pp256 on aluminum

[Wrenchtamer]

Hey guys I am new to tig welding and I am trying to figure out if this is operator error or if anything is wrong with the machine. I am in the hospital right now and writing this from my bed so I dont have the machine in front of me but I will try to describe the problem. So I was trying to run some beads on aluminum and basically my electrode just kept melting. First I was using 1/16 2% thoriated at relatively low amperage, AC, torch connected to negative lug, basically no matter how low I turned down the amperage the tungsten just kept melting. So I switched over to dc and started on some steel. Everything was fine didnt seem to eat up the tungsten nearly as bad and I could start to make a puddle and everything seemed fine. ok, switch back over to ac and the electrode melts right away. I cant remember exactly right now what all the settings were but I was trying to weld up an aluminum wheel. I know its not the best thing to practice on but its what I had for a big peice of scrap. I had a friend who is a professional welder at the savannah river nuclear site come in and take a look for me to see if he could figure it out and he couldnt. He seems to think that the machine isnt really set up for aluminum but I know it is. I've seen the welds on this forum so I know the machine is capable if it is working properly and if the settings are right. I had my regulator set to 10-11 pure argon. What he kept saying is that he doesnt hear the high freq staying on like it should. I know the hf start is working because I took the work lead off the work to make sure. If somebody could give me some settings the way you guys would set up the machine if you were trying to run a puddle on a wheel I can figure out if it is me or the machine. I also tried on a much smaller thinner scrap of aluminum angle and it still burned and balled my tungsten up, even when I switched to 3/32. went back to dc and the tungsten held up fine but cant weld aluminum in dc. Oh yeah one more thing. in the tips and tricks video jody says the torch that came with his machine is an air cooled torch but I thought it was a water cooled torch? anyway I am really bored in here wish I could get back to the shop.

[performance]

He probably requested the torch.

No, the HF doesn't stay on on an inverter. The switching frequency is so high that it doesn't need anything but HF on start.

10-11 may be a little high. Turn it down. It registers in Metric.
That is around 22 cfh.

What amp are you welding at? Are you using the foot pedal? Have someone watch the amps as you use it. Is it controlling the amperage throughout the range? Or does it seem to exceed maximum set amps? What amps are you using?

What is your percent AC balance? Try turning it down to about 25% electrode positive. Turn your ac freq to about 130 or 150.

I hope you get out of the hospital soon. Are you ok?

[Wrenchtamer]

I was varying the amperage from 40-200 trying to cancel the effect. I was using the footpedal. When I set the pulse on the unit I noticed the amperage display toggling between set and background even when the torch was off. I assume that is normal. I will try the settings above when I get back to work. I'll live, I have a staph infection in my arm that doesnt want to give up.

[performance]

Yes,
It is normal for the pulse to bounce between two given amperages even when it is shut down because it changes from giving actual readings to reading the presets.

What effect were you trying to cancel?

First, start by turning the pulse off.

But, if you are using 1/16 tungsten much above 40-50 amps, it will ball all up, no matter what. Inverters can really cook small electrodes, particularly.

Step up to a 3/32.

I had a bout of mrsa earlier this year that got in my scalp. Not a pleasant thing. I am sure down in the arm is much worse.

I hope you get better.

[Wrenchtamer]

Yeah I forgot to mention that I had switched to 3/32 also with the same results. I was just hoping that there was something that I obviously had connected or set wrong that would explain it. They released me from the hospital today. Hopefully I will be able to return to work on tuesday. Hopefully I will get a chance to try it again soon.

[Gary]

Hey wrenchtamer, hope you are out of the hospital bed ( they suck ive been there a bunch)
And Mark is right as usual but one suggestion I have is to take off the foot pedal as well to rule out that part as well. And use 2T to check the arc settings.
Just a thought.
Gary