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TIG issues........what to do.

3K views 19 replies 11 participants last post by  mudddog91 
#1 ·
Well, I just bought my first TIG machine and now Im not sure what to do with it...It is a Linde 250HF that I picked up for 500.00. It has 3 additional Water cooled torches, 10 boxes of different tungstens, several gas cups and seals, a welding helmet, welding jacket, foot pedal, water lines, and ground clamp. Thought it was a pretty good deal. Now it seems that this welder asks for 100A service!!!:eek:...I live in a rental house right now, and I have 220VAC to my detached garage, but how do i go about getting a single 100A breaker and service out there? Any ideas? The house has 200A service and the box is not full. Anybody have any suggestions? Will the welder run on a lower amp circuit if the output current is not jacked way up? Help!!!!
 
#2 ·
The inrush current (especially on a transformer machine starting in AC at full nut with the HF on and the balance control set full + or -) is generally what dictates the large electrical service, a electrical "worst case" if you will.

For what most guys are going to be doing in a home situation it will likely run fine on a 50A service, if it is blowing the breaker/OCPD the beauty of GTAW and a remote is that you can start at a lower amperage setting and increase it after the arc has started.
 
#3 ·
...So if I am reading correctly, I can run a 50 A service as long as I am not set at "full nut" I should be fine? I am concerned that underpowering the welder may have some adverse effect on it. I plan on using it mostly for mild steel under 1/4". I have alot of experience with MIG so i don't know what kind of power settings I will need on the TIG to be able to weld 1/4" worst case scenario. Anybody have any experience with this welder? Seems like a good machine. I also need to find a water cooling system...so far all I can find is over 500.00$:eek:
 
#4 ·
I have a 300 amp machine. It asks for 90amp input.

I ran it off 50amps for a year. It would through the breaker when I really layed in to 1/4" wall tubing. But I would let things cool down and just reset it.

I am now runing off a 70A breaker. No problems so far.

If you have to weld thick shit just do it a little at a time.
 
#5 ·
My 220V outlet is setup for 50amp right now, I could make it heavier very easily since its right below the box. :D

But I've had my 200 amp TIG full throttle doing 1/4" wall tubing and haven't thrown a breaker yet.
 
#6 ·
For years I ran my Miller synchrowave off a 30A breaker in my dads barn because the main panel was only 40A. The only time I ever had an issue was welding aluminum at full power; after about 2 minutes of constant welding the breaker would trip. It's on a 60A breaker now in my garage and still haven't had any issues. It calls for an 80-100A breaker too. Just don't run it full bore for long periods and you'll be ok.
 
#7 ·
Search the board for homemade water coolers, they're basic to make. Most guys just run a small pump and a 5 gallon bucket of water.

Just make sure you buy deionized coolant (LOW conductivity) made for torch coolers or you could have lots of stray voltage floating around while you weld.
 
#8 ·
I figured someone on here has made their own TIG torch cooler setup. Is there ever any worry of the coolant freezing in subzero temps? I will be searching .....

I have 40a 220VAC service in the Garage now. Not sure how well that will do, but I might just run a new 50 AMP service box out there....

Where can I find good useful TIG tips and tricks? I have used a TIg before, but never had to set one up for soecific metals/thicknesses etc....When do you use pure Tungsten versus 2 % and 7 % Thoriated, electrode polarity etc......

Thanks for all the help!
 
#9 ·
#10 ·
mudddog91. You use Ac tig with pure tungsten (green)for Alum. You would use 2% toriated (Red)and dc straight polarity for SS or steel. I seem to remember reading a post some where, they were feeding the water cooled torch from a faucet and dumping the return water down the drain. Don't know if this works or not. You could always consider an air cooled torch.

My suggestion for you on use would be to take a class on tig at your local tech school. Tell your instructor what kind of machine you have and he'll probably be able to help you set it up. Having your own machine to practice with between classes will realy help. Practice, practice, practice! I took the "basic" welding course and by the end of the class I was doing things that the advanced class hadn't gotten to yet! The reason was I practiced 10-15 hrs / week not in class. That let me keep moving and leaning new techniqes in class rather than eating up my class time running repetitive beads. The instructor also saw I was serious about learning and gave me the extra attention to help me out.
 
#12 ·
Thats the same machine I just bought......do you use a water cooled torch with your setup? How do you adjust the Spark Gap? Ive got the owners manual so I will read about it in there. I think I will set up a 50A breaker and run it.

I don't think I need to take a class, but I do think I need to practice. I am experienced with MIG and Stick so as long as I can get the basics, I can pick up on technique with practice. I appreciate everyones help.

Anybody have any pics of the TIG water coolers?
 
#14 ·
I just use an air cooled torch, even though I have a cooler. I rarely weld aluminum over 1/8 inch and the few times I have welded aluminum castings, I just weld for 1-2 minutes and let it cool. I would prefer to have a 60 amp breaker, but 50A is all I could get for my particular box. They are big, power hungry machines, but they weld nice. Your friends won't ask to borrow it.
 
#15 ·
mudddog91 mig and stick are somewhat different than Tig. Tig is closer to oxy fuel welding than anything else. Its all about heat manipulation. Your foot petal ramps the heat up and down as you weld, the speed you move your torch and your weave patern also determine how much heat you are applying. Then theres the rod movement for filler. That said I find tig easier than stick personally, but then I learned Oxy fuel welding 20 years ago first. If you're a good welder with sitck and mig some of this should make sense.

Try this. Hold to filler rod down on the piece you want to weld and then move the heat into it. It will melt as your puddle gets close to the rod and suck it in. You're NOT melting the rod with the torch and dropping it on the metal, you're making a puddle on the base material and then moving the puddle towards the rod. The rod will melt when its ready. watch the puddle and don't loose it. My Tig instuctor suggested starting this way and I found it a lot easier than the old dip and twirl motions. Once I got used to the motions again I then started to add the dipping action, usually with bigger rod. Really small rod I don't need to dip or twirl the torch.

Just sit there and run beads on a flat surface untill you're ready to scream and then run some more. Like padding on an equipment bucket if that makes sense to you. After that take some angle and run horizontals in the V.

hope this helps,
 
#16 ·
All of this info helps.....I look forward to getting it wired up so I can practice. I did learn Oxy/Ace welding about 10 years ago in A+P school so I understand the concept. I also have used TIG on other occasions so Im not entirely new to the process. I just havent owned my own machine and I don't have experience with power level settings and which items to use where, but I am reading and learning everyday. I think the most important way to learn for myself is practice. Fire the machine up and lay some beads. One question I have is can you use the Argon/CO2 mix like with MIG or do you have to have Argon only for welding mild steel with the TIG process? I know it is necessary with AL, but what about mild steel?
 
#17 ·
muddog - take a good, clear picture of the nameplate on the machine, and post it up.

I posted a "how to" size a welder circuit on here before. It caught some flack, but it walks you through what it takes to calculate a welder circuit.
 
#20 ·
I don't have my digi cam available right now but it does say that it can run on several different inputs:

440 VAC - 78 Amps
230 VAC - 98 Amps
208 VAC - 107 Amps

Not sure if this helps..........
 
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