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Miller Maxstar 140 amperage adjustable while hot?

I have finally turned my attention to learning to TIG weld.

This is prompted by the need to do a dicey critical weld repair to the suspension system of a Volksie baja project car.

Since the Maxstar 140 is a rudimentary TIG set which does not have a foot pedal, my question is this:

Can the amperage knob be tweaked by an assistant while an arc is being held?

Somehow, from somewhere, I have come to the understanding that on many welders this is something you must not do.

Can anybody enlighten me as to the Maxstar 140 specifically, and arc welders generally?

Thanks! Vernon

Reply to
Vernon
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I would expect one can tweak the current on a Maxstar while welding. In general you don't want to switch the welding current while welding. So no changing from straight to reverse polarity, and no changing big switches that change the current is steps. Continuous controls are probably okay.

Dan

Vern> Can the amperage knob be tweaked by an assistant while an arc is being > held?

Reply to
dcaster

Yeah, if it's a smooth-turning knob you'll be ok, it's the ones that opertate in discrete steps that'll get ticked at you if you change them under load.

John

Reply to
JohnM

Vernon, I think you need to consider another option. If you have a helper fine-tuning the current, you're going to have the inevitable problem of communication and coordination: "No, I said turn it UP! No, wait, too much, turn it DOWN! No, the OTHER down!"

I have an elegant solution for you: just take off your shoe and use your toes to adjust the knob. Voila -- no helper needed!

Who needs a foot control when you have prehensile toes? :)

Andy

P.S. If you actually try this, I want to see the picture! :)

Reply to
Andrew H. Wakefield

I'm guessing these current control knobs are just potentiometers that send an input to the microcontroller onboard... how about finding out the specs on that pot and just rig up your own pedal? Or use an old pedal, change out the pot in there, and splice it in... maybe it'll even have the correct resistance range and power and you won't have to do anything but cut the connector off and wire it up. May take some exploration, but could be a neat solution.

Reply to
stag5353

Stag,

While that's a brilliant concept, I am electrically challenged.

But I do have prehensile toes.

Therefore, I think I can "grasp" Andy's solution better.

V
Reply to
Vernon

Andy,

I have resolved to try your idea the next time I'm welding on mars.

Vernon

Reply to
Vernon

No problem ... just remember to send us the picture :)

Reply to
Andrew H. Wakefield

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