Craftsman 117-076 User manual

1
WELDER USER’S GUIDE
GUÍA PARA USAR LA SOLDADORA
GUIDE DE L’UTILISATEUR DE LA
SOUDEUSE
Instructions on the use of your Wire Feed Welder
Instrucciones para el uso de su soldadora de carrete
Instruction d’utilisation de votre soudeuse à alimentation
en fil
Form No. 811-592-002 Rev. A December 2000
Made
in
U.S.A. ©
Model 117-076
117-076, 2145, 83125, 83126, 20511, 125 GL, 125GS

2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ENGLISH
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 5
SAFETY SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 5
SAFETY INFORMATION ............................................................................................................... 5
SHOCK HAZARDS ..................................................................................................................... 5
FIRE HAZARDS ......................................................................................................................... 5
FLASH HAZARDS ...................................................................................................................... 6
FUME HAZARDS ....................................................................................................................... 6
COMPRESSED GASSES AND EQUIPMENT HAZARDS ......................................................... 6
BURN HAZARDS ....................................................................................................................... 6
ADDITIONAL SAFETY INFORMATION ........................................................................................ 6
WELDER SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................ 6
DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................................. 6
WELDER OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS .............................................................................. 7
DUTY CYCLE ............................................................................................................................. 7
INTERNAL THERMAL PROTECTION .......................................................................................... 7
WELDER INSTALLATION .................................................................................................... 7
POWER SOURCE CONNECTION ............................................................................................... 7
POWER REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................ 7
CONNECT TO POWER SOURCE ............................................................................................. 7
EXTENSION CORDS .................................................................................................................7
ASSEMBLING THE WELDER ....................................................................................................... 7
UNPACKING THE WELDER ...................................................................................................... 7
INSTALL THE GROUND CLAMP ............................................................................................... 7
INSTALL THE TANK TRAY AND BRACKET ................................................................................. 7
INSTALL THE SHIELDING GAS ................................................................................................... 8
CHECK THE GAS FLOW ..............................................................................................................8
ALIGN AND SET THE DRIVE ROLLER ........................................................................................ 9
STANDARD DRIVE ROLLER..................................................................................................... 9
NEOPRENE DRIVE ROLLER .................................................................................................... 9
INSTALL THE WELDING WIRE .................................................................................................. 10
SET THE WIRE DRIVE TENSION ...............................................................................................11
PREPARATION.............................................................................................................................11
CHANGE POLARITY.................................................................................................................11
OPERATION........................................................................................................................ 12
CONTROLS AND INDICATORS ................................................................................................. 12
MAINTENANCE .................................................................................................................. 12
GENERAL .................................................................................................................................... 12
REPLACE A GUN LINER ......................................................................................................... 12
MAINTAINING THE CONTACT TIP ......................................................................................... 13
MAINTAINING THE NOZZLE ................................................................................................... 13
TESTING FOR A SHORTED NOZZLE..................................................................................... 14
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE................................................................................................ 14
TROUBLESHOOTING.................................................................................................................14
SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM ..................................................................................................... 15
WIRING DIAGRAM ............................................................................................................. 16
MANUFACTURER’S LIMITED WARRANTY ..................................................................... 17

