Lincoln Electric POWER MIG 256 Operator'S Manual Download Page 2

FOR ENGINE
powered equipment.

1.a. Turn the engine off before troubleshooting and maintenance

work unless the maintenance work requires it to be running.

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1.b. Operate engines in open, well-ventilated

areas or vent the engine exhaust fumes 
outdoors.

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1.c. Do not add the fuel near an open flame

welding arc or when the engine is running.
Stop the engine and allow it to cool before
refueling to prevent spilled fuel from vaporiz-
ing on contact with hot engine parts and
igniting. Do not spill fuel when filling tank. If
fuel is spilled, wipe it up and do not start
engine until fumes have been eliminated.

____________________________________________________

1.d. Keep all equipment safety guards, covers and devices in

position and in good repair.Keep hands, hair, clothing and
tools away from V-belts, gears, fans and all other moving
parts when starting, operating or repairing equipment.

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1.e. In some cases it may be necessary to remove safety

guards to perform required maintenance. Remove
guards only when necessary and replace them when the
maintenance requiring their removal is complete.
Always use the greatest care when working near moving
parts.

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1.f. Do not put your hands near the engine fan.

Do not attempt to override the governor or
idler by pushing on the throttle control rods
while the engine is running.

___________________________________________________

1.g. To prevent accidentally starting gasoline engines while

turning the engine or welding generator during maintenance
work, disconnect the spark plug wires, distributor cap or
magneto wire as appropriate.

i

SAFETY

i

ARC WELDING CAN BE HAZARDOUS. PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS FROM POSSIBLE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
KEEP CHILDREN AWAY. PACEMAKER WEARERS SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR DOCTOR BEFORE OPERATING.

Read and understand the following safety highlights. For additional safety information, it is strongly recommended that you pur-
chase a copy of “Safety in Welding & Cutting - ANSI Standard Z49.1” from the American Welding Society, P.O. Box 351040,
Miami, Florida 33135 or CSA Standard W117.2-1974. A Free copy of “Arc Welding Safety” booklet E205 is available from the
Lincoln Electric Company, 22801 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44117-1199.

BE SURE THAT ALL INSTALLATION, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR PROCEDURES ARE
PERFORMED ONLY BY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS.

WARNING

ELECTRIC AND 
MAGNETIC FIELDS
may be dangerous

2.a. Electric current flowing through any conductor causes 

localized Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF). Welding 
current creates EMF fields around welding cables and 
welding machines

2.b. EMF fields may interfere with some pacemakers, and

welders having a pacemaker should consult their physician
before welding.

2.c. Exposure to EMF fields in welding may have other health

effects which are now not known.

2.d. All welders should use the following procedures in order to

minimize exposure to EMF fields from the welding circuit:

2.d.1. Route the electrode and work cables together - Secure

them with tape when possible.

2.d.2. Never coil the electrode lead around your body.

2.d.3. Do  not place your body between the electrode and

work cables. If the electrode cable is on your right 
side, the work cable should also be on your right side.

2.d.4. Connect the work cable to the workpiece as close as

possible to the area being welded.

2.d.5. Do not work next to welding power source.

1.h. To avoid scalding, do not remove the

radiator pressure cap when the engine is
hot.

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNINGS

Diesel engine exhaust and some of its constituents
are known to the State of California to cause can-
cer, birth defects, and other reproductive harm.

The engine exhaust from this product contains
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

The Above For Diesel Engines

The Above For Gasoline Engines

Summary of Contents for POWER MIG 256

Page 1: ...TE OR REPAIR THIS EQUIPMENT WITHOUT READ ING THIS MANUAL AND THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS CON TAINED THROUGHOUT And most importantly think before you act and be careful For use with machine Code Numbers 11780 11781 For use with machine Code Numbers Sales and Service through Subsidiaries and Distributors Worldwide Cleveland Ohio 44117 1199 U S A TEL 216 481 8100 FAX 216 486 1751 WEB SITE www lincolnelect...

Page 2: ...AKER WEARERS SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR DOCTOR BEFORE OPERATING Read and understand the following safety highlights For additional safety information it is strongly recommended that you pur chase a copy of Safety in Welding Cutting ANSI Standard Z49 1 from the American Welding Society P O Box 351040 Miami Florida 33135 or CSA Standard W117 2 1974 A Free copy of Arc Welding Safety booklet E205 is av...

Page 3: ...or cooling 3 h Never simultaneously touch electrically hot parts of electrode holders connected to two welders because voltage between the two can be the total of the open circuit voltage of both welders 3 i When working above floor level use a safety belt to protect yourself from a fall should you get a shock 3 j Also see Items 6 c and 8 FUMES AND GASES can be dangerous 5 a Welding may produce fu...

