Spaghetti bead

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I switched from flux core MIG to solid wire and added CO2 gas.When I try to weld, I get no penetration and what looks like a string of wet spaghetti where the bead should be.Am I missing something obvious? Please help. ThanksPS when switched back to flux core without gas, works fine on the same piece of steel.
Reply:Did you switch polarity as well?Hard wire GMAW steel is run DCEP.FCAW steel is run DCENJimmy
Reply:Jimmy,Did you switch polarity as well?
Reply:What wire are you running, what setting on the machine, what gas are you running - straight C02 or 75/25 mix? What material are you welding on and what thickness?John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Hi John,What wire are you running, what setting on the machine, what gas are you running - straight C02 or 75/25 mix? What material are you welding on and what thickness?
Reply:Sounds to me like you still have a polarity issue,  same thing happens with my lincoln sp125.  I would double check the polarity and try it again,  the gun should be positive as stated earlier.Matt
Reply:In my opinion, that wire is WAY too big for that little 70A maximum machine. I know it says in the specifications it will handle it but maybe try it cranked ALL the way up. You didn't specify your setting so I'm only guessing they were some place in between min and max. Again, IMO, you need to move down to a .023 wire or a .030 wire (best). The recommended amps on the .035 wire starts at 50 A - 180. So, you're already at near max to just be able for that wire to function.Also - check your manual and check the wire polarity, as previously stated above.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Running 0.035 solid wire on a typical 120V MIG is not a  good match of wire-to-machine.  As MicroZone mentioned above.Typical recommended wire for a 120V MIG unit would be 0.023/0.025 or 0.030 solid.Double check and triple check the polarity as well.  Most of the time (almost all of the time) the polarity for FCAW and GMAW are opposite from one another.And make sure you have a good work-cable (ie: the 'ground clamp) connection to your workpiece.  Bad connection = crappy welds.And also using GMAW aka MIG on a piece of 1/8 inch thick steel with a 120V machine -may- be stretching the machine's capabilities a little bit.  With a little operator skill and maybe a little preheat, 1/8 inch workpieces can usually be done with GMAW and a 120V machine.  But most of the 120V MIG machines recommend 0.035 FCAW for 1/8 inch workpieces.
Reply:Originally Posted by MoonRiseAnd make sure you have a good work-cable (ie: the 'ground clamp) connection to your workpiece.  Bad connection = crappy welds.
Reply:I would start with the volts turned all the way up and wire speed around 1 to 2 with the big wire Fine tune the wire speed while you are welding to get a good arc.+ electrode for bare wire with gas,  NEGATIVE electrode for self shielding wire.Let us know what worksDavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Problem resolved.Switched to .030 wire and started laying normal bead and penetration.Thanks all for your advice