I've been meaning to ask, has anyone tried and succeeded when using DCEN with either the rod or work prefluxed with AL Flux.
It would appear that this would solve the issues. It is strange I've never heard this mentioned so I'd assume is isn't viable but I have to ask the question anyways :)
This is kinda like me trying AL wire with a C25 mixture. Not pretty except for the first micro droplet that resulted from me fluxing the stickout.
You can tig with the electrode negative. You'll want to clean very well as you'll get no cleaning action from your process, and you'll find that the oxide accumulates 'till you have to stop to clean it off again, but it works.
I don't know about the flux, never tried that.
John
I haven't either but given it works for OAW, I can't see why there would be an issue with DCEN.
Someone willing to give it a shot?
-CAL
Ernie, anyone, willing to give it a shot? Seems the flux would wet the oxides no different from what you would see in OAW and the DCEN would minimize the heat on the torch.
I suspect that at 12,000 degF the flux would vaporize and contaminate the weld area.
Willing to give it a quick try :)
Thanks Glenn! I hoped it would be different than my result with MIG (I thought the C02 and vaporized wire was the pblm)
Did you flux the material too? Ernie is probably right (imagine that ) that the flux is being burned.
-CAL
Yes, I fluxed everything and brushed it with stainless brush. I prepped it just like I would for OA and it actually started to work for about the first
1/4" or so then went ugly as the flux turned into black nasty stuff. I was using stock that I had been practicing on with the A/C TIG and the welds with that were very nice. I even ran some DCEP welds just to prove to myself it was the flux. Next time I fire up the big TIG I may try some flux just for grins to see if I still get the black sludge. Glenn
Oh well, :) Maybe a silica based flux would be better. I think I will pick up a 150STH next week and play around with it. Now all I need is Ernies parts list to rig the 150 for DCEP.
Thanks Glenn,
-CAL
All you need to run DCEP on a Maxstar 150 is a valve body torch. Run the gas directly from the tank to the torch, not through the machine.
New thought. Do you think the flux on an Al electrode would stand the heat better?
-CAL
Oh, I thought you just intercepted the gas from the ground side and routed it to postitive.
New torch works too :)
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