Welding Tips and Tricks

I've been welding nozzles to shells using 5/32 7018-1 Impact Rod on steel and I find it very hard to get the puddle to wash up on both base metals. When I do burn both base metals the slag does not want to come off easily especially when it's deep inside a beveled joint. I been running around 150 amps.

Welcome aboard!

For plain 'ol 7018 on pipe, in 5/32 I use at least 155A to as much as 175A.

Machine amperages can vary with input voltage by 10% or more, as well. (The grid is not consistent... Your 460 three-phase may actually measure 440, 460, or 480 volts, which affects output current on all but the newest computer-controlled machines.)

My first thought would be to do a practice piece a good 15A hotter, and see what happens.

Steve S

Is this pipe or plate???

What position????

~John

Nozzles to shells is vessel work...

5f position.

Steve S

Otto Nobedder wrote:Nozzles to shells is vessel work...

5f position.

Steve S

That's a horizontal filet???

5f.

I run about 150amps most times 5/32 7018 on 1/2 inch steel, flat and overhead, vertical about 130amps.

I prefer 1/8 rod horizontal though.

But since this is spec'd out work, you gotta use those. (I think).

Should be a 5deg travel and a 15deg uhill angle.

This might be wrong info, based on my interpitation of "5f"

~John

BTW,
Welcome to the forum.

5f is all-position fillet (though in vessel work, it can all be 2f if it's on top, or 4f if on bottom), like 6g is all-position groove.

Think about welding a 4" pipe to a 12' dia. vessel... At 12:00, its all flat (actually 2f). At 3:00, it's fully 5f. At 1:30, parts of the weld are 1f (at the top), 2f (at the bottom) and 3f (up the sides).

(I may not have all that quite right, but you get the idea.)

Nozzle-to-shell is basically the pipe stub-outs from a larger vessel, like a boiler.

Steve S

I got it Steve.

OP,
I'd stick to 150amps.
Edit.
How thick is this pipe??
Can it handle 150amps up the sides???
You might want to run 130-140amps up the sides.
Then 150-160 on overhead and flat.

What is your definition of not washing in???

Looks like a rope in the joint???

How did you get qualified to do this grade of work??

~John

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome to the forum ArcMasterFlash.