Chicago Electric MIG 180 Owner'S Manual Download

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REV 14f

Owner’s Manual & Safety Instructions

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Keep this manual for the safety warnings and precautions, assembly,

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back of the manual near the assembly diagram (or month and year of purchase if product has no number).

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When unpacking, make sure that the product is intact

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2014 by Harbor Freight Tools

No portion of this manual or any artwork contained herein may be reproduced in

any shape or form without the express written consent of Harbor Freight Tools.

Diagrams within this manual may not be drawn proportionally. Due to continuing

improvements, actual product may differ slightly from the product described herein.

Tools required for assembly and service may not be included.

Read this material before using this product.

Failure to do so can result in serious injury.

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Summary of Contents for MIG 180

Page 1: ...manual and the receipt in a safe and dry place for future reference When unpacking make sure that the product is intact and undamaged If any parts are missing or broken please call 1 888 866 5797 as soon as possible Copyright 2014 by Harbor Freight Tools All rights reserved No portion of this manual or any artwork contained herein may be reproduced in any shape or form without the express written ...

Page 2: ...en Keep children and bystanders away while operating 3 Place the welder on a stable location before use If it falls while plugged in severe injury electric shock or fire may result 4 Do not overreach Keep proper footing and balance at all times 5 Stay alert watch what you are doing and use common sense when operating a welder Do not use a welder while you are tired or under the influence of drugs ...

Page 3: ...trols are not feasible use an approved respirator 5 Work in a confined area only if it is well ventilated or while wearing an air supplied respirator 6 Have a recognized specialist in Industrial Hygiene or Environmental Services check the operation and air quality and make recommendations for the specific welding situation Follow OSHA guidelines for Permissible Exposure Limits PEL s and the Americ...

Page 4: ...d the work area Use a fire resistant material to cover or block all open doorways windows cracks and other openings 2 Keep ABC type fire extinguisher near work area and know how to use it 3 Maintain a safe working environment Keep the work area well lit Make sure there is adequate surrounding workspace Keep the work area free of obstructions grease oil trash and other debris 4 Do not operate welde...

Page 5: ...in welders Check for misalignment or binding of moving parts breakage of parts and any other condition that may affect the welder s operation If damaged have the welder repaired before use Many accidents are caused by poorly maintained welders 2 Have your welder serviced by a qualified repair person using only identical replacement parts This will ensure that the safety of the welder is maintained...

Page 6: ...n outlet having the same configuration as the plug If the tool must be reconnected for use on a different type of electric circuit the reconnection should be made by qualified service personnel and after reconnection the tool should comply with all local codes and ordinances 3 The plug shown NEMA 6 50p is for use on a 50 A circuit A different 250 VAC plug and outlet combination may be used provide...

Page 7: ...American Wire Gauge Specifications Power Input 240VAC 60Hz 24A Welding Output DCEN DCEP 30 180A Capacity 18 gauge 0 048 to 5 16 0 3125 mild steel Not for welding aluminum Rated Duty Cycle 20 at 140A See explanation on page 16 Open Circuit Voltage 42 KVA 5 75 Wire Speed 30 650 IPM Cable Sizes Ground 6 7 AWG Torch 6 7 AWG Power 3 wire 6 5 12 AWG 6 50P NEMA plug type Wire Spool Capacity up to 10 lb s...

Page 8: ...ilm from both sides of the filter lens Slide the filter lens into the Face Shield behind the holding tabs Make sure that the filter lens fits securely and that light cannot leak around its edges Handle Face Shield viewed from front A A B B Round Tab Face Shield viewed from back Filter Lens Setup Read the ENTIRE IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION section at the beginning of this manual including all text...

Page 9: ... Spool and all remaining wire from the liners 4 Place the new Wire Spool over the Spool Spindle and on top of the lower Spool Plate as illustrated To prevent wire feed problems set the Spool so that it will unwind clockwise 5 Secure Spool in place with the upper Spool Plate narrower end against the Spool then the Spool Spring and Spool Knob MIG 180 WIRE FEED WELDER ITEM 62181 WIRE FEED SPEED 240VA...

