Problem with Millermatic 180

[Grayguy]

Ok, so I have a new (probably 20-30hrs on it) millermatic 180. I've been using it all morning and it was doing fine. I was mocking up the up-pipe for the turbo on my Car, so I was doing a lot of tacking. I just went to finish weld everything, and now the thing wont spin. Meaning. I pull the trigger, and the wire feed in side doesn't move, at all. What is up?

[Wicked_S10]

Is it plugged in? Does the machine come on? Does the gas solenoid actuate with trigger pull? Is the outlet it is plugged into wired correctly? Do you still have 220VAC at the outlet?

There is a chance that the trigger switch in the gun went bad, miller guns are crap, and they have a very heavy trigger pull, and a problem prone trigger switch.

There is a chance that the control connector from the gun to the machine is unplugged, or not making good contact.

There is a chance that the wire feed motor is bad.

There is a chance that the control board that drives the wire feed motor is bad.

There is a chance that your wire feed potentiometer is bad.

There is a huge chance that you didn't give us terribly much to go on. Refer to the easy to follow flow chart bellow to repair:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a15/BDSjeeper/1189648826946.png

Good luck,
Jason

[Grayguy]

The machine is on, the gas solenoid is working. Obviously since I was using it all morning, It's wired correctly. it worked correctly, then it didn't.

[massxj]

check the voltage at the machine. you may have lost one side of the breaker and it did not trip the bar on the breaker or just turn the breaker off and on again. its a long shot but maybe

[bodyman909]

Im thinkin the trigger switch..

[fj40charles]

Try unplugging the wire from th gun the plugs into the welder and plug it back in. Maybe a bad contact there? Also, move the wire speed knob to see if that makes a difference. Finally, try tapping on the mig gun while you pull the trigger (might have something loose in the mig gun).

[Wicked_S10]

Since the gas solenoid is actuated from the same trigger switch as the drive rollers, and the gas solenoid works when he pulls the switch, but the drive does not, I think it is highly unlikely that it is a switch problem, or a loose gun to machine problem.

Aside from a Line connection issue, which I would test w/ a multi meter, both at the wall receptacle and connections inside the machine. My guesses would be:

My #1 guess would be wire speed potentiometer, since miller seems to have a fair bit of trouble with these as well.

My #2 guess would be control board

My #3 guess would be bad drive motor.

If you have a multimeter, and are reasonably competent you can take the cover off the machine and have an assistant pull the trigger while you check for DC voltage at the drive motor. If it is not there, that narrows it down to something in the controls, or the switch if you were mistaken about the gas solenoid.