Welding Tips and Tricks

I have an Everlast 205P (pulse mig) and spool gun for alum. Never have been able to get any "setting" info from Everlast, and just talked to Simon at Longevity (essentially same machine) who said even Jody (as well as other experienced welders, schools, etc) haven't been able to set this pulse mig effectively. Not really encouraging news! I'd love to know what Jody's experience was with this machine, but I know he's a busy guy and may not be able to respond.

Anyone have any experience with setting this machine, or pulse migs in general? I would appreciate some direction about setting this thing?

The other question is about the mig spool gun - I found they didn't wire up the pot on the gun for adjusting wire speed. Anyone have any knowledge/experience/direction about hooking this pot up? I tried splicing into the motor power wire, but the pot heats up if I try to slow the wire speed down even slightly. I don't remember which wire (positive or ground) that I spliced into, but would this make a difference in the load across the pot (resistor)?

Thanks for your time, and if you can constructively assist me (and others with these machines)!

I'm pretty sure that POT is a "voltage divider", sending a signal to a control circuit for the wire-feed motor. Tapping into it as you did likely made it a "current divider", absorbing tons of heat when you try to slow the feeder that way.

You can do it that way, but you'll have to replace the POT with a rheostat that can handle at least 500ma at 24VDC, and you may smoke more of the board drawing that much power.

You're looking at a motor control circuit issue on the main board, most likely.

Steve S

Everlast is said to have some of the best customer support in the business. Will likely send you a new main board, if your machine is less than five years old. Contact them. Worst they can say is "no".

I suppose the feed problem is the board in the gun, not the machine. As long as it's an Everlast product, I think they'll stand behind it.

Steve S

Hi Steve, thanks for your reply. I have tried to source a higher wattage pot, but they are necessarily, physically larger, and there is no room in the gun. I think you are likely correct that in Miller's guns (this factory apparently makes them side by side with these ones), the pot controls a circuit in the machine, as opposed to just limiting current to the spool gun motor. There is no circuit board in the gun. To my recollection, there is just power for the spool motor, and power for the electrode.

I wonder if I can tap into the machine's amperage/wire speed control and run a wire up and back from the spool gun pot, using a toggle switch for either machine control, or spool gun control? Does that sound feasible?

The next problem would be getting a schematic from Everlast. Contrary to your other post, I've had bad experiences with Everlast's customer support - and chiefly from the owner, Oleg (Alex) Gladshteyn. I waited forever for some parts to add another euro port to this machine for the spool gun (so I didn't have to feed mig wire back in every time), and as of late (like the last 1 1/2 years!!!), I've tried repeatedly to order another "sticker" for the front of this machine. Frankly, all in all, the time I've expended hasn't been worth the savings. I've also tried to get info/direction out of Everlast for setting the pulse settings for this machine, to no avail. I think the support for the established American machines is far, far superior to what I've experience with Everlast.

If tapping into the speed control seems feasible, I'll probably just try to find the wire myself. I would appreciate your reasoned opinion. Thanks again!

Otto Nobedder wrote:I'm pretty sure that POT is a "voltage divider", sending a signal to a control circuit for the wire-feed motor. Tapping into it as you did likely made it a "current divider", absorbing tons of heat when you try to slow the feeder that way.

You can do it that way, but you'll have to replace the POT with a rheostat that can handle at least 500ma at 24VDC, and you may smoke more of the board drawing that much power.

You're looking at a motor control circuit issue on the main board, most likely.

Steve S

Short of a serious study of the schematic, I'm at a bit of a loss.

WerkSpace is a better source of knowledge on these issues.

Reviewing a Miller spool-gun connect to a Miller 251, there's a lot of info going back and forth, and the everlast may not be wired to communicate the same way.

Steve S