Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey guys I was working on my Tig skills (lack there of) and all the sudden between welds I went from normal operation to no power... when i floored the pedal it let me get up to a wopping 4 amps before this I was running 40-50 amps. It is a Syncrowave 350 with a miller 14 pedal and a miller diamond back torch. Dose this sound like the pot went out on the switch?
I can still scratch start and get full power with it in local instead of remote.

Is there anything else it could be?
If it is the pot how hard is it to replace and how expensive?

Maybe, open it up and inspect it?

If you have a multi-meter it will be easy to determine the fault. (If it's in the pedal.)
Here's a photo of what the Everlast Pedal looks like on the inside.

Ill run out and stick the ohm meter on it and see what I get.

I fired it back up just to make sure it was still restricting me to 4 amps.... If fired right up and let me take it on up to operating range around 45 amps no problem any thoughts on this? I was welding for a good hour before it started screwing with me.

Could be an intermitent problem with the electrical contact in the connector at the welder, assuming it is not hard-wired. If there is a connector at the welder, you could unplug it and look at the contacts to see if they are oxidized/corroded. Often the action of unplugging and replugging a connecor is enough to clear out intermitent contacts. You could alos open up the foot pedal to see if the wires are connected with the slide type connectors. These too can have an intermitent electrical contact that unplugging and replugging will help. Gremlins are often hard to track down, just keep track of what you try and/or change. Since it started working again for you, it sounds like an intermitent contact.

Jim

Ill keep an eye out for it and tear down the pedal tomorrow.

Jason,
Remember that your pedal is a link to your welder and don't discount the idea that your problem made be a connection in the welder itself.

Len