Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey guys, I’m self taught and have a Everlast PowerTig200DV that I’ve learned on over the past 2 years. I do mostly steel/SS, but when I do aluminum I always come across the same problem (since the day I've owned it). My arc continuously ‘extinguishes’ and puffs, and I clamp the ground right to the part. Doesn’t matter if my electrode is a hair from the puddle or 1/8”+. I’m using 3/32 2% lanthanated. The puffing usually happens at lower amperages, I’ve used a bunch of different grind angles and amperages on different thicknesses and torch angle. Acetoned the metal before too.
I’ve tried 2 torches, changing about all the settings, different cups and gas cfh. Maybe it’s something obvious but I can’t figure it out! Sometimes I can lay a bead with it only doing it 2-3 times, other times it happens throughout. Generally happens when there is of an oxide layer. I made a short video to show what I’m talking about. Had a bit of coffee so I’m shaky, the machine is on lift start just because on HF it will constantly be re-igniting throughout. Peddle is consistent and it’s extinguishing itself.

Being self taught sometimes there are large gaps in my knowledge, anybody know what is causing this?
Thank you!
https://streamable.com/isyadq

Here is another video that shows it a bit better, it is in slow motion. https://streamable.com/oaw4cr

For AC aluminum you want the HF to be on continuously. Did you somehow have it set for start only?

The work clamp location shouldn't make much difference....certainly not what you're seeing. Make sure you have a fresh grind on the tungsten before you start on aluminum. If you use a tungsten on steel and then go to aluminum without a fresh grind you'll get crazy starts.

I'd get a pice of 1/8" aluminum, wipe it with acetone, use a No. 5 cup, set your gas flow at 10-12cfh, a freshly ground 3/32 tungsten with a fairly blunt profile, 60hz AC frequency, something like 30% cleaning, and 125A and see what happens. Then only change one thing at a time.

It sounds as though you have pulse active in both videos? If so, disable that and try again. If I am mistaken, then ignore that comment.

I'd also like to see the machine front to understand do you have a ramp time, slope, etc programmed inadvertently? Are you set for 2T, 4T, Pedal? Any specifics you can provide there?

If all else fails, its a warranty call- good luck with that (mixed reviews from forum members).

There is no pulse actually, the settings are at the end of this video. https://streamable.com/9rmvqz

I've been in contact with support, luckily it is still in warranty. Only 3 years here in Canada.

My tungstens are all pretty good, I snap off contaminated ends before regrinding. I'm using 2T, as a diagnostic test I used the torch switch instead of the foot pedal with the same effect.

I have a 200DV. I'd say yours is broke. Call Everlast for a warranty claim.

Best of luck with that. Be sure to record the conversation if it is allowed in your city/province/country/etc. I'd love to hear if they give you any BS like they did to VA-Sawyer.

You just need to sweet talk those Russian girls a bit before you talk to Matt. They're the ones who really get things done. Tell Tatiana and Katya I said hello

Spartan wrote:You just need to sweet talk those Russian girls a bit before you talk to Matt. They're the ones who really get things done. Tell Tatiana and Katya I said hello

Maybe that was my problem...... I no sweet speakee to the Ruskee girlee.

I guess luckily I deal with a different branch. They were nice people when I bought it a while back, though warranty claims can bring the worst out of people! I can drive to the location so that cuts out some BS, if they test it and it does the same while I'm there there isn't much they can say. Other than this issue and wishing the cooling fan turned down during breaks I've enjoyed using it. I will report on what happens.

A customer of mine has a maintenance shop to support his food production. I walked in there last week and was surprised to see an acdc neverlast, given they usually run kempi and fronius.
I asked what they thought of it. They said it works good when it's not out for repairs. I asked how often that was, they said most of the time.

Hi

just joined the forum in order to post a reply here. I've been having exactly the same problem for a while on with a cheap welder from Vector Welding (http://www.vector-welding.com/AC/DC-TIG ... AC/DC-200D). As you mentioned the problem seems to happen more at low current and when there's already a lot of oxide haze on the surface of the workpiece. This also gives me a lot of problems tapering off the arc because it just extinguishes prematurely. Yesterday I used the machine on AC with 90% EN in order to join some steel with aluminium bronze. I also had massive problems here with the arc going out all the time.

I'm really interested to hear what response you get from Everlast because this has been quite a riddle for me for a while.

As far as I can tell, the problem is to do with rectification of the AC arc. This is where the workpiece has greater difficulty emitting electrons than the tungsten (during the EP phase of the arc), resulting in the EP component of the wave being reduced or the arc failing to reignite as it passes the zero polarity line from EN to EP. Reducing the frequency of the AC wave can supposedly help, presumably because the arc is forced to reignite less frequently, and has appeared to help in my experience with my welder but not enough to really stabilise the arc and allow me to weld normally.

AC TIG machines should have electronic components which assist the arc against rectification. I reckon my machine just isn't kitted out with the electronics because it's cheap crap. A square waveform should also be more stable against rectification than a classic sine wave because the cross over from EN to EP is theoretically instant. I believe your machine doesn't offer square wave. Here is a pretty interesting and technical thread about AC arc rectification: https://app.aws.org/forum/topic_show.pl?tid=22404

I had also wondered if this is a common drawback of welders with single-phase power input, although I don't have experience welding AC on any other single-phase machine than my one. My welder at work (Rehm Invertig 230) also only has a sine wave on AC but is three-phase and the arc is splendidly stable. I guess that's not the only factor though. The Rehm machines are way more expensive and built to a much higher standard.

I hope it's a comfort to you to know that you're not the only person with this annoying problem!!

Cheers

Joey

One of the reason why we have brands like ESAB , FRONIUS , KEMPPI , REHM ..

I GOT REHEM TOO be honest i like when other people talking about other brands , well when something sound like Westwood ... wood and welding ... or any other brands then i want to cry ... I dont want to say anything bad because some of you using brands like Miller,PowerWeld , Jesic , Castoline and other brands but be honest none of them can be close to top best brands on the world . Once you weld with them then you dont want to touche other stuff .. Yes that true , REHM is expensive but you can say I HAVE GOOD AND REAL WELDING MACHINE NO JUST SOMETHING WHAT IS LOOKING LIKE WELDING MACHINE ..

I was using everlast a lot because was there for job but i can say just EVER LAST and please no any more..

Torono wrote:There is no pulse actually, the settings are at the end of this video. https://streamable.com/9rmvqz

I've been in contact with support, luckily it is still in warranty. Only 3 years here in Canada.

My tungstens are all pretty good, I snap off contaminated ends before regrinding. I'm using 2T, as a diagnostic test I used the torch switch instead of the foot pedal with the same effect.

I can't offer anything better than, gas solenoid. Other advice is, it's best not to break tungsten, that practice can create minute splits in the tungsten which aren't at all obvious.

I had the same experience with mine. They said it had to do with the AC circuitry. It was covered under warrantee and they took care of it at no cost to me.