Question about the TigWeld 200...

[oneeyedmac]

...or, what am I doing wrong?

I have a couple of questions about the operation of my TigWeld 200. When I uese the machine in Tig mode the digital display reads 0 or 1 until I start an arc, at which point the machine is behind me and I can't see it. It also doesn't do anything different when it's in pulse mode than it does in DC. Am I missing something? I just bought a foot pedal for it but I'm waiting for a 2 pin adaptor from Longevity so I can use it. So far I'm really enjoying the machine and welding. My only regret is that I didn't start this 25 years ago when I was 20 so I could have enjoyed it longer.

Thanks in advance.

[Gadget]

It will do that with the pedal connected. Try it with no pedal, you should see the amperage as you adjust the dial then.

[rustycase]

Mac, if you change the selection into the pulse mode, and have the rate knob full counter-clockwise, use should be able to see clearly that the arc is pulsing on and off...
zap, zap, zap, zap... then, as you speed up the rate with the knob, the pulsing will not be so obvious, but it's there!

You also have peak current, and base current adjustments, right?
The base should be less than the peak so it cuts back on the pulse return... ..but Gadget could certainly explain that better than I.

...You should also be able to 'shoot blanks' ... trigger the torch in the air while adjusting the amperage, if you want to watch the digi readout...
Btr to look at how it performs on your work than interpret digi numbers.. IMO...

Ha! Wait til you do hook up the pedal and discover the machine amp setting no longer affects what is going on at the torch!
That's a bit of a thrill...
The knob on the pedal will control the max amperage you can obtain by pedaling.
(I already took my pedal apart and stretched that knob to a metal box I set on the work table... works FAR btr, for me.)
But then again, I mess with just abt everything.

Best
rc

[oneeyedmac]

Thanks for the replies. I've tried to use the pulse with the settings all the way down and all the way up and it doesn't seem to make a difference. I'll try it again tomorrow.

So the only time I'll see the digital indication of the amperage change is when the torch is on? I agree that the best way to judge would be to interperet what the work is doing but it'd be nice to have a baseline to start.

[rustycase]

Mac, you SHOULD be able to see a visible pulsing in your arc, with a slow setting on it, when in DC.
At a low rate of pulse it should go On off On Off. . . . it allows the puddle to cool in between blasts of heat from the arc.

Mess with it for a few more days, and IF you don't easily notice that effect, there may be a discrepancy you should ask tech support about...

Good luck
rc

[KHK]

The pulse width, along with up slope, and down slope can make it hard to see, and hear the pulse mode operate. Can you provide some dial settings?

[steveo928]

like some said above, unplug the foot pedal, but it sounds like you havent been able to plug the foot pedal in yet. unplug the torch control and then try it.
good luck
steveo928

[oneeyedmac]

OK, it pulses. I had the pulse setting and the base setting too close together which made the pulse invisible. When I turn the base down and the pulse up and set the frequency all the way low it's quite apparent that it's pulsing.

[rustycase]

Yah! Success !

Gosh I'm glad to hear u got that sorted out, Mac!

Some folks say the pulse is not necessary, and it may not be... yet it lends a cooling cycle to the process that can be manipulated to advantage.

These new machines are AWESOME !
rc

[steveo928]

good, remember, on longevity machines, pulse current should always be higher than the base current; it's the peak of the pulse