Welding Tips and Tricks

I have a miller 12VS suitcase welder, I was wondering if anybody has any tips on how to set it up using a constant current machine? I want to use flux core.

There is a rocker switch in the upper right hand corner inside the suitcase to select CC/CV.

What about the settings on the power supply?

I've only just started using mine with a bobcat 225nt.

Washington Alloy .035" 71t-11 self-shielded flux core on DC-

After I ran it on CV I switched machine and suitcase over to CC to see what the difference was.

I used the chart in the door of my Miller super s-32p to get close, then checked it on the WFS gauge.
I set the welder to the highest coarse setting and used the fine dial to adjust my welding voltage - seemed to work as expected.

I did the same on the middle coarse setting (70-150 amps) and it seemed to run the same.

I'll be interested to hear what others have done as well.

(btw, I liked the flux core on CC better than CV)

Yea, I'm kinda wrapped around the idea, when I find an 8vs at a good price. Seems they were around 500 a few years ago, and have gone up. I pretty much have my head on my miller AEAD cause I like the rpms, and know it well, tho it's limited to CC welding, or plugging into the outlets for a lower duty cycle wire welder.
I have enough irons in the fire so to speak atm, welding upgrades I can be patient with.
Since I'm more interested in a wire feeder to plug into the end of a lead, and flux core isnt much better price at quantity, I like the idea of a lighter/smaller 8vs over the 12vs.

Right now I am using an SAE 500 amp Lincoln since the truck motor blew up on my old work truck that had a Trailblazer 350 Pro on it. This Lincoln don't have CV capability so I'm running it on CC. I'm running Innershield 233 wire 1/16 inch at about 260 to 275 IPM. It seems to run best at about about 240 AMPs and the digital readout on the 12VS says 24 to 25 volts. I'm not gonna fight that...when you make one 6 ft long vertical weld in one shot and the slag is rollin up below it when your done you must be doin somethin right....seems to run smoother on CC than CV...when the old chevy truck is back with the new motor I wanna see if it holds out that way on the Trailblazer...I tried it on my own Miller 502D and it seems to be the same way. But when they sold us the wire they said you cant run it on CC. So I called Lincoln and asked them they said yes you can.

I ran some dead flat welds on the floor of one of the face shovel buckets on Thursday and Friday... ran the thing wide open at about 500 IPM 320 amps and 28 volts... looked pretty good for a guy who hates welding flat

I just scored a miller extreme 8vs, running some wire today. It only has .045 and 1/16 knurled drive rollers, need to get another set. My only power source is a Legend AEAD 200, so its CC only for me. I tried some nr211 .030 I had but it was too small for the rollers, so I went ahead and spooled up some .035 er70s6. I had already set up a Y on my argon and co2 bottles to use with my mm130 so I didnt have to buy more argon mixed with a little co2. I set the argon at about 25 cfh, and just floated the ball on the co2.
Boy, talk about fun! it really lays a nice bead. In the flat position. Tried vertical up and had the runs really bad, tho I could vertical down if I moved fast.
Tried a few different settings, and would really like to get the hang of using this for more all around welding. Any suggestions on settings I can try for different position welds?
Here's a shot of the er70s6 on 1/4", be sweet to get something like that vertical.

Nice lookin weld you done there, NR 211 is self shielded wire you need any gas and bein as its self shielded wire, for vertical up keep in mind you point the wire down a wee bit or keep it level...point it up it just wants to dig into your steel and makes grapes and hemmoroid type lookin things. turn your amps down a bit and your wire speed down a bit. been awhile since I ran 211 wire and it was 068, never ran any small wire, but I do remember the readout on the feeder was about 22 to 23 volts, it probably would need to be a bit lower voltage for 035 wire maybe 14 or 15 volts or a bit higher just depending how fast you are running your wire.

I'd have to get nr211 in .045 or buy new drive rolls, at 50 bux a set. I'll try running the hard wire I did that weld with as you said, maybe with some better arc manipulation and current control. I cant set voltage with the Legend, might have to put a voltmeter in my hood to even know what the heck is going on with that.
You are sure right when you said it looks like grapes and hemorrhoids running vertical up, tho I could get a good looking bead running vertical down.
I'm not entirely sure how much the fine current control affects voltage in the different course current settings with this CC welder. As I grasp it it's basically like using a rheostat on an alternator field, It adjusts the current to the armature, not the "stator" but instead of setting a voltage to hold as voltage regulator does, it sets the amperage to a current output.
Hmm, I wonder if there is a workaround on that concept, that would hold a voltage output instead of a current output?...
Have to ask my EE nephew about that, he designs electric forktrucks for Hyster, quite a wiz.

Try eBay for drive rollers - I've gotten them for $15-$25 for barely used ones.

"I want to use flux core"

Flux core wires run CV DCEN.

A cc power supply can be set up to run flux core, but the resulting welds do not meet AWS requirements as the manufacturer's instructions & CoC's are disregarded/null with CC.