Thread: Amp settings

Unit some of those cheaper units have a marks on the scale for 2mm , 2.5mm rods etc but these are usually useless.
There is no proper amp setting there are too many variables , the type of steel , how well prepared it is the actual amps supplied by the welder , the angle you hold the rod your technique , the size and type of rod you are using, the type of weld you are doing the temperature of the rod and the steel you are welding, how dry are the rods etc
Mate to get any real use out of the welder go and do a night course at tafe the only real way to learn is hands on with an instructor

Rgds

Unit,

No problem
Get some thicker steel.
1.6 is not the thickness to learn on.

With the thicker stuff you will still make mistakes,but there will be a bit of steel left to see them.

Send in a picture of your welds.

Grahame

Hi turn it as low as you can and slowly bring the amps up
but some of that 1.6 is hard weld if made china
use 2.5 or samller rods cig rods and bhp steel, a mig is best for 1.6.
Thanks Tony

cheers for the reply peoples. yeah ill try using lower amps and c wat happens

Unit on some of these cheap welders there is also a high low setting for lighter amps you have to set it to low on my old (had it many years) welder I have to swap the lead to lower plug hole to allow the amps to go lower.

The rest has already been answered

Ray

yeah mate, i found the optimal amps settin for 1.6mm steel and it workin real sweetly now. i had to set it to about 65-85 amp range and now it welds perfectly. Just gotta get some smalleer rods now. Can u use 3.2mm rods on 85amps?

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Unit,

No problem
Get some thicker steel.
1.6 is not the thickness to learn on.

With the thicker stuff you will still make mistakes,but there will be a bit of steel left to see them.

Send in a picture of your welds.

Grahame

Aye mate, yeah ill try to grab some pics of me welds for ya. But i aint to puzzled on how it will turn out cos i need to grind them flush so it dont matter if me welds are bit ?????? lol

Originally Posted by Unit_01

Just gotta get some smalleer rods now. Can u use 3.2mm rods on 85amps?

Not usefully Unit. They will stick and make ya go nanas.

There are smaller rods available
2.5 mm diameter
2.0 mm diameter
1.6 mm diameter

Genesis are the brand of these rods.I believe they are a Kobe Electrode (Japan) sub company so you should be able to pick them up at a welding shop that keeps Kobe welding rods. For sure you will have to select different amps for them as well.
cheers
Grahame

Originally Posted by Unit_01

Aye mate, yeah ill try to grab some pics of me welds for ya. But i aint to puzzled on how it will turn out cos i need to grind them flush so it dont matter if me welds are bit ?????? lol

You probably know this, but just in case, if you need to grind flush make sure you have beveled or cut back the steel pieces you are joining so there is still sufficient weld holding them together. Grinding may solve cosmetic and other functional issues but if the weld is poor or weak underneath then grinding can serious weaken joints.

Listen to the Prof.

Gday Bob.

I can see that you're in for a hard time, Unit. Thin RHS is hard to weld with a stick welder, and is probably the main reason we buy MIGs. My advice to you is to keep asking questions on this forum and carefully read what Grahame Collins writes.

BobL
Just a gentle correction there .
Unit did say he was welding 1.6mm wt 25mm SHS or box section as people know it.

I think he will be pushing the brown matter uphill to bevel 1.6mm thickness or even leave a small peno gap. I believe he is using galv tube so a flush surface grind is necessary anyway, to remove the zinc as this will flare up and cause burning of a hole,let alone the need to remove zincbecause of toxic fume generation.

Given what the inherent strength of the material is and the load one would sensibly impose on it , any strength issues due to butt welding can be overcome by inserting a sleeve in the tube before welding.

But you are correct in your general point as many welders run a bead over the butt joint and then remove 90% of that bead by grinding it. They have left a visually poor deposit and are ashamed of it and feel compelled to hide it..

Welders need to learn minimum use of the grinder. One can quickly pick a poor welder as the grinder runs for a longer time than the arc does. It wastes time, effort and consumables

The general rule of thumb for the butt joint preps is open square joint up to 3 - 6 mm thickness and single bevel 6 -12mm.

cheers
Grahame

Originally Posted by martrix

Listen to the Prof.

Gday Bob.

G'day!

I can't always walk the walk, at times I seem to go through more grinding discs than welding rods!

I'm finding a fine "disc flap sander" is better to tidy up spatter and my turkey poop welds than a straight grinding wheel. It takes off far less metal than a grinding disc and leaves a surface that is reasonably smooth and ready for painting.

Those cant hooks I made recently from 2" galv water pipe made me appreciate the importance of clean (zinc free) joints. Just a trace of Zn stuffed things up - BTW I found another good use for my roaming DC tube - place it above where you're welding so that it is far enough away so that it doesn't collecting sparks but so it collects the fumes - my DC vents outside - works a treat.

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

But you are correct in your general point as many welders run a bead over the butt joint and then remove 90% of that bead by grinding it. They have left a visually poor deposit and are ashamed of it and feel compelled to hide it..

Welders need to learn minimum use of the grinder. One can quickly pick a poor welder as the grinder runs for a longer time than the arc does. It wastes time, effort and consumables

ouch! You just summed me up in a nutshell Grahame.