Dave-G Posted November 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2023 The welder arrived today so I got some practice in welding some 1.5mm steel to 5mm steel, and building up some extra meat to the edges of the two 25mm holes in that steel flat. The hot start feature is amazing... erm WAS amazing... Its not there now! I'd initially seen a reference to 30% hot start in the digital readout menu - amongst some other settings. I can only now get: menu - 0/6, electrode size 1/6 then it auto sets the current. The rest of the menu options have disappeared and it sticks like the old buzz welder I have here unless I turn it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted November 16, 2023 Report Share Posted November 16, 2023 (edited) oh dear.................. once you get it working again.....when you are welding thin plate ...try welding with a "run on and a run off plate " Edited November 16, 2023 by ditchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2023 Huh... I tried long pressing the menu button and lost track of what i did but its back again. No dang info about how to reset, arc force, anti stick (currently on) setting, vrd (currently set at off). I'm slightly autistic and have concentration issues so can't remember what I did to get the full menu back. There's now explanation advice about this lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted November 16, 2023 Report Share Posted November 16, 2023 the hot start is a very useful function Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2023 OK, I got the full menu options by advancing from 1/6: electrode setting of 0.0 The anti stick feature was great too, after it threw its wobbly I kept getting the rod stuck so guess it was on too low a current: that's after it had started playing up so I was winging it. I can now see that 'other settings' are only found by setting the electrode at 0.0 - probably as a safety default. If an electrode size is set it wont go beyond wattage adjust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted November 16, 2023 Report Share Posted November 16, 2023 can you adjust the OCV...........(open circuit voltage) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2023 28 minutes ago, ditchman said: can you adjust the OCV...........(open circuit voltage) I've not seen a setting for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2023 42 minutes ago, ditchman said: can you adjust the OCV...........(open circuit voltage) Ah that might be the VRD (after searching Google) lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted November 16, 2023 Report Share Posted November 16, 2023 8 minutes ago, Dave-G said: Ah that might be the VRD (after searching Google) lol. touch that and you will be on penicillin for 3 weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2023 (edited) Seems Lidle's Parkside has a similar but more involved one - with a user manual. Copied from an online one for PTMI 180 A1: Switch the device on by setting the ON/OFF switch 9 to the “I” (“ON”) position. You can now set the welding current by rotating the control wheel 3 . By pressing the control button 2 several times, after selecting the “0.0” setting (in the “Electrode 1/6” menu item), you can choose between the convenient functions: Hot Start, Arc Force and Anti Stick. You can set the parameters using the control wheel 3 and confirm them by pressing the control button 2 . By pressing the control button 2 until the “Electrode 1/6” menu item is displayed, you can select the electrode thickness (1.6–4 mm) by rotating the control wheel 3 . The current and convenient functions are then preset. Edited November 16, 2023 by Dave-G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted November 17, 2023 Report Share Posted November 17, 2023 hello, what welder did you buy ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 17, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2023 (edited) 8 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said: hello, what welder did you buy ?? The one from B&Q. :-) Out with the old - in with the new. I'm not taking closeups because the welding is distinctly amateur lumpy, but it laid down metal where I needed it to, and it'll be out of routine sight so I know the radiator is now secure secure and that's my main concern for the 22 years old car. There's 1.5 welded to 5mm bar, 5mm bar welded to 2.5mm chassis member and built up the thin parts at the edges of the 25mm holes of the 30mm bar. If I was buying the bar in I'd have got wider. Edited November 17, 2023 by Dave-G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted November 17, 2023 Report Share Posted November 17, 2023 looks sound enough.....well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 17, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2023 2 minutes ago, ditchman said: looks sound enough.....well done Bless - it is sound but I'd not want to post a close up photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted November 19, 2023 Report Share Posted November 19, 2023 hello, How you finding the Welder Dave?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2023 On 19/11/2023 at 16:57, oldypigeonpopper said: hello, How you finding the Welder Dave?? I've not used it since, I have other things on at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted November 21, 2023 Report Share Posted November 21, 2023 were you using 1.6mm rods or 2.5mm rods ?.....what polarity were you on ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 21, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2023 4 hours ago, ditchman said: were you using 1.6mm rods or 2.5mm rods ?.....what polarity were you on ? 