Chicago Electric MIG 180 Owner's Manual & Safety Instructions
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Chicago Electric MIG 180 Owner's Manual & Safety Instructions

Wire feed welder
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Owner's Manual & Safety Instructions
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inspection, maintenance and cleaning procedures. Write the product's serial number in the back of the manual
near the assembly diagram (or month and year of purchase if product has no number). Keep this manual and
the receipt in a safe and dry place for future reference.
When unpacking, make sure that the product is intact
and undamaged. If any parts are missing or broken,
please call 1-800-444-3353 as soon as possible.
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Copyright
2011 by Harbor Freight Tools
this manual or any artwork contained herein may be reproduced in any shape
or form without the express written consent of Harbor Freight Tools. Diagrams
within this manual may not be drawn proportionally. Due to continuing
improvements, actual product may differ slightly from the product described
herein. Tools required for assembly and service may not be included.
Keep this manual for the safety warnings and precautions, assembly, operating,
Visit our website at: http://www.harborfreight.com
Email our technical support at: tech@harborfreight.com
®
. All rights reserved. No portion of
Read this material before using this product.
Failure to do so can result in serious injury.
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  • Page 1 Owner’s Manual & Safety Instructions Save This Manual Keep this manual for the safety warnings and precautions, assembly, operating, inspection, maintenance and cleaning procedures. Write the product’s serial number in the back of the manual near the assembly diagram (or month and year of purchase if product has no number). Keep this manual and the receipt in a safe and dry place for future reference.

  • Page 2: Important Safety Information

    Table of Contents Safety ............2 Welding Tips ..........23 Setup ............7 Maintenance ..........27 Specifications ..........7 Parts List and Diagrams ......30 Basic Welding ..........15 Warranty ............ 32 WARNING SYMBOLS AND DEFINITIONS This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential personal injury hazards. Obey all safety messages that follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or death.
  • Page 3 Fume and Gas Safety FUMES AND GASES can be hazardous to your health. 1. Exposure to welding or cutting 4. Use enough ventilation, exhaust at arc, or exhaust fumes can increase the risk both, to keep fumes and gases from breathing of developing certain cancers, such as zone and general area.

  • Page 4: Electrical Safety

    Electrical Safety ELECTRIC SHOCK can KILL. 1. Turn off, disconnect power, and 6. Do not expose welders to rain or wet conditions. discharge electrode to ground before setting Water entering a welder will increase down torch/electrode holder and before service. the risk of electric shock.

  • Page 5: Maintenance

    Welder use and care 1. Do not use the welder if the switch does not turn 4. Store idle welders out of the reach of children and it on and off. Any welder that cannot be controlled do not allow persons unfamiliar with the welder or these instructions to operate the welder.

  • Page 6: Extension Cords

    Grounding TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK AND DEATH FROM INCORRECT GROUNDING WIRE CONNECTION: Check with a qualified electrician if you are in doubt as to whether the outlet is properly grounded. Have a plug installed by a certified electrician. Do not use the welder if the power cord or plug is damaged. If damaged, have it repaired by a service facility before use.

  • Page 7: Specifications

    Symbology Wire Feed (Speed) Volts Alternating Current Workpiece Ground Cable Amperes Torch Cable Open Circuit Voltage Kilovolt Amperes Overheat Shutdown Indicator (Volts / 1000 * Amperes) Cooling Fan Inches Per Minute Housing Ground Point American Wire Gauge Specifications Power Input 240 V~, 24 A DCEN/DCEP Welding Output...

  • Page 8: Face Shield Assembly

    Setup Read the ENTIRE IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION section at the beginning of this manual including all text under subheadings therein before set up or use of this product. TO PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY FROM ACCIDENTAL OPERATION: Turn the Power Switch off and unplug the welder before assembly. Note: Remove the protective foam and cardboard from the welder before setup.

