1 it will not work without the ground sense

2 voltage is dependent on fine current knob when in cv mode, depending on weldnpower voltage range may not be ideal

3 for alu yes

4 a thunderbolt will not cut it, id look for a cv inverter but that may not be in the budget.

Also of note there is a internal jumper in the 115a to switch modes cv/cc, the owners manual is kinda vague on set up but all the basics are there.

 

Thanks! An inverter machine will be a long term purchase for me, but thanks for the info. For now I guess I will set up the 115a for cc. The manual is a little vague on the setup/connections. It just shows the RC3 receptacle with the Jumper Plug, which should jump 2 to 3 for CC externally. And it says to connect the jumper lead to terminal strip 1TK at 42. I'm hoping this is obvious once I take a look. It does say is is just 12ga wire, and a clamp. I'm assuming I can make one myself? Or should I buy the Miller replacement parts?

here is a pic of my welder's faceplate. Thanks again!

 

Personally, I would set it up to run off your Weldanpower's CV mode which is where the spool gun performance will be the best and is standard MIG operation.

Yes, you can make your own CC mode voltage sensing lead.

 

Duane, I would like to run the spoolgun in the proper mode, but how do I adjust the voltage when running it in CV mode? Is it the little fine adjustment dial? How will I know what voltage I am on? The numbers are only 1-10. I need to read the fine print on the face plate i suppose. I remeber switching it to CV mode in the past, and the welder stays at idle... what could that mean?

As per usual, Duane to the rescue! Thanks!

 

I'm reading the manual now, and it says in CV mode, you need to manually switch the machine to high idle, so that takes care of that issue. But it doesn't say what the dial readings translate to. It just gives the ratings; 200 amps, 20 volts DC. 100 amps, 17-24 volts. 80 amps 19-25 volts in CV process. But I guess I'll just adjust it each time I weld and fine tune it as I go....

Thanks for the help!!

 

But I guess I'll just adjust it each time I weld and fine tune it as I go....

That's pretty much the way to do it. With all the variables you'll be dealing with (voltage, wire feed speed, wire size, stick out, material, material thickness, shielding gas, travel speed, gun angle, etc.) the voltage and WFS dials are for reference only and don't correspond to any specific value.

However, as Steve explained, take a voltage reading with the Fine Current/Voltage control at "1" and then at "10", subtract the 1 value from the 10, divide by 9 and that's the approximate difference from one reference point to the other.

Example using the figures you listed above:
Minimum = 17V
Maximum = 24V
24-17=7
7/9=.78 (rounded to 2 decimal places)
Fine Current setting reference voltages
1=17.0
2=17.78
3=18.56
4=19.34
5=20.12
6=20.9
7=21.68
8=22.46
9=23.24
10=24.02


Rounded to 1 decimal place:
1=17.0
2=17.8
3=18.6
4=19.3
5=20.1
6=20.9
7=21.7
8=22.5
9=23.2
10=24.0


Make sense?

 

Awesome. Thanks so much for your help. I'll give it a try if I can ever get to keen to fill my argon bottle. Thanksgiving is going to get in the way I'm sure. Do you think I will ever have a need to set it up for CC mode? I would need to make that voltage sensing jumper, and switch that RC3 receptacle internally which I'm sure is a pain in the d*ck.

Now I just need to find a way to store the weld control box/spool gun when I'm not using it and when on the road. I ran out of room in the service trailer.

Also, about a power source for the shop. Would an Dialarc work well? I kow it is CC but there is one for cheap locally. Just don't want to deal with the noise of the trusty weldanpower this winter. I got a few alum projects coming up. Just a thought, an XMT isn't in the cards for me now. To bad they don't make cheaper CV machines.

 

Duane, Steve, you guys are the best. I will keep you both posted on my progress in setting it up and doing some welding with it. Wish I could buy you both a beer. :drinkup:

And you said an old Miller Spoolmate 200, did you mean Millermatic 200?

 

And you said an old Miller Spoolmate 200, did you mean Millermatic 200?

Miller made a power supply specifically for use with the Spoolmatic-1 gun called Spoolmate 200. Basically the MM200 internals without the wire feeder part but one could add a stand-alone feed if they so desired.

 

Years ago I used a Dialarc setup with a 115 weld control and a Spoolmatic 3 and aolder Miller feeder. 1-16 inch wire was used in the spoolgun and it was marginal at best. The feeder ran 1-16 Fabshield wire ,again it worked, but not like a CV machine. I think the issue is not enough voltage related to the amperage.