Ok... it was a over 100 degrees here when I ran into this, but still. I had make to three butt welds the other day in 3" 3/16 wall square tube. I have welded it before and it came out ok, but I had 3 welds to make all at once. By the time I got to the third one my 212 was welding like crap. I couldn't finish the third weld before the overheat started tripping off. Then I went, "Doh! That's why it was welding like crap." If I had been using my China box flux core I wouldn't have thought twice about it, but this was the first time I ever overheated the Miller.
Anyway, I was wondering if I might have been able to weld longer and finish the job if I'ld been using lighter wire? I have copper coated .035 in it. I don't have a problem setting it aside and using smaller wire if I can weld longer.
Speaking of the Chinese welder. I used it to finish the job. LOL.
(I don't actually do much steel welding in the shop. Mostly aluminum. In the field I use the Chinese welder because I can power it off 120V, and I can carry it with one hand. Flux core also seems to work better outdoors.)