Page 10: ... welding you will do see chart on welder c With assistance set the cylinder not included onto a shelf or cart near the welder and secure the cylinder in place with two straps not included d Remove the protective cap from the cylinder if present Stand to the side of the valve opening and open the valve briefly to blow dust and dirt from the valve opening Close the cylinder valve e Obtain an appropr...

Page 11: ...operly match the wire size marked on the Wire Spool a Twist the Feed Roller Knob about 1 3 of a turn counterclockwise until it stops b Pull the Feed Roller Knob straight off to expose the Feed Roller c Flip the Feed Roller as needed and confirm that the number facing you is the same as the wire diameter on the Spool 0 8mm 0 030 0 6mm 0 023 d Place the Feed Roller Knob back into place in the same o...

Page 12: ... the Wire Liners 11 Swing the wire feed swing arm down and swing the feed tensioner up to latch it across the tip of the arm Make sure the Welding Wire is resting in the bottom groove of the Feed Roller then turn the feed tensioner knob clockwise a couple of turns After the wire is held by the tensioner you may release it 12 Pull the Nozzle to remove it 13 Turn the Contact Tip counterclockwise and...

Page 13: ...et and turn the welder ON 16 Point the Torch away from all objects and press the trigger until the wire feeds through two inches The wire liner may come out with the welding wire this is normal just push the wire liner back into the Torch If the wire does not feed properly and the Spool is stationary turn the welder OFF unplug it and slightly tighten the feed tensioner clockwise before retrying MI...

Page 14: ... set properly 18 TURN THE WELDER OFF 19 Select a Contact Tip that is compatible with the welding wire used The pre installed Tip is 0 035 Slide the Contact Tip over the wire and thread it clockwise into the Torch Tighten the Contact Tip 20 Replace the Nozzle and cut the wire off at 1 2 from tip 1 2 stickout 21 Swing the Door closed lift the door latch press on the bottom center of the Door until t...

Page 15: ...tal and low carbon steel without shielding gas MIG welding uses solid core wire and shielding gas and is used to weld sheet metal and low carbon steel MIG welding can also be used to weld thinner workpieces than flux core welding can Good welding takes a degree of skill and experience Practice a few sample welds on scrap before welding your first project Additional practice periods are recommended...

Page 16: ...s on Current Switch This controls the output amperage of the welder Adjust this according to the weld settings chart to achieve a good weld Wire Speed Dial This controls the speed that the welding wire feeds out of the welding Torch and adapts output amperage somewhat Adjust this according to the weld settings chart to achieve a good weld Power Cord Plug the Power Cord into a properly grounded 240...

Page 17: ...ature welder failure This welder has an internal thermal protection system to help prevent this sort of over stress When the unit overheats it automatically shuts down and the Overload Indicator lights then the welder automatically returns to service after cooling off Rest the Torch on an electrically non conductive heat proof surface such as a concrete slab well clear of the ground clamp while al...

Page 18: ...N Current A B B C D F Wire Feed 3 5 6 8 9 10 Metal Thickness Note The charts below are only intended to show general guidelines for different wire sizes and for different thicknesses of material The settings should only be used at the beginning of a weld and must be adjusted after stopping and carefully inspecting the weld Proper welding takes experience Flux Weld Settings DCEN Polarity NO GAS Mat...

Page 19: ...o hold both sides securely while allowing the weld to penetrate fully into the joint The edges of thicker workpieces may need to be chamfered or beveled to allow proper weld penetration 3 Clamp Ground Cable to bare metal on the workpiece near the weld area or to metal work bench where the workpiece is clamped 4 Set the Wire Speed Dial and the Current Switch to the desired settings Refer to the cha...

Page 20: ...ess of breath 5 Gas shielded solid core wire only Open gas tank valve and adjust regulator flowmeter to flow rate indicated on chart 6 Flip the Power Switch to the OFF position then plug the Welder into a dedicated 240 VAC receptacle that matches the plug The circuit must be equipped with delayed action type circuit breaker or fuses 7 Hold the Torch without touching the Trigger with the wire and t...

Page 21: ...ed see 6 page 4 for guidelines is used then both hands can be used to control Torch 4 Direct the welding wire straight into the joint This gives an angle of 90 straight up and down for butt end to end welds and an angle of 45 for fillet T shaped welds 5 The end of torch should be tilted so that wire is angled anywhere in between straight on and 15 in the direction you are welding The amount of til...

