How to Troubleshoot Welding Machines

A MIG welder is a complicated machine, unlike the stick welder. You can lose a lot of time if you must wait for someone else to fix the MIG. If you know basic troubleshooting for your welding machines, you can save a lot of time and a lot of money.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. See if the wire is feeding properly. A worn drive roller can affect the feed and cause it to slip. When you're checking, look for debris and dirt on the liner. This can also cause bird nesting. Sometimes troubleshooting welding machines is as simple as cleaning it and allowing the wire to move freely.
2. Look at the tip near the wire exit, inside of the gun. A worn out tip doesn't allow the electricity to efficiently hit and creates a lot more work on the job. Burn back can cause a bad wire.
3. Clean the welding cup of the splatter. This task seems mundane, but troubleshooting welding machines usually involves clean components. Proper gas coverage cannot occur if the cup is plugged.
4. Inspect the ground clamp. When this part is coated with oxides, electrons can't readily transfer. A bad ground clam can cause a lot of resistance and change the way that the current comes back to the machine.
5. Examine the welding cable for worn spots. A badly worn can cause problems.
6. Adjust the brake on the wire spool. Setting it too high or too low can cause problems with your machine operation.

Tips & Warnings

• Sometimes you can overlook the simplest things when you're troubleshooting welding machines, so always go from the simple to the more complex.
• Always have a qualified electrician look at the parts on the inside of the machine.
• Don't continually subject your MIG welder to thermal overload, which could cause permanent damage.