MIg pulse ally 3mm checkerplate settings and advise?

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Hi,What would be a ball park figure for welding 3mm ally checker plate together with a pulsed mig welder?Wire used so far has been 5356 5% magnesium x 1.2mm (0.045") Reading on the net it seems that 4043 with 5% silicon give a better weld bead, brighter, better wetting in and less soot.One of the boys at work tried the 4043 today and it was really bad compared to the 5356.  Any ideas and rough wire speeds, volts etc.Is it possible to weld with a pulse welder aluminum 1/8" thick doing an outside edge to edge weld?  Well, we know it is possible as we have been doing it.  But should it be really easy not to burn through the ally?What about base and peak pulse currents, what should the be around.  And will they be different for 5356 and 4043?  These are just ally tool boxes we are welding up by hand.
Reply:My pulse-mig machine (Lincoln C300) doesn't have settings for peak and background current so I can't advise on them, but I have no problem welding 1.6mm Alum. with 1.2mm 5356 wire. 5356 is generally stronger than 4043, and the soot isn't really a problem, light wire- brushing removes it easily.For outside corners generally, make sure you have tight fit-up, move fast, and try to avoid ending the weld at an edge.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Hi John,There is a new software available for upgrade your C-300, very new, April 2012. I dont know what is the software that your machine has right now, and if it has the UltimArc mode.Using UltimArc setting, when you increase it,  the pulse frequency increase, and peak decrease and background current increase. The program numbers are 149 for Al4043 and 152 for Al5356.I will upgrade my S-350 next weekend.Best RegardsMauricio
Reply:silicon how do you like that c300350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:I like it a lot, it is a very versatile machine. In addition to its high level of MIG sophistication, it is the best stick welder I have used. The main reasons I chose it as opposed to other machines are portability and high electrical efficiency. I work in 2 different shops, and one is in a semi-rural area and has a rather sketchy electrical service.Mauricio- I have the new software, not much different from the previous version that I can see.To the OP- if you tell us what model of welder you have, someone here might be able to give you more useful advice.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:the pulse frequency increase, and peak decrease and background current increase.