Stick welding from a TIG terminal (with arc start)

Ive done it with mine..big issue is getting the rod too close to my leg. Really smarts when you do that....

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the shit out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner

I need to know if this is possible ....... I have recently purchased a TIG only machine. This machine only has an earth outlet , gas outlet and Tig gun fitting , .... So can I somehow hook up an electrode holder/lead to the TIG gun fitting .....

Can this cause any harm to machine or operator....

Thanks Hotshod

Gunner Asch wrote:

It works fine for my machine. I cannot say anything universal, I am just a welding newbie who likes arc starting when using stick.

The manual for my Syncrowave 250 has a warning (in several places) *not* to use HF arc starting when running stick. They give no explanation as to why not to use it though. I assume it's the probability of the operator getting HF zapped every time they change the rod.

Of course on the Syncrowave you could leave the output contactor in remote mode and use a finger button remote which would let you have the output and HF off when changing rods.

Pete C.

Is there the possibility to fit a Dinse socket inplace of the TIG fitting ...... This would be going on to a scratch start type of TIG machine , (real basic )...... the only adjustment is for amps via a knob, ...This is the machine I'm referring to .....

BUT I would love to know if I can adapt it to stick welding....

Thanks hotshod

Certainly you can hang an extra connector off of it.

On my Syncrowave there are large stud terminals for the output connections and on the torch / stick output stud I have the TIG power / water adapter (water cooled torch) and a big lug on top of that with a foot of cable and a female Tweeko connector. The TIG torch is always connected, when I'm not using it I put a rubber cap over it and coil it and the cable into a metal case I bolted to the top of the welder. The stick electrode holder is on a 25' cable with a Tweeko plug that I connect when I need it.

On the unit you referenced it has an air cooled TIG torch and they have a separate connector for a trigger switch apparently. Looks like they just use a thread on connector for both shielding gas and power to the torch. You just need to find of make a brass fitting to fit the connection on the welder and either directly connect to the cable to the stick electrode holder, or connect to a standard connector like the Dinse you mention. Could probably take a hunk of brass and machine a one piece adapter / Dinse socket. Obviously you just leave the gas cylinder off when using stick.

The other option would be to open the unit and tap off on the back side of the torch connector and hang a Dinse socket on the side of the welder or something.

Pete C.

I wonder if it has to do with surge currents burning the series winding in the output lead ? I suspect this is switched out in stick. It might be ok for TIG as it may not surge as high since it is coming off the controller while stick is more coming from the transformer.

It might also indicate that the machine won't filter the power line when in stick mode for the RF grade generated.. Subtle hints - one never knows.

Martin

Martin Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH, NRA Life NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

Pete C. wrote:

On my welder, both tig and stick terminals are wired almost the same, except that the tig terminal has high frequency high voltage added.

Hi pete,

That is sort of what I was thinking of ...... If you view from the above link , you can see the 3 connections ......from R-L ...... 1.. + Earth lead dinse fitting . ... 2.. Torch fitting that has 2 fine pins with in the connector .... 3.. screw on gas fitting.

Now this 3rd item, the gas fitting , in the Chinese written manual describes it as ..."Electric & Gas Connector" Both 2 & 3 fittings are part of the TIG gun lead . BUT surely no power is run thru the gas fitting.

Another difference is that my other Inverter TIG , has a similar gun fitting but with 4 pins ..... So does thisTIG only have 2 pins because it is a scratch-lift TIG and no HF start ..???

So If I was try and stick weld with this jigger , I would subsitute the #2 Torch connector for a Dinse fitting ..... and label it - NEG for Electrode lead and holder ...... Thus eliminating anything to do with #3 the gas connector

So Many questions ..... Confusion reigns...!!!

Thanks

That's exactly what is happening, the power lead is within the gas hose and the electrical connection is the gas fitting. My water cooled torch is similar in that the power lead is inside one of the two water hoses to / from the torch.

Probably not, just a different connector. HF is carried with the power, not separate. The extra pins are probably for remote current control.

Pete C.

On the Syncrowave there is only one output terminal used for both TIG and stick. It's all on the controller as you say, since it has a very helpful "arc control" feature that when switched on will automatically boost the output current when the arc voltage drops.

When you are about to stick the rod it just gooses the current which burns the rod back so you don't stick it. A very nice feature for those of us who don't do much stick work. According to the graph in the manual, when the arc control is set at max and the main current is set at it's max of 310A, the arc control can push the output to like 450A at near short circuit. Obviously not for long, but pretty impressive.

Since the HF selector is just a toggle switch for start-off-continuous it's pretty unlikely that it switches anything out on the output circuit. The only high current selector control is the DCEP-DCEN-AC selector.

Pete C.

Interesting.

That's a great feature. I must say that, once started, my rods did not stick. I have some "arc force" selector whose purpose is unclear to me, but I suspect that it has something to do with the inductance in the path.

I see. That's nice. I am trying to convert my welder to DC/Squarewave also.

I have the Syncrowave 180 Tig & Stick from Miller.

Martin Martin Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH, NRA Life NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

Pete C. wrote: