Tweco Spool Gun Firepower User Manual
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FORM NO. 0056-1867 EFFECTIVE MAY, 2001
Modular Spool Gun for MIG Welding
Operating and Safety Instructions
For Your Safety....
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!
IMPORTANT
Spool Gun
Operating and Safety Manual
Firepower SPOOL GUN OPERATING AND SAFETY MANUAL
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction.................................................................................................3
2. Safety Instructions........................................................................................5
3. Product Description......................................................................................9
4. Installation..................................................................................................10
1. Connecting Spool Gun to Power Source...........................................10
2. Installing Wire Spool.........................................................................11
3. Wire speed adjustment.....................................................................13
5. Maintenance..............................................................................................14
1. Controls............................................................................................14
2. Changing drive rolls..........................................................................15
3. Changing outlet liner........................................................................16
4. Troubleshooting Check List...............................................................17
6. Technical Data Sheet ..................................................................................18
7. Electric Connections...................................................................................19
8. Spare Parts Lists.........................................................................................20
9. Warranty....................................................................................................23
Firepower SPOOL GUN OPERATING AND SAFETY MANUAL
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Introduction
The Spool Gun is the best solution for situations where the power source can not be brought close
enough to your the work. The Firepower Spool Gun is a professional MIG gun suitable for welding
carbon steel, stainless steel or aluminum, using solid wire and also for flux cored wire. Wire is
driven by a DC electric motor in the gun, wire speed is controlled by an adjustable potentiometer
mounted in the base of the gun handle.
WARNING: Before attempting to connect, operate or adjust this product, please read this
instruction manual completely . Following these instructions carefully will facilitate the use of the
spool gun.
The 180 Amp Spool Gun
Firepower SPOOL GUN OPERATING AND SAFETY MANUAL
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Introduction
This User’s Guide provides pertinent information needed to safely and effectively use your
Firepower Spool Gun. It gives instructions on
set-up, installation and actual use of your
Firepower Spool Gun.
Safety Profile
Tradesmen respect the tools and equipment
with which they work. They are also aware
that tools and equipment are dangerous if
used improperly or abused.
NOTE: Read this guide prior to using
your Spool Gun. It enables you to do a bet-
ter and safer job. You will also learn the Spool
Gun’s application, limitations, and the specific
potential hazards peculiar to welding.
Safety Information
The following safety information is provided
to you as a guideline. Use it to operate your
new Firepower Spool Gun under the safest
possible conditions. Any equipment that uses
electrical power is potentially dangerous to
use when the safety or safe handling instructions are not known and/or are not followed.
This safety information gives you the necessary information for safe use and operation.
WARNING
Items in this manual that significantly affect
safety are identified with the following headings. Please read and understand this manual.
Pay special attention to items identified with
these headings.
WARNING – Means there is a poss-
ibility of injury or death to you or others.
CAUTION – Means there is the
possibility of damage to the Firepower
Spool Gun or other property.
NOTICE – Indicates point of interest for
more efficient and convenient installation or
operation.
Read all Safety and Warning Instructions
Carefully before attempting to install, operate
or service this welding unit. Your failure to
comply with the instructions could result in
personal injury and/or property damage.
IMPORTANT
RETAIN THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR
FUTURE REFERENCE.
Firepower SPOOL GUN OPERATING AND SAFETY MANUAL
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Safety Symbols
Familiarize yourself with the warning symbols
listed on the following pages. These symbols
identify important safety messages in this
manual. When you see one of these symbols,
be alert to the possibility of personal injury and
carefully read the message that follows.
I
ndicates that the possibility of ELECTRIC
SHOCK exists during the operation of the
step(s) that follow.
Indicates that the possibility of FIRE HAZ-
ARD exists during the step(s) that follow to
protect against eye damage and burns due
to flash hazard.
Indicates that the HELMET MUST BE WORN
during the step(s) that follow to protect
against eye damage and burns due to flash
hazard.
Indicates that the POSSIBILITY OF TOXIC
GAS hazard exists during operation of the
step(s) that follow.
Indicates that the POSSIBILITY OF BEING
BURNED by hot slag exists during operation
of the step(s) that follow.
Indicates that EYE PROTECTION SHOULD
BE WORN to protect against flying debris in
the following step(s).
Indicates that the POSSIBILITY OF INJURY
OR DEATH exist due to improper handling
and maintenance of compressed gas cylinders or regulators.
ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL! Reduce the
risk of death or serious injury from shock:
Read, understand and follow the following
safety instructions. Additionally, 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.
FIRE OR EXPLOSION CAN CAUSE DEATH,
INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE! Reduce
the risk of death, injury or property damage
from fire or explosion. Read, understand and
follow the following safety instructions.
Additionally, 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.
Remember, 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.
ARC RAYS CAN INJURE EYES AND BURN
SKIN! Reduce the risk of injury from arc
rays. Read, understand and follow the following safety instructions. Additionally,
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.
FUMES, GASES AND VAPORS CAN CAUSE
DISCOMFORT, ILLNESS AND DEATH!
Reduce the risk of discomfort, illness or
death. Read, understand and follow the following safety instructions. Additionally,
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.
IMPROPER HANDLING AND
MAINTENANCE OF COMPRESSED GAS
CYLINDERS AND REGULATORS CAN
RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH!
Reduce the risk of injury or death from compressed gases and equipment hazards. Read,
understand and follow the following safety
instructions. Additionally, 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.
Firepower SPOOL GUN OPERATING AND SAFETY MANUAL
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Health Hazards
The welding process can be hazardous to your
health. Therefore, follow these precautions:
1. ALWAYS wear protective clothing without
pockets and cuffs. Wear a helmet, gloves
and shoes with an insulating sole.
