MM172 Problem

[Steve W]

I notice it yeasterday that my arc is very erratic and sounds like crap. I pulled the liner out and checked and cleaned. Everything thier looks good. I took the .035 wire and tip off and put a roll of .030 on and changed the tip. That didn't help. The bead doesn't look bad but I get lots of splatter. Were I used to set my wire speed at around 60 on tap 3 I now have to have it at 75 or more just to get it to sound half way decent but I know that isn't the right sound coming from the arc. I don't have any help taking load voltage readings but all of the 4 open voltage readings is normal. Is thier an adjustment inside that's out of tuned. I can box it up I think and take it to my welding supplier and see if he can get it to a Miller repair shop. I've had it 2 1/2 years so it should still be under warranty. Got it thru Cyberweld. Maybe Rock or someone can help with fixing the problem? Thanks

[cutter]

Hi Steve,

I think Rock is still off doing his Kevin Costner/Dances With Wolves
impersonation trying shoot a corn-fed buffalo or something. And IIRC, he said something about being gone until around the 22nd; I remember wondering when I read his post whether he had something on one of the suits at Hobart or if maybe they just liked for him to be out of their way most of the time for some secret reason.

I'm betting one or the other of the Hobart guys is going to say something about a circuit board just because of the sudden nature of your problem. Of course I would never have guessed Kansas State could maul Oklahoma like I am seeing them do as I am typing this, so what do I know? Right - nada. But, hee hee hee, I am loving this football game.

I hope your problem turns out to be something minor like maybe the pressure on your feed rollers or that old bugaboo, the spring tension on your wire hub.

[Steve W]

Hi Cutter. I didn't get to watch the game but my 11 year old son told me all about it. He knows more about football than I ever did. I sure it's not the hub spring since it's never caused problems before. I cleaned my drive roller so thiers no slipping. I kinda suuspect the circiut broad or something to that nature. I am also using the welder with c-25 gas pressure set at 20, so gas flow is O.K. Polarity O.K. I've only used flux core once and that's been about a year ago. Been working fine until now. Will see what the experts say. Take care.

[DrIQ]

Steve, how long have you had the bottle of C25 ? If you have had it setting at 50% or less capacity for several months the mix it may have seperated. Just a thought !

[Steve W]

DrlQ, I"ve only had the c-25 gas about 3 months. It's still about 3/4 full. That is a thaught though. Thinking about it this morning it's kinda of like a AC arc instead of a DC arc. Thanks

[Dan]

Originally posted by Steve W
Thinking about it this morning it's kinda of like a AC arc instead of a DC arc. Thanks

Steve

After reading your first couple of posts on ths thread, I was wondering if maybe the filter Cap on your output had failed.

[Steve W]

Dan, you now haw you can usally hear the short circuiting 100 of times a second. It sounds to me like its slower. I took the cover off and looked around this afternoon but don't see anything loose of out of the ordinary. Maybe some kind of a arc stablizer or filter is bad. I'am going to turn on my computer early in the morning before I go to work and log on to see if maybe one of the teks can give me some ideas on what I need to do. Take care.

[Thomas Harris]

the electrical diagram included with the manual is not too informative. I believe another is pasted on the inside of the the machine cover. If you're still covered just let someone else deal with it though. I'll be following along because I have a 172 also.

[Charles Sand]

I bet you just have a problem with a bad/dirty grounding clamp or unclean metal where you are trying to weld.

[Steve W]

Thomas, It looked as if the diagram under the cover was the same one in the manuel.
Charles, I'am going to probally take it to my welding supplier were we can hook it up to a new bottle of c-25 and let him see what he thinks. First I want to get one of the teks here first to give me some input on it.
Thanks

[Hobart Expert Kevin]

Steve W,
The Challenger 172 is a very simple machine design wise. The small board inside really has nothing to do with how the unit welds.

I would check the ground clamp and cable first then the mig gun itself. You may have a poor connection causing the erratic arc.
(one of these is the most likely cause)

Dan could be right, the main filter cap may have failed causing a poor arc or as DrlQ said the gas may have separated.

Let us know what you find out.

Kevin

[email protected]

[Steve W]

Thanks Kevin. I took it in to my welding supplier today and we hooked it up to a C02 tank and i used his regulator. He said it sounded great to him. So I brought it back home and changed out the smith regulator on my c-25 tank and put a cheapy one on that was given to me at work. You now it seemed to me that it was working pretty good. My smith regulator has been walking up on pressure for some time now. Could that be the problem then? What exactly is the sound that I should get? I hear it should sound like bacon or eggs frying. I usually can get a buzzing sound like bees. Should I turn my wire speed down to more like the bacon frying? Also do must of you prefer to push the bead rather then pull on any thickness of metal? Thanks to everyone for all the help.