How to blow up (literally) your tig welder

[lowlife]

I was welding along and had changed spots while doing some aluminum welding with a miller tig. I was at the end of the leads so needed a bit more slack and adjusted and flipped leads around until i got the slack i needed.
About halfway through the weld I was met with a sound that was barely quieter than a 410 shell going off. It was loud enough to make me almost poo myself. At the same time all the lights, radio, etc went out. I had no idea at the time what the noise was, but it popped a 200 amp breaker. After a bit of searching and diagnosing I discovered that my tig would not work. After a bit more searching I found i had flipped the footfeed wire right on to the last weld i had just done. The wires were all shorted out and fused together from the heat of the weld.
I still had a warranty left but figured that it didnt cover stupidity or carelessness. I was wrong miller stood behind the repair and it was fixed a week later. This is why i own more than 1 blue welder. Moral of the story? Pull the helmet off and look around once in a while, and be careful about the computer line that runs to your foot feed.
FYI the repair would have run 1200.00 to fix without the warranty.

 

[brino]

FYI the repair would have run 1200.00 to fix without the warranty.

Ouch!
That's a great lesson to learn while under warranty.
-brino

 

[TakeDeadAim]

I take it you have a Diversion Foot Control. The RFC 23A metal foot controls have a heavier cord on them. I make it a habit to not pull on TIG cables because the foot control has multiple small conductors in it and the superflex welding cables I use have the gas hose in the center and the conductor is braided around the gas cable.

 

[Firestopper]

I run all blue welding machines as well, but just know if your warranty was up, they would have charged you. Their customer service has been good to me over the years and have always returned calls for technical questions.
Glad it worked out for you.

 

[NCjeeper]

I prefer a torch switch over a foot pedal.

 

[Uglydog]

lowlife, Glad it worked out for you!!

I prefer a torch switch over a foot pedal.

NCjeeper,
Have you always used the torch control?
What was the learning curve?
Any downside? I've heard they are difficult to get used to.
However, dragging the pedal around when underneath something and using my knee or shoulder to control the foot pedal sure has it's downsides!!

Daryl
MN

 

[Ulma Doctor]

i wouldn't know how to act with torch control!
i been pressing a pedal for 30 yrs , i even catch myself pressing an imaginary pedal when mig or arc welding

 

[NCjeeper]

lowlife, Glad it worked out for you!!


NCjeeper,
Have you always used the torch control?
What was the learning curve?
Any downside? I've heard they are difficult to get used to.
However, dragging the pedal around when underneath something and using my knee or shoulder to control the foot pedal sure has it's downsides!!

Daryl
MN

I pretty much always use the torch switch. For me I don't do a lot of bench tig welding so not having to deal with a pedal is a plus. Only downside is there is no adjustability. So you cant throttle down on the heat if need be.

 

[Uglydog]

Got it!
I've heard of some that have a dial/thumb control at the torch. Well, that's if I've understood correctly.

Daryl
MN

 

[NCjeeper]

Got it!
I've heard of some that have a dial/thumb control at the torch. Well, that's if I've understood correctly.

Daryl
MN

They do make that style of torch. I have never tried one.