Dropped phase in 3 phase mig??? symptoms?

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1.  What would be the symptoms of a dropped phase in a 3 phase mig?2.  Can you still weld with it, but it would be up to ****?3.  Could you have a good smooth short arc, but when you turn it up it is just crap?4.  Could a dropped phase also affect the wire feed circuit, if that particular phase is feeding in to that circuit?5.  Would there be 3 individual fuses for each of the three phases?My symptoms are:1.  Sometimes when you first turn the machine on, pull the trigger, nothing happens.  Go back and turn it off and then back on and it's good again.2.  The wire feeder will randomly feed out at only a snails pace.  ie pull the trigger five times and on the sixth it just slowly comes out.  Pull the trigger ten times and then on the eleventh time it comes out slow.  etc etc.  ( burns back to tip etc)3.  Seems to weld okay intermittently.  Seems to be good at lower voltages when in short arc.  But when you go up in power it is pretty crappy.  It's less than 12 months old, and the older machines are way, way, way better.  Like night and day difference.  Every one else at work has tried using it and they can't get it to weld decent either.Any thoughts on this?Peter
Reply:Sounds to me like it's a warranty issue, Get it back to your welding supplier BEFORE anyone opens it up and voids that warranty. Check each leg of those 3 phases with a meter, if the power going to the machine is in order, then what you have is a warranty issue. The symptoms that you describe could be anything from a cheesy relay, compromised capacitor and control board problems to a blown resistor or even a loose screw. Get the machine looked at under warranty by their qualified technician. Good luck with it.  Last edited by bearston; 03-20-2013 at 08:34 AM.When a welder tells you to "stick it", what do they really mean?"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Reply:that's what me thinks too
Reply:What brand is your machine?  Check your power input first. If OK have it serviced under warranty. Dan