Stick questions

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I just bought a Miller Maxstar 150STL and tried welding with it today. I have a few questions, though.I was using 3/32 6011 rods and welding on 1/8" steel plate.When I was welding at 60A, I burned through the material at times. However, If I went down to ~55A, I couldn't get a continuous arc. It kept fizzling out on me. What would cause this, and what amperage should I be using for 1/8"?While the arcs were fizzling out on me, The blue power light flashed on and off for a while. According to the manual, there was an error code. What would have caused that?Then I tried welding some thinner metal (a coffee can, I'm not even sure this is weldable) and even at the lowest setting on the machine, it blew right through. Do I need smaller electrodes?
Reply:Well 6011 is a very deep penetrating rod.  I set at around 80-85 amps for the same 3/32 welding rod running on 1/4"-1.5" material.I would look for a smaller rod or thicker material.  It can be welded.  I've used that same 6011 rod on 1/8" mild steel but I can't tell you the amperage as we were using some old machines that didn't give you a reading of how many amps.  Just a number 1-10.
Reply:scuba,I am just learning but a few comments.  Stick is best at welding heavier metal.  1/8" and up.  There may be guys who can stick weld a coffee can but they are not beginners!.   3/32 is a small rod.  The larger the rod the easier it is to keep the arc going.  Bump up to 1/8" and pick a rod like 6013 or 7018.  6011 is a a deep penetrating rod and its hard to get a nice bead with it.  Weld on 1/8" or thicker stuff for practice.  Do the coffee can with the TIG. Finally,  you didnt say whether you are running AC or DC.  Again DC makes it easier to strike and hold an arc.355# Hay Budden3# Hofi HammerPropane ForgeIdealarc TIG 300/300AllStates Oxy Propane torchSmith Little Torch
Reply:It's a DC only machine. Does anyone know what the cause of the blue light is?
Reply:If you want to weld that 1/8" stuff use 6013.And btw, wire is plenty strong for heavy stuff.  Stronger if you look at how big of a bead you can manage with it and how you don't have as many starts/stops which are weak points in a weld..
Reply:welderboy has a good recommendation. try a 3/32 6013 at around 75-90 amps.    A 3/32 6011 is fine for what you are doing, but tell us more info on the setup is it a butt joint, fillet, flat, or vertical?  If i was welding 1/8th with a 6011 3/32 I would probably run around 70 amps.  If you are burning thru then your travel speed might be too slow, or possibly try putting a slight whip to the rod.  start a good hot puddle, then whip forward slightly then back it up into the bead again.  You don;t want the weld puddle to solidify, just enough to move your heat and keep the puddle under control heat wise.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:It was just a flat test weld on the piece of 1/8" steel. Is there a good table that shows amperages of the different electrodes? I have also seen that the 6011 rod is hard to start and keep an arc, and the puddle cools quickly. Also, the 6011s are supposed to be deep penetration. Could that be the cause of the burn through?I found two different theories on the flashing blue light-One is that a capacitor needs to be replaced, the other is that the electrode holder is being shorted to the work. The only problem with the second idea is that I don't think I shorted it.
Reply:Is there a good table that shows amperages of the different electrodes?
Reply:I have a miller 150s.  Mine only flashes when I turn the machine on or off.  I have never looked at it while I was welding.  Is your fan coming on?Is your stl in stick mode.  You don't need different rods, though 6013 will not burn through as readily.  You should be able to weld 1/8" steel with 6011 amd control burn through.What is your joint set up?  You got to keep moving if you are doing a butt and not let the hole get too large. If you are welding on flat sheet, then perhaps you are travelling too slow (assuming nothing is wrong with your machine).  I stick weld on 1/16 daily with 6013. 60-80 amps.  It varies greatly If I have an extension cord then setting are higher.
Reply:Originally Posted by tapwelderYou don't need different rods, though 6013 will not burn through as readily.  You should be able to weld 1/8" steel with 6011 amd control burn through.
Reply:Originally Posted by scuba14cIt was just a flat test weld on the piece of 1/8" steel. Is there a good table that shows amperages of the different electrodes? I have also seen that the 6011 rod is hard to start and keep an arc, and the puddle cools quickly. Also, the 6011s are supposed to be deep penetration. Could that be the cause of the burn through?
Reply:Sandy, thanks, but I have both of those in an airgas catalog. What I was looking for was an amperage vs material thickness table. Do they even have those for stick?The fan does come on, but only when I actually have a succesful weld; an entire rod. If the blue light starts flashing on me, then the fan won't turn on. It is set to stick. I am not welding a joint, just laying a bead on a flat piece of steel. The only extension cord I am using is a 10 gauge 2ft adapter for the plug. The pattern I was using when I burned through looked like this;--------------->  ||  The rod is designed to be able to start easily and to be able to pull away and back again without losing the arc
Reply:Are you sure your are welding steel?   As stated 6011 should start easily.  Check all your connections they should be tight and clean.  Clean your material.  Take your machine back if it is under warranty?  I had to do that with a brand new lincoln 180c, last month. The fan is "on demand".  It only come on when needed.  The lower the amps the longer you can weld prior to the fan coming on.  I don't think you have a fan problem.
Reply:The only time I have problems with 6011 starting is after the first start.  But a good scrape gets it going again.
Reply:It may not be completely clean, but I don't think that should have been a problem.Would airgas be able to tell me what the little flashing light means?
Reply:Another stick beginner here - I second the rec. of using 6013. After making a really mess with 6011, I tried 6013 and was sold. It is way easier.- John
Reply:Originally Posted by scuba14cIt's a DC only machine. Does anyone know what the cause of the blue light is?
Reply:Using 3/32 6011 on the maxstar should be quite fine, but can take a little practice due to the stiff characteristic of the inverter. The flashing blue light tends to happen when the power to the machine isn't great while running 6010, 6011, and 7018. You don't say if you are running one 120 or on 240, but MUCH more likely on 120. As you get smoother, it will happen less, and a good supply eliminates the problem. If using an extension cord, go with 10Ga, be sure the plug and recepticle are properly installed. If you are too far from the panel, especially if the wiring to the outlet is small gauge (older house with 100 foot run of 14Ga, for example), will be a royal pain in the heinie. On 240V, I can pretty much run 3/32 7018 all day (70 o 80A), and rarely have the fan trip on. See more fan on 120V, and on TIG. Gotta stop at the end of each stick which lowers the duty cycle. TIG I can run for many minutes on a long weld without stopping. BTW: I doubt airgas can tell you what the flashing light means, but take a stab. You never know. All I ever got from Miller was 'turn of the machine until the light stops, turn it on again, and it'll be fine'. Apparently, some of the earlier machines got a new capacitor to help, but the explanation I got from Miller was basicly that it is triggered by a power dropout.
Reply:I am using a 120V 20A outlet that is about 75ft away from the breaker panel. The adapter is 10/3 outdoor extension wire. If it is the supply, is there a way to smooth it? It always starts to flash after I've had a lot of trouble starting an arc.I'll get some 6013 and 7018 tonight and see if I can still trip the light.
Reply:I think I found the problem. The place where I had the ground clamp did not get cleaned very well. I burned through 3 rods and the light didn't flash. Thanks to everyone who replied.
Reply:Very good!Out of curiosity, what did the manual state about the blue light?KRS***************************************Lincoln AC225 stick welderLincoln HD100 WeldPak flux core wire feed welderThree of the cheapest grinders money can buy
Reply:The manual said a flashing blue light was an error code of some sort.