I-MIG 200 intermittent shutoff issue (green warning light)

[ogorir]

The last week or so I've been replacing a whole bunch of floor sheetmetal in a '63 Saab 95 (wagon). My I-MIG has thrown then green warning icon 4 or 5 times and stops welding. the wirefeed still works. The first few times it happened the machine had been on for quite a while, but the last time it happened about 10 minutes after I turned it on.

I'm not running super hot (something like 320-350ipm @ 18.5v max, less for the most part) and there's a lot of downtime. occasionally I might be exceeding the duty cycle in a one minute span, but never in a 10 minute span. My machine has had a lot of idle hours on it, though. For reference I'm at the end of 10# .030" spool number 3 on this machine.

It's also gotten cold and damp the last week or so.
to the best of my knowledge we've never lost power while it was on and we've had no appreciable power surges. It's never been run on a generator (although, I made a line filter to run it off a generator, though. still needs an enclosure.)

It works fine if you power cycle the machine and I haven't had it happen twice in one day yet. it does seem like it welds better after you power cycle it that immediately before it cuts out, but it's hard to tell because it's always been a minute or two before I get back to welding.

I called Oleg the other day while the light was tripped, but it was busy. (no big deal, I was just thinking it would be good to have the machine in the error state for diagnostics). I'll be on location today, but I'll try to call again on thursday if the forum doesn't turn up an answer.

Thanks in advance, guys.

[performance]

That is your duty cycle light. It will resume welding right and the light will go out without having to cycle it? It will also turn red if there is a overcurrent. I have one of the original MIGs so they may have changed the way that light works as far as what color indicates.

The duty cycle is only about 35 percent at 160 amps on that unit...Depending on your wire diameter and things it could cause it to go into overheat.
If it goes out after a minute or two, and returns to welding it is probably the duty cycle light. If not, it is the O/C or O/V that is the problem.

Edit: Maybe I should explain that light is a dual color LED.

That's usually where I run mine more or less with .030, but about 3/4 wire speed. I have tripped the duty cycle more than once.
I have had a lot of guys say that they weren't welding all that long...Then I challenged them to put a timer on themselves...OOOPS!
When you are welding you loose perception of time.
For example, did you realize that for a small 3.32 rod, it will take you over a minute to burn?

[ogorir]

That is your duty cycle light. It will resume welding right and the light will go out without having to cycle it? It will also turn red if there is a overcurrent. I have one of the original MIGs so they may have changed the way that light works as far as what color indicates.

The duty cycle is only about 35 percent at 160 amps on that unit...Depending on your wire diameter and things it could cause it to go into overheat.
If it goes out after a minute or two, and returns to welding it is probably the duty cycle light. If not, it is the O/C or O/V that is the problem.

Edit: Maybe I should explain that light is a dual color LED.

That's usually where I run mine more or less with .030, but about 3/4 wire speed. I have tripped the duty cycle more than once.
I have had a lot of guys say that they weren't welding all that long...Then I challenged them to put a timer on themselves...OOOPS!
When you are welding you loose perception of time.
For example, did you realize that for a small 3.32 rod, it will take you over a minute to burn?

the last time there was no way I was over duty, I'm doing plug welds and the machine was only on for 5 minutes.

I'm willing to believe that the other times I just wasn't paying attention. I'm just wondering if the stop/start nature of plug welding is tripping the duty cycle warning? do you know what exactly it's measuring to determine a fault condition? time trigger is depressed, average current, temperature probe?

I was using the pre-flow (bumping the trigger) to put out burning undercoating on the underside of the existing floor, if that makes a difference.

I don't know if it will cycle back on in time. I let it sit for 5 minutes or so the first time it happened and power cycled it as the fan output in the front was ice cold. (it was 45-50 degrees out here the last week or so save for today and yesterday). I'll let it sit for a good long while next time it happens. I guess I should measure my wirespeed again and mark the duty cycle points on the dial.

[performance]

Definitely you will heat it up more if you are bumping the trigger. You have a sudden inrush of amps and a lot higher operating temperatures.. But if the light did not go off, then it is not a duty cycle issue because on the MIGs, the light will come on, and then go back off and welding will resume without having to cycle the switch. If the light goes off, pull the trigger and resume welding.