2. ALWAYS use a welding mask or helmet
with the properly tinted protective glass in
the shade adequate to the welding operation being performed and to the current
intensity.
3. Make certain that bystanders in the welding area are also following these precautions.
4. ALWAYS keep the welding mask glass
clean. Replace it if it is cracked or chipped.
5. NEVER weld in a damp area or come in
contact with a moist or wet surface when
welding.
6. If the welding area lacks proper ventilation,
use fume extractors.
7. Clean the welding pieces of solvents or
grease which develop toxic gases when
exposed to heat.
Electric Shock
WARNING Electric Shock Can Kill!
Reduce the risk of death or serious injury
from shock. Read, understand and follow
ALL safety instructions. Be sure that
everyone who uses this welding equipment or who is a bystander in the welding area understands and follows ALL
safety instructions as well.
WARNING Electric Shock Can Be Fatal.
A person qualified in First Aid techniques
should ALWAYS be present in the working area. If a person is unconscious and
electric shock is suspected, DO NOT
touch the person if he or she is in contact
with electric wires or touch leads.
Disconnect power from the machine,
then use First Aid. Use dry wood or other
insulating materials to move cables, if
necessary, away from the person.
1. Never touch or come in physical contact
with any part of the input current circuit
and welding current circuit.
2. Frequently check that the input cable and
plug are in good condition.
3. Make sure that the welder is disconnected from the main power supply BEFORE
attempting any repairs, opening the side
panels of the machine or repairing the
input cable.
4. Fit the main line BEFORE the distribution
outlet, with a three-pole switch with adequate delayed fuses (check the characteristics plate for fuse values).
5. DO NOT weld with cables, torch or earth
clamp in poor shape.
6. DO NOT coil the torch or the earth
cables around your body.
7. DO NOT point the welding torch against
yourself or against bystanders.
8. Should you feel the slightest electrical
shock, STOP welding IMMEDIATELY!
DO NOT use the welder until the fault is
found and resolved.
Firepower SPOOL GUN OPERATING AND SAFETY MANUAL
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General Welding
Safety Instructions
WARNING Welding processes of any
kind can be dangerous not only to the operator but to any person situated near the
equipment, if safety and operating rules are
not strictly observed.
Personal Protection
1. WARNING Wear closed, non-flam-
mable protective clothing, without pockets or turned up trousers.
2. WARNING Wear a non-flammable
welding helmet to shield the neck, face
and sides of the head. Keep the protective lens clean. Replace the protective
lens if broken or cracked. Position a
transparent glass between the lens and
the welding area. Weld in a well ventilated area that does not open into other
working areas.
3. WARNING Never look at the arc
without proper protection for the eyes.
4. WARNING Thoroughly clean metal
of rust or paint to avoid producing harmful fumes. Parts degreased with a solvent
must dry before welding.
5. WARNING Never weld on metals or
coated metals containing zinc, mercury,
chromium, graphite, lead, cadmium or
beryllium unless the operator and the
people standing in the same area use an
air-supplied respirator.
Safety Instructions
For your safety, BEFORE connecting the power
source to the line, follow these instructions:
1. Insert an adequate two-pole switch,
equipped with time-delay fuses, before
the main outlet.
2. Make the single-phase connection with a
two-pole plug compatible with the above
mentioned socket.
3. The two wires of the two-pole input
cable are used for the connection with
the single-phase line. The yellow/green
wire is for the compulsory connection to
the ground in the welding area.
4. When working in a confined space, keep
the power source outside the welding
area and fix the ground cable to the
workpiece. Never work in a damp or wet
area.
5 DO NOT use damaged input or welding
cables.
6. WARNING NEVER operate the
power source without its panels in place.
This could cause serious injury to the
operator and could damage the equipment.
Firepower SPOOL GUN OPERATING AND SAFETY MANUAL
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Fire Prevention
Welding operations use fire or combustion as a
basic tool.
1. The work area MUST have a fireproof
floor.
2. Work benches or tables used during
welding operations MUST have fireproof
tops. DO NOT weld on wooden work
benches.
3. Use heat-resistant shields or other
approved material to protect nearby walls
or unprotected flooring from sparks and
hot metal.
4. Keep an approved fire extinguisher of the
proper size and type in the work area.
Inspect it regularly to ensure that it is in
proper working order. Know how to use
the fire extinguisher.
5. Remove all combustible materials from
the work site. If you can not remove
them, protect them with fireproof covers.
WARNING NEVER perform welding
operations on a container that has held toxic,
combustible or flammable liquids or vapors.
NEVER perform welding operations in an
area containing combustible vapors, flammable liquids or explosive dust.
Ventilation
WARNING Ventilate welding work areas
adequately. Maintain sufficient air flow to
prevent accumulation of explosive or toxic
concentrations of gases. Welding operations
using certain combinations of metals, coatings and gases generate toxic fumes. Use
respiratory protection equipment in these circumstances. BEFORE welding, read and
understand the Material Safety Data Sheet
for the welding alloy.
Electromagnetic Compatibility
BEFORE installing a MIG power source,
inspect the surrounding area checking the
following points:
1. Make sure there are no other power supply cables, control lines, telephone cables
or other devices close to the power
source.
2. Make sure that telephones, televisions,
computers or other control systems are
not in the working area.
3. People with pace-makers or hearing aides
should keep far from the power source.
In particular cases, special protection
measures may be required.
Reduce interference by following these suggestions:
1. If there is interference in the power
source line, mount an E.M.T. filter
between the power supply and the
power source.
2. Shorten the output cables of the power
source, keep them together and connected to ground.
3. Securely fasten the panels of the power
source in place after performing maintenance.
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