Any Welders Out There?

I have this new FCAW (cheap) with switches labeled Min/Max and 1/2. I know Min-1 is lowest and Max-2 is highest but I don't know the volt/amp per setting. Attached is the pic on the welder. It appears the Min-1 setting is 17V and the Max-2 setting is 20V. What is confusing is one section says 64A@17V while another says 60A@17V. Also does this mean that Min-2 = 18V and Max-1 = 19V? What is the amperage for each setting?

Hmmm...a lot of looks but no input?

ok , well i'll try to help .. i am an aluminum welder first and i've welded a bunch of other but i've never welded anything when i didn't have to just play with the adjustments.. just go with it

I always take a couple of scrap pieces of similar metal and slap a bead on them to make sure my settings are correct. In the basics of MiG welding you're just controlling the amperage and wire feed speed. Zip two pieces together and beat it with a hammer. If it holds it's good enough for me

I thought the voltage and wire feed speed are the controlled settings and the wire feed speed determines the amperage.

Buckaroo93 said:

I thought the voltage and wire feed speed are the controlled settings and the wire feed speed determines the amperage.

Click to expand...

You are correct. MIG and FCAW are CV (constant voltage). You set the voltage, and the machine does it's best to maintain that voltage, or thereabouts.

The current or amperage is somewhat controlled by the wire speed, but other factors (resistance, which can vary with arc length) greatly play into that as well. Your amperage can fluctuate all over the board.


On the contrary, Stick and TIG machines are CC (constant current). With that, they maintain the amperage, and the voltage will vary with ever changing outside factors.


I doubt the info you are looking for is published anywhere. With those real cheap import machines, you're lucky to get a manual that has words strung together coherently, any useful technical data probably isn't going to happen. You've already found misprints in some of the numbers.

I would say your guess of 18 and 19 volts, based on the pics we have, is as good as any..

Prep work is always important with wire machines but even more so with a machine you are just barely getting buy with and trying to figure out.

First thing double check your ground, double clean the steel. GO SLOW and put plenty of heat in to it. About the most common problem with wire machines is people just laying it down, "looking good!" but they may as well have rolled out a wad of chewing gum and smacked it with a hammer for all the penetration they got.