If it is the duty cycle light that is activating, it is controlled by a heat sensor on the heat sink. There is no time or complicated mathematical formula that figures it. When the unit gets hot, no matter what you are doing, and it reaches the point where the heat switch senses it has had enough, then it will trip.

Plug welds, if there is a lot of filling to do, can create a higher heat.

[SeanMurphy265]

I have had a similar issue running on 110v, but have never had any issue running on 220v.

From what I understand 110v reduces the duty cycle?

[performance]

Yes it can, and it reduces output.

[ogorir]

Definitely you will heat it up more if you are bumping the trigger. You have a sudden inrush of amps and a lot higher operating temperatures.. But if the light did not go off, then it is not a duty cycle issue because on the MIGs, the light will come on, and then go back off and welding will resume without having to cycle the switch. If the light goes off, pull the trigger and resume welding.

If it is the duty cycle light that is activating, it is controlled by a heat sensor on the heat sink. There is no time or complicated mathematical formula that figures it. When the unit gets hot, no matter what you are doing, and it reaches the point where the heat switch senses it has had enough, then it will trip.

Plug welds, if there is a lot of filling to do, can create a higher heat.

ok, I'll pay closer attention to whether the light goes off tomorrow(presuming it comes on), have plenty more plug welds to do (spring perches are completely rotten, as well as the shock mount reinforcement on one side)

I'll pull the cover and give it a good blowing off, too. could just be dust reducing the efficiency of the heat sink. I've used it similarly earlier in the year with no issues(during summer even, @ 105f outside)

[ogorir]

Update:

I'm still having issues with the machine cutting out w/ the green warning indicator. it happens more often if the machine has been on and idle for a while than when you first turn it on. it also seems to be worsened by humidity (still haven't taken the covers all off and given it a thorough clean, so it could really just be dust. haven't had time. I did give it a good blow through the front and rear vents and what I could with the side panel lifted)

The green light does NOT turn off once it comes on, it will only go out if you turn the machine off. I left it there for an hour to satisfy curiosity.

I think I legitimately tripped the duty cycle once or twice doing some longer welds on 1/8" for a push bumper, but I let it stand for 6 or 7 minutes (after 2 minutes or so of welding, 6" of weld in 3-2" segments)

I also have had it trip on me on the first tack weld of the day. power cycle, then it works fine.


I still need to do a heavy duty cleaning, but if that doesn't clear it up, I'm pretty sure I have a board that's starting to go wonky.

[performance]

Don't call Oleg when you have an issue...You'll just get passed to one of us.

[zoama]

The last week or so I've been replacing a whole bunch of floor sheetmetal in a '63 Saab 95 (wagon). My I-MIG has thrown then green warning icon 4 or 5 times and stops welding. the wirefeed still works. The first few times it happened the machine had been on for quite a while, but the last time it happened about 10 minutes after I turned it on.

I'm not running super hot (something like 320-350ipm @ 18.5v max, less for the most part) and there's a lot of downtime. occasionally I might be exceeding the duty cycle in a one minute span, but never in a 10 minute span. My machine has had a lot of idle hours on it, though. For reference I'm at the end of 10# .030" spool number 3 on this machine.

It's also gotten cold and damp the last week or so.
to the best of my knowledge we've never lost power while it was on and we've had no appreciable power surges. It's never been run on a generator (although, I made a line filter to run it off a generator, though. still needs an enclosure.)

It works fine if you power cycle the machine and I haven't had it happen twice in one day yet. it does seem like it welds better after you power cycle it that immediately before it cuts out, but it's hard to tell because it's always been a minute or two before I get back to welding.

I called Oleg the other day while the light was tripped, but it was busy. (no big deal, I was just thinking it would be good to have the machine in the error state for diagnostics). I'll be on location today, but I'll try to call again on thursday if the forum doesn't turn up an answer.

Thanks in advance, guys.

My 250p does that if I let the wire touch my work as I pull the trigger. In other words if the wire is touching my work when the trigger is pulled I get an instant green light and no arc... wire still feeds and gas still flows but no arc until I power cycle the machine. it's no problem once your aware of the cause. The welder works perfectly, I guess it's just the difference between inverters and transformers.