5
INTRODUCTION
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 instruction on set-up, installation, and
actual use of the welder.
Optional on some welder models
Where information is shown that does not necessarily apply to
all models or brands of welder, it will be marked as either
optional on some welder models or does not apply to all
mo dels.
SAFETY SUMMARY
Every craftsman 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 User’s Guide and the Welding Instruction Guide
before using the welder will enable you to do a better, safer job.
Learn the welder’s applications and limitations as well as the
specific potential hazards peculiar to welding.
SAFETY INFORMATION
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 you the information necessary for
safe use and operation.
When a procedure step is preceded by a WARNING, it is an
indication that the step contains a procedure that might be
injurious to a person if proper safety precautions are not
heeded.
When a procedure step is preceded by a CAUTION, it is an
indication that the 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.
Note: The following safety alert symbols identify important
safety messages in this 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.
This symbol indicates that the possibility of fire
hazard exists during the operation of the step(s) that
follow.
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
Full explanations of the specific hazards are shown in the
WELDING INSTRUCTION GUIDE. Make sure you have read
and understand all of the information before proceeding with
any of the instructions contained in this user’s guide.
Published standards on safety are available. They are listed in
ADDITIONAL SAFETY INFORMATION at the end of this
SAFETY SUMMARY.
The National Electrical Code, Occupational Safety and Health
Act regulations, local industrial codes and local inspection
requirements also provide a basis for equipment installation,
use, and service.
SHOCK HAZARDS
WARNING
ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL! 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.
FIRE HAZARDS
WARNING
FIRE OR EXPLOSION CAN CAUSE DEATH, INJURY,
AND PROPERTY DAMAGE! To reduce 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
equipment, or is a bystander in the welding area,

6
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.
FLASH HAZARDS
WARNING
ARC RAYS CAN INJURE EYES AND BURN SKIN! To
reduce 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.
FUME HAZARDS
WARNING
FUMES, GASSES, AND VAPORS CAN CAUSE
DISCOMFORT, ILLNESS, AND DEATH! To reduce 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.
COMPRESSED GASSES AND EQUIPMENT HAZARDS
WARNING
IMPROPER HANDLING AND MAINTENANCE OF
COMPRESSED GAS CYLINDERS AND REGULATORS
CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH! To
reduce 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.
BURN HAZARDS
WARNING
Hot slag can cause fires and serious injury from burns.
To reduce the risk of discomfort or serious injury due to
burns always wear heavy protective clothing, eye and face
protection, and gloves designed for welding. To prevent the
risk of fires starting, use a metal plate or some other material
with a high flash point to catch and shield combustibles from
the hot slag.
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, Miami, FL 33126 Telephone (800)
443-9353, Fax [phone] — www.amweld.org or
www.aws.org
• ANSI Standard Z87.1 — SAFE PRACTICE FOR
OCCUPATION AND EDUCATIONAL EYE AND FACE
PROTECTION — obtainable from the American National
Standards Institute, 11 West 42nd St., New York, NY 10036
Telephone [phone], Fax [phone] —
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 [phone], Fax [phone] —
www.nfpa.org
• CGA Pamphlet P-I — SAFE HANDLING OF COMPRESSED
GASSES IN CYLINDERS — obtainable from the Compressed
Gas Association, 1725 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1004,
Arlington, VA 22202-4102 Telephone [phone] Fax
[phone] — www.cagnet.com
• OSHA Standard 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 W117.2 — 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
[phone], Fax [phone] — www.amweld.org or
www.aws.org
WELDER
SPECIFICATIONS
DESCRIPTION
Your new 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 26 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 (inputs) Amps 20
Phase Single
Frequency 60 Hz
Secondary (output) volts 18.5
Secondary (UL output) amps 90
Open Circuit Volts (Max.) 28 Vdc
Duty Cycle Rating @ 90 amps 20%

7
Optional on some welder models
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. The manufacturer does
not recommend the use of larger diameter wire.
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 20% at the rated
output. This means that you can weld for two (2) minutes out of
10 with the remaining eight (8) 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
40% 4 minutes 6 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 this
welder can result. If you exceed the duty cycle of your
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
10 minutes after the thermal protector opens before
resuming welding. You must do this even if the thermal
protector resets itself before the 10 minutes is up or you
may experience less than specified duty cycle performance.
If you find that your welder will not weld for 2 minutes
without stopping, reduce the wire speed slightly and tune
the welder in 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.
WELDER
INSTALLATION
POWER SOURCE CONNECTION
POWER REQUIREMENTS
This welder is designed to operate on a properly grounded 120
Volt, 60 Hz, 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
WARNING
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 120 Vac, 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.
Select a properly grounded extension cord that will mate directly
with the ac 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 at the smallest a #12 gauge cord. 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.
2. Open the cartons or bags packed with your welder and
inspect their contents for damage. Report any missing or
damaged items immediately.
3. Grasp the top handle of the welder and lift the welder out of
the carton.
INSTALL THE GROUND CLAMP
Connect the ground clamp to the ground cable (coming out the
front of the welder) according to the instructions packaged with
the ground clamp.
INSTALL THE TANK TRAY AND BRACKET
Optional on some welder models
The tank tray bracket is installed on the back of the welder, see
Figure 1.

