Linde L-Tec MIG 31 wire feeder

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I got this wire feeder today and then a Tregaskiss MIG gun. Since I'll be using it for flux core welding at first, I drilled out the mig gun holder on the wire feeder to accept the first half of the gun end. The other remaining part has 2 o-rings  for the gas. I'll need to add a sleeve here and drill/tap to accept a hose barb for gas later to make these work together for mig. The power source, for now, is going to be a low- power 2 setting harbor freight flux wire welder, or it's guts which I am about to harvest. There will be photos of this later.I do have a question: What are the different colored wires on the back plug with 4 pins?There are 4 wires on the back of the machine. They are black, white, orange (connected to red inside the machine or vice versa) and green. The green goes straight to the case inside, and the white and black seem to go through some capacitors and a transformer, the orange also goes to the transformer. There is a plug on the front for "torch switch", which is where I plan to hook the two wires from the gun. The rest  of the wires are going to need to be figured out when I get the power source opened up. Anyone have experience working with these wire feeders, or wiring your own MIG components to tell me what functions the wires need to tend to in order to function?
Reply:It worked well, I got some flux core welding done last night. all I think I need to do is hook u the relay for the power source to turn on when I pull the trigger instead of being live all the time like a stick welder. Hook ups were remarkably stick simple once I got the torch switch wired and the power to the feeder wired. Is there any special polarity change for flux core? I have the positive on the gun right now and I think I remember there being a trick to flux wire. I'll soon enough have a tank of argon/co2, reg, hoses, solid wire, and a little sleeve for the gun air input faricated and fitted to accept air. Photos of the rig coming soon.
Reply:If you don't have a manual, here's the one for the MIG 35 http://www.esabna.com/literature/Arc...F-12-786-M.pdf which is similar to the former MIG 31.Flux core will require switching polarity to "straight" - electrode (gun/wire) negative.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:I remembered that this power source was from a flux-core only machine, so the polarity should have been set correctly, however, I should set up a post where I can mount ring terminals via wingnuts to change back once I get gas engineered into this system. How can I check polarity correctness? I think I remember the guys in welding school saying the welds would look good and then crumble easily if the wrong polarity. The only negative I've noticed was that the beads act more like stick than MIG and pile up more easily. Could be many reasons for that though. I'll keep at it and post any more progress. the camera needs batteries or is dead, I don't know yet, but I promise photos.
Reply:Photos of the rig as promised:runs on 115:The gun hookup:i had drilled this hole out slightly too big for the rear end of the MIG torch, so I made a little aluminum plit leeve out of some thin pipe I found. It was only 1/16" thick and now it fits ultra-snug, amybe better than a hole the right size. The little wirefeed controller I dutifully ripped out of the HF unit, which is barely good enough for me to be rigging the transformer from, it's lucky I don't recycle it's copper to buy a power source. Hell, I got a couple generators laying around too... Nah, It's a handy 115v power supply that fits right on the feeder, aand it's here, free, now. I'll spare it's life. For now. More to come, I still have gas to hook up which will involve some creative machining to sleeve the o-rings along the shaft of the tail end of the MIG torch where the 4-way drilled section lets the gas in. Then I've got to purchase reg., gas tank, and solid wire while I save up for a 220v power source.Last edited by zombie-stomp; 12-29-2010 at 01:16 PM.
Reply:The part you are missing is the power adapter that inserts into the hole you drilled out that allows plugging the MIG gun into.  They come in a variety of shapes and forms with designs to accept a number of different brand guns and have the required gas port.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:oops. It looks like one of them has a bolt for power input. I will at first try a simple sleeve for gas as I had planned before, and if it becomes evident that my power is impeded by the way it is, I'll plan do a bigger brass block with the bolt for power in addition to the gas. Fit to the gun end will be critical.EDIT:Or, i just thought maybe if I get an adapter, I could machine a bushing to link that in. We'll se what i can find.Last edited by zombie-stomp; 12-30-2010 at 04:59 AM.
Reply:I have made some progress in fitting gas. I drilled out a couple plumbing valves and just need to go buy threaded adaptors and/or hoses, regulator, and tank. The two valves had threads close in size to the hole needed- 5/8". When I drilled them out, some thread shape remains in the bore- hopefully not to the point of leakage. I drilled a second one because I honed the first out too much and it seemed like it wouldn't seal quite well enough. I wonder also of the possibility for some fatter o-rings in this bore honed out some more to get rid of all the thread bumps, otherwise I am getting a smaller valve or other fitting already bored to 5/8 so I can have a more secure seal. That's my progress for now.
Reply:Well I must compliment you on your ingenuity even though as you now know there was a much easier way with the proper power block adapter. MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:I got some more plumbing parts today to complete the gas circuit on my MIG setup. In the future, I'll have a brass block bored to accept the mig gun perfectly, tap in gas with a hosebarb threaded in as well as a bolt hole threaded to accept power. Threaded into this on the other side of the gun will be a shaft that has a conical tip and goes right up to the roller wheels and has perect mig wire size. This 'nipple' must now be a custom size as the original place this goes is drilled out. Ideally this hole would also be cleaned up where I drilled it out to provide tighter, more conductive contact. Meanwhile, I'll be using the custom parts I made until the power capacity is too impeded upon by the marginal contact, unless it turns out to be adequate to conduct any power needs I have. Time will tell, unless a more experienced person could tell from the photos if it will suffice or not. More of those:Now I built a padlock surround that says "a welder lives her and doesn't want you to touch his stuff":
Reply:I would definately insulate that braided gas line as it is now "hot" when you pull the trigger.  Don't want it shorting out against the feeder frame or ??.This would be an example of a "factory" set-up basically showing what you've described.Last edited by duaneb55; 01-09-2011 at 11:11 AM.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:I see what you are saying about the hose, and it is touching the frame, and I have used it since the mod. I would argue that it is insulated by o-rings, but you are right, not completely. BUT- one illusion is that the braided section is actually NOT stainless steel. The braiding is pure grey colored plastic strands, surprisingly. I think they used to be overkill for plumbing to have SS braided hoses anyway Yeah, I've seen your examples. I'll have one made by omeone with a lather and a mill sometime. I do wonder if "currently" my power capacitance or conductivity through that area is adequate for a 220v power source. It must be the electrical bottleneck, not sponge. Now do you have any suggestions as to a commonly available one with a dialable power, good entry level power source?Last edited by zombie-stomp; 01-09-2011 at 02:38 PM.