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TROUBLESHOOTING: GENERAL GUIDE
Possible Solutions
Inspect ground cable for loose connections, fraying and cuts. Correct
any problem areas found. Clean clamping area to insure good contact.
Securely attach the ground cable to the workpiece, as close as possible
to the point of welding. Make sure there is a good connection to the
welding power source.
Check to make sure the power connection on the power source is tight,
the connection on the wire feeder is tight, the connection to the adaptor
block is tight, and the connection of the gun to the adaptor block is tight.
Remove handle assembly and adaptor support. Check to insure the
Bikox connection to the swanneck is tight and the Bikox connection to
the adaptor block is tight.
Visually inspect the Bikox assembly for cuts and tears. Replace the Bikox
assembly if necessary.
Remove nozzle from gun and inspect contact tip and tip holder/gas dif-
fuser for wear and tightness; replace or tighten as necessary.
Note complete weld parameters, including welding current (Amps),
welding voltage, wire feed speed, type and size of wire, type of gas
and fIow rate of gas and consult your local Authorized ABICOR Binzel
a Distributor.
Remove swanneck and inspect interface for dirt build-up. Periodic clean-
ing is necessary.
Problems/Causes
AIR-COOLED GUN
RUNNING TOO HOT
Poor ground.
Loose power connection.
Loose Bikox connection.
Damaged Bikox assembly.
Consumable items loose
or worn.
Capacity of gun being
exceeded.
Dirty connection
Approximate x and y measurements are in millimeters and are taken from the end of the contact tip with spray arc set-up.
A1-22
A1-45
A1-60
SWANNECK DIMENSIONS: ALPHA 1 SLIP-ON
TROUBLESHOOTING: GENERAL GUIDE
Possible Solutions
Set the wire feed rate and voltage in accordance with good welding
practices as recommended by a qualifi ed welding engineer.
Adjust the wire feed and voltage so that the arc is in accordance with
good welding practice for the joint to be welded. The distance from the
contact tip to the workpiece should be 15 times the welding wire diam-
eter. If the arc is too long there will be spatter, usually in the direction of
the weld.
If the contact tip becomes worn the welding wire will not be in constant
contact with the tip and the arc will become unstable. A contact tip con-
taminated with spatter will cause uneven wire feed resulting in further
spatter.
The angle of the gas nozzle relative to the workpiece should be between
45 to 90 degrees. If the angle is too small, the wire runs parallel to the
weld pool, resulting in spatter in the direction of welding.
Have the power source checked for faulty conditions such as broken
wires and faulty contacts.
A great deal of spatter occurs if the stick-out is too great and if the
welding gun is held too far from the workpiece when striking the arc.
Try to start with as short a stick-out as possible and with the welding gun
as close to the starting point as possible. If a large ball end is formed
on the end of the welding wire, remove it by cutting the wire with sharp
wire cutters. It is helpful if the wire is cut to a point. Always remove the
ball end before striking an aluminum arc. Check the welding ground
connection.
Check the user manual for your power supply or consult a qualifi ed
welding engineer.
Uneven wire feed gives rise to heavy spatter. Find the cause of the
disturbance and correct the condition before proceeding.
Paint, mill scale, rust and other contamination on the base metal form
an insulating layer causing an unstable arc that results in heavy spatter.
Clean the surfaces to be welded.
Inspect ground cable for loose connections, fraying and cuts. Cor-
rect any problem areas found and attach the ground cable directly
to the workpiece after having cleaned the contact surface fi rst. POOR
GROUND CONTACT IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF UNSTABLE
MIG WELDING CONDITIONS.
The stick-out should be 15 times the diameter of the wire electrode being
used. With increasing stick-out, the current is reduced and the arc volt-
age rises, giving a longer unstable arc and increased spatter.
Check for correct polarity. Follow the electrode manufacturer’s recom-
mendations.
Problems/Causes
SPATTER
Too fast or too slow wire
feed for the arc voltage.
Too long an arc.
Damaged contact tip.
Inclination of welding gun
too great.
Faulty power source.
Incorrect start.
Incorrect pulse
parameters.
Uneven wire feed.
Impurities on the base
metal.
Poor ground contact.
Too long stick-out
(short-arc welding).
Incorrect polarity.
