Craftsman 196.20569 User Manual
Owner's Manual
JCRAFTSMAN"I
WIRE FEED MIG WELDER
Model No.
196.205690
CAUTION: Before using this
product, read this manual and
follow all its Safety Rules and
Operating Instructions.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 U.S.A.
www.sears.com/craftsman
EspaSol p.31
Craftsman Limited Warranty .............. 2
Introduction ........................................ 2
Safety Summary .................................. 3
Safety Information .............................. 3
Shock Hazards .................................. 4
Flash Hazards .................................... 4
Fire Hazards ...................................... 5
Fume Hazards .................................... 6
Compressed Gasses
and Equipment Hazards .................. 6
Additional Safety Information ............ 7
Welder Specifications ........................ 8.
Description ........................................ 8
Welder Operating Characteristics ...... 8
Duty Cycle ........................................ 8
Internal Thermal Protection ................ 8
Know Your Welder .............................. 9
Welder Installation .............................. 10
Power Source Connection ................ 10
Power Requirements ........................ 10
Connect to Power Source ................ 10
Extension Cords .............................. 10
Assembling the Welder ...................... 10
Unpacking the Welder ...................... 10
Packing List ...................................... 10
Assemble the Face Shield .............. 10
Installing the Handle ........................ 11
Installing the Feet ............................ 11
Selecting Shielding Gas .................. 11
Install the Shielding Gas .................. 12
Check the Gas Flow ........................ 12
Align and Set the Drive Roller .......... 13
Install the Welding Wire .................. 13
Set the Wire Drive Tension .............. 15
Change Polarity ................................ 15
Operation ............................................ 16
Controls and Indicators ...................... 16
Power Switch .................................. 16
Voltage Selector .............................. 16
Wire Speed Control .......................... 16
Learning to Weld ................................ 16
Holding the Gun ................................ 16
Welding Techniques .......................... 17
Moving the Gun ................................ 17
Types of Weld Beads ...................... 18
Welding Positions ............................ 18
Multiple Pass Welding ...................... 19
Special Welding Methods ................ 20
Spot Welding .................................. 20
Maintenance ........................................ 21
General .............................................. 21
Consumable Maintenance .................. 21
Maintaining the Contact Tip ................ 21
Maintaining the Nozzle ...................... 22
Testing for a Shorted Nozzle .............. 22
Replace a Gun Liner .......................... 22
Preventive Maintenance .................... 23
Troubleshooting .................................. 23
Wiring Diagram .................................... 25
Parts List .............................................. 26
Suggested Settings ............................ 30
Limited Three-Year Warranty on Craftsman Welder
For three years from the date of purchase, if any part of this welder, except for the gun or
cables, fails due to a defect in material or workmanship, return it to your nearest Sears Parts &
Repair Center, and it will be repaired free of charge. Sears will repair the gun or cables free of
charge for only one year from the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover expendable
parts such as contact tips or nozzles, which are consumed during normal welder operation.
This warranty applies only while this product is used in the United States. This warranty gives
you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., D/817WA, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179
This Welder User's guide provides specific information about your wire feed welder. It is to be used
together with the Welding Instruction Guide to provide all of the information needed to safely and
effectively use your wire feed welder. The information in this book applies to your specific model of
wire feed welder and gives instructions on set-up, installation and actual use of the welder.
2
Everycraftsman respects the tools with
which they work. They know that the tools
represent years of constantly improved
designs and developments. The true
craftsman also knows that tools are
dangerous if misused or abused.
Reading this operator's manual before using
the welder will enable you to do a better,
safer job. Learn the welder's applications
and ILmitations as well as the specific
poter_i'al hazards peculiar to welding.
IMPORTANT SAFETY
INFORMATION
Note:
• The following safety alert symbols identify
important safety messages inthis manual.
• When you see one of the symbols shown
here, be alert to the possibility of personal
injury and carefully read the message that
follows.
This symbol indicates that the
possibility of electric shock hazard
exists during the operation of the
step(s) that follow.
Tills symbol indicates that the
possibility of fire hazard exists
during the operation of the step(s)
that follow.
The following safety information is provided
as guidelines to help you operate your new
welder under the safest possible conditions.
Any equipment that uses electrical power
can be potentially dangerous to use when
safety or safe handling instructions are not
known or not followed. The following safety
information is provided to give the user the
information necessary for safe use and
operation.
A procedure step preceded by a
WARNING is an indication that the next step
contains a procedure that might be injurious
to a person if proper safety precautions are
not heeded.
A procedure preceded by a CAUTION is an
indication that the next step contains a
procedure that might damage the equipment
being used.
A NOTE may be used before or after a
procedure step to highlight or explain
something in that step.
READ ALL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
CAREFULLY before attempting to install,
operate, or service this welder. Failure to
comply with these instructions could result in
personal injury and/or property damage.
RETAIN THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR
FUTURE REFERENCE.
This symbol indicates that the
helmet must be worn during the
step(s) that follow to protect
against eye damage and burns
due to flash hazard.
This symbol indicates that the
possibility of toxic gas hazard
exists during operation of the
step(s) that follow.
This symbol indicates that the
possibility of being burned by hot
slag exists during operation of the
step(s) that follow.
This symbol indicates that the eye
protection should be worn to
protect against flying debris in
the following step(s).
This symbol indicates that the
possibility of injury or death exists
due to improper handling and
maintenance of compressed gas
cylinders or regulators.
Published standards on safety are
available. They are listed in ADDITIONAL
SAFETY INFORMATION at the end of
this SAFETY SUMMARY.
The National Electrical Code, Occupation
Safety and Health Act regulations, local
industrial codes and local inspection
requirements also provide a basis for
equipment installation, use, and service.
3
SHOCK HAZARD
WARNING
ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILLI To reduce
the risk of death or serious injury from shock,
read, understand, and follow the following
safety instructions. In addition, make certain
that anyone else who uses this welding
equipment, or who is a bystander in the
welding area understands and follows these
safety instructions as well.
IMPORTANT! TO REDUCE THE RISK
OF DEATH, INJURY, OR PROPERTY
DAMAGE, DO NOT ATTEMPT
OPERATION of this welding equipment
until you have read and understand the
following safety summary.
