Welding machine problems?
- Thread starter stephena
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zbang
Senior Member
- Location
- Roughly 5346 miles from Earls Court
What does "not running right" really mean? Unstable arc? Robot doesn't position properly? Something else? ("worm trails?")
What kind of welding machines are these?
What kind of welding machines are these?
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
How about the quality of the return connection from workpiece to welder? No need to involve " ground", and having any of that current trying to travel via earth (dirt) or EGC can cause problems.
That's what I meant by item #1: the "work cable" which is connected to the workpiece and provides the return current path from the workpiece to the welding machine. Among welders, that's commonly referred to as the ground clamp or the ground connection.
The votage drop while running is only 2V and 3V on some at worst. The ground clamp connection is good as well because they are actually permanently attached because the welding tables are so large. Both wire feed and stick welders are suffering from the same problems though! I'm really confused on this one.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
I have no idea how much impact this may have but is it possible high harmonics can be a problem?
Maybe need to look closely at both voltage and current and see if something is abnormal.
Maybe need to look closely at both voltage and current and see if something is abnormal.
milldrone
Member
- Location
- Northern California
When this was done, was it done while the machines were running? (voltage input)
Did you test for voltage drop while welding between the welding table and the welder return connection? Also test the voltage drop on the electrode lead between the welder and the electrode.
Is this voltage drop at the welder input or welder output? A quick test is to "short" the arc at the table and check for temperature changes on the electrode cable and connections as well as the "ground" cables and connections.
See my comment above and check again!
See kwired's post below.
This next comment is probably a long shot. Is this shop on utility power or a generator?
The possibility of harmonics being an issue is very large if all the machines are of newer vintage. When the welding "quality" tests were performed, did you isolate the other welding machines? Both on the input power as well as the outputs? Are there any other non linear loads like VFD's? Have the machines been tested to prove that they might be the actual culprits? I'm thinking some good testing would include taking the existing machines to another site to see if they work correctly and bringing a known "good machine" to the problem site.
The voltage drop I took is at the welder input. The welding return connection is good. There are no VFD in the shop just a ton of welders. It seems weird that multiple welders would suffer from the same problem so maybe there is an issue with the power quality. What's the next best step to addressing this problem? The shop is on the utility
Did the welders work at one time? Has anything changed?
Its hard to say what could be the problem. Its not necessarily an electrical problem (although I admit, I don't know what worm trails are.)
Maybe the guys they hired aren't so good at welding. Maybe the material they are welding isn't up to snuff. Or maybe they have bought cheap wire and rods.
Its hard to say what could be the problem. Its not necessarily an electrical problem (although I admit, I don't know what worm trails are.)
Maybe the guys they hired aren't so good at welding. Maybe the material they are welding isn't up to snuff. Or maybe they have bought cheap wire and rods.
Does the problem occur when only one welder is in use and the others are powered off? Did you perform your voltage drop tests when only one welder was in use?
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Does this problem only appear when several welders are in use or does it improve if there is limited welding taking place? If newer vintage machines with electronic controlled output - the more you have going the more potential you have for harmonic issues.
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