Page 4: ...s to adjacent areas Avoid welding near hydraulic lines Have a fire extinguisher readily available 6 b Where compressed gases are to be used at the job site special precautions should be used to prevent hazardous situations Refer to Safety in Welding and Cutting ANSI Standard Z49 1 and the operating information for the equipment being used 6 c When not welding make certain no part of the electrode ...

Page 5: ...riés et non inflammables 4 Des gouttes de laitier en fusion sont émises de lʼarc de soudage Se protéger avec des vêtements de protection libres de lʼhuile tels que les gants en cuir chemise épaisse pan talons sans revers et chaussures montantes 5 Toujours porter des lunettes de sécurité dans la zone de soudage Utiliser des lunettes avec écrans lateraux dans les zones où lʼon pique le laitier 6 Elo...

Page 6: ...y important when identifying the correct replacement parts CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE POLICY The business of The Lincoln Electric Company is manufacturing and selling high quality welding equipment consumables and cutting equip ment Our challenge is to meet the needs of our customers and to exceed their expectations On occasion purchasers may ask Lincoln Electric for advice or information about their use...

Page 7: ... 3 Procedure for Changing Drive Roll B 3 Wire Reel Loading B 4 Mounting of 10 to 44 lb Spools B 4 To Start the Welder B 4 Feeding Electrode B 5 Idle Roll Pressure Setting B 5 Wire Drive Configuration B 6 Making a Weld B 7 Avoiding Wire Feeding Problems B 7 Fan Control B 7 Input Line Voltage Protection B 7 Wire Feed Overload Protection B 7 Welding Thermal Overload Protection B 8 Overcurrent Protect...

Page 8: ...g Instructions for Magnum PRO 250L D 2 Gun Handle Disassembly D 3 ________________________________________________________________________ Troubleshooting Section E How to Use Troubleshooting Guide E 1 Troubleshooting Guide E 2 thru E 4 ________________________________________________________________________ Wiring Diagram and Dimension Print Section F _____________________________________________...

Page 9: ...700 IPM 1 27 17 8 m minute WIRE SPEED RANGE Standard Voltage Phase Frequency Input Current 200 Amp Rated Output Input Current 250 Amp Rated Output 208 230 1 60 Hz 47 44 Amps 56 52 Amps 230 460 575 1 60 Hz 41 20 16 Amps 47 24 19 Amps Duty Cycle Amps Volts at Rated Amperes 40 250 Amps 26 Volts 60 200 Amps 28 Volts 100 145 Amps 26 Volts Welding Current Range Continuous Maximum Open Circuit Voltage We...

Page 10: ... THE POWER MIG 256 Cut banding and lift off cardboard carton Cut banding holding the machine to the skid Remove foam and corrugated packing material Untape accessories from Gas Bottle Platform Unscrew the two wood screws at the Gas Bottle Platform holding the machine to the skid Roll the machine off the skid assembly LOCATION Locate the welder in a dry location where there is free circulation of c...

Page 11: ...ity for GMAW If negative polarity is required interchange the connection of the two cables located in the wire drive compartment near the front panel The electrode cable which is attached to the wire drive is to be con nected to the negative labeled terminal and the work lead which is attached to the work clamp is to be connected to the positive labeled terminal GUN AND CABLE INSTALLATION The Magn...

Page 12: ...ighten the union nuts securely with a wrench 6 Before opening the cylinder valve turn the regulator adjusting knob counterclockwise until the adjusting spring pressure is released A 4 A 4 INSTALLATION 7 Standing to one side open the cylinder valve slowly a fraction of a turn When the cylinder pressure gauge pointer stops moving open the valve fully Never stand directly in front of or behind the fl...

Page 13: ...d ground Always wear dry insulating gloves FUMES AND GASES can be dangerous Keep your head out of fumes Use ventilation or exhaust to remove fumes from breathing zone WELDING SPARKS can cause fire or explosion Keep flammable material away Do not weld on closed contain ers ARC RAYS can burn eyes and skin Wear eye ear and body protec tion Observe all safety information throughout this manual WARNING...

Page 14: ...WELDING CAPABILITY The POWER MIG 256 is rated at 250 amps 26 volts at a 40 duty cycle based on a ten minute cycle time It is capable of higher duty cycles at lower output currents and capable of up to 300 Amps at lower duty cycles LIMITATIONS POWER MIG 256 WILL NOT operate satisfactorily if powered with a portable or in plant generating system DESCRIPTION OF CONTROLS See Figure B 1 1 Power ON OFF ...

