Ignorant question .......

[jethro]

I should know this .... I know... but I don't.
You see my previous welders were from 1969 and 1950 or so.
Now I have the dynasty 200 dx and I LOVE it.
I have only just started to stick weld with it. It has a control called "Dig" which
can be adjusted from 0 to 100. The manual didn't explain what dig is. I called
miller and the fellow I talked to ,while helpfull, appairently wasn't a welder and
really couldn't/ didn't explain what dig is doing.
I am guessing it is something to do with penetration or a "hard" - "soft" adjustment.
But none of my old welders had that! Can some one clue me in ???????

My appologies in advance for having to ask a "did you try plugging it in" question !

I also just got a new hood. 3m 9100x . WOW its GREAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
100% reccomend it to anyone. With the see through side pannels I can walk through
the shop and not even have to raise it if I don't want to ! Crystal clear too !

Tim

[tanglediver]

Tell you what, bring it over to my place and I'll try it out for awhile and get back to you, how's that sound?

[Boostinjdm]

Originally Posted by tanglediver

Tell you what, bring it over to my place and I'll try it out for awhile and get back to you, how's that sound?

On the off chance that I am closer, I'll offer the same deal.

[ExpatWelder]

"Dig" control on a Miller is the same as "Arc" control on a Lincoln ,(hard, soft)---essentially it's inductance. Sometimes when I am welding a bore with a bore welder and using a power source without these adjustments, I will take a 4" or so piece of pipe that's a couple feet long, or a similar sized piece of solid stock and wrap 4 or so turns of my ground lead around it, try it and maybe wrap a few more turns or take a couple off, this does the same thing as using the dig, or arc control.--Matt

[turner]

I had the same question back when I got a Dynasty, which was my first machine designed as an inverter TIG. Best description I ever saw was the one on the Miller site:
http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...rticle108.html

I know since you've stick welded before, and if you've had lots of hood time, you know exactly what happens as you increase and decrease arc length...
Increase arc length = increase voltage and decrease amperage
decrease arc length = decrease voltage and increase amperage
So, you use this "characteristic" to your advantage depending on the circumstance to manipulate weld quality and appearance.

So, CC Inverters are designed to maintain CC (obviously ), and thus when stick welding you don't necessarily get the results you expect when increasing or decreasing arc length as described above (the CC inverter is "fighting the change"), thus the DIG control. DIG is arc force control and basically allows you to tailor the volt/amp curves. When arc length decreases to a point where voltage drops below a certain level, DIG will kick in and boost the amperage of the welder.

So, bottom line, it's about controlling how the CC inverter machine responds to arc length changes.

Anyway, I won't try to re-invent the wheel here, have a looksee at the link above, it should clear up the mystery for you.

[jethro]

Thanks Turner !
I suspected it was something to do with hard/soft. But the CC part does make it
conceptualy more complicated. I will definately go to your miller link (hope it still works)

For all you guys anxious to try out me new welder you should know it is a package deal
that includes a huge oak chair which has copepr ankle straps and a copper beanie.
You have to wear that while you test it...... but you have to supply your own fire extinguisher ! I hope that doesn't shock anyone...
You can also get "fries with that" too ! (well done of coarse)

The ONLY way the dynasty 200 dx could be better is if it was the 350 !

Tim

[rlitman]

I recall reading about dig in my manual, and just found it in the manual online (page 34):

DIG - If the Stick process is active (see
Section 5-8), use control to set amount of
DIG. When set at 0, short-circuit amper-age at low arc voltage is the same as normal welding amperage.
When setting is increased, short-circuit
amperage at low arc voltage increases.
Application:
Control helps arc starting or making ver-tical or overhead welds by increasing
amperage at low arc voltage, and re-duces electrode sticking while welding.


This is not really inductance (but it will feel similar). Inductance will help a transformer machine maintain it's current as arc voltage rapidly drops in a short arc. An inverter doesn't need that, as with dig set to 0, the Dynasty will happily maintain the current you selected over a wide range of voltages.
With dig at it's maximum, the Dynasty will provide a burst of power just when you think you may stick a rod.