TIG, Bad argon????

[Dalzani Lima]

After months of welding aluminum boxes, today I had the impression that everything I learned disappeared. It was very difficult to execute the welds. The puddle looked a little rubbery, and the welding bead was dull and dirty. Another thing I noticed was that I heard several pops during the execution.

All the parameters I've always used were the same. The same filler rod (same lot), the same machine with the same parameters, the same procedure of cleaning the aluminum, the same torch with the same nozzle and electrode.

I replaced the gas lens with a new one, I got a new electrode, I used another filler rod, more/less gas flow and still the same bad result.

I then began to suspect the ambient temperature. The winter started suddenly, it was 25 degrees celcius yesterday and today it is around 8. I adjusted the pedal to use up to 100A if necessary but the weld bead was even worse.

I remembered then that yesterday I had changed the argon cylinder that was almost empty by a full one.

I thought that this would be unlikely to be the cause of the problem but I installed the almost empty one to test.

Everything changed! Everything went back to normal . I reinstalled the new (full) cylinder, bad results again .

I checked the gas flow on the marker with the torch running on both cylinders to be the same and not invalidate the test.

Has anyone ever had a similar problem?

Thanks all

My parameters:

Full pedal 65A.
Filler 5356.
Electrode 1.6mm, sharp.
Gas Lens number 5.
Gas flow 6 liters/min.
Welding aluminum (5052) boxes 1.5mm wall.
AC Cleaning cycle 30%

In the photos below you may be able to see the difference. Notice how the white marks of the cleaning cycle are different sizes.

Good, almost empty argon bottle (Ok i´m still a beginner. May not so good )


Bad, new full argon bottle (almost no white cleaning marks, difficult to to weld)

[motolife313]

I don't see much cleaning action.seems I've always thought a new bottle has always welded like crap for some reason. Try bumping your gas up and give it a few welds

[shovelon]

I have had bad argon on several occasions. The last big one was nitrogen contamination. The filling station was purging with nitrogen before filling. Other times the filler did not purge at all and got air and moisture contamination.

[Dalzani Lima]

I don't see much cleaning action.seems I've always thought a new bottle has always welded like crap for some reason. Try bumping your gas up and give it a few welds

This is the first time I have this problem. I tried with more gas flow but it did not work. Same result.

I have had bad argon on several occasions. The last big one was nitrogen contamination. The filling station was purging with nitrogen before filling. Other times the filler did not purge at all and got air and moisture contamination.

I assume something like this is happening. I'll ask for the argon exchange tomorrow morning.

Thanks all.

[86k10]

I had that happen to me last Fall. Grabbed a different bottle and problem solved.

[ronsii]

Never experienced it myself but have heard several people say that they have gotten bad gas at least once.

[Dalzani Lima]

Thanks all! Argon bottle replaced and now it is ok.

[henry42]

Would be nice if there was an easy way to test the gas