Page 22: ...ons in the Welding Tips section starting on the next page After making any necessary adjustments continue to weld while carefully following the DUTY CYCLE guidelines as explained on page 17 CAUTION Weld will be hot do not touch 8 When the weld is complete lift the Torch and welding wire clearly away from any grounded object and turn the Power Switch off 9 Set the Torch down on a heat proof electri...

Page 23: ...his off Be careful not to damage the weld or base material 2 Then use the Wire Brush to further clean the weld or use an angle grinder sold separately to shape the weld Chipping Hammer Wire Brush Strike Test A test weld on a PIECE OF SCRAP can be tested by using the following procedure WEAR ANSI APPROVED SAFETY GOGGLES DURING THIS PROCEDURE WARNING This test WILL damage the weld it is performed on...

Page 24: ...er How to increase workpiece heat and increase penetration to weld THICKER workpieces properly How to reduce workpiece heat and limit penetration to weld THINNER workpieces properly a Increase weld current b Weld more slowly c Use faster wire feed d Use shorter stickout a Decrease weld current b Weld more quickly c Use slower wire feed d Use longer stickout TO CORRECT or MIG 180 WIRE FEED WELDER I...

Page 25: ... Problems Penetration Workpiece Heat Control Weld Not Adhering Properly Gaps present between weld and previous bead or between weld and workpiece See areas below POSSIBLE CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS 1 Incorrect welding technique Place stringer bead at correct place in joint Adjust workpiece position or weld angle to permit proper welding to bottom of piece Pause briefly at sides during weave bead Keep ar...

Page 26: ...ly for type of welding 2 Insufficient shielding gas MIG only Increase flow of gas Clean nozzle Maintain proper stickout 3 Incorrect shielding gas MIG only Use shielding gas recommended by wire supplier 4 Dirty workpiece or welding wire Clean workpiece down to bare metal Make certain that wire is clean and free from oil coatings and other residues 5 Inconsistent welding speed Maintain steady weld s...

Page 27: ...plugged from the electrical outlet before proceeding 2 Turn the Nozzle counterclockwise while pulling to remove 3 Scrub the interior of the Nozzle clean with a wire brush 4 Examine the end of the Nozzle The end should be flat and even If the end is uneven chipped melted cracked or otherwise damaged the Nozzle will adversely effect the weld and should be replaced 5 Turn the Contact Tip counterclock...

Page 28: ...14 2 Replace with the proper tip for wire used 3 Loosen torch securing bolt and push torch end into housing just enough so that it does not touch wire feed mechanism 4 Have a qualified technician inspect and repair replace as necessary Welding arc not stable 1 Wire not feeding properly 2 Incorrect contact tip size 3 Incorrect wire feed speed 4 Loose Torch cable or ground cable 5 Damaged Torch or l...

Page 29: ...17 2 Qualified technician must check and secure replace Trigger Power switch does not light when switched on 1 Unit is not connected to outlet properly 2 Outlet is unpowered 3 Circuit supplies insufficient input voltage or amperage 4 Plug does not have correct rating 1 Verify the voltage at the outlet and the connection to the outlet 2 Check circuit breaker GFCI devices if any are tripped determin...

Page 30: ...470K Input AC 240V 60Hz Output S1 1 2 3 4 5 6 TR Parts List Record Serial Number Here Note If product has no serial number record month and year of purchase instead Note Some parts are listed and shown for illustration purposes only and are not available individually as replacement parts Part Description Qty 1 Screw M6 16mm 2 2 Handle 1 3 Housing 1 4 Screw M4 10mm 14 5 Reactor 1 6 Main Transformer...

Page 31: ...questions please call 1 888 866 5797 Item 62181 SAFETY MAINTENANCE BASIC WELDING WELDING TIPS SETUP Assembly Diagram 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 38 39 36 ...

Page 32: ...so the above limitation of exclusion may not apply to you THIS WARRANTY IS EXPRESSLY IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS To take advantage of this warranty the product or part must be returned to us with transportation charges prepaid Proof of purchase date and an explanation of the complaint must accompany the merchandise If o...

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