[amateurwelder]

Hello All,

Thank you for reading my post. I am having problems with a used Miller syncrowave 250 dx machine that has been lying around for the past few years. I am trying to weld 6063 and I am using 3/16" Zirconiated Tungsten, Ck FlexLoc 250A torch with a #7 cup, Argon Gas 25-30 CFH, AC, 150 Amps, AC balances 7 ( ive used everything from 2-9 with no results), post flow 9.

I wiped down the aluminum will acetone... Before I am able to start I get this black blotches, splatter, and I am never able to get the puddle to begin to be ready before the electrode burns. Its as if there is no cleaning at all and it gets ugly.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130994113 ... 567039045/

I went to my local weld shop and they said it looks like i have it on DC+... I triple checked my settings...

Now I am stuck in the mud...

Thanks for your help!

Jonathan

[exnailpounder]

If your tungsten is burning up that is usually a gas issue or too small of tungsten but 3/32" is okay at 150 amps. If the welder was not used in awhile you may have gas leaks. Couldn't access the pic but I would check for gas leaks. Let us know.
And welcome to the site!

[exnailpounder]

I forgot. Make sure you don't have your lead and ground swapped at the machine. Gas solenoid will operate but no gas comes out and it will still weld...Ask me how I know this

[AKweldshop]

I'd bet money its a 3/32" tungsten.

3/16" collets or gas lens for a 20 water cooled are rare as hens teeth.

I agree, sounds like air in the gas.

Double check for leaks, and make sure all your torch consumables are seated and sealed.

[AKweldshop]

I forgot. Make sure you don't have your lead and ground swapped at the machine. Gas solenoid will operate but no gas comes out and it will still weld...Ask me how I know this

Syncrowave 250's don't have a gas thru fitting like your Syncrowave 210.

They have the pigtail fitting.

It's been a while since I've looked at 250dx, but I don't think you can have the tig torch in the wrong terminal.
If you did, your gas hose wouldn't reach the fitting on the front of the welder. If I recall correctly.

[big gear head]

This may not have anything to do with it, but isn't 25 to 30 CFH a little too much for a number 7 cup? Could this be causing turbulence and getting air in the mix? I usually only use about 15 to 20 CFH with a 7. If the torch is old then it could have a hole or tear in the hose.

[AKweldshop]

This may not have anything to do with it, but isn't 25 to 30 CFH a little too much for a number 7 cup? Could this be causing turbulence and getting air in the mix? I usually only use about 15 to 20 CFH with a 7. If the torch is old then it could have a hole or tear in the hose.

It depend on your tungsten stickout.

If you have over a 1/2" stickout 25-30cfh could be used. Especially if your using a regular collet body.

Depends on the joint your welding also.

[exnailpounder]

I forgot. Make sure you don't have your lead and ground swapped at the machine. Gas solenoid will operate but no gas comes out and it will still weld...Ask me how I know this

Syncrowave 250's don't have a gas thru fitting like your Syncrowave 210.

They have the pigtail fitting.

It's been a while since I've looked at 250dx, but I don't think you can have the tig torch in the wrong terminal.
If you did, your gas hose wouldn't reach the fitting on the front of the welder. If I recall correctly.

Im not sure either John but my Syncrowave 200 had the gas through fittings like my 210 does. I think the OP meant 3/32" tungstens but he is still okay at 150 amps. Thats all I ever use. And biggearhead is right, that is alot of gas pressure but I don't think that would burn up his tungsten.

[TRACKRANGER]

Couldn't access the photo either, it took me to a Yahoo login page (?)

[amateurwelder]

Thank you all for the great advice; this forum is amazing!

Yes, I have 3/32" zirconiated tungsten (rookie mistake)... By the sound of everyones comments - I have to focus on the gas.... I have checked for leaks at all of the connections, but have found nothing. I feel the argon coming out the torch... I dropped the pressure of the argon down to 20 cfh and that seamed to help a little, but I am still burning up the tungsten.

I have attached a few photos for your review....


Thank you again!

[AKweldshop]

That is 100% gas issue.

Can you hear gas coming out of the cup when you tap the pedal?

[amateurwelder]

I hear and feel the gas coming out of the cup. The gas comes out strong initially then tapers down without me touching the pedal. Is this normal?

[AKweldshop]

I hear and feel the gas coming out of the cup. The gas comes out strong initially then tapers down without me touching the pedal. Is this normal?

Usually there is a burst at startup, expelling built up pressure, then it will taper down to the flow rate you have set.

This is getting tough.

[AKweldshop]

Your settings seem about right.

Tig, remote, AC, HF contin, and I'd go 6 or 7 on the balance.

What is your tungsten stickout, and how far are you holding the tungsten from the work?

How thick is that alum?

[Braehill]

One thing that you might want to check is that your high frequency is actually working. Another thing to look at is to make sure your machine has output on both DC+ and DC-, you should be able to stick weld on either to test it. Once that's determined we can rule out a few things that could be giving you fits.

