Voltage sensing feeder

[paid-for]

I am using a voltage sensing feeder with a powcon 200sm. The feeder is an oxo
This is my first time using a voltage sensing feeder of any kind.
I am struggling with adjusting the setup.
The welder has a arc force know and amps. I currently have the arc force in the middle it seems to weld ok but not much penetration. What is the best way to be adjusting. Do I need to just crank up the amps on the welder? And when I do that will my wire speed go up with out changing the ipm on the feeder? Or should I be working more with the arc force I don't have a working voltage gauge on the welder
.

[Stick-man]

I'm not familiar with either of those units. However, I run VS feeders exclusively. They work best when your power source is a CV constant voltage unit. On the feeder there may be a switch for cc or cv, make sure it matches your powcon unit. Then you will have your positive powering your feeder, unless you're running flux core. You will have neg to the work piece, and a third clamp to the work for sensing voltage. Hope that will help i bit.

[smithdoor]

The CC type feed if voltage goes up the wire feeder speeds up.

Some voltage sensor type feeders will have stop the run away.

My self I only CV type which give better control.

Dave

I am using a voltage sensing feeder with a powcon 200sm. The feeder is an oxo
This is my first time using a voltage sensing feeder of any kind.
I am struggling with adjusting the setup.
The welder has a arc force know and amps. I currently have the arc force in the middle it seems to weld ok but not much penetration. What is the best way to be adjusting. Do I need to just crank up the amps on the welder? And when I do that will my wire speed go up with out changing the ipm on the feeder? Or should I be working more with the arc force I don't have a working voltage gauge on the welder
.

[snoeproe]

What wire and polarity are you using?

[paid-for]

i have the feed cable on the positive coming from the welder i tried it the other way and it really welded like crap. i am using standard solid core er70s-6

[Welder Dave]

For short circuiting mode it won't work properly on a CC machine in a lower voltage range. Voltage sensing feeders run on CC machines are generally used for running non critical flux-core in the field at higher volts.

[smithdoor]

FYI
Odds are the Zenner diode has die.
Low cost fix there less than $1.00 each.

Dave

i have the feed cable on the positive coming from the welder i tried it the other way and it really welded like crap. i am using standard solid core er70s-6

[Poleframer]

With a VS feeder and a CC power supply (I assume your powcon is CC only since it has no voltage dial that you mentioned) you are limited using hard wire to spray transfer with 80/20 or 90/10 gas mix run hot and fast on thicker material (1/4 and up) in the flat position. No out of position welding, I tried. But boy o boy will it stick 3/4 plate together fast and put a grin on yer face.
To do that run your amps up around 160-180 and 400-500 ipm on the wire.
The other options are flux core (gasless run DCEN) or "dual shield" with gas DCEP, also a hot fast weld, but vertical up is possible.
lower amps and wire speed works well with them.
Short circuit mig just aint gonna happen, nothing but sticking and sputtering trying to run low amps on CC.
I use a miller 8vs feeder and have run it with esab dual shield .035 that I found in 8 inch spools on fleabay, and with .035 flux core that both ran well.
Unless you can get a CV power supply, I think you want to get flux core (either) and get used to it, and maybe a cheap small 115 volt unit for short circuit mig on thin material welding. I picked up a millermatic 130 cheap that is a treat to use with .023 for small jobs.

[paid-for]

So according to the manual the unit is set up with a switch that switches it to cv vs cc. Going to play with it some more tonight

[Poleframer]

I take what you said to mean the feeder has the cc/cv switch. Yep, cc switch on the feeder, and crank up the power supply settings, go fast and just stay ahead of the weld puddle. Then get some flux core and stay cc on the feeder and see how well you can dial that in.
I like yer nick, I'm all paid up too, off grid and doing fine.\
PS, draw your gun out a bit, more like 1/2 to 3/4 inch stickout and play with that, it helps get the wire hotter as you weld.

[paid-for]

Here's a picture of the unit

[Poleframer]

Oh wow. Maybe it is a cc/cv unit. Try that gmaw switch setting, and cv on the feeder, you may have a good setup there.
Find the manual or info on that online. If you have cv yer golden.
I like having cc for stick/tig but cv (gmaw) is where you want to be for wire, and if so run your feeder cv !!!!!
And dont push that unit hard, they pretty much cant be fixed. It may well last you a long time.

[Poleframer]

Good pic, take a pic of the feeder and pm or give a shoutout to member ccawgc, he knows a hella lot more than I do and can steer you in the right direction before you let the magic smoke out of either of them. Be patient before you screw something up.

[paid-for]

Alright guys thanks. I actually just picked up a second unit for 100$ with a cobramatic feeder as well

[Poleframer]

Heh, I've found buying welders is like a good poker run, dosnt happen often, but roll with it when you can, next month everything costs 5x more for what you want.

[snoeproe]

Looks like a Cc/cv unit to me. Those old pow con welders are highly sought after. Problem is, when they break, there is little support for them anymore.

[paid-for]

Well went out and laid some beads with it. Go easy on my guys this thing welds totally different than my millermatic 200

[ccawgc]

The SM after the 300 stands for stick mig. Has 3 modes. stick , spray transfer and short arc. The switch by the display will switch between volts and amps.
weld power is your volt / amp control. Puddle control does just that. in short arc is will change the inductance and make the weld puddle wetter or stiff. Changes the shape of the weld bead.

[paid-for]

I played with the inductance and couldn't really tell much of a difference . I need to get some more steel to play around with it . I have another 300sm I want to try. When I flip the switch it reads volts but only ever read 003 amps

[Stick-man]

Oh wow. Maybe it is a cc/cv unit. Try that gmaw switch setting, and cv on the feeder, you may have a good setup there.
Find the manual or info on that online. If you have cv yer golden.
I like having cc for stick/tig but cv (gmaw) is where you want to be for wire, and if so run your feeder cv !!!!!
And dont push that unit hard, they pretty much cant be fixed. It may well last you a long time.

Like Poleframer said, you want the switch to be on GMAW. It looks like it is a three position switch. If so, put it in the middle on GMAW short. You are running ER70S-6 and I bet you gas is C25??? If so you definitely want short circuit transfer. And again, make sure your feeder is on CV also.

[ccawgc]

The inductance control does not have much affect above 22 volts.
035 and smaller wires below 22 volts you should see a lot of chance.

[smithdoor]

If is faster above 20 to 27 volts the Zenner diode has die.
The Zenner diode controls the top speed.

Dave

The inductance control does not have much affect above 22 volts.
035 and smaller wires below 22 volts you should see a lot of chance.

[paid-for]

where is the diode located in the feeder?
i also took my ground clamp apart and cleaned the connection where the cable goes into the clamp and noticed a bit of difference there

[smithdoor]

You need to look on the board
It is about 3/16 diameter and about 3/8" long.
I hope some background in electronic's

Dave

where is the diode located in the feeder?
i also took my ground clamp apart and cleaned the connection where the cable goes into the clamp and noticed a bit of difference there