Page 15: ... Drive roll size is stenciled on each side of the drive roll If feeding problems occur check to make sure that the wire size and the drive roll size matches See Procedure for Changing Drive Roll in this section This information also appears on the Procedure Decal on the door inside the wire compartment WIRE SIZE CONVERSION PARTS The POWER MIG 256 is rated to feed 025 through 045 0 6 1 1 mm solid o...

Page 16: ...OT THE WELDING ELECTRODE 10 To remove Readi Reel from Adapter depress retaining spring tab with thumb while pulling the Readi Reel cage from the molded adapter with both hands Do not remove adapter from spindle CAUTION 2 IN O D SPINDLE ADAPTER RETAINING SPRING BRAKE HOLDING PIN GROOVES READI REEL INSIDE CAGE WIRES RELEASE BAR RETAINING COLLAR To Mount 10 to 44 Lb 4 5 20 kg Spools 12 300 mm Diamete...

Page 17: ... the first six inches If the electrode is not properly straightened it may not feed properly through the wire drive system 3 Release the pressure on the idle roll by swinging the adjustable pressure arm down toward the back of the machine Lift the cast idle roll assembly and allow it to sit in an upright position Leave the outer wire guide plate installed Manually feed the wire through the incomin...

Page 18: ...2 Remove the welding wire from the wire drive 3 Remove the thumb screw from the wire drive 4 Remove the welding gun from the wire drive Figure B 5 POWER MIG 256 5 Loosen the socket head cap screw that holds the connector bar against the gun bushing Important Do not attempt to completely remove the socket head cap screw 6 Remove the outer wire guide and push the gun bushing out of the wire drive Be...

Page 19: ...11 When no more welding is to be done close valve on gas cylinder if used momentarily operate gun trig ger to release gas pressure and turn off POWER MIG 256 AVOIDING WIRE FEEDING PROBLEMS Wire feeding problems can be avoided by observing the following gun handling procedures Do not kink or pull cable around sharp corners Keep the gun cable as straight as possible when weld ing or loading electrod...

Page 20: ...tats automatically reset when the temperature reaches a safe operating level and welding and feeding are allowed again when gun is retriggered OVERCURRENT PROTECTION The machine will automatically reduce the output if the load on the machine exceeds 300 to 320 amperes This protects the welding power SCRʼs from excessive short circuit currents and from exceeding their temperature rating before the ...

Page 21: ...y is separately available for use with the POWER MIG 256 Each is rated 200 amps 60 duty cycle or 250 amps 40 duty and is equipped with the integrated connector twist lock trigger connector fixed nozzle and insulator and includes a liner diffuser and contact tips for the wire sizes specified 1 Optional liners for different wire diameters are sold separately see table D 1 Maintenance Section MAGNUM ...

Page 22: ...yed value due to tension setting liner condition or gun variation CONNECTING THE SPOOL GUN TO THE POWER MIG 256 See Figure C 1 1 Connect the Spool Gun control cable to the mating 7 pin receptacle in the Power MIG wire drive compartment K487 25 Magnum SG Spool Gun requires K2445 1 cable 7 pin to 6 pin adapter 2 Connect the Spool Gun electrode lead to the positive stud with the Spool Gun electrode l...

Page 23: ...electrically HOT Be sure unused gun is positioned so electrode or tip will not contact metal case or other metal common to work 1 Pulling the trigger for the built in feeder gun Disables spool gun operation Closing feeder gun trigger starts feeder gun welding and makes both electrodes electrically HOT 2 Pulling SPOOL GUN Trigger Disables built in feeder gun operation Closing spool gun trigger star...

Page 24: ...ne and feed prob lems are experienced try liner replacement and refer to trouble shooting section on rough wire feeding SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ELECTRIC SHOCK can kill Have an electrician install and service this equipment Turn the input power OFF at the fuse box before working on equipment Do not touch electrically hot parts GENERAL MAINTENANCE In extremely dusty locations dirt may clog the air pas sa...

Page 25: ...n meet the liner cutoff length requirement Liners are shipped with the jacket of the liner extended the proper amount 1 Remove the gas nozzle and nozzle insulator if used to locate the set screw in the gas diffuser which is used to hold the old liner in place Loosen the set screw with a 5 64 2 0 mm Allen wrench 2 Remove the gas diffuser from the gun tube 3 Lay the gun and cable out straight on a f...

