PP 205 won't start an arc in HF, but will when scratch?

Can anyone recommend any solutions? Very frustrating as it was working flawlessly last weekend and double checked that it is in TIG mode.

I did just wire a new outlet in because I bought a 220v welding extension cord, which required new plug. Could something be amiss here?

Manual said that HF gaps may need to be adjusted. Not real sure how to do or what this really means?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Buggy,

I believe your machine has a set of points called the spark gap, or HF gap. Someone can probably tell you specifically where to find them for your machine, but they will be a pair of metal contacts sticking up off the PC board. They should be parallel to one another, and adjusted to a specific gap like a spark plug. You can use a feeler gauge to adjust the spacing, or some other threads suggest a credit card or stacking some sheets of paper together. If you try to adjust them, be sure to let your welder sit unplugged for many hours before you open it, since the large caps can remain charged for a long time.

Cheers
Mike

Thanks for the suggestion posixPilot-

I took the cover off and don't know what the points look like or where they are at?

Any advice?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buggy Chief

Thanks for the suggestion posixPilot-

I took the cover off and don't know what the points look like or where they are at?

Any advice?

---

If you were looking at the air intake area under the control panel on the front of your machine, the points are behind the upper louver to the left on a forward facing pcb. It's just two little metal tabs that bend easily. Adjust them to around .035 and you'll be all set.

Edit: I found a picture of points in another thread... http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...5&d=1317303357

Good work, zoama ... I was just searching for that picture. Buggy, when you set the gap, make sure that the points are parallel to each other. I read a post a while back about a twisted point that was causing the spark to jump into an adjacent capacitor.

Cheers
Mike

Awesomeness fellas. I will give that a shot and see if it works. More to come. Thanks guys.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by posixPilot

Good work, zoama ... I was just searching for that picture. Buggy, when you set the gap, make sure that the points are parallel to each other. I read a post a while back about a twisted point that was causing the spark to jump into an adjacent capacitor.

Cheers
Mike

---

Don't have a gauge. Suppose a credit card will work?

Geezer says that it will get you pretty close:

http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...ad.php?p=12850

Maybe a loose fit with a credit card will be just about right.

Cheers
Mike

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by posixPilot

Geezer says that it will get you pretty close:

http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...ad.php?p=12850

Maybe a loose fit with a credit card will be just about right.

Cheers
Mike

---

Thanks Guys. Adjusted points with credit card thickness .030 and still no arc. In addition, I have the amps set at 80 and when I press the pedal, the machine drops immediately to 21 amps and stays there and when I let off of the pedal it stays at 21 amps for about 4-6 seconds and you can hear it cycle and then the amps read 80. Now I am frustrated. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buggy Chief

Can anyone recommend any solutions? Very frustrating as it was working flawlessly last weekend and double checked that it is in TIG mode.

I did just wire a new outlet in because I bought a 220v welding extension cord, which required new plug. Could something be amiss here?

Manual said that HF gaps may need to be adjusted. Not real sure how to do or what this really means?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

---

I would first put a voltmeter across the outlet receptacle and chck to make sure you have 220 volts.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buggy Chief

Thanks Guys. Adjusted points with credit card thickness .030 and still no arc. In addition, I have the amps set at 80 and when I press the pedal, the machine drops immediately to 21 amps and stays there and when I let off of the pedal it stays at 21 amps for about 4-6 seconds and you can hear it cycle and then the amps read 80. Now I am frustrated. Any suggestions?

Thanks

---

Are you getting an arc between the points ? Your gap may need to be a little over .030 .... As for the amp drop, is the switch set to 2t or 4t ?

Buggy, another thing you could try is to hook up your plasma torch. The plasma should use the same HF circuitry, so if you get a pilot arc, then you know the HF circuit (and the setting of the points) is good.

Cheers
Mike

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zoama585

Are you getting an arc between the points ? Your gap may need to be a little over .030 .... As for the amp drop, is the switch set to 2t or 4t ?

