Water cooled 200DX aluminum issues since new

Ok, I bought my 200dx setup about 2.5 years ago. For the longest time I did not have 220 in my garage so I ran the welder on 110. I was do9ng a lot of thin stainless and some thin aluminum tubing. Welds great onstainless, but the aluminum, it always has struggled to keep the arc going until i dab filler rod. Once fuller is applied, the arc is nice and smooth. Before filler is added, i can hear he machine making the noise it makes if you were told hold the torch in the air and hit the pedal.. the buzzing noise. It's like until filler is applied, it is not getting a good solid arc. I thought it was because I was running it on 110. I recently got 220 service in my garage and it is the same outcome. I weld a ton of aluminum at work, but with a precision tig275. My inverter is a lot different at home. Anything I can do to fix this? Also, why does it happen, and is it normal? Thanks

Torch in negative? Balance settings? Tungsten type/size? Let us know and maybe we can help out here.

Torch is in negative. It welds stainless beautifully, done alot of welding with it. Right now the settings are 50% balance, 90 frequency, red throated 3/32 tungsten

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Originally Posted by Bad1gdsm

Torch is in negative. It welds stainless beautifully, done alot of welding with it. Right now the settings are 50% balance, 90 frequency, red thoriated 3/32 tungsten

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I think your balance should be between 25 and 35. I prefer 2% lanthanated tungsten. Check your work clamp connection and try clamping directly to your work piece.

50% will make for harder starts. Set the unit at the minimum (30%).

Don't try to ball the tungsten on an inverter machine. You can keep it pointed for more control.