Do not, in any manner, come into
physical contact with any part of the
welding current circuit. The welding
current circuit includes:
a. the work piece or any conductive
material in contact with it,
b. the ground clamp,
c. the electrode_ or welding wire,
d. any metal parts on the electrode
holder, or wire feed gun.
Do not weld in a damp area or come in
contact with a moist or wet surface.
Do not attempt to weld if any part of
clothing or body is wet.
Do not allow the welding equipment to
come in contact with water or moisture.
Do not drag welding cables, wire feed
gun, or welder power cord through or
allow them to come into contact with
water or moisture.
Do not touch welder, attempt to turn
welder on or off if any part of the body or
clothing is moist or if you are in physical
contact with water or moisture.
Do not attempt to plug the welder into the
power source if any part of body or cloth-
ing is moist, or if you are in physical
contact with water or moisture.
Do not connect welder work piece clamp
to or weld on electrical conduit.
Do not alter power cord or power cord
plug in any way.
Do not attempt to plug the welder
4
into the power source if the ground prong
on power cord plug is bent over, broken
off, or missing.
• Do not allow the welder to be connected
to the power source or attempt to weld if
the welder, welding cables, welding site,
or welder power cord are exposed to any
form of atmospheric precipitation, or salt
water spray.
• Do not carry coiled welding cables around
shoulders, or any other part of the body,
when they are plugged into the welder.
Do not modify any wiring, ground
connections, switches, or fuses in this
welding equipment.
• Wear welding gloves to help insulate
hands from welding circuit.
• Keep all liquid containers far enough
away from the welder and work area so
that if spilled, the liquid can not possibly
come in contact with any part of the
welder or electrical welding circuit.
Replace any cracked or damaged parts
that are insulated or act as
insulators such as welding cables, power
cord, or electrode holder IMMEDIATELY.
FLASH HAZARDS
WARNING
ARC RAYS CAN INJURE EYES AND
BURN SKIN! To reduce the risk of injury
from arc rays, read, understand, and follow
the following safety instructions. In addition,
make certain that anyone else that uses this
welding equipment, or is a bystander in the
welding area understands and follows these
safety instructions as well. Headshields and
filter should conform to ANSI Z87.1 stan-
dards.
Do not look at an electric arc without proper
protection. A welding arc is extremely bright
and intense and, with inadequate or no eye
protection, the retina can be burned, leav-
ing a permanent dark spot in the field of
vision. A shield or helmet with a number 10
shade filter lens (minimum) must be used.
Do not strike a welding arc until all
bystanders and you (the welder) have
welding shields and/or helmets in place.
Do not wear a cracked or broken
helmet and replace any cracked or
broken filter lenses IMMEDIATELY.
Do not allow the uninsulated portion
of the wire feed gun to touch the ground
clamp or grounded work to prevent an
arcflash from being
created on contact.
Provide bystanders with shields or
helmets fitted with a #10 shade filter lens.
Wear protective clothing. The intense
light of the welding arc can burn the skin
in much the same way as the sun, even
throughlight-weight clothing. Wear dark
clothing of heavy material. The shirt worn
should be long sleeved and the collar
kept buttoned to protect chest and neck.
ProtectagainstREFLECTEDARC RAYS.
Arc rays can be reflectedoff shinysurfaces
such as aglossy paintedsurface,
aluminum,stainlesssteel, and glass. It is
possiblefor your eyes to be injured by
reflectedarc raysevenwhen wearinga
protectivehelmetor shield. Ifweldingwith a
reflectivesurfacebehindyou,arc rayscan
bounceoff thesurface,then off the filter
lenson the insideof your helmetor shield,
then intoyour eyes. If a reflective
backgroundexists in your welding area,
eitherremoveit or cover itwith something
non-flammableand non-reflective.
Reflectivearc rays can alsocause skin
burnin additionto eye injury.
FIRE HAZARDS
WARNING
FIRE OR EXPLOSION CAN CAUSE
DEATH, INJURY, AND PROPERTY DAM-
AGE! To reduce the risk of death, injury, or
property damage from fire or explosion, read,
understand, and follow the following safety
instructions. In addition, make certain that
anyone else that uses this welding equip-
ment, or is a bystander in the welding area,
understands and follows these safety
instructions as well. REMEMBER!
Arc welding by nature produces sparks, hot
spatter, molten metal drops, hot slag, and hot
metal parts that can start fires, burn skin, and
damage eyes.
• Do not wear gloves or other clothing that
contains oil, grease, or other
flammable substances.
• Do not wear flammable hair
preparations.
Do not weld in an area until it is checked
and cleared of combustible and/or
flammable materials. BE AWARE that
sparks and slag can fly 35 feet and can
pass through small cracks.and openings.
If work and combustibles cannot be
separated by a minimum of 35 feet,
protect against ignition with suitable,
snug-fitting, fire resistant, covers or
shields.
• Do not weld on walls until checking for
and removing combustibles touching the
other side of the walls.
• Do not weld, cut, or perform other such
work on used barrels, drums, tanks, or
other containers that had contained a
flammable or toxic substance. The
techniques for removing flammable sub-
stance and vapors, to make a used
container safe for welding or cutting, are
quite complex and require special
education and training.
Do not strike an arc on a compressed
gas or air cylinder or other pressure
vessel. Doing so will create a brittle area
that can result in a violent rupture
immediately or at a later time as a result
of rough handling.
Do not weld or cut in an area where the
air may contain flammable dust (such as
grain dust), gas, or liquid vapors (such as
gasoline).
Do not handle hot metal, such as the work
piece or electrode stubs, with bare hands.
• Wear leather gloves, heavy long sleeve
shirt, cuffless trousers, high-topped
shoes, helmet, and cap. As necessary,
use additional protective clothing such as
leather jacket or sleeves, fire resistant
leggings, or apron. Hot sparks or metal
can lodge in rolled up sleeves, trouser
cuffs, or pockets. Sleeves and collars
should be kept buttoned and pockets
eliminated from the shirt front.
Have fire extinguisher equipment handy
for immediate user A portable chemical
fire extinguisher, type ABC, is
recommended.
Wear ear plugs when welding overhead
5
to prevent spatter or slag from falling
into ear.
Make sure welding area has a good,
solid, safe floor, preferably concrete or
masonry, not tiled, carpeted, or made of
any other flammable material.
