Wire jamming at feeder rolls

admin

I was welding 1/4" mild steel with 0.025" wire.  The feed speed was set as high as it would go and the voltage at one notch below maximum.  Everything was going well when all of a sudden the wire hung up at the feeder wheel.   I cleared it, started back welding and it did it again.   I cleared it one more time and then when it hung up again I stopped.    I am using the 0.025-0.035 inner guide and the 0.025" roller.  Am I just running it too fast or is this indicative of a liner problem?   The welder is a Lincoln 180C with a K3080-1 Pro magnum 100 gun.
Reply:Did you set your wire feed tension correctly?I pinch the wire with gloved hand as it comes out the nozzle. I pinch until it stops feeding and make sure the rollers slip instead of bird-nesting.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:I had welded several times before since the last time I had adjusted the tension.   Odd that it should suddenly become too tight.   However, that is one way to describe it.  .   It is odd that it happened three times in a row.  I am going to check the tension and see if that is the problem.  Somehow I am thinking it will be something else like a worn liner but I could be wrong.
Reply:Try a new contact tip, you may have a bit of spatter stuck on there that welds itself to the wire when you strike the arc. Steel to copper is good, steel to steel sticks.  When that happens to me I'll sand the end of the tip down slightly with a flap wheel to expose new copper.
Reply:There looks to be quite a bit of rust that's come off the wire, but it could be from a previous roll...only you'll know.  Either way, there's almost certainly some rust in the liner as well.  I would pull the liner and blow it out with compressed air at a minimum.  A better idea is to pull the liner, put it in a plastic bin and soak it with acetone for a few minutes, then blow it out with compressed air.  Check your wire for rust while you have things taken apart.  Thin wire doesn't need much resistance to cause problems and even just running a 15' lead can be too much in some cases.  After you get the liner cleaned I would add a wiper to the wire....lots of people use foam ear plugs as wipers and replace them with each roll.  You simply run the wire through the ear plug before the wire enters the feed system and that lets it wipe off crud before it hits the rollers.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:All good suggestions.  Thanks for the input.  Just a little feedback here - the third jam occurred with a new tip installed.  I will focus on the tension.  Since buying this unit I've emptied a few of the smaller reels of wire and about 75% of one of the largest reels that will fit.   With no more service time than that it is hard to imagine that the liner would have worn out that quickly.  I have some of the foam earplugs and I will give that a try.   When I pulled the liner out I noticed some build up in the end of the hose like you see in the picture.  I am also going to slow it down a little.   Perhaps full speed is to much.
Reply:.023" wire can be a PIA. The wire on the spool could be interwound or catching on itself. I had 3 rolls of .023" wire that was all interwound and pretty much useless to try and feed. I'm not sure if it's available but try and find wire that is wound in even layers instead of just random on the spool. If the liner is too big can cause problems too.
Reply:if i tried to drive a volks wagon uphill in highest gear, w/ the pedal just shy of the medal, i imagine id have problems before long also.      .025 wire isnt for 1/4".     i dont know max amps for that  little wire.    that little gun, little machine, short duty cyle/little tips/ + whatever u got for for wiring to the panel etc.....   is just like pushing the volks wagon uphill to the max.         not much things perform well at max output/speed/short duty cycle.        get some bigger wire for 1/4, ur limited on bead length cuz machine needs to cool reat in b/t
Reply:I've got the speed cut back to 50%,  One problem I'm dealing with is that the wire reel is wobbling badly.   It is the large size for this machine, 8" diameter.  I removed the reel from the shaft and can't see anything obviously wrong with it.   It seems to be hanging up.   Is that due to the wire being interwound?  Just looking at the reel it doesn't look like it is interwound.   The reel binds and then frees up.  This may have started due to me running it too fast but now it is doing it at half speed.  The shaft doesn't turn so the plastic parts that free wheel have to be what is binding.   When all else fails, read the instructions.  However there is nothing in the instructions that addresses this.  The 8" reel adaptor seems to be too flexible and the reel is wobbling badly as it turns.  I'm thinking about seeing if I have any 4" reels.  They don't use the adaptor.  It would appear that when the adaptor is used, it doesn't turn but the 8" reel turns on it.  Anyone know if that is correct?   The instructions just say to tighten the wingnut.  If the nut was a little loose the adaptor could turn.
Reply:The 4" reel worked like a champ.   Finished the job at the high speed with no more problems.   The 8" reel adaptor seemed to have collapsed a little and the bore looks like it has worn to a taper which allowed the 8" reel to wobble.   It would hang up and then surge.  I'm going to draw up a solid adaptor hub and have it made out of HDPE or something that will hold the 8" reels true.
Reply:I had a similar problem.https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/...roblem.113955/Jack