[Poland308]

Sometimes spatter is a sign of long arc. If your running real hot and long arcing then it's possible the electronics might be sensing the fluctuations as a fault and then dropping the arc.

[wheresmejumper]

You are pushing the machine beyond its limit.
its 25% @ 175a max.when you combine arc force and hot start you are running a lot more heat than the presetting you select.
turn it down,and turn the arc force down low or close to zero.you do not want it high running 7018

[getherdone]

OK....So today I tested a few of the same 7018 electrodes on flat plate, and some cheap Chinese Blue Demon 7018. Zero issues with arc extinguishing...

except for one I tried at 125amps as someone recommended...rod was sticking several times on start, poor arc that kept wanting to die out...slag very hard to remove. No good.

Ran one very hot at 160 amps with dig set way high trying to duplicate previous problem...and no problem arose. It actually ran OK, albeit with the spatter you see. Best runs were between 140-150...with the slag peeling off far easier on the hotter runs.

The popcorn ugliness you see in the corner of the C channel was my very first attempt at vertical uphill 7018...z weave pattern. What the hell am I doing wrong there? Guessing I need a gap in plate, or T joint for the weld to cling to?

Thanks again.

[Edgewalker]

For consideration...from the machine door panel/manual.

High amperage shouldn't cause rod to snuff out though should it? And rods have not been open say a month, always kept in plastic container inside. But...will try some newer rods and see. Trick will be duplicating the same kind of joint as things went smooth on flat plate....

That chart is strange. Are you positive those are amps settings? I don't care how thick the base metal is, running 1/8 inch 6013 at 175 amps, as the chart shows, is crazy. My SMAW class is tomorrow. I will get some pics of a 6013 at 175 amps. Is the manual with that chart available online?

[Poland308]

If your just starting out try some 7018 3/32 rod it will make it a little easier to see what your doing beacause you don't have to travel as fast.

[Edgewalker]

Some Tests

IMG_4434.JPG (69.18 KiB) Viewed 2137 times

Bottom Left: 7018 DCEP 120A Fillet Weld
Bottom Right:7018 DCEP 150A Fillet Weld
Left Going up: 7018 DCEP 120A Stringer Vertical Up
Right Going Up: 7018 DCEP 150A Stringer Vertical Up
TopCenter: 6013 DCEN 120A 1F position
Center 2nd down: 6013 DCEN 150A 1F position
Center 3rd Down: 6010 DCEP 90A 1F position
Center 4th Down: 6010 DCEP 120A 1F Psition

[Otto Nobedder]

Just to avoid future confusion, the "F" in "1F" means "fillet". The welds in the center of the picture are actually 1-G (for Groove, even though there's no groove there). Assuming they were done flat... the "1" in 1G.

Steve S

[Edgewalker]

Ah. I was in quite a hurry. Thanks for clearing that up. I guess its like a hardfacing weld. I mostly wanted to makes sure that everyone knew it was welded in the Flat position, not vertical. I know what "G" and "F" stands for.

[Otto Nobedder]

Ah. I was in quite a hurry. Thanks for clearing that up. I guess its like a hardfacing weld. I mostly wanted to makes sure that everyone knew it was welded in the Flat position, not vertical. I know what "G" and "F" stands for.

I wasn't "calling you out." I knew you knew better. I figured fast cell phone fingers. I just wanted to be sure some green hand didn't read that and absorb...

Steve S

[Edgewalker]

No worries. I wanted to point out the spatter on the right where I was running the 7018 hot because the guy had mentioned spatter.

[getherdone]

Got a photo/clue of original issue today!

This time with 6013 overhead, lower amperage. In this picture set at 90 amps...but you can see that the last arc spiked up to 168amps - which exceeds what the machine can do.

PS- For 1/8" 6013 on 10gauge the door chart of machine suggests 75-95amps - and it defaults to 85. I was welding casters to circa 3/16" galvanized tube....and at 85 amps just could not get rod going...stick every time...and if I could get an arc going by wiggling loose it was very, very weak. And yes, those settings in photo of earlier post are taken direct from the Lincoln manual - which is also on the door chart. Is it safe to say.....these numbers a bit higher than average...and perhaps the machine a bit weaker than they suggest? Hell 125 amps on a friend's Miller inverter 280 was perfect for 3/8 plate to 1/4" tube...and i made some great welds with that...for a noob of course.

Move up to 90/95 amps...and this phantom issue began. Later in flat position running more towards 95+ amps had no issues.

Anyone know what the hell is going on?!

Thanks again.

pm210.jpg (49.03 KiB) Viewed 1936 times

[soutthpaw]

I run 5/32 7018 at 160 amps. 120 should be plenty for 1/8th. Arc force at about 2 hot start just about 20% above starting voltage, never ran that model machine though. Set arc force just do the arc doesn't go out when u bury the rod into the puddle. Turn it to where arc does go out and then bump it back up a little. Hot start is the same. Just bump it up to where the rod doesn't stick on your starts. You know 7018 is a drag rod that just rests on the base metal. Don't whip it like 6010.
MAKE SURE YOUR WORK CLAMP IS SECURE TO CLEAN METAL. A bad work clamp connection can cause all the issues you mentioned.

Sent from mobile. Not responsible for Typos

[getherdone]

Perhaps this is part of my trouble...both the default, and my adjusted settings for hot start and arc force have been towards the higher end of the range....mostly because I had great trouble getting arc started when this issue would arise.

Would heavy galvanizing contribute to any of these symptoms at all?

[Poland308]

YES. Galv is a PITA

[JR-Jonas]

One thing you could try is to warm the steel up a little bit usually with the 7018 1/8 I run anywhere between 90-120 amps or another thing you can try is the 7018–1 Rod

[Otto Nobedder]

Unless there is a contact issue in the leads (I would suspect the stinger, since the problem changes as you move), this is likely a machine issue. I'd check every connection, from where the stinger cable enters the connector at the machine all the way to the ground path back at the machine. If all connections are tight and there's no discolor of the copper wires, I'd consider opening the machine to check the same on the machine side of the connections.

If this all proves solid, it's time to consider the electronics, and involve the maker.

Steve S

[Tommy2069]

Ok...don't laugh too hard!

Top left of photo, a test bead ran without technical difficulties.

Lower (tight) joint between 3/8" plate and c-channel. This is where I kept grinding out porous welds that has 'snuffed out' after an inch or less time after time.

Had same issue again today on a test....seems like in the the valley of the ground out area rod would go out...or on the original joint. Try on flat like top left...or on scrap metal...tight arc, even dragging the flux across the plate, and no trouble. Today tried around 150-155amps....then gave up and finished projects with some flux core mig which went flawless. Stumped....

On one occasion (same 7018) was like someone blew out the candle...then acr started up again albeit quite weakly.

Any ideas? Thanks....

looks like a really hot machine. 155 to me is way to hot for 1/8 rods. does sound like your having a bit of machine problems too . as for as the settings i never burn a 1/8 7018 that hot i normally run at about 130 for 1/8.that splatter is probably because of the heat i seen it way to many times when i get a helper who can't get a rod to burn at the right amps so he turns up the machine so he can tack without the rod sticking every time.

D