Hobart Handler 175

[Tycoon]

I just recently found this forum and I am hooked!!!! I have a Hobart Handler 175 mig machine that I am having problems with. It seems to have problems feeding and I was wondering if anyone could help? I have blown out the liner with air and changed the wire, replaced the tips and it worked good for a while then started doing the same thing. Any help would be greatly appreciated

[Scott V]

Maybe try a new liner?What kind of feeding problems?Have you tried a different size wire to see if it feeds funny?Make sure your spool tensioner is pretty loose,just enough to keep the roll from unwinding when you have the wire feed turned up.Try it real loose for a test weld.Are you drive rolls tight enough,and not worn?I am sure that you will get a whole lot more things to try,as soon as the rest of the gang rings in.

[Hobart Expert Dave]

You never said how long you have had the welder or what wire you are using size and brand. Makes a big difference on how to reply best with your problem. Try what Scott recomends and let us know what you are doing.
Thanks
Dave Evans

[Tycoon]

Thanks for the response. I have had the machine since about April of 2001, but never even used it until January of 2002. I am using .030 wire, I have used up 2-4lb rolls and 1-8lb roll of steel not flux core wire. I have been mostly using the Hobart Weld-it wire and tips. With this small amount of wire thats been used I wouldn't think that the drive rollers are worn out but I am fairly new to mig welding. As far as what kind of feeding problems, I can pull the trigger and it will feed, but when I start welding it will stop after an inch or so of wire comes out. One last thing, my machine came with a Miller gun, is this the norm.
Thanks

[Scott V]

Sounds like you should have some warranty left.I Know Miller has a three year,maybe the Hobart does too.It seems like it needs checked.When it stops feeding can you tell if there is still gas coming out of the torch?Maybe it is simple like a torch switch problem.Is there voltage present when it stops feeding?Check those things also.That should help others to give you more things to check.

[Tycoon]

Let me back up a little. It doesn't quit feeding completely, it just gets erratic,it feeds a little then stops. I have voltage and gas is still coming out.
Thanks

[Hobart Expert Dave]

Check the tension on the wire spool and make sure the wire spins off free. other than that I would have to say that there might be a kink in the liner that is restricting the wire. If it still does it then Yes get it to a repair shop. There is a 3 year warranty on the welder.
Thanks
dave Evans

[Roger]

What you discribed is how wire feeds after reel has over riding wire turns. When you let wire get too slack on reel while threading wire into feed rollers is when it happens or when reel brake is too loose so reel doesn't stop when wire feed stops. Can see if this is the problem by looking at reel & wire feed while not welding with triger pulled.
The long wire sticking out of torch after testing feed you can wind back on reel after releasing drive roller pressure.

[Steve W]

Tycoon, maybe I can give you a few suggestions. You might try taking the gun and liner loose from the machine and lay it out fairly straight. Take the contact tip off the gun. Cut you a piece of the .030 wire about 12 feet long. Try pushing it thru the liner starting on the inlet side. You can probally feel it push thru the liner real easy and exit the gun diffusser. If it hangs up then your liner is kinked. If the liner appears good do you have rust spots on your wire. I once had a welding machine give me problems so I took it my welding supplier. He put a wipe clip on the wire and a couple of drops of some kind of wire lube. That thing was welding so good I couldn't believe it. Also check your contact tip real close or try a new one. I hope this helps.

[Srubrn]

Tycoon,

I think I can help you out. I have a Hobart 135 and it is only three weeks old and I developed the same problem. The drive motors on our units aren't very strong and when the liner gets a little dirty it is hard for it to push .030 wire thru. I got a hold of a roll of corroded wire, felt like it had emery cloth on the outside. I replaced the roll and blew out the liner. I have had to stop and blow the liner out several more times and the line has to be straight or it still develops feeding problems. Made me so mad I went and bought a MM210. One of the guys at the Miller Expo suggested I got to .023 wire. There is more room inside the liner with the smaller wire. I am going to buy some .023 wire Tuesday and see what happens. It wouldn't hurt to replace the liner too. They don't cost much. The bigger units will push wire a whole lot better.

[jgor]

Not sure if this is the same problem or not from the description given but I've been experiencing something similar lately and think it might be operator (me) error. I'll be welding along and all of a sudden the wire stops coming out. The motor is still trying to push the wire through but it appears to be stuck in the tip. This has happened with both .030 and .035 fluxcore wire for me. The .030 wire was Weldit and the .035 was Lincoln.

Most of the time the wire will burn back almost to the tip but usually a small piece is still sticking out. If I grab the wire with my pliers I'm able to pull the wire free. From inspection it does not appear that the wire is stuck at the end of the tip but rather somewhere further inside.

I haven't had a chance to test yet but I'm thinking I might be starting out ok but then I let the stickout get too short and allow the wire or tip to get too hot. Hopefully I'll get a chance to run some tests in a day or two but I'd be interested to hear anyone's thoughts on this.

John

[morpheus]

John, are you running the correct polarity for the wire you're trying to use ? what you describe was a symptom of reverse polarity for me (wire burning back to the tip/burning the tip/nozzle/etc)

good luck.

- jack

[jgor]

Jack,

Boy, I double check it every time I switch spools but I'll check again to make sure. I'm the kind of person who can never remember it I put the gas cap back on! Thanks for the reminder, I'll check it again to be sure.

John

[Hobart Expert Rock]

TYCOON...............HEY IF YOUR HAVEING A PROBLEM WITH A MACHINE GIVE ME A CALL...............I'LL SEE IF I CAN HELP.....ON OCASSION I CAN.................WHERE IS TODD..........WELL USUALLY. COULD BE A LOT OF THINGS. LET'S NOT TAKE IT ANYWHERE YET.. MIGHT BE JUST IN THE WRONG RANGE TRY 3 OR 4 COULD BE NOT ENOUGH WFS...........ETC............COULD BE A LACK OF GAS, COULD BE BAD O RINGS ETC.......................A MULTITUDE OF SENERIOS'S HERE........................GIVE ME A SHOUT AND I'LL SEE IF I CAN HELP...................................ROCK....... ...........
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[Tycoon]

I appreciate all the different ideas. I won't be able to play with it for a few more days due to being at my real job, but I'll give some of these things a try and let you guys know how I came out.
Thanks