TIG Control Settings

By tgmedin Date 03-02-2003 14:56

We recently aquired a Miller Synchrowave 250 thats about 3 years old and we have some control setting questions that we need help with.
I keep reading all the info posted on this site and read all the references to controlling amperage and voltage for various types of applications.
Question is , on my SW250 I only have an amperage control knob. What in particular control the voltage output?
We are going to use it primarily for aluminum and stainless applications and we have experimented with AC balance and HF.
Am I missing something??

Thanks for all the past insight,

Tom

By ScottV

Date 03-02-2003 16:42

Tom,do you have the remote hand or foot control for the welder?You will need something to vary the output of the welder when welding aluminum.It's really mandatory when using your machine for aluminum.I think that's what you are asking?

By tgmedin Date 03-02-2003 19:46

Scotty,

Yes we have a foot control, but I thought this is the amperage control??

Tom

By ScottV

Date 03-02-2003 20:25

Tom,on that machine,that is it.Everything you need as for as welding current is done through the foot or on the machine with the amp control.The only other control would be the switch for ac/dc + and -

Seems like you know what the wave balance is,so you don't need anything else.It changes the voltage also,so don't worry about.

By dom Date 03-03-2003 01:02

because its a constant current power source (tig and stick) your amperage is your 'heat', controlled by your foot pedal for tig. the voltage is your arc length, if i remember right. for tig welding aluminum you should set your high frequency to continuous if your using a foot pedal and set your polarity to ac of course. on my machine i have 3 posistions on the high frequency switch. 'start'-set for dc welding, 'off'-no foot pedal used, 'cont'-set for ac welding.

By welder_guy2001 (***)

Date 03-03-2003 02:50

only MIG and Flux Core welders have a voltage control. Stick and TIG welders only have an amperage control. there are 2 different amperage controllers for a TIG welder: the knob on the machine, and the foot pedal. the knob on the machine sets the maximum amperage that the foot pedal can put out at its maximum position. meaning, if you set the knob on the machine at 20 amps, the most you'll ever get out of the machine is 20 amps, but you'll be able to vary the amps from 0-20 very easily. set the knob to 200 amps and you'll get 200 amps max., and any variable of amps from 0-200. this is good because if you're welding on thin material, you don't want to have the welder set to 200 amps and barely touch the foot pedal and put 50 amps into something that only requires 20 amps.

By TiG6al-4v (*)

Date 09-12-2003 02:01

Well said, total arc control is the foot pedal. Manipulate your weld to however you see fit!

By MBlaha

Date 09-13-2003 02:39

There are also sliders, and rollers mounted right on the tig torch itself. They have the same function as the foot control, just requires more dexterity to use them.

Mike