Miller 220V welder wire and gas suggestions???

[billybob_81067]

Hey guys I was just wondering what you all are running for your sheilding gas, wire size, solid/flux cored wire, etc. Can you run flux cored wire with shielding gas? Any advantages to that? Also what brand wire do you use. We've been running Lincoln wire almost exclusively... tried Hobart wire once and didn't like it for shit.

We've got a 220V miller (can't for the life of me remember the model number right now) that we've had for a few years. We've always run .030 wire and straight Co2 with it. This is a farm welder so it welds some rusty nasty shit sometimes, but if it is something that actually matters we'll clean up the edges and bevel them for a better weld.

It doesn't seem to be welding as good as it used to here lately. I've changed out the tip and it helped some but it's still not the best. Maybe time for a new liner?

[TEEJ]

I run solid wire, 0.30, and 75%/25% gas, (75% argon, 25% Co2) in my MM DVI2. I don't usually ever mig dirty or rusted stuff.

[vanguard_anon]

If you have one of the smaller Miller 220v welders I'd run .030 and 75/25. If you have one of the bigger welders (210, 250, etc.) then I'd run .035 and 75/25.

FWIW, I run .035 and 75/25 on my esab MM250.

[Wyoming9]

If the welder is used only from time to time. Best thing you can do is remove the wire from the gun for storage. This will add life to your liner. as well as to the wire if you store it in a plastic bag.

rule of thumb if you cut the wire at the spool. no drive roll tension, you should be able to pull the wire out just using your thumb and index fingers.

If in doubt about a liner replace it.

Wire size I run only .023 in my old centuary welder that has given good service since 1989. If I have a serious job on heavier metal I break out the 12vs-xtreme with the xmt-304

Run the size you need for the job or make the size you have do thejob.

[chumly2071]

another thing that can help is to pull the wire out, remove the contact tip, and use a compressed air source to blow any rust/debris out of the liner in the gun.

[Proeliator]

I run solid wire, 0.30, and 75%/25% gas, (75% argon, 25% Co2) in my MM 210.

I strongly advise sticking with the mix over straight Co2.

[jamscal]

+1 on the C25 (75-25)gas. Less splatter, a bit less penetration.

Flux core with a shielding gas is called dual-shield, IIRC.

I can't remember the benefits, but probably a cleaner looking weld with the penatrative? benefits of fluxcore.

I run .035 with C25 gas.

-James

[Static-XJ]

+1 on the C25 (75-25)gas. Less splatter, a bit less penetration.

Flux core with a shielding gas is called dual-shield, IIRC.

I can't remember the benefits, but probably a cleaner looking weld with the penatrative? benefits of fluxcore.

I run .035 with C25 gas.

-James

Dualshield is not just plain old fluxcore plus gas. It needs gas, otherwise you get porosity. As opposed to self shielding fluxcore. The benefits are a higher deposition rate, and smaller bevels in butt welds. You get the benefits of spray transfer, without needing a high argon gas, and with many wires you can do it all position. On thicker weldments, GMAW-short circuit transfer is just too cold and you can't lay down enough metal per pass, globular transfer leaves a lot of clean up to remove all the spatter and you still have a fairly low per pass, spray transfer is 1F, 1G, 2F only and requires more surface prep and intolerant of fitup gaps. The downside of course is slag, but if you do it right the slag layer will be at worst easy to chip, at best peel itself off a couple inches behind the weld.

It's like a wirefeed 7018 with a lighter slag layer.

[Proeliator]

+1 on the C25 (75-25)gas. Less splatter, a bit less penetration.

Yup, the welds look much better with far less splatter, but you do need a bit more voltage....its a non issue with the larger boxes. I about crapped when I switched to the mix, my welds went from looking "average" to full out professional. Of course, thats the problem with migs, you can crank out great looking welds that don't have the appropriate strength/penetration if you don't know what your doing.

With a small unit I'd stick with straight Co2.

edit: by small unit I mean anything thats not 220v.

[Wyoming9]

Like anything else sometimes you have to use what you can get.

The 75/25 seems pretty popular nationwide. I wanted straight Carbon dioxide for a job that was galvanized. They had to get it next gas shipment.

For wire and fluxcore good luck I have found it to be a nightmare. unless one knows there AWS wire numbers. That helps a little different brands are called by different names ..

I have found if you ask for gas shielded flux core it makes it easier. I have had bad luck with the self shielded wire. I have heard it is much better now.