Protect flammable walls, ceilings,
and floors with heat resistant covers
or shields.
Check welding area to make sure
it is free of sparks, glowing metal or
slag, and flames before leaving the
welding area.
FUME HAZARDS
WARNING
FUMES, GASSES, AND VAPORS CAN
CAUSE DISCOMFORT, ILLNESS, AND
DEATH! To reduce the risk of discomfort,
illness, or death, read, understand, and
follow the following safety instructions. In
addition, make certain that anyone else that
uses this welding equipment or is a
bystander in the welding area, understands
and follows these safety instructions as well.
chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as
trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene,
can be decomposed by the heat of an
electric arc or its ultraviolet radiation.
These actions can cause PHOSGENE, a
HIGHLY TOXIC gas to form, along with
other lung and eye-irritating gasses. Do
not weld or cut where these solvent
vapors can be drawn into the work area
or where the ultraviolet radiation can
penetrate to areas containing even very
small amounts of these vapors.
Do not weld in a confined area unless it
is being ventilated or the operator (and
anyone else in the area) is wearing an
air-supplied respirator.
Stop welding if you develop momentary
eye, nose, or throat irritation as this
indicates inadequate ventilation. Stop
work and take necessary steps to
improve ventilation in the welding area.
Do not resume welding if physical
discomfortpersists.
COMPRESSED GASSES AND
EQUIPMENT HAZARDS
WARNING
Do not weld in an area until it is checked
for adequate ventilation as described in
ANSI standard #Z49.1. If ventilation is
not adequate to exchange all fumes and
gasses generated during the welding
process with fresh air, do not weld unless
you (the welder) and all bystanders are
wearing air-supplied respirators.
Do not heat metals coated with, or that
contain, materials that produce toxic
fumes (such as galvanized steel), unless
the coating is removed. Make certain the
area is well ventilated, and the operator
and all bystanders are wearing air-sup-
plied respirators.
Do not weld, cut, or heat lead, zinc,
cadmium, mercury, beryllium, or similar
metals without seeking professional
advice and inspection of the ventilation of
the welding area. These metals produce
EXTREMELY TOXIC fumes which can
cause discomfort, illness, and death.
Do not weld or cut in areas that are near
chlorinated solvents. Vapors from
6
IMPROPER HANDLING AND
MAINTENANCE OF COMPRESSED GAS
CYLINDERS AND REGULATORS CAN
RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH!
To reduce the risk of injury or death from
compressed gasses and equipment hazards,
read, understand, and follow the following
safety instructions. In addition, make certain
that anyone else who uses this welding
equipment or a bystander in the welding area
understands and follows these safety
instructions as well.
• Do not use flammable gasses with MIG
welders. Only inert or nonflammable
gasses are suitable for MIG welding.
Examples are Carbon Dioxide, Argon,
Helium, etc. or mixtures of more than one
of these gasses.
• Do not attempt to mix gasses or refill a
cylinder yourself. Do not expose
cylinders to excessive heat, sparks, slag
and flame, etc. Cylinders exposed to
temperatures above 130°F will require
water spray cooling.
• Do not expose cylinders to electricity of
any kind.
Do not use a cylinder or its contents for
anything other than its intended use. Do
not use as a support or roller.
• Do not locate cylinders in passageways
or work area where they may
be struck.
• Do not use a wrench or hammer to open
a cylinder valve that cannot be opened
b3i-hand. Notify your supplier.
• D_ not modify or exchange gas
cylinder fittings.
• Do not deface or alter name, number or
other markings on a cylinder. Do not rely
on cylinder color to identify
the contents.
• Do not connect a regulator to a cylinder
containing gas other than that for which
the regulator was designed.
Do not attempt to make regulator repairs.
Send faulty regulators to manufacturer's
designated repair center for repair.
• Do not attempt to lubricate a regulator.
Always change cylinders carefully to
prevent leaks and damage to their walls,
valves, or safety devices.
Always secure cylinders with a steel chain
so that they cannot be knocked over.
• Always protect a cylinder, especially the
valve, from bumps, falls, falling objects
and weather. Remember that gasses in
the cylinders are under pressure and
damage to a regulator can cause the
regulator or portion of the regulator to be
explosively ejected from the cylinder.
Always make certain the cylinder cap is
securely in place on the cylinder,
whenever the cylinder is moved.
Always close the cylinder valve and
immediately remove a faulty regulator
from service, for repair, if any of the
following conditions exist.
• Gas leaks externally.
Delivery pressure continues to rise with
down stream valve closed.
• The gauge pointer does not move off the
stop pin when pressurized or fails to
return to the stop pin after pressure is
released.
ADDITIONAL SAFETY
INFORMATION
For additional information concerning
welding safety, refer to the following
standards and comply with them as
applicable.
• ANSI Standard Z49.1 - SAFETY IN
WELDING AND CUTTING - obtainable
from the American Welding Society, 550
NW Le Jeune Road, Miamil FL 33126
Telephone (800) 443-9353,
Fax (30_) 443-7559 - www.amweld.org
or www.,_ws:org
• ANSI Standard Z87.1 - SAFE PRAC-
TICE FOR OCCUPATION AND
EDUCATIONAL EYE AND FACE
PROTECTION - obtainable from the
American National Standards Institute,
11 West 42nd St., New York, NY 10036
Telephone (212) 642-4900,
Fax (212) 398-0023 - www.ansi.org
• NFPA Standard 51B - CUTTING AND
WELDING PROCESS - obtainable from
the National Fire Protection Association,
1 Batterymarch Park, P.O. Box 9101,
Quincy, MA 02269-9101
Telephone (617) 770-3000
Fax (617) 770-0700 - www.nfpa.org
• OSHAStandard 29 CFR, Part 1910,
Subpart Q., WELDING, CUTTING AND
BRAZING - obtainable from your state
OSHA office or U.S. Dept. of Labor
OSHA, Office of Public Affairs, Room
N3647, 200 Constitution Ave.,
Washington, DC 20210 - www.osha.gov
• CSA Standard Wl17.2 - Code for
SAFETY IN WELDING AND CUTTING. -
obtainable from Canadian Standards
Association, 178 Rexdale Blvd.,
Etobicoke, Ontario M9W 1R3 -
www.csa.ca
American Welding Society Standard
A6.0. WELDING AND CUTTING
CONTAINERS WHICH HAVE HELD
COMBUSTIBLES. - obtainable from the
American Welding Society, 550 NW Le
Jeune Road, Miami, FL 33126
Telephone (800) 443-9353,
Fax (305) 443-7559 - www.amweld.org
or www.aws.org
7
DESCRIPTION
Your new MIG (Metal Inert Gas) wire feed
welder is designed for maintenance and
sheet metal fabrication. The welder consists
of a single-phase power transformer,
stabilizer, rectifier, and a unique built-in
control/feeder.
