Welding Tips and Tricks

I recently purchased A Millermatic 200 and am trying to create a chart for initial settings for different material thicknesses and wire sizes for both CO2 and C-25. I found some information that suggest that C-25 needs +2 volts so I used that figure to create the C-25 column.

Any info or feedback would be appreciated. I intend to expand to different wire sizes and materials if I can get this first one correct.

Is there a chart inside the spool door?

John_Dennis wrote:I recently purchased A Millermatic 200 and am trying to create a chart for initial settings for different material thicknesses and wire sizes for both CO2 and C-25. I found some information that suggest that C-25 needs +2 volts so I used that figure to create the C-25 column.

Any info or feedback would be appreciated. I intend to expand to different wire sizes and materials if I can get this first one correct.

Millermatic Chart 1.2.tiff

Your volts info is backwards, 100% CO2 needs about 2 more volts than 75/25 mixed.

Your voltage settings look very high, are those supposed to be welding volts?
They look like the open circuit voltage (volts you would measure with a meter without welding).

I suspected that the C-25 was backwards after I started testing. The CO2 numbers are from the owners manual as are the voltages which are with no load. This machine does not label voltage or IPM. The voltage settings are labeled 1-6 and are switched fro high to low with a jumper. Wire feed is in %. Voltage may not be a valid parameter on this machine.


Will the voltage be higher for stainless than for steel?

Thanks

John

John_Dennis wrote:I suspected that the C-25 was backwards after I started testing. The CO2 numbers are from the owners manual as are the voltages which are with no load. This machine does not label voltage or IPM. The voltage settings are labeled 1-6 and are switched fro high to low with a jumper. Wire feed is in %. Voltage may not be a valid parameter on this machine.


Will the voltage be higher for stainless than for steel?

Thanks

John

Voltage is always a valid parameter when it's the welding voltage.

You have to measure it while welding to match charts. If a chart says 20 volts, that means while welding.

To measure your wire feed speed: snip it flush, run it out for 6 seconds and measure. Times that by 10.

My recommendation: grab some 1/8" plate, weld until you have your settings right where you like them for a fillet weld, write those down.

Do the same for other thicknesses. It's faster than trying to pre-make theoretical charts.

Is the wire speed in percentage on this machine because the feed changes with the voltage setting and load, or could I make a new label with IPM instead of percentage?

John_Dennis wrote:Is the wire speed in percentage on this machine because the feed changes with the voltage setting and load, or could I make a new label with IPM instead of percentage?

It's been my understanding and experience that older machines run the wire feed speed the same whether loaded or not.

So if you measure 20 inches in 6 seconds, for 200 inches per minute - you can pretty well count on it being that feed rate while welding.

Having a chart of IPM will be easier for you to navigate.

I do my rough estimates just like the attached chart shows from Miller.
1/8" material is 0.125" thick - want 125 amps.
Multiplier for 0.030" wire is 2
125 x 2 is 250 IPM

Set that wire feed speed, find the volts setting that allows it to run properly.

Too much voltage, excessively wide flat bead, wire tends to burn back into tip
Too little voltage, tall rope like bead, wire stubs into metal,
Find the balance between the two extremes - write it down.
It's faster to do than to type