What are the common problems with the Millermatic 252? (Plus some great alternative machines!)

Millermatic 252 is a Metal Inert Gas welder machine used in homes and industries when fabricating metals. This machine efficiency has been realized due to the following features; an input single phase power of 208, 230, 240, 460 and 575 volts with a frequency of 60 Hz, wire feed speed of 1.3–17.8 m/min, Maximum Open-Circuit Voltage of 38 volts, and net weight of 93 kilograms.

Millermatic 252 however has got problems that need to be solved to realize better efficiency, safety, and reliability. The problems and control measures are outlined in the following sections.

What are the common problems with the Millermatic 252?

• Stuck wire

Millermatic 252 has got rollers that move the wire during the welding operation. The two rollers are gear-driven to accommodate heavy-duty usage. Rollers may fail to rotate freely due to associated mechanical problems and in return, the wire gets stuck on the roller due to friction action between the roller and wire.

• Broken wire from incorrect tension settings

Millermatic 252 has got a knob to adjust the wire tension to the required tightness for a quality welding operation. A slack wire slips during the operation while overtightening may result in wire breakage. Machine operators should always consider the optimum tension for efficient welding operation and safety.

• Faulty program

The program eases the welding operation in Millermatic 252. It coordinates all the activities such as the wire feed speed, gas triggering, shielding gas pre-flow speed, post-flow gas time, burn-back time, spot-timer, and delay timer.

Faulty program results in in-proper coordination of the mentioned activities hence creating a hazardous environment thus safety is compromised.

• Burn-back due to low wire speed

Wire-speed should always be correct at all times for quality work. In Millermatic 252, wire low speed may be experienced due to failure of mobility elements such as rollers. This low speed is the major contributor to the wire getting stuck in the gun hence burn-back.

• Risk associated with mishandling welding cables

Welding cables ferry electricity during the Metal Inert Gas welding operation. Good wire dressing should thus be maintained at all times. Wires do get worn due to inappropriate handling and may lead to short-circuit during welding thus destroying the machine and fire outbreak being experienced.

• Bird nesting

Wire in the gun gets obstructed and cannot be fed properly through the tip in Millermatic 252. Wire thus collects in the area around the rollers hence bird nesting. This problem does occur as a result of wrong sizing of the tip and poorly maintaining the tip.

• Poor gas coverage

Millermatic 252 shield gas protects the pool from contaminants in the air. Poor gas coverage may be experienced when the pipe is blocked and leakages at the gun. Thus, poor gas coverage leads to porosity or pinholes in the weld.

What other machines are good alternatives for the Millermatic 252?

The availability of Millermatic 252 has eased the welding operations. Millermatic 252 is easily portable and can easily be operated. Despite its efficiency, the machine has problems that compelled engineers to design other welding machines.

These machines are Hobart 500559 Handler 140 Welder and Forney Easy Weld 261 (Amazon links). Both machines have proven to be the alternatives to Millermatic 252 as per the ratings from various customers and users.

Thus Millermatic 252 manufacturers should take into consideration the problems mentioned and come up with a new design. The new design should be able to deliver thus competing in the market with other available equipment. In so doing the society will be able to use machines we are safe and reliable as a result of competition.

Parts of the Millermatic 252

Millermatic 252 is made up of accessories and mountings to aid in its operation. The major components are the control panel, wire drive and guides, gas and piping system, electrical supplies and controls, Cooling system, low cylinder rack, and main body housing.

Control panel

Threading welding wire

Conclusion

Millermatic 252 is a metal inert gas welding machine that has eased metal fabrication in the design of various sectors such as construction, homes, agricultural setting, marine, automotive, and mining. Quality of work, safety to the operators, and efficiency have been realized when using Millermatic 252 machines.

Despite the advantages associated with the Millermatic 252, the problems associated with the machine should be addressed accordingly through performing scheduled maintenance to prevent any risks and machine efficiency improvement.