Now you can weld sheet metal from 24
gauge up to 3/16 inch thick with a single
pass. You can weld thicker steel with
beveling and multiple pass techniques. Table
1 lists your MIG welder specifications.
Table 1. Welder Specifications
Primary (input) volts 120 Vac
Primary (input) Amps 13
Phase Single
Frequency 60Hz
Secondary (output) volts 21
Secondary (UL output) amps 85
Open Circuit Volts (Max.) 30 Vdc
Duty Cycle Rating 40%
MIG welders equipped with gas are capable
of welding with 0.024.(_0:6mm) and 0.030
(0.8mm) solid steel wire on dc reverse
polarity and with 0.030 (0.8mm)
self-shielding flux-core wire on dc straight
polarity. Larger, 0.035 inch (0.9mm) diameter
solid steel wire, on dc reverse polarity may
also be used on this welder. The use of
larger diameter wire makes welding difficult
and the results cannot be guaranteed. Use of
larger than .035 diameter wire is not
recommended.
WELDER OPERATING
CHARACTERISTICS
DUTY CYCLE
The duty cycle rating of a welder defines
how long the operator can weld and how
long the welder must be rested and cooled.
Duty cycle is expressed as a percentage of
10 minutes and represents the maximum
welding time allowed. The balance of the
10-minute cycle is required for cooling.
Your new welder has a duty cycle rating of
40% at the rated output. This means that you
can weld for four (4) minutes out of 10 with
the remaining six (6) minutes required for
cooling. (See Table 2).
Table 2. Duty Cycle Ratings
Duty Maximum Required
Cycle Welding Resting
Rating Time Time
20% 2 minutes 8 minutes
60% 6 minutes 4 minutes
80% 8 minutes 2 minutes
100% 10 minutes 0 minutes
INTERNAL THERMAL
PROTECTION
CAUTION
Do not constantly exceed the duty cycle or
damage to the welder can result. If you
exceed the duty cycle of the welder, an
internal thermal protector will open, shutting
off all welder functions except the cooling
fan. If this happens, DO NOT SHUT OFF
THE WELDER. Leave the welder turned on
with the fan running. After cooling, the
thermal protector will automatically reset and
the welder will function normally again.
However you should wait at least ten
minutes after the thermal protector opens
before resuming welding. You must do this
even if the thermal protector resets itself
before the ten minutes is up or you may
experience less than specified duty cycle
performance.
If you find that the welder will not weld for
two minutes without stopping, reduce the
wire speed slightly and tune in the welder at
the lowest wire speed setting that still
produces a smooth arc. Welding with the
wire speed set too high causes excessive
current draw and shortens the duty cycle.
8
Gun Cable
Handle
Wire Speed
Power Switch - This switch turns the welder
ON and OFF. (Make sure the power switch is
in the OFF position before performing any
maintenance on the welder.)
Voltage
Selector
Power
_r!und Power
Welding Jnd Clamp Cord
Gun Cable
Figure 1. Model 20569 Welder
Handle - Rugged, top mounted handle
allows for easy transport of your welder.
Wire Speed Control - Use this dial to adjust
the speed at which the welder feeds wire to
the gun. 1 is the slowest wire feed speed, 10
is the highest. You will need to adjust or
"tune-in" your wire speed for different welding
conditions (thickness of metals, gas -vs-
gasless welding, metal type, wire size, etc.).
When the wire speed is properly "tuned-in"
the welding wire will melt into the material you
are welding as quickly as it is fed through the
welding gun.
Voltage Selector- This four position dial
adjusts the voltage or "heat" of your welder.
A is the lowest and D is the highest. Different
materials and material thickness will require
different voltage settings. You will need to
adjust your voltage accordingly for different
welding conditions. By properly adjusting
your voltage settings and wire feed speed,
you will enable clean, precision welds. (Refer
to the Suggested Settings Chart on p.30 of
this manual OR on the inside of the door of
the welder.)
Power Cord - This is a standard, grounded
120 volt power cord. (Make sure you are
using a properly grounded 120 Vac, 60Hz,
single phase, 20 amp power source.)
Ground Clamp -Attaching the ground
clamp to your work piece "completes" the
welding current circuit. You must attach the
ground clami_ to-the metal you are welding. If
the ground clamp is not connected to the
metal work piece you intend to weld, the
welder will not have a completed circuit and
you will be unable to weld. A poor connection
at the ground clamp will waste power and
heat. Scrape away dirt, rust, scale, oil or
paint before attaching the ground clamp.
Ground Cable - The ground cable connects
the ground clamp to the internal workings of
the welder.
Welding Gun and Cable - The welding gun
controls the delivery of the welding wire to
the material to be welded. The welding wire
is fed through the welding cable and welding
gun when the welding gun trigger is pulled.
You will need to install a contact tip and
welding nozzle to the end of the welding gun,
as described later in this manual, prior to
welding.
Welding Terms
Now that you are familiar with the main parts
of the welder, make note of the following
terms. You will see them used throughout
this manual.
weld puddle: The localized volume
of molten metal in a weld prior to its
solidification.
weld angle: The angle of the welding wire,
as it extends from the welding gun, in
relation to the item being welded.
slag: The protective coating that forms on
the surface of molten metal.
arc: A sustained luminous discharge of
electricity across a gap in a circuit.
welding bead: The extended build up of a
weld, made by pushing or pulling the weld
puddle.
9
POWER SOURCE CONNECTION
POWER REQUIREMENTS
This welder is designed to operate on a
properly grounded 120 volt, 60Hz, single-
phase alternating current (ac) power source
fused with a 20 amp time delayed fuse or
circuit breaker. It is recommended that a
qualified electrician verify the ACTUAL
VOLTAGE at the receptacle into which the
welder will be plugged and confirm that the
receptacle is properly fused and grounded.
