Welding Tips and Tricks

I have two welders, a wards 295 ac buzz box and a very large hobart tig/dc. So i fired up the ac buzz box set it about 90 amp but couldnt get a arc started because the rod would stick. So i fired up the hobart, set it on stick, dc, 90 amps, and had no truble stricking an arc. Question, is dc ez than ac, or is possitive ground the trick.

I'm wondering if it might be a polarity problem. According to the electrode polarity charts I've seen the AC machine should run any electrode whose E-number does not end in a 0 or a 5, and people will tell you that 7018s will not run well on an AC machine and to use 7018AC (formulated for AC) instead. What rod did you try?

On a ac buzz box i would try turning the amps up. Id try 120-130 if it ran at 90 on dc

donald wrote:I have two welders, a wards 295 ac buzz box and a very large hobart tig/dc. So i fired up the ac buzz box set it about 90 amp but couldnt get a arc started because the rod would stick. So i fired up the hobart, set it on stick, dc, 90 amps, and had no truble stricking an arc. Question, is dc ez than ac, or is possitive ground the trick.

Couple questions:
What is your experience level with welding?
Which rod and size of the rod did you try?

For AC buzz box:
6011, 6013, 7014, 7018AC will run well on AC and are commonly available.

Above and: 7018 and 6010 for DC+

i was using 7018 1/8 rod welding 3/16 steel and im a low level experience. it sounds like im on the wrong rod for ac.

donald wrote:i was using 7018 1/8 rod welding 3/16 steel and im a low level experience. it sounds like im on the wrong rod for ac.

There's no way you we're running a 1/8" 7018 at 90amps on DC.
Way to cold.
120amps minimum for general stuff.

AC you need to be around 135-145amps.....

Knowing that I would probably try setting your machine closer to 150. But I have to say I don't have a lot of experience with stick so I may not be right, just what I'd try.

AKweldshop wrote:

donald wrote:i was using 7018 1/8 rod welding 3/16 steel and im a low level experience. it sounds like im on the wrong rod for ac.

There's no way you we're running a 1/8" 7018 at 90amps on DC.
Way to cold.
120amps minimum for general stuff.

AC you need to be around 135-145amps.....

+1

I like 125-140 amps in the flat position with 1/8" 7018 DC+
(Depending on metal thickness)
Short enough arc that the flux on the rod usually lightly touches the metal.

And your buzz box won't run it as well as it would run 7018AC rods.
(they will say 7018AC right on the rods)

3/32" lincoln...

It don't run the greatest.
Not a distinct puddle, be a man and use DC with excalibur 7018....