Welding Tips and Tricks

i have had this welder for a long time. it's been around, but i never really used it "heavily."

i was welding with it and it just "went into wuss mode." it still makes little wimpy sparks, but no where near what it's suppose to. i've been watching youtubes about blown up diodes and bad rectifyer bridges. airgas won't fix it for less than it cost new. anybody got any ideas for me?

slagheap912 wrote:i have had this welder for a long time. it's been around, but i never really used it "heavily."

i was welding with it and it just "went into wuss mode." it still makes little wimpy sparks, but no where near what it's suppose to. i've been watching youtubes about blown up diodes and bad rectifyer bridges. airgas won't fix it for less than it cost new. anybody got any ideas for me?

i would pop it open and see if u can find anything visibly wrong with it, usually but not always you will see burn marks on stuff that has failed.. also smell..

if you dont see anything but its really dusty inside, clean it out could be dusty bunnies shorting it out.

another thing is if you got a multimeter check and see if power is getting past the relay that turns on power to the gun.. this could be your issue as well.. as usually there are 2 relays and 1 solenoid in the MIG welder, 1 for the welding current, 1 for the wire feed , and the gas solenoid,

if it tuns out its something on the board that has gone bad and the cost to get the new part is more then u care for, part it out on eBay and get new welder

I always check capacitors first on any electronics. If they are swollen or leaking they are bad.

thanks dudes. now i'm just waiting for airgas to give it back. they're being really weird about it. "come pick it up, oh it's not here." type shtuff. i'm gonna multi meter the output and do a better search for blown up components. i figure whatever electricity is making those wimpy sparks, might be a clue as to what's busted in there. that welder and me are bfff's, my hobart freaking rulz, but i need my little red zapper too...

airgas has had it for almost a month now. maybe they'll just be like "uh, we lost it or something, here, have a brand new one." every time i try to get a "pro" to fix something for me, i always end up disappointed. maybe that's why i got into welding in the first place....