200dx frequency effect on DC welding

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11-07-2012, 04:36 AM
vicrc

200dx frequency effect on DC welding

I have a 200DX and trying out DC welding on steel and I have noticed not much effect when playing with the frequency. Sorry for my total noobilicious. What setting can be set for DC tig welding besides AMP?
11-07-2012, 04:53 AM
Rambozo

Quote:

Originally Posted by vicrc

I have a 200DX and trying out DC welding on steel and I have noticed not much effect when playing with the frequency. Sorry for my total noobilicious. What setting can be set for DC tig welding besides AMP?

As you have noticed, Frequency is only for AC, so is Balance (yellow knobs=AC) Arc Force is mainly a stick welding function. All the rest will have function, some different depending on mode. For steel DC welding the big one is of course Amps, followed by the pulser (blue knobs) The green knobs cover your gas settings, and downslope which is nice when using a torch switch but not needed with a pedal, as you will control upslope, downslope and slow pulsing with that.
11-07-2012, 07:44 AM
vicrc

Thanks Ram, great overall info on the knobs. I did try pulse with DC and could not find a good setting so ended up turning that feature off. I really don't understand the 3 pulse knob settings.
11-07-2012, 08:03 AM
Rambozo

Quote:

Originally Posted by vicrc

Thanks Ram, great overall info on the knobs. I did try pulse with DC and could not find a good setting so ended up turning that feature off. I really don't understand the 3 pulse knob settings.

Pulse is really an advanced feature. I wouldn't advise using it until you have more experience TIG welding. There are a few places where it can really help, but for most jobs you don't need it, especially on DC.
11-07-2012, 08:35 PM
performance

For noob pulse use. Set the pulse amps and pulse ratio at 50% and hertz at lowest setting on "low".
11-08-2012, 08:02 AM
vicrc

Quote:

Originally Posted by performance

For noob pulse use. Set the pulse amps and pulse ratio at 50% and hertz at lowest setting on "low".

Thanks Mark , I will try that
11-09-2012, 07:37 AM
vicrc

So I have tried pulse with 50 50 and its great! I kept blowing holes on 1/16th aluminum without pulse. I did notice however that it cleans a bit much almost doubles the outside radius of the beads. Which setting can I adjust to have less cleaning?
11-09-2012, 07:49 AM
Rambozo

Quote:

Originally Posted by vicrc

So I have tried pulse with 50 50 and its great! I kept blowing holes on 1/16th aluminum without pulse. I did notice however that it cleans a bit much almost doubles the outside radius of the beads. Which setting can I adjust to have less cleaning?

Cleaning is the frosted area outside the bead, not the width of the bead. Cleaning is adjusted with AC balance, lower% = less cleaning and more penetration, higher% = less penetration and more cleaning (this is backwards from many other brands of welders). On AC, the frequency adjustment will give you a more focused arc set it higher to get a narrower bead. Also travel speed has a lot to do with bead width. Pulsing will generally give you a wider bead, as it will slow your travel speed, but as you can see it's great for thin materials or working near an edge.
11-09-2012, 11:50 AM
performance

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rambozo

Cleaning is the frosted area outside the bead, not the width of the bead. Cleaning is adjusted with AC balance, lower% = less cleaning and more penetration, higher% = less penetration and more cleaning (this is backwards from many other brands of welders). On AC, the frequency adjustment will give you a more focused arc set it higher to get a narrower bead. Also travel speed has a lot to do with bead width. Pulsing will generally give you a wider bead, as it will slow your travel speed, but as you can see it's great for thin materials or working near an edge.

There's almost no reason why you'd burn through .065 material with the 200DX except for improper technique. A burn through like this would take 50-70 amps at too low of welding speed.
11-09-2012, 04:12 PM
vicrc

Quote:

Originally Posted by performance

There's almost no reason why you'd burn through .065 material with the 200DX except for improper technique. A burn through like this would take 50-70 amps at too low of welding speed.

I agree about no reason for blowing holes in .065 but I have a noobish foot management still getting used to the control, right now it seems like I am on foot trigger and its only go and stop, lol. The pulse did however helped time things as I added filler. However I am extremely happy that I manage to put small sheets of 1/16 pieces together, the purpose of me having a tig machine.

Tried fillet welds and it seems to be the toughest thing to do as my arc seems to be dancing all over the place.