Welding Tips and Tricks

Ok here's my problem I bought a new syncrowave 200 from Haun in 2013 plugged it in welded aluminum with new tungsten new filler and 75/25 argon helium and it looked like hell. At the time I was working at pleasant mount welding so I took the machine to work Haun picked it up had it for 7 months gave it back said it was fine. I welded stainless and carbon with it for a year then sold it. Now I just picked up a 250 syncrowave watercooled wired it in my new shop and still welds like ****. I'm running 1/8 pure, with 75/25 argon helium,pints are set to .013. I only have a 100amp service in my shop so I'm running it on a 80amp breaker with #6 wire. I have welded carbon with it also and the arc is all over it will not focus. I'm just at a loss if tried everything I can think of to get this thing to lay a good bead can anyone help. Alloy is 6061 and I'm using 4140 filler also just put a fresh bottle of argon on with same result.

From the Syncrowave 250 PDF manual. http://www.millerwelds.com/om/o353t_mil.pdf

2 Spark Gap
Normal spark gap is 0.008 in (0.203
mm).

Had them set to .012,.015,.008 with all same result

I'm assuming that you meant 4043 wire and not 4140. Have you tried straight argon? When welding steel are you turning the high frequency to start or are you leaving it on continuous? I don't know our welding level, so I'm just asking questions to get an idea of what you are doing.

Yes I did mean 4340. I also tried argon and had the same results. I do switch to hf start on carbon. If aluminum welded for 9 years and I ran a synchro 250 with pure tungsten on 75/25 every and it was unstoppable I just don't get why it won't work on my home machine

That leaves out all of my best guesses. Maybe someone else will have better answers.

Jody just released a good video on MIG welding aluminum with a spool gun, where he discusses impurities caused by inadequate gas coverage.

Maybe that's worth taking a look at

Trev