Learning to Use Hobart Handler 190 Mig Welder

[Northweldor]

"...Would someone please explain how wire feed speed affects amperage?"

The voltage setting on your machine actually provides a range of settings (CV) and the wire feed speed will allow you to set amperage partially by moving up or down within that range. However, there are two other factors that will also affect amperage which are part of your manipulation. These are your contact to work distance and your travel speed. All four settings combined will produce your actual amperage at the weldment.

If you want to see illustrations of each of these factors while the other three are held constant, I will look for a set of articles that I know of that does this. If this answers your question....

Use the Miller Weld Caculator for settings you aren't sure of, until you get used to setting on your own.

EDiT - Ithink these are the articles I mentioned above:
https://ewi.org/gas-metal-arc-weldin...lding-voltage/

https://ewi.org/gas-metal-arc-weldin...distance-ctwd/

[Badbmwbrad]

Thanks. I read both topics. It was enlightening. Formerly, I was under the impression that the voltage selector switch controlled the heat input but it seems that contact-to-weld-distance (stick-out) and wire-feed-speed has, perhaps, the greatest influence on current and, therefore, heat input. Voltage only affects the arc length such that the wire melts further away or closer to the work piece with increasing/decreasing voltage settings.

[oldguyfrom56]

I'm told a day without learning was a waste of 24 hours. These first two pictures I poached from the net, someone learning.
Top side and back side.

I replied previously about WFS, simply stating..."

faster or slower. Harder or softer. Colder or hotter."

Any of that making sense after what you've read recently?

"it seems that contact-to-weld-distance (stick-out) and wire-feed-speed has, perhaps, the greatest influence on current and, therefore, heat input. Voltage only affects the arc length such that the wire melts further away or closer to the work piece with increasing/decreasing voltage settings."

I added the last picture as an after thought.. could you tell us something about it with your recent understanding to explain it?

Is it the size of the bullet or the amount of powder in the cartridge? Is that the question? Or is it the quality of powder? The range of distance of the shot? maybe its the object to be shot?

One thing for sure, asking questions is the way to get answers.

[Badbmwbrad]

My understanding is higher voltage causes the weld profile to be wider/flatter. Whereas the third photograph's weld profile appears narrower/higher, it shows a weld bead made at a lower voltage. It appears to show a globular weld metal transfer and relatively slow travel speed.

[oldguyfrom56]

My understanding is higher voltage causes the weld profile to be wider/flatter. Whereas the third photograph's weld profile appears narrower/higher, it shows a weld bead made at a lower voltage. It appears to show a globular weld metal transfer and relatively slow travel speed.

You know, Paul Simon sang, "my lack of education never hurt me none"...I think that's true.

I sat at the middle row 3rd or 4th seat back in most class, kept my mouth shut, and pretty much learned enough to pass. Not excel... make the grade and pass. 12 years of school. The reason why was I think, low self image... not smart enough? Lol... told I needed to work harder, apply myself? Truth was bored to death. That wasn't learning it was force yourself to remember.

So...

Where were you sitting in the class room?

"My understanding is higher voltage causes the weld profile to be wider/flatter." That is as true a statement as any, as long as the guns tip to work distance remains at a constant distance, WFS doesn't change, as voltage increases incrementally the weld profile gets wider/flatter. Now the questions...how and why?

Think about it. Your a robot following a path. A to B. WFS is set. You increase voltage, what happens? The class knows flatter and wider. Tell us why it happens? What does it effect with such a change? Can it be over come but lengthening or decreasing stick out?

Same robot, A to B, voltage is set, now WFS is the changed variable. What happens, what's noticed? Increased and decreased? Does material thickness make a difference? What about material type? Shielding gas? Can it be over come but lengthening or decreasing stick out?

Your the robot, Voltage is set, WFS is set, and going from A to B. Problem is your moving slightly in slightly out, but vary slight yet still varying stick out. How about now? What's happening?

"it seems that contact-to-weld-distance (stick-out) and wire-feed-speed has, perhaps, the greatest influence on current and, therefore, heat input. Voltage only affects the arc length such that the wire melts further away or closer to the work piece with increasing/decreasing voltage settings."

Well...there it is. "

faster or slower. Harder or softer. Colder or hotter."

it where the story gets interesting.

Picture three. Higher voltage, lower WFS, riding the puddle. All the heat is lost in melting the wire, no force behind the wire being feed, material cools the molten surface and it doesn't penetrate or fuse. Something to think about, as voltage increases and you go to a globular transition, why does it occur?

It's like seeing your buddy all beat up and asking what happened? He say, "got beat up". Asked and answered maybe, but details make the story.

[Badbmwbrad]

The various operating parameters and operator inputs conspire to effect change in the modes of weld metal transfer. That can be a challenging learning environment. For my welding practice, staying within short-circuit mode is preferred.

[Northweldor]

The various operating parameters and operator inputs conspire to effect change in the modes of weld metal transfer. That can be a challenging learning environment. For my welding practice, staying within short-circuit mode is preferred.

Why? Spray transfer is great if you can achieve it!