  • Page 9: Wire Spool Installation

    Wire Spool Installation 1. Turn the welder OFF and unplug it before proceeding. MIG 180 WIRE FEED WELDER ITEM 68886 WIRE FEED SPEED 240V~ 2. Pull up on the door latch, Door then open the Door. door latch 3. Remove the Spool Knob, Spool Spring, and upper Spool Knob Spool Plate.
  • Page 10 6a. Flux Core (Gas-less) Wire Setup: Flux Core (Gas-less) Polarity Setup Remove the two Knobs securing the cables. DCEN Connect the Black Ground Cable to the rear, red, Knobs positive Terminal using the Knob. – Connect the Red Torch Cable to the front, black, –...
  • Page 11 Feed Feed Swing Tensioner 7. Turn the Feed Tensioner knob counterclockwise to loosen it enough to pull it down to remove tension. (Do not loosen the Tensioner knob too much, or the Tensioner will come apart.) Then, swing the Feed Swing Arm up. Feed 8.
  • Page 12 IMPORTANT: Securely hold onto the end of the welding wire and keep tension on it during the following steps. If this is not done, the welding wire will unravel and create a tangled “bird’s nest”, wasting wire. 9. Cut off all bent and crimped wire. The cut end must have no burrs or sharp edges;...
  • Page 13 WARNING The following steps require applying power to the welder with the cover open. To prevent serious injury from fire or electric shock: 1. Do not touch anything (especially not the Ground Clamp) with the Torch or welding wire, or an arc may be ignited. 2.
  • Page 14 17. To check the wire’s drive tension, feed the wire against a piece of wood from 2 to 3 inches away. If the wire stops instead of bending, turn the welder OFF, unplug it, slightly tighten the feed tensioner clockwise, and try again.
  • Page 15 Basic Welding Read the ENTIRE IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION section at the beginning of this manual including all text under subheadings therein before welding. TO PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY: Protective gear must be worn when using the Welder; minimum shade number 10 full face shield (or welding mask), ear protection, welding gloves, sleeves and apron, NIOSH-approved respirator, and fire resistant work clothes without pockets should be...

  • Page 16: Control Panel Layout

    Control Panel Layout Overload Indicator Torch Cable Current Switch Power Switch MIG 180 WIRE FEED WELDER ITEM 68886 Wire Speed Dial WIRE FEED SPEED 240V~ Ground Power Cable Cord Overload Indicator: Wire Speed Dial: This lights up if duty cycle work period is exceeded, This controls the speed that the welding wire resulting in overheating the welder.

  • Page 17: Duty Cycle (Duration Of Use)

    Duty Cycle (Duration of Use) Avoid damage to the Welder by not welding for more than the prescribed duty cycle time. The Duty Cycle defines the number of minutes, within a 10 minute period, during which a given welder can produce a particular welding current without overheating.

  • Page 18: Flux/Mig Weld Settings

    Flux Weld Settings DCEN Polarity Metal Thickness Wire Material Wire Shielding Suggested 22 Ga 18 Ga 16 Ga 14 Ga Diameter Being Type Settings .030″ .048″ .060″ .075″ 1/8″ 3/16″ 1/4″ Welded 0.8mm 1.2mm 1.5mm 2.0mm 3.2mm 4.8mm 6.4mm Current .030″...

  • Page 19: Setting Up The Weld

    Setting Up The Weld 1. Make practice welds on pieces of scrap the same thickness as your intended workpiece to practice technique before welding anything of value. Clean the weld surfaces thoroughly with a wire brush or angle grinder; there must be no rust, paint, oil, or other materials on the weld surfaces, only bare metal.
  • Page 20 DANGER! TO PREVENT DEATH FROM ASPHYXIATION: Do not open gas without proper ventilation. Fix gas leaks immediately. Shielding gas can displace air and cause rapid loss of consciousness and death. Shielding gas without carbon dioxide can be even more hazardous, because asphyxiation can start without feeling shortness of breath.

