INSTALLATION
A-9
CABLE INDUCTANCE AND ITS EFFECTS ON
WELDING
Excessive cable inductance will cause the welding performance to
degrade. There are several factors that contribute to the overall
inductance of the cabling system including cable size and loop
area. The loop area is defined by the separation distance between
the electrode and work cables and the overall welding loop length.
The welding loop length is defined as the total of length of the
electrode cable (A) + work cable (B) + work path (C) (See Figure
A.5).
FIGURE A.5
(1)
The electrode voltage sense lead (67) is automatically enabled
by the weld process, and integral to the 5 pin Ar
c
Link
®
control
cable.
CONTROL CABLE CONNECTIONS
General Guidelines
Genuine Lincoln control cables should be used at all times (except
where noted otherwise). Lincoln cables are specifically designed
for the communication and power needs of the engine driven
welder and Power Feed
®
systems. Most are designed to be
connected end to end for ease of extension. Generally, it is
recommended that the total length not exceed 200 ft (61 m). The
use of non-standard cables, especially in lengths greater than 25
feet, can lead to communication problems (system shutdowns),
poor motor acceleration (poor arc starting), and low wire driving
force (wire feeding problems). Always use the shortest length of
control cable possible, and
DO NOT coil excess cable.
Regarding cable placement, best results will be obtained when
control cables are routed separate from the weld cables. This
minimizes the possibility of interference between the high currents
flowing through the weld cables, and the low level signals in the
control cables.
Connection Between Vantage
®
441X
/LE500X
and
ArcLink
®
Compatible Wire Feeders
The 5-pin ArcLink
®
control cable connects the Vantage
®
441X
/
LE500X
to the wire feeder. The control cable consists of two
power leads, one twisted pair for digital communication, and one
lead for voltage sensing. The 5-pin ArcLink
®
connection on the
Vantage
®
441X
/LE500X
is located on control panel. The control
cable is keyed and polarized to prevent improper connection. Best
results will be obtained when control cables are routed separate
from the weld cables, especially in long distance applications. The
recommended combined length of the ArcLink
®
control cable
network should not exceed 200 ft (61 m).
CROSSLINC TECHNOLOGY
This machine features CrossLinc technology, which allows for
remote control of the welding output via the weld cables rather
than a control cable. As result, the control cable is no longer
needed when connected to a CrossLinc compatible wire feeder or
remote control.
This machine will function with all CrossLinc compatible wire
feeders except for the oldest LN-25X models. Incompatible models
include:
Code # 12432
Code # 12504
C
To minimize inductance always use the appropriate size cables,
and whenever possible, run the electrode and work cables in close
proximity to one another to minimize the loop area. Since the most
significant factor in cable inductance is the welding loop length,
avoid excessive lengths and do not coil excess cable. For long
work piece lengths, a sliding ground should be considered to keep
the total welding loop length as short as possible.
Electrode Voltage Sensing
The remote electrode sense lead (67) is built into the 5-pin
ArcLink
®
control cable and is always connected to the wire drive
feed plate when an ArcLink
®
wire feeder is present. Enabling or
disabling electrode voltage sensing is application specific, and
automatically configured by the active weld mode.
Voltage sense leads requirements are based on the weld process
(See Table A.3)
TABLE A.3
B
A
Process
Electrode Voltage Sensing (1)
GMAW
67 lead
FCAW
67 lead
GTAW
Voltage sense at studs
SMAW
Voltage sense at studs
VANTAGE
®
441X
/LE500X
