Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello everyone..
I'm stuck on the final stretch of this welding school I'm in, but I'm stuck on horizontal Aluminum butt weld.
It's in the horizontal position but not like if it was sitting on a table right in front of you (2G).. Like if the plate was vertical up and down and the weld is still horizontal.. It's kinda hard to explain.. Not looking down at it but looking straight into it..
But anyways... It's two 1/2 thick aluminum pieces with about a 3/8's gap and beveled at a 45 degree between them. With a 1/2 backing strap between them.. So three total plates.. Now my main and pretty much only problem is the first root bead.. The weld doesn't want to stay up in the crease. I can run it good sometimes but most of the time the weld just falls out on me.. Very frustrating !!
I'm using 75% argon 25% helium.. 5/32 tungsten.. Air cooled torch.. Amps at about 160.. Air flowmeter reading around 60...
I don't know what it can be.. Maybe not enough wire or maybe torch position.. I just don't know..
But if anyone can give me some tips or video link.. It'll be extremely appreciated..

Amps. Crank it up. with a 5/32 tungsten, you can go over 200 amps with the machine at "balanced". Don't set it at "balanced". Go as "electrode negative" as you can, and use 250 amps or better on this 1/2", even with the helium. Use the hell out of your foot pedal.

When you advance, mash the pedal until you see both corners melt into the backer ahead of the previous puddle, dab some rod, back off a bit, andvance, and repeat. You MUST be sure you see the edges ahead of your last puddle melt before you add rod.

Harder to explain than to do...

Steve S

Also, a shorter bevel sometimes helps with a gap that big so that you are not chasing washouts at the root that ends up making it more like a 1/2" gap instead of a 3/8". Unless they are being specific about joint configuration, try a 22-30 degree bevel instead of one that is closer to the traditional 45 degrees.

Agree with Steve about the amps etc.