Dynasty 350 odd behavior

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Just started a new job, a week ago, TIG welding at a sheet metal shop.  Having an issue with their Dynasty 350 and need some help.     First off, I'm not new to Dynasty's.  Welded in school for a couple years on many 350's and my last job was on a 300.  The main problem I'm having is that this particular machine will not allow me to gradually bring the amps up on initial start.  The instant the foot pedal switches the arc on, I'm at 40amps.  Its only for a split second, then it will drop down to about 5amps.  That 40amp hit is killing me though on this thin sheet metal, especially on stainless and aluminum.  It does it on both AC and DC and tungsten size is always 1/16.  Any help would be great, thanks
Reply:Same response when in Lift Start or Scratch Start (DC) modes?  Problem may reside in the pedal.  Option to swap pedals from another unit to rule out the machine causing the issue?"Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:Originally Posted by JRwldrJust started a new job, a week ago, TIG welding at a sheet metal shop.  Having an issue with their Dynasty 350 and need some help.     First off, I'm not new to Dynasty's.  Welded in school for a couple years on many 350's and my last job was on a 300.  The main problem I'm having is that this particular machine will not allow me to gradually bring the amps up on initial start.  The instant the foot pedal switches the arc on, I'm at 40amps.  Its only for a split second, then it will drop down to about 5amps.  That 40amp hit is killing me though on this thin sheet metal, especially on stainless and aluminum.  It does it on both AC and DC and tungsten size is always 1/16.  Any help would be great, thanks
Reply:This happened to me on the 280 with blue lightning. It turned out to be a bad tungsten. But turning up the tungsten diameter in blue lightning, and down  the amps solved it. Counterintuitive I know. A change to thoriated brought the settings back into balance.Check your preflow also. A high setting can fool you into thinking you need more pedal to start, only to have it start too high. Take it down to minimum.Last edited by shovelon; 06-03-2014 at 08:38 AM.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Preflow is set at .8, but I am confident that's not the issue.  I'm getting a constant hit every start.  Tungsten is always tapered to a sharp point on DC and slightly balled on AC.  I did bust out the manual today and changed the tungsten size to .062 I believe.  Did not see anything about blue lightning though.  I did find a section in the advanced settings about start amps.  But I couldn't seem to get to that menu to do so.  Will try again tomorrow
Reply:Originally Posted by JRwldrPreflow is set at .8, but I am confident that's not the issue.  I'm getting a constant hit every start.  Tungsten is always tapered to a sharp point on DC and slightly balled on AC.  I did bust out the manual today and changed the tungsten size to .062 I believe.  Did not see anything about blue lightning though.  I did find a section in the advanced settings about start amps.  But I couldn't seem to get to that menu to do so.  Will try again tomorrow
Reply:Originally Posted by JRwldrPreflow is set at .8, but I am confident that's not the issue.  I'm getting a constant hit every start.  Tungsten is always tapered to a sharp point on DC and slightly balled on AC.  I did bust out the manual today and changed the tungsten size to .062 I believe.  Did not see anything about blue lightning though.  I did find a section in the advanced settings about start amps.  But I couldn't seem to get to that menu to do so.  Will try again tomorrow
Reply:I will turn the preflow down and see if that helps.  I had it turned up there because of a problem I'm having with aluminum.  Wasnt going to mention it,  because i wanted to worry about this issue first. but its acting like it has no gas on startup and it won't hold a point on my tungsten.  Hence the balled tungstenLast edited by JRwldr; 06-03-2014 at 06:21 PM.
Reply:As others have mentioned, you will have to reset the standard start parameters, or trick it by setting the tungsten size smaller.  Your manual will give you the standard parameters, but this is also a problem in aluminum can welding, and you will find some info on other threads about welding aluminum cans with the 350 that might be useful to you.The other options that may help are (1) lighting off on your filler rod to keep from burning through, or (2)  starting on a sacrificial part and running from there onto your work piece...
Reply:Got it figured out yesterday, was missing one simple step, to get to the right menu.  Someone clearly went in and changed a few settings, mainly the startup amps for both AC and DC.  Not sure why anyone would want the arc so hot, considering how thin everything being welded in that shop is.  Unless it was just a d*ck move, by the previous welder, to make it hard on the next welder.