Welding Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Possible Cause | Possible Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Electrode does not feed or erratic wire feeding. | 1. Feeder relay / malfunction. | Consult feeder manufacturer. |
| 2. Feeder relay / malfunction. | a. Test & connect spare control lead. b. Install new cable. | |
| 3. Poor adaptor connection. | Test & replace leads and/or contact pins. | |
| 4. Worn or broken switch. | Replace switch. | |
| 5. Improper drive roll size. | Replace with proper size. | |
| 6. Drive roll tension misadjusted. | Adjust tension at feeder. | |
| 7. Burn back to contact tip. | See ‘Contact Tip Burn Back‘. | |
| 8. Wrong size liner. | Replace with correct size. | |
| 9. Buildup inside of liner. | Replace liner, check condition of electrode. | |
| 10. Worn drive roll. | a. Replace with new drive roll. b. Stone edge of groove on drive roll. | |
| 11. Improper guide tube relationship | a. Adjust/replace guide as close to drive rolls as possible. b. Eliminate all gaps in electrode path. | |
| 12. Improper wire guide diameter. | Replace with proper guide diameter. | |
| 13. Gaps at liner junctions. | Replace with new liner – be sure to measure accurately before cutting. | |
| 14. Contact tip. | Inspect & replace. | |
| Short contact tip life. | 1. Improper voltage and/or wire feed speed. | Set parameters. |
| 2.Erratic wire feeding. | See ‘Erratic Wire Feeding‘. | |
| 3.Improper tip stickout. | Adjust nozzle / tip relationship. | |
| 4. Improper electrode stickout also known as CTWD (Contact Tip to Work Distance). | Adjust torch to base metal relationship. | |
| 5.Faulty ground. | Repair all cables & connections. | |
| Torch running hot. | 1.Exceeding duty cycle. | a. Replace with properly rated gun. b. Decrease parameters to within gun rating |
| 2. Loose or poor power connection. | a. Clean, tighten or replace cable grounding connection. b. Tighten gun & cable connections to specified torque. | |
| Porosity in weld. | 1. Insulator worn. | Replace nozzle / insulator. |
| 2. Retaining head damaged. | Replace retaining head / diffuser. | |
| 3. Solenoid faulty. | Replace solenoid. | |
| 4. No gas. | a. Install full tanks. b. Check supply. c. Check for hose leaks. | |
| 5. Flow improperly set. | Adjust flow. | |
| 6. Gas ports plugged. | a. Clean or replace gas diffuser / retaining head. b. Clean nozzle. | |
| 7. Ruptured gas hose. | Repair or replace cable or line. | |
| 8. Worn, cut or missing o-rings. | Replace o-rings. | |
| 9. Loose fittings. | Tighten torch & cable connections to specified torque. | |
| Contact tip burn back. | 1. Improper voltage and/or wire feed speed. | Set parameters. |
| 2. Erratic wire feeding. | See ‘Erractic Wire Feeding‘. | |
| 3. Improper tip stickout. | Adjust nozzle / tip relationship. | |
| 4. Improper electrode stickout. | Adjust torch to base metal relationship. | |
| 5. Faulty ground. | Repair all cables & connectors. | |
| 6. Insufficient wire feed speed (WFS). | Adjust wire feed speed. | |
| Tip disengages from retaining head. | 1. Worn retaining head / diffuser. | Replace tip and/or diffuser. |
| 2. Improper tip installation. | Install as per your product Spec Sheet or Operations Manual. | |
| 3. Extreme heat or duty cycle. | Replace with heavy duty consumables. | |
| Erratic arc. | 1. Worn contact tip. | Replace contact tip. |
| 2. Buildup inside of liner. | Replace liner, check condition of electrode. | |
| 3. Wrong tip size. | Replace with correct tip size. | |
| 4. Not enough bend in neck. | Replace with 45° or 60° neck. | |
| Extreme Spatter. | 1. Improper machine parameters. | Adjust parameters. |
| 2. Improper tip installation. | Adjust nozzle / tip relationship. | |
| 3. Improper shielding. | a. Verify shielding gas coverage. b. Verify gas mixture. | |
| 4. Contaminated wire or work piece. | Clean wire and work piece. | |
| Liner is discolored full length. | 1. Short circuit to electrode. | Isolate electrode reel from feeder and drive block. Consult feeder manufacturer’s manual. |
| 2. Broken copper stranding in power cable. | Replace gun. |