Mig welding help needed

Constant Curiosity

I recently purchased a mig welder on budget (200e), Snapmac 215 amp, has only for setting for heat and amp, 10 wire settings, i've quite a bit of experience with stick and mig with thick metal, but this car is 20 grade or less, and on minimal settings i burn threw it almost everytime, would getting argon and running a mix with existing CO2 help? any suggestions please

Irish Steve

Sounds more like it needs less current, so a smaller and less powerful arc. with only 4 settings, you may be struggling to get the current low enough for working on thin sheet. Changing the gas won't help any, it's less power that you really need.

Jackdaw89

Your gas is just shielding and probably 25/75 mix. Try a lighter wire in your plant and make sure your joint has a good fit up, you might have to use a backing plate as a heat sink to pull excess heat from the joint.

mullingar

The 10 wire settings are just the wire dispensing speed.

Id say you have 2x power settings, min and max. The min is probably still too much.

Constant Curiosity

0.6 wire, thank you all for feedback, i cant get a 3 phase connection for a pro welder, been thinking to upgrade for a good machine, does anyone know if they exist in single phase

mullingar

antongavrikov wrote: »

0.6 wire, thank you all for feedback, i cant get a 3 phase connection for a pro welder, been thinking to upgrade for a good machine, does anyone know if they exist in single phase

Plenty of decent MIG welders that use domestic single phase power, but for some higher power units you have to wire up a high power socket directly from your fuse box to your shed/garage

Constant Curiosity

yes, i was about to do it, but my landlord refused, perhaps because the shed is insured private not commersianl

kilianmanning

antongavrikov wrote: »

I recently purchased a mig welder on budget (200e), Snapmac 215 amp, has only for setting for heat and amp, 10 wire settings, i've quite a bit of experience with stick and mig with thick metal, but this car is 20 grade or less, and on minimal settings i burn threw it almost everytime, would getting argon and running a mix with existing CO2 help? any suggestions please

Are you welding gasless at the moment? If so get a gas mix, but with something that cheap it will be difficult welding anything thin even on the lowest setting

Constant Curiosity

no, as far as i know gasless is a waste of time? as above, i'm running a co2, i though to mix it with argon to decrease temperature, but being told it won't change much, time to start saving for a better welder i guess, i've 2 modern classic japs i have to do this winter, quarters, sills, the usual fun stuff

kyote00

I have one of these machines for about 10 years
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/151te-turbo-mig-welder/

Works fine on 20 gauge car panels but power is turned way down -> I never have it above about 90amps

I use a argon gas mix.

Its not an exact science for setting power, speed controls -> once i got settings right -> I marked them with pen!

martyc5674

What’s the low end amperage of the welder?... I’ve had good success gasless BTW. Slowing down the speed of the feed lowers amperage.
I’m only at hobby welder status but I thought someone would have mentioned that.
If you introduce a resistance between earth clamp and your work you’ll also reduce current flow.
Marty.

Constant Curiosity

https://www.adverts.ie/power-tools/us-snap-mac-215-mig-welder/12893479

this is the unit

there are 4 settings, i can't find any support for this welder, booklet has no info, tried all settings at this stage, burn baby burn

Jackdaw89

Single phase is fine most plants you'll find will run well off house but you'll need to run a wire directly to fuse box, iv a buddy running his off cooker socket. Mig machines don't run well without consistent voltage.
Changing your shielding gas won't change much for you, I'm a fabricator and welding light stuff like body work requires a lot prep and very good technique. You need to draw heat away from the joint and hit the side with the wire not the gap, no gap is ideal watch the pool closely and you'll spot the blow through well before it happens. Don't whip the gun just push a straight stringer you might have to stich or even spot it along. If possible vertical down will be easier because you'll have less heat build up. Wire speed setting is a lot more than how fast the wire comes out it along with wire stick out is your amperage and voltage is controlled with the other dials.

kyote00

kyote00 wrote: »

I have one of these machines for about 10 years
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/151te-turbo-mig-welder/

Works fine on 20 gauge car panels but power is turned way down -> I never have it above about 90amps

I use a argon gas mix.

Its not an exact science for setting power, speed controls -> once i got settings right -> I marked them with pen!

I have exactly the same welder for over 10 years and have done loads of jobs (sills, frame for a porch etc. etc.) with it over the years. The lowest setting with 0.6 mm wire is really low and even without skills you can weld very thin material with it when using the argon mix.

I have never needed to use the maximum power and have always ran it using a regular 13A fused plug.

martyc5674

antongavrikov wrote: »

https://www.adverts.ie/power-tools/us-snap-mac-215-mig-welder/12893479

this is the unit

there are 4 settings, i can't find any support for this welder, booklet has no info, tried all settings at this stage, burn baby burn

The lowest setting is 1 on first switch and min on second... combination of the switches give 4 diffeeent voltage settings.
The min amperage should be written in it somewhere.

That Clarke the lads above linked goes down to 30amps... that’s as low as a home unit(affordable) will go. Yours might not go that low...
Marty.

Edit... found yours online and it goes to 40a min. I’m no pro but that should be low enough for light work.
As it’s usable as both gas and gasless make sure you have the polarity set correct (you reverse polarity for gasless use and it’s possible it was delivered that way)

So basically... all 3 switches pressed in at the top, 0.6 wire,and setting 1 on the wire feed will give you lowest amperage... along with putting your earthing clamp onto something rusty should lower your amperage a bit .
Marty.