The use of the proper circuit size can
eliminate nuisance circuit breaker tripping
when welding.
DO NOT OPERATE THIS WELDER if the
ACTUAL power source voltage is less than
105 volts ac or greater than 132 volts ac.
Contact a qualified electrician if this problem
exists. Improper performance and/or damage
to the welder will result if operated on
inadequate or excessive power.
CONNECT TO POWER SOURCE
Select a properly grounded extension cord
that will mate directly with the power source
receptacle and the welder power cord without
the use of adapters. Make certain that the
extension is properly wired and in good
electrical condition.
Extension cords must be a #12 gauge cord at
the smallest. Do not use an extension cord
over 25 ft. in length.
ASSEMBLING THE WELDER
The following procedures describe the
process required to assemble, install,
maintain, and prepare to weld with your new
wire feed welder.
UNPACKING THE WELDER
1. Remove any cartons or bags containing
parts/accessories. (Most parts are
shipped INSIDE the welder door.)
2. Open the cartons or bags packed with your
welder and inspect their contents for damage.
3. Layout the parts and compare them to
the the packing list in Table 3 to familiar-
ize yourself with the parts and what they
are called. This will help you when
reading the manual.
High voltage danger from power source!
Consult a qualified electrician for proper
installation of receptacle at the power source.
This welder must be grounded while in use to
protect the operator from electrical shock. If
you are not sure if your outlet is properly
grounded, have it checked by a qualified
electrician. Do not cut off the grounding prong
or alter the plug in any way and do not use
any adapters between the welder's power
cord and the power source receptacle. Make
sure the POWER switch is OFF then connect
your welder's power cord to a properly
grounded 120Vac, 60 Hz, single phase, 20
amp power source.
EXTENSION CORDS
For optimum welder performance, an
extension cord should not be used unless
absolutely necessary. If necessary, care
must be taken in selecting an extension cord
appropriate for use with your specific welder.
10
PACKING LIST
Table 3 contains a list of the items you will
find packed in the carton.
Table 3. P_cking List
ITEM QTY.
Welder 1
Face Shield 1
Face Shield Handle 1
Shaded Lens 1
Welder Handle 1
Handle Screws 2
Front and Back Foot 1 ea.
Foot Screws 4
Wire Brush/Hammer 1
Parts Bag 1
Contact Tip 0.024 5
Contact Tip 0.030 5
Contact Tip 0.040 5
Nozzle 2
Wire .030 Fluxcore 1/2 lb.
Manual, Instruction 1
ASSEMBLE THE FACE SHIELD
1. Remove the lens retaining pegs and
shield handle nut from the arm of the
shield handle. (DO NoT DISCARDT)
2. Place the shaded lens into the space
provided on the inside of the face shield.
3. Screw the lens retaining nuts into the
holes to either side of the lens until they
are tight against lens.
4. Insert threaded peg on shield handle into
hole on face shield. Press firmly until
threaded peg and smaller peg below it
are locked into place.
5. From inside of shield, screw the shield
handle nut tightly onto peg threads.
See F_ur e 2 for face shield assembly.
Figure 2. Face Shield Assembly
INSTALLING THE HANDLE
1. Insert the tabs of the welder handle into the
slots provided on the top of the welder.
2. Insert a large flat head screw (included in
the accessories bag) into each hole on the
top of the welder handle.
3. With a flat tip screwdriver, securely
tighten both screws. (see Figure 3)
1 1
tighten both screws.
5. Align the holes of the back foot with the
rear screw holes on the bottom of the
welder. The curved face of the back foot
should face the rear of the welder.
6. Insert the two Phillips head screws
(included in the accessories bag) into the
holes.
7. With a Phillips head screwdriver, securely
tighten both screws. (see Figure 4)
I- I
I 1
Figure 4. Feet Installation
SELECTING SHIELDING GAS
The shielding gas plays an extremely
important role in the MIG welding process. It
is critical that the molten weld puddle be
shielded from the atmosphere. The shielding
gas creates a protective pocket around the
weld puddle which keeps impurities in the air
from infecting the weld. Inadequate shielding
will result in porous, brittle welds.
Although there are many gasses and gas
mixtures available for MIG welding, the
following recommendations are based on the
electrical output characteristics and metal
thickness capabilities of this specific
MIG welder.
! I
Figure 3. Handle Installation
INSTALLING THE FEET
Locate the two black plastic feet for the
welder. (The front foot is slightly larger than
the back foot.)
1. Lay the welder on its side.
2. Align the holes of the front foot with the
front screw holes on the bottom of the
welder. The curved face of the front foot
should face the front of the welder.
3. Insert the two Phillips head screws (includ-
ed in the accessories bag) into the holes.
4. With a Phillips head screwdriver, securely
Gas Selection For Steel Welding With
Steel Wire
For either mild or low carbon (High Strength
Structural) steel, use a gas mixture of 75%
Argon and 25% Carbon Dioxide. DO NOT
USE Argon gas concentrations higher than
75% on steel. The result will be extremely
poor penetration, porosity, and brittleness
of weld.
This gas mixture helps to prevent burn
through and distortion on very thin steel yet
provides good penetration on thicker steel.
Its ability to minimize spatter results in clean,
smooth weld appearances. In addition, it
provides good puddle control when welding
vertically or overhead.
11
Gas Selection For Stainless Steel Welding
The best shielding gas for stainless steel
welding is a mixture of 90% Helium, 7.5%
Argon, and 2.5% Carbon Dioxide. However,
100% Argon can also be used, but an
increase in the area being heated by the arc
will be experienced causing slightly greater
distortion of the base metal.
Gas Selection For Steel Welding With
Silicon Bronze Wire
Use only pure Argon when welding steel with
Silicon-Bronze wire.
INSTALL THE SHIELDING GAS
CHECK THE GAS FLOW
WARNING
IMPROPER HANDLING AND MAINTENANCE
OF COMPRESSED GAS CYLINDERS AND
REGULATORS CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS
INJURY OR DEATH. To reduce the risk of
injury or death, always stand to the side of the
cylinder opposite the regulator when opening
the cylinder valve, keeping the cylinder valve
between you and the regulator. Never aim the
open cylinder valve port at yourself or
bystanders. Failure to comply with this warning
could result in serious personal injury.
