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Welder won't stop feeding

Mastiff

Mastiff

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So I've got this off-brand (Solar brand) MIG welder and suddenly it won't stop feeding wire. The only way to make it stop is to turn the machine off. The trigger on the gun doesn't seem to be the problem since it keeps going even if disconnected. Also, I hear the big clunk when I press the trigger still. The thing does not respond to the wire speed control, it seems to be full speed all the time. The wire advance button is not shorted.

Any ideas? I tried blasting it out on the inside with compressed air in case a piece of metal from grinding got in there, but no avail.
 
Whats the model number... Alot if the Century(Solar,etc) welders had issues with wire feed problems... Circuit boards wern't the best.

Post the model number and Ill see what can be done to fix it...
 
Thanks, just the board the lower controls go into. Unfortunately, it made no difference with that disconnected. Any other ideas? It all looks pretty simple. There are a few transistors that could theoretically go bad I guess.
 
Yeah, that's it. What are the chances of it fixing the problem if I drop $200 on this thing? Is this old Solar worth it, or should I spend the money toward a newer Miller or Hobart or something?
 
Id try and find someone to test the parts of the board... Kinda a gamble to just throw 200 bones at it...

I have a Century welder and Ive replaced all the potentiometers and fixed the spot stitch board..

Your wire and heat potentiometers are prob caked full of dirt is why it dont respond to wire spped adjustment.. Mine was the same way, till I replaced them.. Got the parts from Radio Shack and havent had a problem out of it yet
 
I'm going to try and tell if the transistor is bad. If so I can replace it myself for $5. $200 seems crazy for this simple board.
 
Hmm my Eastwood brand welder recently did this. Tech support told me it was the circuit board, had to get a new welder.

Looks like you've got some pretty good tech support here. Hope it works out for you.
 
I'll see if I can debug the circuit. Transistors and stuff are cheap, but this sucks because I'm in the middle of building shock mounts and am not really in the mood. :doah:

This Solar is a 220V welder, model 2-175 is 130 amp from what I can tell:

Model: 117-011
Duty Cycle: 20%
Max O.C.V. 28
Secondary Volts 20
Secondary Amps 130
KVA 4.0
Primary Amps 16
Primary Voltage 230

Any suggestions on what would be comparable in Miller or Hobart? I'm trying to get an idea of how much I'd need to spend to get going again. Entry level Hobarts claim they can do 1/4" steel with 115V, but I'm not sure what to really think.
 
Are the contacts in the trigger itself stuck?
 
cybrfire said:
Are the contacts in the trigger itself stuck?
Click to expand...

No such luck. I can disconnect the gun altogether and it doesn't matter. If it is hooked up, the trigger is still obviously controlling the welding function since I can hear the clunk.
 
Mastiff said:
No such luck. I can disconnect the gun altogether and it doesn't matter. If it is hooked up, the trigger is still obviously controlling the welding function since I can hear the clunk.
Click to expand...

I see. Just thought I'd throw it out there. Had one of mine do that. Little contacts under the trigger finally gave up the ghost and stuck together.
 
I bought that Hobart. The deal at Tractor Supply was far and away the best and a store an hour away had one in stock. Don't ask about gas money and tax, but even with that it was a pretty good deal. So small compared to the less powerful one I have now.

While setting it up I realized I've been welding with the wrong polarity for a while. I switched from gas to flux core and made no adjustments. Maybe my welds will improve now.
 
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