weld popping problem. What causes?
 

I saw this on youtube. This is similar to what I experienced sometimes. Does anyone know why?
Thanks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CHxuHNgN3s

Too much wire speed or reversed polarity. Is this a brand new welder? Are you using argon/CO2?

Heat's to high and the surface is not clean enough. The second lesson I learned was that the metal has to be very clean or it will pop like crazy. The first lesson I learned was to not weld in tennis shoes!

I think if the heat was too high, then the wire would vaporize and not arc. I'm going to say also too much wire speed, or heat not high enough. Maybe not using a 30 amp circuit if it's a 110.

This video is not mine. I am using a Lincoln 100. no gas, I know that polarity is correct (I checked). I sometimes get similar pop with all kind of heat ranges and wire speeds. What I know is that I am lazy to clean up the surface. Maybe this is an issue. I remember the worst I got, on popping, was welding the rebars, lot of surface rust.

What wrong with tennis shoes?

Thanks guys.

Not a thing. Guys that weld in tennis shoes are good for my business.

+1
When the heat it too high the wire sticks out, strikes the arc and immediately burns back to the tip (the "pop"). Wire feeds out again and repeats. It will eventually burn clear back into the tip and jamb. Speed up the wire feed or turn down the heat.
Too much stick out can cause popping too.

Nothing like a ball of glowing steel burning through your shoe to remind you to cover up.

I am converting to gas so I am looking for a tank. While I have several propane tanks for BBQ. Can I use the propane tank for welding gas?

This is what I meant BBQ tank: http://cdn.shocho.co/sc-image/6/0/1/7/60173085a571148fc42342fc0857d414.jpg

You need to add gas.

So you're using flux cored wire no gas? Electrode negative?

I was just thinking the same thing. I just assumed he was using flux core already when he said "no gas".

yes

Go to the weld shop for a proper gas cylinder. And add gas. It will be like day and night. I went through the same experience, same welder. They do sell the gas kit.

G

Listen to me. You have a ground problem.

I know your ground area is clean enough. Put a c-clamp on the ground alligator clip and squeeze.

Let me know. Went through this last year.

If I'm lyin', I'm dyin'.

It will be "crappy" with no gas but you can still lay a bead and it won't sound like a drive by shooting.

aigel,
I have the gas kit already, a welding tank of argon for aluminum. I need another tank for 75/25 argon/co2 and wonder of I can use one of the BBQ tanks I have instead of buy another tank.

Bob,
watching youtube, I can see that people are lay dimes with flux, no gas, and I wonder why I can't. Well, sometimes I can't but most of the time I can't. My buddy also suggested it's ground problem. Yesterday, I spent time to clean up things, tight up ground, then tried to weld 2 pieces of clean brackets. It gets much better but still nowhere close to dimes.

Searching the right tank size for home use, I ran into several gas tank explosion video clips; which looks scary. Does anyone know if there is a risk of explosion if it is in a hot garage? Summer here can get up to 100+ in the garage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG1LGKieTxY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KuE8aFjR8U

Just came by to post that. SmileWavy

Daniel, Bob,
I will have a task which need to do some welding soon. I will try that c-clamp.
Just a note, my alligator ground tension is very strong. When I am tired, I have to use both hands on it.

You can use the alligator. Just grind the metal you clamp it to until it is a shiny, so you get no resistance.

It might be worth taking it to the welding supply and having one of them take a look at it.

Could be the welder itself:
-Liner needs to be changed out because wire is sticking inside (that happened to me).
-Feed spool is too tight and binding/jerking.
-Diodes transformer or whatever are not working properly.

You should double-check the wire feed before at different angles before laying any bead. A few inches of wire lost is nothing. Try to maintain a straight line right to the work. Always keep the gun tip clean as snot.
This eliminates one possible big problem.
(But in my case it is usually operator error.)