Reply to Thread

Post a reply to the thread: Mig gun won't arc

Your Message

 

Register Now

Please enter the name by which you would like to log-in and be known on this site.

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.

Please enter a valid email address for yourself.

A) Welding/Fabrication Shop
B) Plant/Production Line
C) Infrastructure/Construction/Repair or Maintenance/Field Work
D) Distributor of Welding Supplies or Gases
E) College/School/University
F) Work Out of Home

A) Corporate Executive/Management
B) Operations Management
C) Engineering Management
D) Educator/Student
E) Retired
F) Hobbyist

Log-in

Additional Options

  • Will turn www.example.com into [URL]http://www.example.com[/URL].

HTML

Topic Review (Newest First)

  • 04-23-2021
    cornchip

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    i would try returning for a refund plus extra for all the greif. then buy something good like miller.
  • 04-21-2021
    Jdevon

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Quote Originally Posted by G-ManBart View Post
    You said the "tig gun won't arc" at one point, and mentioned trying solid wire as well, which is why I asked. You need shielding gas to get a TIG arc started.
    Yep my bad was supposed to be mig gun. The tig and stick work just fine.
  • 04-21-2021
    1StopJeff

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    My issue was user error. Once I placed the torch tip 1/16" away from the material, then pressed the pedal it worked correctly. The machine has an auto stop feature so that if the gap gets too wide or I ground out then I have to let off the pedal before restarting. I had never Tig welded before. I also got a bottle of 100% argon and I don't see any difference between 100% and the 75/25 mix I use for Mig welding. So that is the resolution for my issue.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
  • 04-21-2021
    G-ManBart

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Quote Originally Posted by Jdevon View Post
    It's flux core no shielding gas welding on new clean 18 gauge steel. Doesn't matter what settings are used on all 3 welders it won't arc
    You said the "tig gun won't arc" at one point, and mentioned trying solid wire as well, which is why I asked. You need shielding gas to get a TIG arc started.
  • 04-21-2021
    TJS

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Is there a spot timer on these. Sounds like you have it on if it has one. I had a HF TIG 205. DOA out of the box. Got my money back never again.
  • 04-21-2021
    BD1

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Quote Originally Posted by Jdevon View Post
    Yes I've tried solid wire and it has the same problem. And yes it has different drivers for flux the wires feeds fine just not arcing
    Dam, time to go buy a Miller. [emoji2369]


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • 04-21-2021
    Jdevon

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Quote Originally Posted by BD1 View Post
    Does machine have drive rolls for flux core ?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Yes I've tried solid wire and it has the same problem. And yes it has different drivers for flux the wires feeds fine just not arcing
  • 04-21-2021
    BD1

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Does machine have drive rolls for flux core ?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • 04-21-2021
    BD1

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Did you try removing the flux and see if bare wire arcs ?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • 04-21-2021
    rexcormack

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    I don't own a mig so I cannot help any more.
    My one suggestion would be to post photos of the front of the machine and inside the side door.
  • 04-21-2021
    Jdevon

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Quote Originally Posted by rexcormack View Post
    Did you use the same mig gun on all three welders?
    Or ground cable for that matter?
    No all 3 I used the new gun and ground clamp that came with the welder.
  • 04-21-2021
    rexcormack

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Did you use the same mig gun on all three welders?
    Or ground cable for that matter?
  • 04-21-2021
    Jdevon

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Quote Originally Posted by BD1 View Post
    Check manual for setup instructions. Are all connections tight ?? Is material clean ? Does wire feed when trigger pressed ?
    Does Harbor Freight have tech support ??


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Yeah all connections are tight the material is brand new clean steel. All 3 would feed wire. I've called there tech support but they didn't know what a mig gun was so they were no help. Not getting any errors from the welder. At first I thought my outlet was messing something up so I ran a new 240v plug and same issues
  • 04-21-2021
    Jdevon

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Quote Originally Posted by G-ManBart View Post
    I don't think anybody has any chance of answering that without a lot more information. Setup, shielding gas, process, material....all those variables and more can change how things should work.
    It's flux core no shielding gas welding on new clean 18 gauge steel. Doesn't matter what settings are used on all 3 welders it won't arc
  • 04-21-2021
    BD1

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Check manual for setup instructions. Are all connections tight ?? Is material clean ? Does wire feed when trigger pressed ?
    Does Harbor Freight have tech support ??


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • 04-21-2021
    G-ManBart

    Re: Mig gun won't arc

    Quote Originally Posted by Jdevon View Post
    On my 3rd welder from HF and can't figure out what keeps going wrong. Started with the titanium 170. Ran a little flux core just to try it out. Got about an inch of weld down stopped for a second, went to weld again and it won't arc. Took it back upgraded to the unlimited 200. Welds less than half an inch and stopped arcing. Would stick weld but the tig gun won't arc. Changed it out for the omnipro 220, ran a new 240v outlet (the other 2 were all on 120v) got everything hooked up and the mig gun never arced once. Again I can stick and tig weld with no problems. Am I doing something wrong or are these welders that bad?
    I don't think anybody has any chance of answering that without a lot more information. Setup, shielding gas, process, material....all those variables and more can change how things should work.
  • 04-20-2021
    Jdevon

    Mig gun won't arc

    On my 3rd welder from HF and can't figure out what keeps going wrong. Started with the titanium 170. Ran a little flux core just to try it out. Got about an inch of weld down stopped for a second, went to weld again and it won't arc. Took it back upgraded to the unlimited 200. Welds less than half an inch and stopped arcing. Would stick weld but the tig gun won't arc. Changed it out for the omnipro 220, ran a new 240v outlet (the other 2 were all on 120v) got everything hooked up and the mig gun never arced once. Again I can stick and tig weld with no problems. Am I doing something wrong or are these welders that bad?

Posting Permissions

  • You may post new threads
  • You may post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Page generated in 1,713,279,022.74129 seconds with 20 queries