Vulcan Protig 200 A/C Welding

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Hello. I'm new here and will appreciate any help I can get with this question.I have a Vulcan Protig 200 that I bought used but with very few hours on it; it is like new. It welds in D/C mode beautifully, but will not hold an arc in A/C to weld aluminum.The high-frequency spark jumps when I press the pedal and it throws an arc for about a second, then quits. I have gone up and down all of the settings and raised and lowered the argon flow but nothing seems to work. I set it to the exact values in a YouTube video about this welder, and still cannot get an arc longer than a second or so. As I said, the D/C side works perfectly.Any thoughts or suggestions? Has anyone else run into this issue?Thanks in advance!Ken
Reply:Welcome Ken!Can you give us a bit more detail?  What settings are you using, and what sort of thickness material is it?  To clarify, are you hitting the pedal to start the arc and then really pushing down on the pedal quite a bit?Aluminum acts very different from steel and needs to be approached differently.  As an example, if you were welding on something like 1/8" flat plate we would tell you to set the machine up something along these lines:  150A, .5s pre-flow, 10s post-flow, frequency around 120hz, AC balance to where it's 30% positive and 70% negative.  When you hit the pedal to start, go full throttle until you get a puddle started, then ease off as needed as you move along.  If you don't have the pedal down far enough it won't be enough to sustain the arc once the HF stops.Check out my bench vise website:  http://mivise.comMiller Syncrowave 250DXMillermatic 350P with XR AlumaProMiller Regency 200 with 22A feeder and Spoolmatic 3Hobart Champion EliteEverlast PowerTig 210EXT
Reply:I would find a diagram for the pinout then try initiating an arc to see if I get an arc that way just to rule out the pedal.
Reply:I have a Protig 205 that does it on AC occasionally and touching the tungsten to the work briefly seems to help. Still trying to find out if there’s a point gap inside the machine that may need adjusting for the high frequency start. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:Firstly  I would change out the tungsten. Thoriated should lite right up. For hobby work thoriated can be used all the time. Hopefully you are not rounding or balling back a perfectly good tungsten. When some people do that i see it as time to dress the tip. Secondly my routine for starting is to touch the base metal then lift slightly to make a small gap. Strike the arc and hold the gap. Could be the capacitor discharge arc circuit is trying real hard to strike an arc with a large gap.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR"

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Reply:

Originally Posted by danike110

I have a Protig 205 that does it on AC occasionally and touching the tungsten to the work briefly seems to help. Still trying to find out if there’s a point gap inside the machine that may need adjusting for the high frequency start. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:

Originally Posted by G-ManBart

Welcome Ken!Can you give us a bit more detail?  What settings are you using, and what sort of thickness material is it?  To clarify, are you hitting the pedal to start the arc and then really pushing down on the pedal quite a bit?Aluminum acts very different from steel and needs to be approached differently.  As an example, if you were welding on something like 1/8" flat plate we would tell you to set the machine up something along these lines:  150A, .5s pre-flow, 10s post-flow, frequency around 120hz, AC balance to where it's 30% positive and 70% negative.  When you hit the pedal to start, go full throttle until you get a puddle started, then ease off as needed as you move along.  If you don't have the pedal down far enough it won't be enough to sustain the arc once the HF stops.
Reply:

Originally Posted by cornchip

even with the wrong settings it shouldnt matter. theres probly something wrong inside the machine or at the pedal. perhaps the last guy sold it because it didnt work right ?
Reply:sounds as if hes already checked the obvious. turned the knobs every which way and even set it to a youtube recomendation. if theres any warranty i would take it backinvertig 221 water cooledhypertherm powermax 30xpfronius transpocket 180fronius transsteel 2200fronius iwave 230i water cooled
Reply:Well. I had a 205, DOA right out of the box. Did the exact same thing the OP is posting. And I know how to set up a machine and weld alum. pre-scratch did not work. I pre-scratch all the time with my Dynasty 300DX pre-blue lightning. Brought it back and got my money back. T.J.www.tjsperformance.comDynasty 300 DXHTP 240HTP Microcut 380Hyperthem 85JD2 Hyd Bender and HF Hyd Ring Roller all in one =(Frankenbender)Bpt. Mill/DRO4' x 8' CNC Plasma TableInstagram: tjsperformanceYT: TJS Welding and Fabrication
Reply:

Originally Posted by TJS

Well. I had a 205, DOA right out of the box. Did the exact same thing the OP is posting. And I know how to set up a machine and weld alum. pre-scratch did not work. I pre-scratch all the time with my Dynasty 300DX pre-blue lightning. Brought it back and got my money back. T.J.
Reply:

Originally Posted by G-ManBart

Are you saying yours wouldn't generate a high frequency arc, or sustain an arc?  The OP's description says he's getting the HF start, but won't hold it. If the HF is firing pre-scratch has nothing to do with it.  Pre-scratch just helps the HF fire.
Reply:

Originally Posted by TJS

I said DOA.
Reply:

Originally Posted by G-ManBart

Well, your first post said it was doing "the exact same thing" as the OP's, but that can't be the case.  He can weld steel with it and the HF arc starts on AC, it just isn't sustaining it.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Ken Blaisdell

Thank you, everyone for your input, but my welder is now dead, altogether. It will no longer weld steel or generate an HF spark in either ac or dc. Apparently the HF board has died. I opened the unit to look for anything obvious like a loose or broken wire, but everything looks fine. Not even a trace of where the smoke may have leaked out of a component.Has anyone ever had any luck getting a Vulcan Protig 200 repaired? I am at least the third owner, so the warranty is not an option. Harbor Freight said the cost to ship it back and forth to China makes factory service ridiculous.Thanks!Ken
Reply:Out of curiosity, does the stick function work?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:

Originally Posted by G-ManBart

Well, your first post said it was doing "the exact same thing" as the OP's, but that can't be the case.  He can weld steel with it and the HF arc starts on AC, it just isn't sustaining it.
Reply:

Originally Posted by danike110

Out of curiosity, does the stick function work?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:

Originally Posted by TJS

See post 14. Dead. Junk. I knew it would not last long. These are throw away machines. I don't expect my Titanium 200 to last more than two or so years. However it has paid for itself 3 times or more already.
Reply:I Found the smoking gun in my dead Protig 200 welder!With nothing to lose by taking the welder all apart, I discovered a burned out copper trace on the output circuit board. (See photo.) Fortunately, there was enough copper left for me to solder a copper-wire bridge across the trace (second photo), and when I got the unit back together is fired right up and held arcs in both ac and dc ... for about a minute. Then, what was left of the trace that I had soldered to lifted off the board, and it died, again. Apparently, the blown trace wasn't the CAUSE of the problem but a RESULT of whatever the problem is. Which obviously lurks in the unfathomable electronics.Thanks for following along on the adventure!Ken

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Reply:Ouch...good detective work.  Sorry to hear it didn't turn out more favorably!Check out my bench vise website:  http://mivise.comMiller Syncrowave 250DXMillermatic 350P with XR AlumaProMiller Regency 200 with 22A feeder and Spoolmatic 3Hobart Champion EliteEverlast PowerTig 210EXT
Reply:If the board is not a major one maybe you can order a replacement from HF and replace it.  If others have not had this problem it may have been a weak component on your board.  If it a badly designed welder through in the towel and buy a better brand.DIY CNC Plasma table USB BOB Price THCHypertherm 65Everlast PowerTig 255 EXTMiler 180 Mig13" metal latheMill/ DrillECT, ECT,
Reply:I agree It could turn into a money pit.It problem with new technology as takes time to work out the bugs 🐛 . Most do not remember the old tube TVS . They had problems too but TV tech could upgrade the bad part and keep going.  Today it is chip good luck fixing a chip or even replacing a chip. Dave

Originally Posted by acourtjester

If the board is not a major one maybe you can order a replacement from HF and replace it.  If others have not had this problem it may have been a weak component on your board.  If it a badly designed welder through in the towel and buy a better brand.
Reply:I called Harbor Freight's parts dept. and they said that when they discontinue an item they drop the spare parts, too, so no replacement boards are available. I'm just going to have to take this as a bad experience, and move on to a better brand. At least I still have my little Hobart D/C unit so I can weld steel, just not aluminum.Ken
Reply:That is a problem with almost all Chinese made tools in America. The importers in America do not want to sell replacement parts.On Ebay you can find a few parts like for the 4x6 bandsaw and the Chicago 170 welders. I have Mill Drill from Harbor Freight you can not buy replacement parts in America but I can buy from China all the replacement parts. My 170 I can buy the most parts from electronics suppliers.  The wire feed and gun is found on ebay at low cost. But they last a long time if do not have employees using the welder.Dave

Originally Posted by Ken Blaisdell

I called Harbor Freight's parts dept. and they said that when they discontinue an item they drop the spare parts, too, so no replacement boards are available. I'm just going to have to take this as a bad experience, and move on to a better brand. At least I still have my little Hobart D/C unit so I can weld steel, just not aluminum.KenReplace the entire trace from end to end and see if you can let out all the magic smoke. Sell it on ebay as a parts only unit.