1.6 for the thin 'platforms' the rad rubbers sit in on the bar and 2.5 for the 5mm bar to the 2.5 mm chassis. Negative polarity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted November 21, 2023 Report Share Posted November 21, 2023 33 minutes ago, Dave-G said: 1.6 for the thin 'platforms' the rad rubbers sit in on the bar and 2.5 for the 5mm bar to the 2.5 mm chassis. Negative polarity. looking at those welds and the thickness of the metal ....i rekon you would do better on negative earth....can you adjust the OCV ? or is it fixed ?.....sometimes if you are doing tricky stuff.....pre-heat the material Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 21, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2023 (edited) 31 minutes ago, ditchman said: looking at those welds and the thickness of the metal ....i rekon you would do better on negative earth....can you adjust the OCV ? or is it fixed ?.....sometimes if you are doing tricky stuff.....pre-heat the material That might be called the arc force in this menu, i think it's fixed but will look again next time. I've noticed warm rods spark up better than new one's. I bought this off ebay, thinking it'd be good for tight overhead reach, They don't auto dark. It looked really comfy and it is so I'll likely keep it but complain and settle for a partial refund. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204538895268?var=505123176205 Edited November 21, 2023 by Dave-G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted November 22, 2023 Report Share Posted November 22, 2023 9 hours ago, Dave-G said: That might be called the arc force in this menu, i think it's fixed but will look again next time. I've noticed warm rods spark up better than new one's. I bought this off ebay, thinking it'd be good for tight overhead reach, They don't auto dark. It looked really comfy and it is so I'll likely keep it but complain and settle for a partial refund. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204538895268?var=505123176205 DONT SKIMP ON EYE PROTECTION........OCV is open circuit voltage...it is the set ammount of volts that is running thro the machine before the arc is struck.....it governrns the hot start................arc force is the pressure at which the electricity is shooting out ofthe end of the rod...(sort of like the water pressure) its amps related.....if you turn it up it will burn deep but leave alot of spater.....you match the arc force with the size and type of rod and temperature of the welding material.... get some scrap metal and different rods ..and have a morning having fun and making a mess....and it will soon drop into place.. as you have an DC set you maybe able to get electric brazing rods.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2023 35 minutes ago, ditchman said: DONT SKIMP ON EYE PROTECTION........OCV is open circuit voltage...it is the set ammount of volts that is running thro the machine before the arc is struck.....it governrns the hot start................arc force is the pressure at which the electricity is shooting out ofthe end of the rod...(sort of like the water pressure) its amps related.....if you turn it up it will burn deep but leave alot of spater.....you match the arc force with the size and type of rod and temperature of the welding material.... get some scrap metal and different rods ..and have a morning having fun and making a mess....and it will soon drop into place.. as you have an DC set you maybe able to get electric brazing rods.... Thanks for the information ditchy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted December 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2023 (edited) I got a bit brave and tried making good a wheel arch - welding a strip of 1.5mm steel mostly to a rear inner wing fold over using 1.6 negative electrode, earthed direct to the new steel. It holds but I've not put much weight on it I blew through a couple of places. Next stage is to weld some 1mm plate to that new metal and the inner wing to make a base for some P38. I sparked up on the new steel then quickly strayed to the old metal. Edited December 15, 2023 by Dave-G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted January 9 Author Report Share Posted January 9 I'm starting to get into this a bit now - this new type of arc welder is far superior to my old transformer type that wouldn't get down to low enough amps to attempt any chassis welding. At this low 30 amps current and using its HOT START feature I found I had to 'warm' the 1.6mm rods off the target area before it would 'soft-arc' where I wanted it if that makes any sense. I welded some 1mm plate over the hole to make it level with an original overlap then welded a slimmer piec to join them up and fill any gaps. This was into the longitudinal box section inside the front wheel arch of a 2001 reg Shogun Pinin project car. I only had a couple of blowthroughs by using a quick touch on and off method to more or less spot weld around the plate. I let the Kurust I liberally applied to dribble through and behind any gaps to dry before applying underseal to seal the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted January 9 Report Share Posted January 9 that looks sound enough....................the more you do the better it gets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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