WARNING
IMPROPER HANDLING AND MAINTE-
NANCE OF COMPRESSED GAS CYLIN-
DERS AND REGULATORS CAN RESULT
IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH! Always
secure gas cylinders to the welding cart, a
wall, or other fixed support to prevent the
cylinder from falling o_er and rupturing.
Read, understand, and follow all the COM-
PRESSED GASSES AND EQUIPMENT
HAZARDS in the SAFETY SUMMARY at the
front of this manual. Secure your gas cylin-
der to the welding cart, or other fixed sup-
port.
1. Remove the protective cap from the cylin-
der and inspect the regulator connecting
threads for dust, dirt, oil, and grease.
Remove any dust or dirt with a clean
cloth. DO NOT ATTACH YOUR REGULA-
TOR IF OIL, GREASE, OR DAMAGE
ARE PRESENT.
2. Open the cylinder valve FOR JUST AN
INSTANT to blow out any foreign matter
inside the valve port. Never aim the open
valve cylinder port at yourself or
bystanders.
3. Screw the regulator into the cylinder
valve and tighten with a wrench.
4. Firmly push the gas hose over barbed fit-
tings on back of welder and regulator.
5. Secure both ends of hose onto barbed fit-
tings with hose clamps.
Note: If the cylinder you have is equipped
with male regulator connecting threads
instead of female, you will need to obtain a
special compressed gas cylinder adaptor
from your gas supplier to install between
your gas cylinder and regulator.
-The gas control function does not
require the welder to be turned on or
plugged in.
-To avoid damage to your regulator, make
sure you have the regulator valve closed
before opening the cylinder valve.
1. Slowly crack open the cylinder valve,
then turn open ALL THE WAY.
2. Pull the trigger on the gun to allow the
gas to flow. KEEP THE TRIGGER
PULLED. Listen and feel for gas flowing
from the end of the welding gun. If your
regulator has no adjustment, it has been
preset at the factory for a flow of 20 cubic
feet per hour. If your gas regulator has an
adjustment to control the gas flow rate,
turn the adjustment key clockwise to
increase gas flow; counterclockwise to
reduce flow. For most welding, the gas
flow should be set at 15-20 cubic feet per
hour. If no gas is heard or felt, verify all
steps involved in connecting the gas.
3. Release the trigger.
Note: If welding outside or in a draft, it may
become necessary to set up a wind break to
keep the shielding gas from being blown
from the weld area.
12
-MAKE SURE TO TURN OFF THE GAS
CYLINDER VALVE WHEN DONE
WELDING.
ALIGN AND SET THE DRIVE ROLLER
Before installing any welding wire into the
unit, the proper sized groove must be placed
into position on the wire drive mechanism.
Change the drive roller according to the fol-
lowing steps:
1. Remove the drive tension by unscrewing
tl_e tension adjusting screw (ALL THE
V_AY in a counterclockwise direction).
The drive tension screw will come loose,
allowing you to pull the drive tension arm
up away from the drive roller. Make sure
to keep the screw and the spring in place
with the drive tension arm.
2. If there is wire already installed in the
welder, roll it back onto the wire spool by
hand-turning the spool counter-clockwise.
Be careful not to allow the wire to come
out of the rear end of the gun without
holding onto it or it will unspool itself. Put
the end of the wire into the hole on the
outside edge of the wire spool and bend
it over to hold the wire in place. Remove
the spool of wire from the welder.
3. Loosen the drive roller set screw with the
provided hex wrench and pull the drive
roller off the drive shaft.
Note: The drive roller has two wire size
grooves built into it. When installing the drive
roller the number stamped on the drive roller
for the wire size you are using should be fac-
ing away from you. If you can read the wire
size you are using on the drive roller, it is
installed backwards. Use only the proper
size drive roller when using your welder.
,
Find the side of the drive roller that is
stamped with the same wire diameter as
that of the wire being installed (see
Figure 5, and if in metric, see DESCRIP-
TION). Push the drive roller onto the
motor shaft, aligning the set screw with
the flat side of the drive shaft. Make sure
the side stamped with the desired wire
diameter is away from you.
, Drive
Roller
_Motor Shaft
Rgure 5. Drive Roller
5. Slide the roller onto the shaft so that the
groove in the roller lines up with the inlet
tube and the welding gun liner.
6. Tighten the set screw, while holding the
drive roller in place.
INSTALL THE WELDING WIRE
I f]WARNING
Electric shock can kill! Always turn the
POWER switch OFF and unplug the power
cord from the ac power source before
installing wire.
Be very careful when removing the welding
nozzle. The contact tip on this welder is
electrically hot as long as POWER is turned
ON. Make certain POWER is turned OFF.
1. Remove the nozzle and contact tip from
the end of the gun assembly.
2. Make sure the proper groove on the drive
roller is in place for the wire being installed.
If the proper groove is not in place, change
the drive roller as described above.
3. Unwrap the spool of wire and then find
the leading end of the wire (it goes
through a hole in the outer edge of the
spool and is bent over the spool edge to
prevent the wire from unspooling), BUT
DO NOT UNHOOK IT YET.
4. Place the spool on the spindle in such a
manner that when the wire comes off the
spool, it will look like the top illustration in
Figure 6. The welding wire should always
come off the top of the spool into the
drive mechanism.
13
Right Way
Figure 6. Wire Installation
.
If you are installing a four-inch spool of
wire, install the drive brake hardware on
the top of the spool of wire according to
figure 7A. If you are installing an eight-
inch spool, install the spindle adapter and
drive brake hardware as shown in Figure
7B. The purpose of the drive brake is to
cause the spool of wire to stop turning at
nearly the same moment that wire
feeding stops.
Note: If TOO MUCH tension is applied to the
wire spool, the wire will slip on the drive
roller or will not be able to feed at all. If TOO
LITTLE tension is applied, the spool of wire
will want to unspool itself. Readjust the drive
brake tension as necessary to correct for
either problem.
7. After checking to make sure that your
welder is disconnected from the ac power
source, free the leading end of the wire
from the spool, but do not let go of it until
told to do so, or the wire will unspool
itself.
