I am a novice welder- using a friends hobart 140 (110v) solid wire with gas. No formal teaching, but taught by a bodyman to do mainly sheetmetal work. I have done well but as I try bigger projects (NO SUSPENSION or frame work before that gets started) I have run into kinda an odd occurance- 2 actually maybe related or not. 1. sometimes welding I get a pulsing into the puddle- turning up the feed sometimes helps but not always- welds are not pretty when this happens but are strong with good penetration- can someone explain what is happening? 2. This is a weird one- I have recently had the arc begin to occur ABOVE the puddle- it also changes in sound- not like bacon frying but more of a hissing (or fizzing) sound. THis seems to occur after welding a while, and improves if I wait a few minutes before restarting. It doesn't seem to change if I change ground location, voltage, or wire speed . I put a new tip on and cleaned the end- it still comes/goes. Naturally this doesn't happen when my experienced friends are in the garage- anyone know a cause for this?
The fizzing means you have entered spray transfer as opposed to short circuit or globular, which is high heat and low wire, which would explain why after a lot of welding the piece becomes very hot. The pulsing can be to much or not enough wire.
I'll just add that new metal is differant than old. Lots of impurities that make for alot of pop, smack, and fizz.
Besides the above suggestions, check to make sure your ground is making good contact and also change the location you attach it.
Also run some wire out and watch to see if it is feeding steadily. CAUTION! Don't let it contact anything that is grounded! You may need a new liner, or your pinch rolls that push the wire out could be loose. John www.ghiaspecialties.com
Clean surfaces. Impurities in the metal. Also make sure your tip is clean, that makes a huge difference. Also you could be maxing out your duty cycle on the welder after a while, so as you go along it will not work as well. Otherwise, I think all the bases have been covered in the above replies.
I have that same welder. Make sur ethe tension setting on the wire feed is enough and the wire feed is up enough. I get problems when I drop the wire feed down it starts spitting. If I remember correctly without checking around the 30 or so mark on the feed control it starts sounding like bacon sizzling and thats what ya want.
Here's a quick way I check my liner and drive rollers. Hold the gun about an inch or so above the floor and feed the wire straight into the concrete. If your liner and drive rollers are good and tension is correct, the drive should keep pushing and make a birds nest on the floor.
A lower quality wire will often hiss. The small hobarts like a bit more feed than normal after they have alot of use on the liner. If the tip heat sokes it will add quite a bit of drag to the wire as well so be very concious of your duty cycle. That is the reason your problems went away after a break.
Sounds like you have too much stick out. Contamination, inadequate wire speed or gas supply could also be issues.
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