Tip clogging

[tboyd]

I am a very inexperienced welder and need some help. My tips keep clogging. I am using a Hobart 175 with shelding gas and trying to weld two pieces of steel which are about 1/4" thick each. This is not a problem I have had in the past to any significant degree. But, I have gone through 5 tips in about 4 inches.
Thanks.

[cope]

You didn't give any settings. Are you sure your shielding gas is running? I assume they are clogging with spatter?

[tboyd]

Yes, it is clogging with spatter. I have tried several different settings, from 20 to 55 on the wire feed and 3 and 4 on the voltage. I believe the gas is running as I have it open and there is gas in it, but if there is something else I should check, let me know. Thanks for your response.

[cope]

Turn the wire feed down, turn the tap to the lowest(does it have a purge setting?), pull the trigger and listen for gas.

Miller's calculator shows using .035 wire/C-25/21-22 volts/180-190 amps/360-380 wire speed. That puts your machine at its upper limit. Be sure you clean the metal with a sanding disc to get mill scale, rust and any other contaminant off the surface. Check the settings I gave you against Hobart's settings in the manual or inside the machine. If that doesn't work maybe a 175 owner will surface soon. Good luck.

[jgor]

tboyd,

I have a HH175 and had the same problem. Much to my embarrassment I found I had the polarity set incorrectly. The machine comes set for flux-core which uses the opposite polarity. You also should make sure you maintain enough stickout.

John

[Guest]

cope, why didn't you think of that?

[bjdenommee]

Sound like you guys have this one solved

Have a Good Day

Bernie

[tboyd]

The polarity is set correctly. I have had the welder for over 2 years but only use it once a month or so. This is not a problem I have experienced before.

[cope]

Originally posted by Rocky D
cope, why didn't you think of that?

Cause my PowCon doesn't have the polarity issue, cause I forgot from when I had a Millermatic 130XP, cause I forgot that this issue had been mentioned before, cause I had a senior moment, but mainly cause I was hoping to see your smiling face around here.

[cope]

Originally posted by tboyd
The polarity is set correctly. I have had the welder for over 2 years but only use it once a month or so. This is not a problem I have experienced before.

We are stumped. Dan may come along with a suggestion. If not, be patient and FORUM MODERATOR ROCK will crawl in here in the AM and hopefully shed som light on this.

[bjdenommee]

Are you using the correct size and lenght tips, this has caused me some greif in the past?

Bernie

[Guest]

Originally posted by tboyd
Yes, it is clogging with spatter. I have tried several different settings, from 20 to 55 on the wire feed and 3 and 4 on the voltage. I believe the gas is running as I have it open and there is gas in it, but if there is something else I should check, let me know. Thanks for your response.

Hit the trigger and listen to the gas comming out. Then disconnect the drive roller and stop up the the of the torch with your hand...hit the trigger...and turn off the tank. The gas should dissapate but not quickly. Or try to locate a break in the gas line in the machine. or the torch. Try the soapy water test. Maintain a 1/4 to 3/8 stickout. Do the welds look OK?

[tboyd]

I am using the correct size and length tips. I have not yet tried the purge mentioned by Cope or the other things to check for gas leaks mentioned by Rocky D but I will shortly. I stopped at my local Tractor Supply Store where I purchased my welder and the guys there sold me a can of Nozzel Gel that they all said they use to keep the tips from clogging. Do you have any experience with this stuff?

[cope]

Originally posted by tboyd
I am using the correct size and length tips. I have not yet tried the purge mentioned by Cope or the other things to check for gas leaks mentioned by Rocky D but I will shortly. I stopped at my local Tractor Supply Store where I purchased my welder and the guys there sold me a can of Nozzel Gel that they all said they use to keep the tips from clogging. Do you have any experience with this stuff?

Nozzle gel will keep spatter from sticking to the nozzle, but you need to find out why you are getting this problem in the first place. Correctly set-up, you should have minimum spatter in short arc mode.

[Planet X]

Are talking about something like this?


I managed this burnback by 'spot' triggering my gun while moving tip into an over head position combined short ESO (electrode stick out) + I was in a "slo run" mode on my machine.
In case it has not been mentioned double check your wire feed maybe you need to adjust the drive roll tension or something, but I would look there because if your wire is not feeding right your arc will burn all the way back to your tip.
Be aware of your gun position in relation to what it is doing to your cable/liner straight / gentle curve back to machine seems best .