8. Use a wire cutter, cut the bent end off the
leading end of the wire so that only a
straight leading end remains.
9. Loosen the tension adjusting screw
holding the drive tension arm in place
and lift the tension arm up off the drive
roller.
10. Insert the leading end of the wire into the
inlet guide tube. Then push it across the
drive roller and into the gun assembly
about six inches.
I I I t
I I I I
I I I I
I I
I I
Figure 7A. Drive
Brake Hardware
Installation
Figure 7B. Spindle
Adapter and Drive
Brake Installation
6. Once the drive brake hardware is installed,
set the spool tension. With one hand, turn
the wire spool and continue turning it while
adjusting the tension on the spool. With
your free hand, tighten (tum clockwise) the
knob that holds the spool in place. Stop
tightening when drag is felt on the wire
spool that you are turning, then stop hand-
turning the wire spool.
14
CAUTION
Make certain that the welding wire is actually
is going into the gun liner. Be very sure it has
not somehow been accidentally been routed
alongside the liner or even in some other
direction. If this should happen, the wire
could feed inside the cable casing or take a
right angle and follow the wires and gas
hose inside the welder. It could also feed
back on itself jamming up the mechanism.
11. Line the wire up in the inside groove of
the drive roller, then allow the drive ten-
sion arm to drop onto the drive roller.
12. Tighten (turn clockwise) the drive tension
adjusting screw until the tension roller is
applying enough force on the wire to
prevent it from slipping out of the drive
assembly.
13. Let go of the wire.
14. Connect the welder power cord to the ac
power source. Turn the welder ON by
setting the VOLTAGE switch to the volt-
age (heat) setting recommended for the
gauge metal that is to be welded. Refer
to the label mounted on the cover, inside
the drive compartment, for recommended
voltage (heat) settings for your welding
job. The VOLTAGEselector controls the
weld heat. There are four voltage heat
selections (lettered A through D) available
on this welder. Position A provides the
lowest voltage (heat) and position D the
highest voltage (heat).
15. Set the WIRE SPEED control to the
middle of the wire speed range.
16. Straighten the gun cable and pull the
trigger on the welding gun to feed the
wire through the gun assembly.
17. When at least an inch of wire sticks out
pa,._tthe end of the gun, release the
trigger.
18. Select a contact tip stamped with the
same diameter as the wire being used. If
stamped in metric see DESCRIPTION.
Note: Due to inherent variances in flux-cored
welding wire, it may be necessary to use a
contact tip one size larger than your flux core
wire if wire jams occur.
19. Slide the contact tip over the wire
(protruding from the end of the gun).
Thread the contact tip into the end of the
gun and hand-tighten securely.
20. Install the nozzle on the gun assembly.
For best results, coat the inside of the
nozzle with anti-stick spray or gel.
21. Cut off the excess wire that extends past
the end of the nozzle.
SET THE WIRE DRIVE TENSION
To reduce the risk of arc flash, make certain
that the wire coming out of the end of the
gun does not come in contact with work
piece, ground clamp or any grounded materi-
al during the drive tension setting process or
arcing will occur.
CHANGE POLARITY
This welder allows you the capability to
change the welding current polarity. You may
select either dc Straight (dc - Flux Cored) or
dc Reverse Polarity (dc + MIG). For welding
steel with solid wire, stainless steel, flux cored
hardfacing of steel, and silicon bronze welding
of steel, select dc Reverse Polarity (dc +
MIG). When using self-shielding, flux-core
steel wire, use dc Straight Polarity (dc - Flux
Cored).
Change the polarity of your welder according
to the followi_lg procedure steps. Figure 6
shows what the polarity block should look like
for each polarity setting.
Electric shock can kill! Always turn the
power OFF and unplug the power cord from
the ac power source before changing polarity.
CAUTION
Do not use a ratchet, crescent or other lever
type wrench to tighten knobs on the polarity
block. The nuts must be hand tightened only.
Too much torque applied to one of the knobs
could cause the knob to break off.
1. Remove the retaining knobs from the +
and - mounting posts on the Gas/No Gas
Board, located just below the drive motor
on the inside of your welder.
A. For Gasless welding, mount the
Ground Clamp ring terminal to the "+"
mounting post and the Torch ring ter-
minal to the "-" mounting post.
B. For Gas (MIG) welding, mount the
Ground Clamp ring terminal to the "-"
mounting post and theTorch ring
terminal to the "+" mounting post.
See configuration shown in Figure 8.
.
Pull the trigger on the gun.
2.
Turn the drive tension adjustment knob
clockwise, increasing the drive tension
until the wire seems to feed smoothly
without slipping.
NO
GAS GAS
Figure 8. Changing Polarity
15
Operation of this welder consists of selecting
and adjusting operating controls for optimum
voltage (welding heat) and wire speed settings.
CONTROLS ANDINDICATORS
allowing the metals to flow together through
the use of an electrical arc. The electrical arc
is created between a continuous consumable
wire electrode (the welding wire) and the
work piece. An inert shielding gas is used to
protect the weld puddle from contamination
and enhance the welding capabilities of the
electrical arc.
WARNING
Electric shock can kill! Whenever the
POWER switch is in the ON position, the
welding circuit is activated. Under this
condition, an arc will occur if the welding wire
or any part of the welding circuit comes in
contact with welding ground.
POWER SWITCH - The power switch
supplies electrical current to the welder.
Whenever the power switch is in the ON
position, the welding circuit is activated.
ALWAYS turn the power switch to the OFF
position and unplug the welder before
performing any maintenance.
VOLTAGE SELECTOR; - The voltage selec-
tor controls the welding heat. The voltage
selector is lettered A-D. Letter A is the lowest
heat and letter D the highest. Refer to the
label under the welder hood (or on page 30
of this manual) for recommended heat
settings for your welding job. Position D on
the Voltage Selector produces the rated out-
put of 85 amps.
Whether you have welded before or not, it is
important that you become familiar with your
new welder, its controls, and the results
achieved at different settings. We strongly
recommend that you practice with your new
welder on scrap metal trying different heat
settings, base metal thicknesses, and welding
positions for each type and size of wire you
will be using. By doing this you will gain a feel
for how changes in these welding variables
affect the weld.