Page 26: ...e turn the collars approxi mately 60 degrees counterclockwise the same direction as removing a right hand thread until the collar reaches a stop Then pull the collar off the gun handle If the collars are difficult to turn position the gun handle against a corner place a screwdriver against the tab on the col lar and give the screwdriver a sharp blow to turn the collar past an internal locking rib ...

Page 27: ...s the obvious external possibilities that may contribute to the machine symptom Step 3 RECOMMENDED COURSE OF ACTION This column provides a course of action for the Possible Cause generally it states to contact your local Lincoln Authorized Field Service Facility If you do not understand or are unable to perform the Recommended Course of Action safely contact your local Lincoln Authorized Field Ser...

Page 28: ...ed with built in feeder and Spool Gun if pulling spool gun trigger 1 Remove gun assembly from machine If problem is solved gun assembly is faulty Repair or replace 2 If problem persists when gun assembly is removed from machine then the problem is within the POWER MIG 256 1 Check input voltage Make sure input voltage matches name plate rating and reconnect panel configuration 2 Make sure settings ...

Page 29: ...sion and position of grooves 4 Check for worn or loose drive rolls 5 The electrode may be rusty or dirty 6 Check for damaged or incorrect contact tip 7 Check wire spindle for ease of rotation and adjust break ten sion knob if necessary 8 Check that the gun is pushed all the way into gun mount and properly seated RECOMMENDED COURSE OF ACTION If all recommended possible areas of misadjustment have b...

Page 30: ...ly is con nected properly and turned ON 2 If the gas solenoid does actuate click when the gun trigger is pulled there may be a restriction in the gas supply line 3 The gun cable assembly may be faulty Check or replace 4 If gas solenoid does not operate when gun trigger is pulled the problem is within the POWER MIG 256 5 Make sure the gun is pushed all the way into gun mount and is properly seated ...

Page 31: ...ECT PANEL G 207 LINE SWITCH S1 H4 TO SINGLE PHASE SUPPLY LINE X9 X5 X5 X6 X6 X7 X7 X1 X9 X8 TO WORK G2 352 353 FAN MOTOR TO WORK J3 TO WORK 207 325B OUTPUT CHOKE THERMOSTAT 320 B R U J11 CONTROL BOARD 2 1 5 8 4 1 8 1 9 16 1 3 4 6 8 1 14 7 1 12 7 6 10 6 5 1 CAVITY 1 NON LEAD SIDE OF CONNECTOR 2 3 4 NUMBERING SEQUENCE J11 1 2 3 8 7 6 5 4 W B B R U W B J12 J12 311 GAS SOLENOID 3 392 4 CIRCUIT BREAKER...

Page 32: ...6 X5 515 206B B 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 3 5 206 205 320 8 6 14 15 16 6 5 W 206S 207 353 X8 325B X9 352 4 10 12 13 7 12 354 G2 204 G1 X7 390 325 555 1 J2 6 7 8 9 J1 10 1 515B 324 208 12 13 1 J3 253 251 552 551 256 209 GND 352 353 515B 555 206B G2 X2 D1 209 X8 D2 BAFFLE MOUNTED RECTIFIER DIODE BRIDGE 208 204 X3 X4 207 X9 X5 X5 X6 X6 X7 X7 X1 X9 X8 TO WORK G2 352 353 FAN MOTOR TO WORK J3 TO WORK 207 ARC VOLTA...

Page 33: ...F 3 F 3 DIMENSION PRINT M19231 1 A 02 19 15 39 92 12 00 38 58 32 56 29 73 30 43 20 12 POWER MIG 256 ...

Page 34: ...NOTES ...

Page 35: ... electrically live parts or electrode with skin or wet clothing Insulate yourself from work and ground No toque las partes o los electrodos bajo carga con la piel o ropa moja da Aislese del trabajo y de la tierra Ne laissez ni la peau ni des vête ments mouillés entrer en contact avec des pièces sous tension Isolez vous du travail et de la terre Berühren Sie keine stromführenden Teile oder Elektrod...

Page 36: ... gute Be und Entlüftung des Arbeitsplatzes Mantenha seu rosto da fumaça Use ventilação e exhaustão para remover fumo da zona respiratória Turn power off before servicing Desconectar el cable de ali mentación de poder de la máquina antes de iniciar cualquier servicio Débranchez le courant avant l entre tien Strom vor Wartungsarbeiten abschalten Netzstrom völlig öffnen Maschine anhalten Não opere co...

Page 37: ...s and Service through Subsidiaries and Distributors Worldwide Cleveland Ohio 44117 1199 U S A TEL 216 481 8100 FAX 216 486 1751 WEB SITE www lincolnelectric com World s Leader in Welding and Cutting Products ...

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