wire making a popping sound?

[Maxwell]

URRGGHH! I am trying to a simple repair on my mower handle and I can't get my HH135 to quit making a poping sound while welding. What gives? I have tried every wire speed and position 3 and 4 for heat. HELP! What might I be doing wrong?

.03 solid wire
C25 gas at 20-25 CFM

Material is a flattened piece of .083 wall tube.


Thanks

Maxwell

[Seldom]

One possible cause is if your handle has some chrome plating that hasn’t been cleaned off the weld area I suggest making sure that it’s all removed a ½” back from where you want to weld and try it again. In addition, check to see if you have a good ground (slang term). That same chrome plating will also cause you a similar problem so if that’s where you’ve got your clamp, either move it or clean off the chrome plating then re-clamp.
With mig, clean is bright metal at both ends of the welding circuit.

[Maxwell]

I did grind the the area to be welded, but the ground may be in question. Thanks. Oh, I forgot to mention that I got the same weld when welding on a piece of .125 angle iron. What are the general causes of this?


Thanks

Mawell

[bitternut]

Have you got the right polarity for solid wire?

[Seldom]

The term “popping” is a toughie to interpret with words so here are a couple of suggestions that pertain to what you’ve described and what I remember experiencing.
1. Make sure you have a good and complete circuit.
2. Make sure the weld area is clean. That means to “bright metal” but there’s more. If the joint has been contaminated with dirt, sand, oil, etc., a popping will be heard as it’s taken into the puddle and then forcibly expelled. What happens is that sand, dirt, oil, grinding dust, and other contaminates are insoluble (components in chrome are as well) in the molten puddle and will vaporize making a gas which can be expelled with a “popping” sound. In extreme contamination conditions (dirt & grinding dust as examples), the molten puddle will sort of explode with the popping.
With mig cleanliness is next to godliness!

[Maxwell]

I think so.. gun positive, ground negative. Good point to check. Thanks. I have to remember this if I switch back to flux core!

Maxwell

[Thomas Harris]

Are you sure the gas flow is ok to the weld. That would indeed cause some popping sounds and arc instability. I would imagine the tube for a mower handle is thin and cheap. Probably going to burn through easily too. Oh, and make sure there are no sneaky drafts blowing away your shielding gas. The plating is the most likely culprit in my opinion. Oh, and it's not aluminum is it? If it is I would say goooooood luck!

[Seldom]

Maxwell,
I'm curious, is that flux-core wire you run on DCEN (straight polarity), self-shielded?

[Maxwell]

It is .03 solid wire, using a 25% CO2,75% Argon mix.


Maxwell

[Sberry]

I am not sure about the popping , but you are wasting a lot of gas, 15 cfm is plenty.

[Seldom]

Yes, I understand the solid wire your question concerned but you mentioned previously- "I have to remember this if I switch back to flux core!" that's why I asked the question because I was curious.