11 or - GS) flux core that the original poster probably has.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Magnetic Mechanic, WelderwomnWe make fluxcore wire where I work, and the small amount that get's thrown away goes into a recycling bin.  Some of what gets thrown away are experimental wires, and some of those you wouldn't want to weld with...  Trust me.The rest is removed from spools and twisted up into a huge pile of spaghetti.  It ain't worth the time to try and salvage any of it. Originally Posted by weldrwomnThat seems rather wasteful
Reply:Some of what gets thrown away are experimental wires, and some of those you wouldn't want to weld with... Trust me.
Reply:I could oldiron, but it might cost me my job...I walk a fine line as it is posting on some topics on this forum.  The questions you're asking are all proprietary and trade secret information.I will say this:New products are always in development.  They may be to improve the performance in an existing application, lower manufacturing cost, introduce a product into a new application, or make incremental improvements while maintaining the same manufacturing cost.  Same reasons any manufacturing company performs research and development.Welding consumable manufacturers will custom-tailor existing products to suit the needs of large customers.  Say you were a construction corporation, and you needed a welding wire that had better yield strength or impact properties.  If you were buying a large enough amount of wire, any manufacturer would develop a consumable to suit your specific needs. Originally Posted by Oldiron2Sounds interesting to me; maybe you could consider starting a new thread about the subject explaining what goes into the decisions about the choice of flux ingredients, the alloy used, and the actual process of forming the wire. Or at least explaining what kind of situations the experimental wires are for? Should I put this question up for a vote?