Tungsten type and settings help please

Using a power tig 185. Most online guided for invertwe machines suggest yellow, red or blue tungsten. I have tried all of them and can't get any to work. If I use 3/32 green tungsten, 50-50 EN/EP balance, 15ish cfm, #8 cup, I can get a bead to form and lay down meh puddles. Frequency does what it's supposed to with higher narrowing the arc and lower widening it.

I have tried gold, orange, red and black 3/32 tungsten and all have the same result. The aluminum pits, turns black, and melts away in an overheated mess before a clear puddle forms. I have tried turning the balance to 80% EN which does nothing, to 80% EP which just balls up the tungsten and makes it run away from the part. I have tried the lowest frequency setting up to the highest. It's a relatively new bottle of argon, so I guess it could be bad gas, but like stated, I can get a nice workable puddle with green tungsten using this tank of gas. I have tried no cleaning, wire brush cleaning, and wire brush plus acetone cleaning. Results don't change at all.

So I guess my question boils down to, how the hell do you guys get yellow or red tungsten to weld aluminum? I just can't figure out the settings.

Yellow?
First, you should have your AC balance set for about 30%-35% and leave it for now. Don't try to ball your tungsten. Just sharpen it. The issue is probably the size you are using for the amount of amps you are putting out. Another issue is that you may not be hitting it with enough amps at the beginning of the weld. What thickness and amps are you using? Using the foot pedal? A 6 or 7 cup may be in order. 8 is too large for your CFH flow rate you are using.

Gold, yellow, it's all about the shiny level...(it's gold)

The minimum on the machine is 20% balance, so I'll try just a hair above that and see what happens. At first I was attempting to sleeve weld a peice of 1.25x.125" into 1.5x.065 tube. Foot pedal wasn't doing it and I think it's because there wasn't enough heat. After setting the panel to 130 amps and using the torch switch it would make a puddle but it would require constant movement and massive filler feeding to make it somewhat stable. This was all with green tungsten.

With any other color there just isn't a shiny puddle that forms. My test piece was a 1.5"x .065 tube. Normally I use the pedal, but anywhere between a little pedal with preheat to full pedal with cold aluminum results in dirty welds that melt away before a puddle forms. I never pictured going almost full EN on the settings so that could be it. I attached a pic of my test piece. This is a combination of red, gold, and black.

I will try going way heavy on the EN setting and see how it goes this weekend. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by agent4573

Gold, yellow, it's all about the shiny level...(it's gold)

The minimum on the machine is 20% balance, so I'll try just a hair above that and see what happens. At first I was attempting to sleeve weld a peice of 1.25x.125" into 1.5x.065 tube. Foot pedal wasn't doing it and I think it's because there wasn't enough heat. After setting the panel to 130 amps and using the torch switch it would make a puddle but it would require constant movement and massive filler feeding to make it somewhat stable. This was all with green tungsten.

With any other color there just isn't a shiny puddle that forms. My test piece was a 1.5"x .065 tube. Normally I use the pedal, but anywhere between a little pedal with preheat to full pedal with cold aluminum results in dirty welds that melt away before a puddle forms. I never pictured going almost full EN on the settings so that could be it. I attached a pic of my test piece. This is a combination of red, gold, and black.

I will try going way heavy on the EN setting and see how it goes this weekend. Thanks.

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I think you got a bad tank of argon. I'd take it back and have it tested.