However, your machine is just capable of spray transfer at the upper ranges of settings with the use of other gas mixtures which most of us cannot afford, But, try it anyway, with C25, and you will get to the point where you are are crossing over into globular and spray, before duty-cycle will interfere. The real thing really is like spraying metal. And spray-P is even better - ( $$$$).

To get true spray transfer, you would need over 80-85 % arcon gas.

[oldguyfrom56]

The various operating parameters and operator inputs conspire to effect change in the modes of weld metal transfer. That can be a challenging learning environment. For my welding practice, staying within short-circuit mode is preferred.

I'm thinking you sat at the back of the class, filling a space more then trying to learn, expecting not to have to work to understand, and complaining later why you didn't get a passing grade blaming the teacher for not making it easier.
If I'm wrong I'll stand corrected after you reply with some effort.

A challenging learning environment...? Try glue. Much simpler to use.

My final advice...watch more video's, Tips and tricks. He get's a revenue stream from viewers like you and for what it worth, you'll figure it out eventually.

[Badbmwbrad]

I've learned that maintaining a "death grip" on the torch makes a bird's nest at the wire feeder more likely if the arc extinguishes. To get a better ground, I sandwich a length of stranded copper conductors between the work piece and ground clamp.

[Northweldor]

I've learned that maintaining a "death grip" on the torch makes a bird's nest at the wire feeder more likely if the arc extinguishes. To get a better ground, I sandwich a length of stranded copper conductors between the work piece and ground clamp.

I don't understand your post, A birdsnest is a a feed problem and has nothing to do with a "death grip" on the torch. Also, any normal ground clamp should provde sufficient contact with one pass of a flap disc, no extra copper required.. Better explain!

[Badbmwbrad]

Sometimes, when I pull the torch's trigger, the wire feeds into the work piece but does not arc. My reflexes aren't fast enough to let go of the trigger and the wire feed roller makes the wire kink at roller's output side. If I'm tightly holding the torch with rigid arms then the wire exiting the contact tip doesn't push my hands away from the work piece. I was using 0.030" flux core wire and welding on 3/16" steel. The wire feed speed potentiometer was set at 40%.

To get a better ground connection, I have a length of stranded wire conductors which are clamped against the work piece with the welder's ground clamp.

I don't understand your post, A birdsnest is a a feed problem and has nothing to do with a "death grip" on the torch. Also, any normal ground clamp should provide sufficient contact with one pass of a flap disc, no extra copper required.. Better explain!

[Northweldor]

Sometimes, when I pull the torch's trigger, the wire feeds into the work piece but does not arc. My reflexes aren't fast enough to let go of the trigger and the wire feed roller makes the wire kink at roller's output side. If I'm tightly holding the torch with rigid arms then the wire exiting the contact tip doesn't push my hands away from the work piece. I was using 0.030" flux core wire and welding on 3/16" steel. The wire feed speed potentiometer was set at 40%.

To get a better ground connection, I have a length of stranded wire conductors which are clamped against the work piece with the welder's ground clamp.

The copper should not be necessary, and something else is causing your poor ground problem, like paint, heavy mill scale or poor ground clamp or gun. This is not common or routine!

I use a standard ground clamp on all 4 of my machines and my plasma cutter, and never have ground problems, but i always hit the place the work clamp will be attached with a flap disc or grinder, if needed.

Are you cutting the wire in between each welding attempt? Some FCAW wire will leave a ball of flux on the wire end that prevents arcing.

Are you setting your wfs properly?

[Dale M.]

What ground clamp are you using?..... Is connections tight where you change polarity of leads?... Is connection tight at wire feed assembly.... IF you grab the threaded terminal of ground where it connects in case is the terminal loose or wobbly.... Is connections good from transformer out puts to terminal strip inside case?..... Some thing very basic is not right here... And should not be hard to find... Your use of Jody's copper wire bundle is no going to fix problem, I have thoughts of your problem may be up stream from ground clamp.....IF you are going to pull cover off and check for loose internal wiring BE SURE TO UNPLUG UNIT FROM WALL...

Try relaxing you arms and grip on gun... To much tension there causes fatigue in your arms and will make welding difficult.... Its not solution to you grounding/arc problem but will make the process easier on you....

Dale

[Badbmwbrad]

Yes, I grind and brush away all of the paint, scale, flux (when present) from the work piece; especially where the ground clamp is attached.. I don't, however, cut the flux core wire before each welding start. I'm using Hobart wire. Maybe there's a flux ball on the wire-end?
The ground clamp is a Hobart, spring-loaded alligator clamp.

The copper should not be necessary, and something else is causing your poor ground problem, like paint, heavy mill scale or poor ground clamp or gun. This is not common or routine!

I use a standard ground clamp on all 4 of my machines and my plasma cutter, and never have ground problems, but i always hit the place the work clamp will be attached with a flap disc or grinder, if needed.

Are you cutting the wire in between each welding attempt? Some FCAW wire will leave a ball of flux on the wire end that prevents arcing.

Are you setting your wfs properly?

[Dale M.]

Is this the style ground clamp you have....



Becasue this is alligator clip....



Dale