We are TIG welding 304 stainless with a Lincoln 375 welder and a Bug-O Systems MDS-1003 track welder with limit switch option. We are getting erratic behavior from the Bug-O, probably from the high freq. start of the TIG arc. We have tried shielding the welding lines with an aluminum rf wrap, but it seemed to drain the rf power to ground with not enough to fire the gun. Both welder and Bug-O are earth grounded to an 8' rod. The welding torch tip is about 8" from the Bug-O electronics, with no easy way to seperate the two due to fixturing movement. Has anyone successfully shielded their RF sensitive equipment from a TIG set-up?
Thanks.
What advice did the Bug-O folks give? Best to bug them first :)
If I was rich I would throw an inverter power source at the problem, my experience is that inverters are much more friendly around Computers/CNC workstations.
Bug-O said they didn't really have much experience with their equipment being used with TIG, but had heard of problems with plasma use. They had been successful with the grounded aluminum shield over the torch leads, which is what we tried first at their recommendation. They said if that didn't help, they hadn't a clue.
I don't know for sure if it would help, but I would separate the ground leads of the welder and the bug-o, so that each has an independent ground. This has solved similar problems for me before, but I was not dealing with HF at the time.
Please let us know what works in the end.
Tim
Just a thought here....I haven't seen Bug-os used with TIG so I can't say I understand the problem. We have used them a lot for plasma cutting without any trouble but that is probably comparing apples to oranges.
Anyway, I was wondering if you might have a coincidental drive mechanism problem or a bad connection on the Bug-o that only seems to be caused by the TIG?
Have you tried another unit to see if you still have the problem?
CHGuilford
This Bug-O is the first we have tried with the limit switch/auto return feature. We swapped with an older more manual Bug-O and the problem of course was not present. It must be the extra circuitry being effected.
Thanks.
About seven years ago I ordered a Bug O,Tube O Matic to be used with FCAW. At that time an option ($450) on that model was a H.F. filter. I didn't order the filter because the possibility of us using GTAW with the B/O was remote. Maybe you should ask to talk to an "ole timer" at B/O.
or find out who repairs them.
I have several pieces of positioning equipment that is "protected" from H.F. according to owners manuals.
Have you just started using GTAW with B/O or have you been using it for a while and it just started acting goofy?
We have been using TIG with Bug-O for years, but the manual start/stop models. We seem to be gaining on the problem of misfiring and erratic Bug-O movements if we keep the weld amps below 290A, which we can live with. We will keep in mind the filters should we need to increase amps. Thanks for the help.
You can avoid the "hi-freq jump" by simply tieing some hi-volt disc capacitors from the 115 vac inlet to ground. These caps are available from any Radio Shak store.
Send me a schematic directly, and I can help with this.
An easier fix is to start your arc before you start your motion
Good Luck
brande.
We had not been successful in getting good Bug-O schematics. Our welder has a pre-set 1/2sec. gas purge. We have to time our arc start with the corner of the work piece or it's too hot of a start.
Thank you all for your help and input through this great forum.
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