welder setting

ericlb

Well-known Member
i got a question, im using my miller 225 welder and welding 2 3/8 pipe to 3/16th plate using 7018 rod, its ok, but i have the welder set at the arc sign,where i usually weld fence pipe, and its looking strange and i dont think its penetrating the plate much as i dont see a burn circle on the other side, it does seem to weld the pipe fine and will burn through it if i linger with the puddle. although i havent been able to knock the plate off the pipe with a small hammer should the welder be set at + ? or what, im making 18 underground mounts for new park benches that the rich people didnt think to order, and id hate to have it fail and dump some rich old lady on her fanny
 
"Arc sign?"

Since you mentioned + too, I think you mean you have the welder set on AC. + means DC electrode positive. - means DC electrode negative.

Does this "arc sign" look like a sideways backwards S? That would be the universal symbol for AC.

AFAIK, 7018 should be used on DC electrode positive for best results.
 
You did not state what diameter electrode you are using . If it is 1/8" DC [and AC] amps should be set at between 90-150. For 3/32" rod amps set at 80-110. These figure are not set in stone but a guideline.If there are no markings for amperage on your machine get out your Miller manual and see what the symbols represent.Both surfaces must be clean.
 
When I taught welding the first thing I did was put a piece of tape over the numbers on the amperage dial, did the same thing when giving a welding test to a potential employee. If a welder can"t turn a welder on,put a 7018 rod in the holder(any size) weld on any thickness plate and burn 1/2 of an electrode and tell if the machine is on AC -DC Straight or DC reverse, too hot or too cold, he"s not a welder.
 
This will get you in the ball park. For 6011 or 6010 set the machine 15 amps for every 1/32" of welding rod. 3/32" 6011 45 amps, that gives you a starting point, thicker metal, higher amps.

For 7018 you can double that, 3/32" 7018, 85 amps. 1/8" 7018, 120 amps. This is what I ran with DC electrode positive, an AC machine might be different. Haven't ran one of those in years, can't remember back that far.

Those numbers are just a starting point.
 
You didn"t say if the pipe or plate was galvanized so I"ll warn you about this for safety. Welding galvanized metal creates zinc gas which is deadly. A good respirator is needed or you will become very sick or worse.

Larry
 
thanks guys, no galvanized material ,1 bad experience years ago and i stay away from that stuff, just mild pipe and plate, while i can weld, im not a welder, if i was i would be making a living at it not scratching one out on a dry dirt farm lol my usual welding is pipe and pole fence or fixing a gate hinge or something, anything will work for that, but i dont want to get a phone call telling me one of these broke and dumped somebody, i got goat-roped into doing this and all i can do is do it and go on,finally got all 36 pieces cut out and ready to weld going to try dc and these settings
 
Never had the need to weld a chamber pot. I have ran 45 amps on 16 gauge sheet metal many times. Thin wall tubing also. I have ran 3/32" 6011 below 45 amps also.
 
Usually 6010 is used as a polarity check but I agree that the numbers on the dial mean nothing. It's common to set your heat on a piece of scrap and I've never seen a shop complain about that as long as the finished weld looked good. That said around 45 amps with 3/32" 6011 is too cold unless you're welding really thin sheet metal. Even then on an AC buzz box, you'd have trouble striking an arc. On 3/16" you should be up in the 75 amp range anyways. The dial is useful for repeat settings once you know the particular machine.
 
Mr. Stick, It was 36 coupe who pretty much said that 45 amps was way too cold if not impossible for 3/32" 6011. 6011 is harder to light than 6010, if you burn a lot of 6011 you get experience and can light it up with no problem even at low amps for thin stuff.

One of my apprentices gave me the number of 15 amps for every 1/32" of electrode diameter. After thinking about it 20 amps per 1/32" would have been a better number to get you in the ball park. That would have given a starting point of 60 amps for 3/32", then the machine could have been adjusted up or down depending on metal thickness and position.

If you would have done the math 15 amps per 1/32" would have put the machine at 60 amps for 1/8" 6011. That is way cold. 20 amps per 32nd would have given a better starting point of 80 amps. Then adjust up or down. I usually run 1/8", 6011 at 90 amps or so depending on machine.

I once used a gas driven Hobart that I had to turn down to below 80 amps to run a 1/8", 7018 vertical up. The Hobart was a temporary rental. The shop machine was the 350 Miller Scyrowave that did a good job at around 100 amps for the same weld.

Below is a electrode amperage chart off a welding supply web site. I don't agree with all the numbers on the chart especially the higher numbers. But it giver you a range depending on machine. This chart did not copy and paste too well but I am sure you can figure it out.

Electrode Amperage Chart

Electrode Dia. in. Dia. mm Amperage Range
6011
3/32 2.4 40-85
1/8 3.2 70-120
5/32 4.0 80-160
6013
1/16 1.6 20-45
5/64 2.0 45-80
3/32 2.4 70-105
1/8 3.2 100-150
5/32 4.0 145-200
7014
3/32 2.7 75-100
1/8 3.2 100-160
5/32 4.0 135-225
7018, 7018 AC
3/32 2.4 70-120
1/8 3.2 90-160
5/32 4.0 130-210
You are currently viewing:
Electrode Amperage Chart

That chart did not copy and paste too well.
 
(quoted from post at 14:41:40 03/26/13) thanks guys, no galvanized material ,1 bad experience years ago and i stay away from that stuff, just mild pipe and plate, while i can weld, im not a welder, if i was i would be making a living at it not scratching one out on a dry dirt farm lol my usual welding is pipe and pole fence or fixing a gate hinge or something, anything will work for that, but i dont want to get a phone call telling me one of these broke and dumped somebody, i got goat-roped into doing this and all i can do is do it and go on,finally got all 36 pieces cut out and ready to weld going to try dc and these settings

So... If you're so concerned let's talk about whether or not you've got your welder set properly.

Do you understand the settings on the welder, and what they do?

What is this "arc sign" you are talking about?
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top