8
IMPORTANT – GAS CYLINDER SIZE RESTRICTION! The
tank tray you have just installed on the back of the welder will
handle gas cylinders no larger than 20 cubic feet. If you select
a cylinder larger than 20 cubic feet, it must be chained to a wall
or other fixed support.
3
1
2
Figure 1. Mount Tank Tray Bracket To Welder
1. Align the four tank tray bracket (1) mounting holes (as
shown in Figure 1) with the four staked nuts on the rear of
the welder.
2. Start one ¼ inch split lock washer (2) and a ¼-20 x ½ inch
hex bolt (3) in one of the top tank tray bracket (1) mounting
holes, then start each of the other three split lock nuts (2)
and ¼-20 x ½ inch hex bolts (3) through the remaining
mounting holes.
3. Tighten all four hex bolts.
If you have an optional cart with the welder, the tank tray
bracket is installed at the rear of the cart, below the welder, see
Figure 2.
34
1
2
Figure 2. Mount Tank Tray Bracket To Cart
1. Align the tank tray bracket (1) to fit between the legs at the
back of the cart (2) (as shown in Figure 2) so that the
mounting holes are aligned with the four staked nuts on the
rear of the cart.
2. Start one ¼ inch split lock washer (3) and a ¼-20 x ½ inch
hex bolt (4) in one of the top tank tray bracket (1) mounting
holes then start each of the other three split lock washers
(2) and ¼ inch hex bolts (3) through the remaining
mounting holes.
3. Tighten all four inch hex bolts.
INSTALL THE SHIELDING GAS
WARNING
IMPROPER HANDLING AND MAINTENANCE OF
COMPRESSED GAS CYLINDERS AND REGULATORS
CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH! Always
secure gas cylinders to the tank bracket kit, a wall, or other
fixed support to prevent the cylinder from falling over and
rupturing. Read, understand, and follow all the
COMPRESSED GASSES AND EQUIPMENT HAZARDS in
the SAFETY SUMMARY at the front of this manual.
Secure your gas cylinder to the tank bracket kit, a wall, or other
fixed support.
1. Remove the protective cap from the cylinder and inspect
the regulator connecting threads for dust, dirt oil, and
grease. Remove any dust or dirt with a clean cloth. DO
NOT ATTACH THE REGULATOR IF OIL, GREASE, OR
DAMAGE ARE PRESENT.
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.
2. Open the cylinder valve FOR JUST AN INSTANT to blow
out any foreign matter inside the valve port to reduce the
risk of plugging or damaging the regulator.
3. Screw the preset regulator supplied with this welder (see
Figure 3) into the cylinder valve and tighten with a wrench.
Figure 3. Preset Regulator

