Thermal Arc ARCMASTER 185 AC/DC, Operating Manual, Page: 48 / 74

ARCMASTER 185 AC/DC
10-2 Feb r ua r y 20, 2006
Description Possible Cause Remedy
6 Elect
r ode melts when
a r c is st r uck.
A
Elect r ode is connected to the
‘+’ te r minal.
A Connect the elect
r ode to the
‘
−
’ te r minal.
B
WAVE BALANCE
is g r eate r
than 50%.
B Reduced
WAVE BALANCE
to below 50% o r inc r ease
the elect r ode size.
7 Di r ty weld pool. A Elect r ode contaminated
th r ough contact with wo r k
piece o r fille r r od mate r ial.
A Clean the elect r ode by
g r inding off the
contaminates.
B Gas contaminated with ai r . B
Check gas lines fo r cuts
and loose fitting o r change
gas cylinde r .
8 Elect r ode melts o r
oxidizes when an
a
r c is st r uck.
A No gas flowing to
welding
r egion.
A Check the gas lines fo r
kinks o r b r eaks and gas
cylinde r contents.
B To r ch is clogged with dust. B Clean to r ch.
C Gas hose is cut. C Replace gas hose.
D Gas passage contains
impu r ities.
D Disconnect gas hose f r om
to r ch then r aise gas p r essu r e
and blow out impu r ities.
E Gas r egulato r tu r ned OFF. E Tu r n ON.
F To r ch valve is tu r ned OFF. F Tu r n ON.
G The elect
r ode is too small
fo r the welding cu rr ent.
G Inc
r ease elect r ode
diamete r o r r educe the
welding cu rr ent.
H WAVE BALANCE is set
above 50%.
H Reduced WAVE BALANCE
to below 50% o r inc r ease
the elect r ode size.
9 Poo r weld finish. Inadequate shielding gas. Inc r ease gas flow o r
check gas line fo r gas
flow p r oblems.
10 A r c flutte r s du r ing
TIG welding.
A Tungsten elect r ode is too
la r ge fo r the welding cu rr ent.
A Select the r ight size
elect r ode. Refe r to Basic
TIG Welding guide.
B Absence of oxides in the
weld pool.
B Refe r Basic TIG Welding
Guide fo r ways to r educe
a r c flutte r .
Table 10-1 (continued): TIG Welding P r oblems