  • Page 21: Basic Welding Technique

    Basic Welding Technique 1. Press (and hold) Trigger and contact area to be welded with electrode wire to ignite arc. 2. For a narrow weld, you can usually draw the wire in a steady straight line, stringer bead weave bead this is called a stringer bead.
  • Page 22 Note: If Welder is used too long, the amber Overload Indicator will light and the Welder Torch will shut off until the welder cools. If this happens, rest the Torch Torch on an electrically non-conductive, heat-resistant surface, such as a concrete slab, well clear of the ground clamp.

  • Page 23: Strike Test

    Welding Tips A typical flux-core wire (FCAW) weld A good way to test welding technique is to examine before cleaning. a weld’s appearance after it has cooled and the slag weld bead has been removed. Then, better welding can be slag spatter learned by adjusting your weld technique...
  • Page 24 Weld Diagnosis Workpiece Heat Control / Weld Penetration EXCESS PENETRATION OR INADEQUATE PENETRATION PROPER PENETRATION BURN-THROUGH Not hot enough Ideal heat Too hot How to increase workpiece heat How to reduce workpiece heat and increase penetration: and limit penetration: (to weld THICKER workpieces properly) (to weld THINNER workpieces properly) a.
  • Page 25 Weld Problems Penetration (Workpiece Heat Control) EXCESS PENETRATION OR PROPER PENETRATION INADEQUATE PENETRATION BURN-THROUGH Weld is visible underneath and Weld does not contact the joint Weld droops on top and bulges slightly on top. fully, just on the surface. underneath, or falls through entirely, making a hole.
  • Page 26 Excessive Spatter Porosity Fine spatter is normal. Small cavities or holes in the bead. Spatter that is grainy and large is a problem. VIEW VIEW POSSIBLE CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS POSSIBLE CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS 1. Incorrect polarity: 1. Dirty workpiece or welding wire: Check that polarity is set correctly Clean workpiece down to bare metal.
  • Page 27 Maintenance TO PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY, Torch FIRE AND BURNS: Unplug the welder, rest the Torch on a heat-proof, electrically non-conductive surface, and allow all parts of the Welder to cool thoroughly before service. concrete slab 1. Periodically remove the Side Panel, and using (or other heat-proof, compressed air, blow out all dust from the interior.

  • Page 28: Welding Arc Not Stable

    Troubleshooting IMPORTANT! Be CERTAIN to shut off the Welder, disconnect it from power, and discharge the Torch to ground before adjusting, cleaning, or repairing the unit. Wire feed motor runs but wire does not feed properly POSSIBLE CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS 1.

  • Page 29: Wire Feeds, But Arc Does Not Ignite

    Troubleshooting (continued) IMPORTANT! Be CERTAIN to shut off the Welder, disconnect it from power, and discharge the Torch to ground before adjusting, cleaning, or repairing the unit. Power switch lights, but welder does not function when switched on POSSIBLE CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS 1.

  • Page 30: Wiring Diagram

    Parts List and Diagrams Wiring Diagram Parts List Part Description Part Description Ground Clamp (and Cable) Handle Power Cord Spool Holder Grommet Hinge Current Knob Wire Feed Mechanism Wire Speed Knob Left Panel Front Panel Red Terminal PCB Bracket Latch Black Terminal Divider Rubber Tube...

  • Page 31: Assembly Diagram

    Assembly Diagram SKU 68886 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page 31...
  • Page 32 Limited 90 Day Warranty Harbor Freight Tools Co. makes every effort to assure that its products meet high quality and durability standards, and warrants to the original purchaser that this product is free from defects in materials and workmanship for the period of 90 days from the date of purchase. This warranty does not apply to damage due directly or indirectly, to misuse, abuse, negligence or accidents, repairs or alterations outside our facilities, criminal activity, improper installation, normal wear and tear, or to lack of maintenance.

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