Of course, if you have not welded before,
you will need to develop welding skills and
techniques as well.
The self-taught welder learns through a
process of trial and error. The best way to
teach yourself how to weld is with short peri-
ods of practice at regular intervals. All prac-
tice welds should be done on scrap metal
that can be discarded. Do not attempt to
make any repairs on valuable equipment
until you have satisfied yourself that your
practice welds are of good appearance and
free of slag or gas inclusions. What you fail
to learn through practice will be learned
through mistakes and re-welds later on.
WIRE SPEED CONTROL - The wire speed
control adjusts the speed at which the wire is
fed out of the welding gun. The wire speed
needs to be closely matched (tuned-in) to
the rate at which it is being melted off. Some
things that affect wire speed selection are
the type and diameter of the wire being
used, the heat setting selected, and the
welding position to be used.
Note: The wire will feed faster without an
arc. When an arc is being drawn, the wire
speed will slow down.
LEARNING TO WELD
MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding is the process
of uniting metallic parts by heating and
/O
HOLDING THE GUN
The best way to hold the welding gun is the
way that feels most comfortable to you.
While practicing to use your new welder,
experiment holding the gun in different posi-
tions until you find the one that seems to
work best for you. Refer to WELDING POSI-
TIONS- p.18)
Position the Gun to the Work Piece
There are two angles of the gun nozzle in
relation to the work piece that must be con-
sidered when welding.
1. Angle A (Figure 9) can be varied, but in
most cases the optimum angle will be 60
degrees. The point at which the gun
handle is parallel to the work piece. If
angle A is increased, penetration will
increase. If angle A is decreased, pene-
tration will decrease also.
m i i
Angle A
Distance from the Work Piece
The end of the welding gun is designed with
the contact tip recessed from the end of the
nozzle and the nozzle electrically insulated
from the rest of the gun. This permits the
operator to actually rest the nozzle on the
work piece and drag it along while welding.
This can be very helpful to beginning welders
to steady the gun, allowing the welder to
concentrate on welding technique. If the
nozzle is held off the work piece, the
distance between the nozzle and the work
piece shoul_be kept constant and should
not exceed 1_4 inch or the arc may begin
sputtering, signaling a loss in welding
performance
Figure 9. Gun Position, Angle A
.
Angle B (Figure 10) can be varied for two
reasons: to improve the ability to see the
arc in relation to the weld puddle and to
direct the force of the arc.
Angle B
Figure 10. Gun Position, Angle B
The force of the welding arc follows a
straight line out of the end of the nozzle.
If angle B is changed, so will the direction of
arc force and the point at which penetration
will be concentrated.
On a butt weld joint, the only reason to vary
angle B from perpendicular (straight up) to
the work piece would be to improve visibility
of the weld puddle. In this case, angle B can
be varied anywhere from zero to 45 degrees
with 30 degrees working about the best.
On a fillet weld joint, the nozzle is generally
positioned in such a manner so as to split
the angle between the horizontal and vertical
members of the weld joint. In most cases, a
fillet weld will be 45 degrees.
WELDING TECHNIQUES
WARNING
EXPOSURE TO A WELDING ARC IS
EXTREMELY HARMFUL TO THE EYES
AND SKIN! Prolonged exposure to the
welding arc can cause blindness and burns.
Never strike an arc or begin welding until you
are adequately protected. Wear flameproof
welding gloves, a heavy long sleeved shirt,
cuffless trousers, high topped shoes and a
welding helmet.
ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL! To prevent
ELECTRIC SHOCK, do not perform any
welding while standing, kneeling, or lying
directly on the grounded work.
MOVING THE GUN
Gun travel refers to the movement of the gun
along the weld joint and is broken into two
elements: Direction and Speed. A solid weld
bead requires that the welding gun be
moved steadily and at the right speed along
the weld joint. Moving the gun too fast, too
slow, or erratically will prevent proper fusion
or create a lumpy, uneven bead.
1. TRAVEL DIRECTION is the direction the
gun is moved along the weld joint in
17
relation to the weld puddle. The gun is either
PUSHED (see Figure 11) into the weld pud-
dle or PULLED away from the weld puddle.
PUSH Puddle PULL
Figure 11. Travel Direction
For most welding jobs you will pull the
gun along the weld joint to take advan- -
tage of the greater weld puddle visibility.
2. TRAVEL SPEED is the rate at which the
gun is being pushed or pulled along the
weld joint. For a fixed heat setting, the
faster the travel speed, the lower the
penetration and the lower and narrower
the finished weld bead. Likewise, the
slower the travel speed, the deeper the
penetration and the higher and wider the
finished weld bead.
centered over the weld joint. This is the easi-
est type of bead to make.
Figure 12. Stringer Bead
2. The WEAVE BEAD (Figure 13) is used
when you want to deposit metal over a wider
space than would be possible with a stringer
bead. It is made by weaving from side to
side while moving with the gun. It is best to
hesitate momentarily at each side before
weaving back the other way.
TYPES OF WELD BEADS
The following paragrap_hs discuss the most
commonly used weldin_]'beads.
Once you have the gun in position with the
wire lined up on the weld joint, lower your
helmet, pull the trigger and the arc will start.
In a second or two you will notice a weld
puddle form and the base of the bead be
ginning to build. It is now time to begin to
move with the gun. If you are just learning to
weld, simply move the gun in a straight line
and at a steady speed along the weld joint.
Try to achieve a weld with the desired
penetration and a bead that is fairly flat and
consistent in width.
As you become more familiar with your new
welder and better at laying some simple weld
beads, you can begin to try some different
weld bead types.
Figure 13. Weave Bead
WELDING POSITIONS
There are four basic welding positions: flat,
horizontal, vertical, and overhead.
1. The FLAT POSITION (Figure 14) is the
easiest of the welding positions and is most
commonly used. It is best if you can weld in
the flat position if at all possible as good
results are easier to achieve.
There are two basic types of weld beads, the
stringer bead and the weave bead.
1. The STRINGER BEAD (Figure 12) is
formed by traveling with the gun in a straight
line while keeping the wire and nozzle
18
Figure 14. Flat Position
2. The HORIZONTAL POSITION (Figure 15)
is next in difficulty level. It is performed very
much the same as the flat weld except that
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