9
4. Insert the gas hose into the outlet port of the gas regulator.
The hose locks in place in the fitting when pressed into the
port.
5. To remove the gas hose, press down on the ring at the rear
of the gas fitting, and pull the hose out of the fitting.
CHECK THE GAS FLOW
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 adapter 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.
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 pre-set 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 windbreak to keep the
shielding gas from being blown from the weld area.
• 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 to a neoprene drive roller when welding
with aluminum wire.
Note: Your unit is shipped with wire installed and the
standard drive roller is already positioned for the
included wire.
STANDARD DRIVE ROLLER
Change the standard drive roller according to the following
steps:
1. Remove the drive tension by unscrewing the tension
adjusting screw (ALL THE WAY in a counter-clockwise
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 setscrew 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 facing 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.
4. Find the side of the drive roller that is stamped with the
same wire diameter as that of the wire being installed (see
Figure 4, and if in metric, see DESCRIPTION). Make
certain the spacing washer is still on the motor shaft and
push the drive roller onto the motor shaft, aligning the
setscrew 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
.
0
2
4
/
0
,
6
m
m
Spacing
Washer
Figure 4. 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. You
can look at the alignment from the top of the welder.
6. Tighten the setscrew, while holding the drive roller in place.
NEOPRENE DRIVE ROLLER
Change to the neoprene drive roller (not included with unit)
according to the following steps:
1. Remove the drive tension by unscrewing the tension
adjusting screw (ALL THE WAY in a counter-clockwise
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 setscrew in the standard drive roller and
remove it and the spacing washer from the drive shaft.
4. Do not use the spacing washer. The spacing washer is for
use with the standard drive roller only. Save the spacing
washer with the standard drive roller.
5. While holding the side of the neoprene drive roller that has
the setscrew toward you (see Figure 5), push the neoprene
drive roller onto the motor shaft as far as it will go. Align
the setscrew with the flat side of the drive shaft.

10
Drive
Roller
Inlet
Guide
Tube
Screws
Motor Shaft
Flat
Setscrew
Neoprene Drive Roller
Motor
Shaft
Gun
Liner
Figure 5. Drive Assembly & Neoprene Drive Roller
6. Tighten the setscrew, while holding the drive roller in place.
7. Remove the screws that retain the inlet guide tube.
Replace the plastic inlet guide tube with the supplied brass
inlet guide tube. Secure screws.
Note: The tapered side of the brass inlet guide tube
should be as close to the rollers as possible without
touching.
• It is not necessary to reinstall the plastic inlet guide
tube when switching back to the standard drive
roller. However, if you experience some binding,
readjust the brass inlet guide tube slightly away
from the drive roller.
INSTALL THE WELDING WIRE
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 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.
Right Way
Wrong Way
0.8
0.8
Figure 6. Right and Wrong Way To Feed Wire From
Spool
5. 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.
AB
4" Spool
8" Spool
Figure 7. Drive Brake Assemblies with Four Inch and
Eight Inch Wire Spools
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 (turn clockwise) the wing nut 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.

11
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. Using 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.
CAUTION
Make certain that the welding wire is actually 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 tension 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
voltage (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 VOLTAGE
selector controls the weld heat. There is an OFF and four
voltage (heat) selections (numbered 1 through 4) available
on this welder. Numbered position 1 provides the lowest
voltage (heat) and position 4 the highest voltage (heat).
15. Set the WIRE SPEED control to the middle of the wire
speed range.
16. 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 past the 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.
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
(part #4312, not supplied).
21. Cut off the excess wire that extends past the end of the
nozzle.
SET THE WIRE DRIVE TENSION
WARNING
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 the workpiece clamp or any grounded material during
the drive tension setting process or arcing will occur.
1. 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.
3. Block the end of the nozzle by holding it up against
something that doesn’t conduct electricity, such as a block
of wood or a concrete floor, then trigger the gun again. The
wire should slip at the drive roller. However, if the wire
bird-nests at the drive roller, rethread the drive system
using less drive tension and try again.
4. When the drive tension is set correctly, there should be no
slippage between the wire and the drive roller. However, if
an obstruction occurs along the wire feed path, the wire
should then slip on the drive roller.
PREPARATION
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 following
procedure steps. Figure 8 shows what the polarity block should
look like for each polarity setting.
CAUTION
Do not use a ratchet, crescent or other lever type wrench
to tighten the nuts on the polarity bus. The nuts must be
hand tightened with a 7/16 inch nut driver only. Too much
torque applied to the one of the nuts could cause the
threaded post to break off.
Tools Required:
• 7/16 inch nut driver
1. With a 7/16 inch nut driver, remove all four nuts and pull
out the vertically mounted copper straps.
2. Replace the copper straps horizontally in the dc Straight
Polarity (dc – Flux Cored) configuration shown in Figure 8.
DC
–
FLUX CORED
DC+
MIG
Figure 8. Welder Polarity Selections