---

2t. I just experimented and the amp drop I think has to do with Start and End Amps. For Example if I have the machine set for 80 amps, then I moved Start and End Amps to roughly 80. I still hear the machine cycle at the end, but it stays around the 80 amps I have dialed up instead of dropping to 20 amps (which is where I had the start amps dialed in at the beginning). I will check the points to see if i get an arc between the points.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buggy Chief

2t. I just experimented and the amp drop I think has to do with Start and End Amps. For Example if I have the machine set for 80 amps, then I moved Start and End Amps to roughly 80. I still hear the machine cycle at the end, but it stays around the 80 amps I have dialed up instead of dropping to 20 amps (which is where I had the start amps dialed in at the beginning). I will check the points to see if i get an arc between the points.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

---

Those settings aren't used with the pedal. They're only for the torch switch.

Skip to 4:00...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlFZUQzKCq0

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zoama585

Those settings aren't used with the pedal. They're only for the torch switch.

---

For some reason, the start amps and end amps are working with my pedal. When I adjust the start amps and press the pedal the readout follows. Tested by setting amps at 80 and start amps roughly 50 and when i press the pedal it reads 50. I then set start amps at roughly 90 and when i press the pedal it reads roughly 90 even though the amps are set at 80. This is odd.

OK..Here is the latest...I was able to get an HF arc. For some odd reason I have to turn the pre flow all the way to the left. If I want any pre flow at all, then the HF arc doesn't work.

I feel like I am getting close...Any suggestions here because I see the value in pre flow?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buggy Chief

OK..Here is the latest...I was able to get an HF arc. For some odd reason I have to turn the pre flow all the way to the left. If I want any pre flow at all, then the HF arc doesn't work.

I feel like I am getting close...Any suggestions here because I see the value in pre flow?

---

Flip your 2t/4t switch up and down a couple times. My 256 acts up every now and then and that fixes it Attachment 4779..... Look at my previous post, I edited it with a video.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zoama585

Flip your 2t/4t switch up and down a couple times. My 256 acts up every now and then and that fixes it Attachment 4779..... Look at my previous post, I edited it with a video.

---

Thanks for the video. I will keep working with it, I think I have it figured out. No arc with pre flow is because the tungsten is being shielded with pre flow. If I am patient, I get an arc in about 3 seconds. If I turn pre flow off, then I get an arc immediately.

It appears the machine is working and the operator is trying to figure it out. I will keep working with it.

Thanks for all of your input an help. This isn't an easy hobby, but I am committed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buggy Chief

Thanks for the video. I will keep working with it, I think I have it figured out. No arc with pre flow is because the tungsten is being shielded with pre flow. If I am patient, I get an arc in about 3 seconds. If I turn pre flow off, then I get an arc immediately.

It appears the machine is working and the operator is trying to figure it out. I will keep working with it.

Thanks for all of your input an help. This isn't an easy hobby, but I am committed.

---

Set your flowmeter to 7 for a good starting point.

Buggy,

I did pretty much the same thing with the plasma on my 256 ... the preflow was set way high, and I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't arc.

I haven't run the TIG function yet, since I do not have an Ar tank. I'm hoping that you ask a lot of good questions, so I don't have to ;) .

Cheers
Mike

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buggy Chief

No arc with pre flow is because the tungsten is being shielded with pre flow.

---

No arc because it's delayed for the pre-flow, as it's supposed to, no?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jake98

No arc because it's delayed for the pre-flow, as it's supposed to, no?

---

YOu are exactly correct.

You know what us lowly 200DX owners say, right? 'We don't need no steenkin pre-flow..' (knob)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by posixPilot

Buggy,

I did pretty much the same thing with the plasma on my 256 ... the preflow was set way high, and I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't arc.

I haven't run the TIG function yet, since I do not have an Ar tank. I'm hoping that you ask a lot of good questions, so I don't have to ;) .

Cheers
Mike

---

This snafu has actually been a blessing. It has made me understand the process of Tig a lot better. I now understand pre & post flow much better. The machine performs certain ways because it is how it's designed. My proposal is to just play with it and eventually you figure out the knobs. I am starting to understand the process.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jake98

You know what us lowly 200DX owners say, right? 'We don't need no steenkin pre-flow..'

---

I had a tig instructor over today and learned that post flow is essential to keeping the tungsten shielded and not having to grind every 10 minutes. Now my tungsten doesn't turn black!!:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jake98

You know what us lowly 200DX owners say, right? 'We don't need no steenkin pre-flow..' (knob)

---

That's right, One less knob to be able to screw up.

That said, I think increasing the fixed preflow time a small anount would be an improvement on the 200DX. I tend to get a little better arc start if I start once off the part to purge, then hit it again to start.