Operating instructions
32
BOC Smootharc Advance II MIG 250C Operating manual
10.0 Troubleshooting and Fault Finding
Power source
Component Fault symptom Cause
Primary cable No or low welding output Bad or incorrect primary connection, lost phase
Earth cable and clamp Arc will not initiate Damaged, loose or undersized cables and clamps
Connectors and lugs Overheating of connectors andlugs Loose or badly crimped connectors
Switches Erratic or no output control Switches damaged or incorrectly set for the application
Wire feeder (as part of the powersource unit)
Component Fault symptom Cause
Gas solenoid valve No gas ow or gas ows continuously Gas valve faulty or sticking in open position
Wire feed rolls Wire slippage, wire deformation Incorrect feed roll size, incorrect tension adjustment,
misalignment
Inlet, outlet guides Wire shaving or snarling Incorrect wire guide sizes, misalignment
Universal adaptor Wire restriction, gas leaks, no trigger control Universal adaptor not correctly mounted or secured, incorrect
size of internal guide, bent contact pins
Wire feed speed control No control over wire feed speed, no amperage
control
Faulty wire speed feed potentiometer, wire feed motor in
overload or trip condition
Wire inch switch Wire live when feeding through cable and torch
before welding
Faulty wire inch switch, inappropriate use of torch trigger
switch
Spindle Wire spool drags or overruns Spindle brake set too tight or too loose, spool not properly
located on spindle
Welding torch
Component Fault symptom Cause
Type Welding torch overheats Welding torch underrated for welding application
Liners Erratic wire feed, wire snarls up at outlet guide Liner of incorrect type and size for wire in use, worn or dirty
liner, liner too long or too short
Gas distributor Inadequate gas ow, contaminated or porous weld Damaged or blocked distributor
Nozzle Inadequate gas cover, restricted joint accessibility Nozzle too large or too small, incorrect length or shape
Contact tip Erratic feeding, wire shudder, wire burnback,
unstable arc, spatter
Incorrect size of contact tip, incorrect contact tip to nozzle
distance for metal transfer mode, inferior contact tip material
Nozzle insulator Arcing between contact tip and nozzle and
between nozzle and workpiece
No nozzle insulator tted
Regulator / owmeter
Component Fault symptom Cause
Inlet stem No gas ow, gas leaks at regulator body or
cylindervalve
Blocked inlet stem, leaking inlet stem to body thread, bullnose
not properly seated in cylinder case
Gas hose and tting Leaks at connections or in the hose, porosity in
theweld
Poorly tted ‘o’ clips, damaged hose, air drawn into gas stream
Shielding gas
Component Fault symptom Cause
Cylinder, MCPs No gas ow, porosity in the weld Gas cylinder closed or empty, faulty cylinder valves
Bulk No gas ow, change in welding conditions Bulk tank empty, incorrectly set mixing panel
Welding wire
Component Fault symptom Cause
Wire basket and spool Erratic wire feeding or wire stoppages Damaged wire basket, loose spooling, random-wound wire
Wire Wire sticks in contact tip, erratic feeding Varying wire diameter, copper aking, surface damage
Wire Weld has excessive amount of spatter Wrong polarity has been selected