12
3. Start the four nuts on the four connecting posts and hand
snug each nut with the 7/16 nut driver. Do not use a
ratchet, crescent or other lever type wrench.
OPERATION
Operation of this welder consists of selecting and adjusting
operating controls for optimum voltage (welding heat) and wire
speed settings.
CONTROLS AND INDICATORS
WARNING
ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL! To remove the risk of
electric shock, be aware that the VOLTAGE selector, when
OFF, does not remove power from all internal circuitry in the
welder. Whenever the VOLTAGE selector is in any position
except OFF, 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.
VOLTAGE SELECTOR – The voltage selector controls the
welding heat. The voltage selector is numbered 1–4. Number 1
is the lowest heat and number 4 the highest. Refer to the label
under the welder hood for recommended heat settings for your
welding job.
The position to the left of number 1 is the OFF position. In this
position, no power is provided to the welder – the drive motor
and welding power are turned off. However, as long as the
VOLTAGE selector is in one of the four numbered voltage
positions, welding circuit is
HOT (there is voltage on the contact
tip).
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 (see TUNING IN THE
WIRE SPEED, (
in the Welding Instruction Guide ). 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.
MAINTENANCE
GENERAL
This welder has been engineered to give many years of trouble-
free service providing that a few very simple steps are taken to
properly maintain it.
1. Keep the wire drive compartment lid closed at all times
unless the wire needs to be changed or the drive tension
needs adjusting.
2. Keep all consumables (contact tips, nozzles, and gun liner)
clean and replace when necessary. See CONSUMABLE
MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING later in this
section for detailed information.
3. Replace power cord, ground cable, ground clamp, or gun
assembly when damaged or worn.
4. Periodically clean dust, dirt, grease, etc. from your welder.
Every six months or as necessary, remove the side panels
from the welder and air-blow any dust and dirt that may
have accumulated inside the welder.
WARNING
ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL! To reduce the risk of
electric shock, always unplug the welder from its ac power
source before removing side panels.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THE CONSUMABLES
TO AVOID THE NEED FOR PREMATURE REPLACEMENT
OF THE GUN ASSEMBLY.
The GUN LINER is intended to provide an unrestricted path for
the welding wire to flow through the gun assembly. Over time it
will accumulate dust, dirt, and other debris. Replacement is
necessary when these accumulations begin to restrict the free
flow of wire through the gun assembly.
REPLACE A GUN LINER
When removing or installing a gun liner, care must be taken not
to kink or otherwise damage the gun liner or replacement will be
necessary. See Figure 9 for the drive assembly and Figure 10
for the gun assembly.
0.8
1/4" Hex
Head Screws
Strain
Relief
Clamp
Phillips Pan
Head Screw
Drive
Roller
Drive
Assembly
Inlet
Guide
Tube
Gun
Liner
Gun
Assembly
(Tail End)
Drive
Tension
Arm
Drive
Tension
Adjustment
Inlet Guide
Tube End
Figure 9. Drive Assembly
Nozzle
Contact
Tip
Conductor
Tube
Conductor
Tube Insulation
Covering
Cable
(Tubing)
Cable
Gun
Handle
Case
Gas
Valve
Plastic
Cable Tie
Gas
Hose
Gas
Hose
Fitting
Liner
Head End
Gun Liner
Switch
Contact
Switch
Contact
Switch
Contact
Wire
Switch
Contact
Wire
Live Wire
Terminal
Internal Star
Lockwasher
Diffuser
Gas
(has left hand
threads)
Figure 10. Gun Assembly