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Welding Welding Equipment
If your truck has 4-wheel drive or a “snow mode,” you’d be crazy not to engage it for better control in wintry conditions. The same principle applies to battery powered stick welders with advanced capabilities, such as electrode type, Hot Start, and Arc Force functions. If you don’t use these features, you’re missing out on a whole lot of performance-enhancing benefits.
Surprisingly, not everyone utilizes these functions, so this article shows how easy it is to set and adjust them using the ESAB Renegade VOLT ES 200i battery powered welder. Note that virtually all premium welders with a stick output have these functions, including the ESAB Rogue and Rebel. How you engage them may vary, but the benefits are always the same.
From the Renegade VOLT home screen, press the pushbutton encoder (main knob) to enter the menu screen shown on the 4.3-inch TFT LCD display. Select the electrode holder/electrode icon. This allows you to select between two settings: cellulosic (e.g., 6010 or 6011) or rutile/basic (e.g., 6013, 7018, 304L, or 316L; note that some machines may further separate rutile and basic electrodes into their own categories).
Even a modestly experienced welder knows that different electrodes run differently. You can literally feel the difference between a 7018, a 6010, and a 6013, and that difference results from the different electrode coating formulations.
When you choose an electrode type setting, the battery powered welder makes slight adjustments to the relationship volt/amp curve (“slope”). How that works and why it is important is a topic for another story. All you need to know is that using the right setting for the electrode at hand will make it easier for you to weld at your best.
The Hot Start arc starting boosts the welding current for a few milliseconds when striking the arc. Hot Start especially helps with low-hydrogen electrodes, which can be notoriously difficult to start. It also helps establish the molten weld pool on the cold plate, which helps prevent the electrode from sticking, and it can also help consume the end of a previous weld (if there was one).
From the Renegade VOLT home screen, press the pushbutton encoder to enter the menu screen. Select the Hot Start icon and adjust the range from 0 – 10. Basic electrodes benefit from higher Hot Start values; start at 7 or 8. Cellulosic and rutile electrodes don’t need much Hot Start; set the value to 2 or 3. If you have difficulty striking an arc, increase the value. If the electrode flares excessively at the start of the weld or you’re blowing through thin plate, decrease the value.
It is also worth mentioning that electrode quality and electrode condition contribute significantly to arc starting and welding performance. For the best results, use premium electrodes and look for vacuum-sealed packages to guarantee freshness.
From the Renegade VOLT home screen, press the pushbutton encoder to enter the menu screen. Select the Arc Force icon and adjust the values between a range of 0 – 10. Arc Force helps when welding in a tight or narrow weld joint or when holding a short arc length, which is preferred for welding with basic electrodes like a 7018.
Arc Force, sometimes referred to as Dig or Arc Control, boosts the current only while welding (e.g., it has nothing to do with arc starting). Arc Force senses when the machine’s voltage drops below a certain level, which is what happens when the electrode moves close to the workpiece. Arc Force then boosts current to stabilize the arc and prevent the electrode from sticking or the arc from extinguishing.
When setting Arc Force, start on the low side or use the factory default and make a test weld while holding a tight arc (tight = ½ the electrode diameter). When you feel some resistance as the arc forces metal into the puddle, and the electrode doesn’t stick, that indicates sufficient Arc Force. If it sticks, increase Arc Force by a small increment (e.g., if 5 is the default setting, go to 6 and make another test weld). If the arc seems excessively harsh and creates spatter, reduce Arc Force.
Selecting stick electrode type and setting Hot Start and Arc Force should become habits as ingrained as setting polarity and amperage. Just like 4-wheel drive, these additional controls provided by these settings can keep your weld from going into the metaphorical ditch. Whether you're using a traditional or a battery powered welder, these tips will enhance your welding performance.