Have you (or anybody) been able to weld with these setting before this? Why I'm asking is, just because you're an amateur doesn't rule out machine problems, just your ability to pick up on them. There's a few things that go wrong in the machine that will keep you from welding A/C HF but let you weld in all other modes just fine, we just have to narrow it down to user or machine and what part of the machine.

Len

[big gear head]

Look at your balance control. See the green line? Set it to where that green line is and see if it's better. Also try turning the argon down a little more. If it worked better at 20 then it might work even better at 15. These may not make any difference, but they are easy to try.

[Braehill]

Something else I just thought of that can cause this, if the collet has been hot and twisted it will sometimes restrict your gas flow by swelling out against the sides of the collet body. We've seen it here a few times in the past and it's the reason that I only use wedge collets now, they can't twist and swell.

Len

[exnailpounder]

Could be contaminated gas too. Do you have another bottle you can hook up to to try? Also, I have found that right around 7.5 for balance gets you close and you can tweak it from there. If you want to know if your HF is working, take the ground clamp off your work and set it away from the work and hold your torch close to the work and hit the pedal. If its working it should arc like a spark plug from the tungsten to the work. You will find out in a hurry if you ever forget your ground clamp as the HF will find YOU and remind you that you forgot something. Not dangerous but will get your attention.

[Otto Nobedder]

I think you may have a bad diode in the machine.

That "weld" looks absolutely like lack of polarity control.

The only other thing I've seen do that (and you won't believe me, but it happened four times before I figured it out) is the torch leads are smoked from trying to weld AC with hard tap-water and/or auto antifreeze.

My local weld rep couldn't figure this one out at first, but I was in central PA with HARD water, and welding aluminum in the 250+ amp range. I was smoking a torch a week, with results like your pictures.

Steve S

[amateurwelder]

I doubt it is the torch, because it's less than a week old... Had to replace the old torch as it was leaking. The torch is hooked up to a chiller.

I tested for high frequency by placing the ground far from the piece and putting the electrode close to the piece and I did see sparks. High frequency passed.

I found someone down the block from me who has a lot of experience with this machine and asked him to take a look... He said it looks like the motherboard is bad. He had to replace his motherboard a few times already... When he tested the machine and pressed down on the peddle amperage goes up way to high too fast. Then he would get gas and after about 15 minutes of use the gas would shut off. Eventually the gas came back on after we turn the machine off. The machine had the motherboard replaced in sept 2012 and cost $1,000! Does anyone know of a way to test the motherboard?

It was his feeling it wasn't a gas problem that was causing the electrode to burn up, as the purpose of the Argon gas is not to cool down the electrode, but just to have shielding.

At least I know for sure its not me and it's the machine itself.

[TRACKRANGER]

Can you try a visual inspection of the circuit board? Look for anything burned, bad terminal connections etc. Try re-seating all of the external connections, cables, etc No guarantees, but often visual inspection finds things that look 'not-quite-right'.

Disconnect the machine first!

[kiwi2wheels]

I doubt it is the torch, because it's less than a week old... Had to replace the old torch as it was leaking. The torch is hooked up to a chiller.

I tested for high frequency by placing the ground far from the piece and putting the electrode close to the piece and I did see sparks. High frequency passed.

I found someone down the block from me who has a lot of experience with this machine and asked him to take a look... He said it looks like the motherboard is bad. He had to replace his motherboard a few times already....When he tested the machine and pressed down on the peddle amperage goes up way to high too fast. Then he would get gas and after about 15 minutes of use the gas would shut off. Eventually the gas came back on after we turn the machine off. The machine had the motherboard replaced in sept 2012 and cost $1,000! Does anyone know of a way to test the motherboard?

It was his feeling it wasn't a gas problem that was causing the electrode to burn up, as the purpose of the Argon gas is not to cool down the electrode, but just to have shielding.

At least I know for sure its not me and it's the machine itself.

If you get into replacing the board yourself, ask Miller Service lots of questions about part #'s for replacement boards, superceded #'s, etc, relative to the serial # of your machine and the # of the board you take out.

I went through an episode some years back with a board on a Syncrowave 350 , less than two years old at the time, that had not received the upgraded boards and the LWS who sold it had not been notified either. The first one they supplied blew in a couple of days ! Second time lucky ......... the first replacement board they sent were known to have faulty components, so they advised me when I got back to them.............but still got sent out.

[Braehill]

I find it hard to believe that a new board is $1000 when a new machine is only $3200, but maybe. There are people out there who do circuit board repairs if it's not completely trashed.

Len

[amateurwelder]

Problem solved! I ended up swapping out a third tank of argon and the problem went away...

Thank you for your help!

[Braehill]

Glad that's all it was, way cheaper than a $1000 board.

Len