Everlast PowerARC 161STH Operator's Manual page 12

Section 2
small spark is the HF trying to start the arc. Do
not try to weld with the work clamp detached.
Once the arc transfers, the thin, blue spark will
stop, and the snapping sound will cease. If the
arc does not start, reposition the work clamp
direct to the metal that is being welded. Make
sure it is connected at a cleaned spot and is
making good contact. See page 24 for more arc
starting and operation information.
The Down-slope and 2T/4T/Pedal function are
related in function with each other. 2T/4T
modes are used exclusively with the torch
switch. These modes make it easier to work in
tight spaces or positions where a foot pedal isn 't
practical 2T mode represents a simple "press
and hold" function, which allows the arc to start
simply by pressing down on the torch trigger to
start the arc, and maintaining pressure on the
torch switch to continue to weld. When 4T is
selected, the torch trigger must be pressed
down to start the arc. Once the arc is started
and stable, the torch trigger can be released and
the unit will automatically raise the amperage to
the preset welding current. To stop the arc in
4T mode, you simply press and hold the torch
trigger as the arc diminishes while the weld
crater is filled. To terminate the arc and start the
Post-flow cycle, release the torch switch. The
Down-slope time controls the time in which it
takes the arc amps to diminish with the use of
the torch switch function. It is the final stage of
the weld cycle and allows extra filler metal to be
added to round off the top of the crater (the un-
filled, bottom part of the weld puddle). Setting
downslope is important to quality welds. While
no exact time is recommended per amps used, it
is a good idea to always maintain enough time
so that one or two extra dabs of the welding rod
can be added the puddle begins to cool. This
will round off the end of the weld and help pre-
vent cracking which is prone to start at the weld
crater. If using the foot pedal, this is done man-
ually, as the pedal is slowly backed down, and
amperage is decreased, making the use of Down
-slope unnecessary.
The foot pedal is used to start the arc and con-
trol the amps within the range set on the foot
pedal control knob. Using a low max amp set-
ting will change the resolution and may require
further downward travel than normal to start the
arc. The HF may stay engaged as a result, ap-
pearing as a blue spark and making a snapping/
ticking sound, until the pedal is pressed further
to reach the minimum start amps of the ma-
chine. The unit will stop output and display an
General Setup and Operation
error code if the arc does not initiate following
the burst of HF after 3 seconds. This prevents
damage to the machine and limits HF exposure
to electronically sensitive items. If the arc does
not start during this time, stop, and determine
the cause. The unit automatically resets, but do
not continue to try to start the arc if it does not
light up after 3 or 4 tries. If no HF spark is seen,
but you can hear a small buzz in the unit while
trying to start the arc, point gap adjustment may
be necessary.
The EZ Pulse TIG function is a valuable tool for
controlling heat and weld appearance. It can be
used in the higher spectrum of the pulse fre-
quency to control arc cone shape, weld width,
bead height and heat wicking. In the lower
spectrum, of 1-2 Hertz, the pulse helps provide
a "stacked" appearance of the weld bead that is
aesthetically pleasing. The Pulse is not neces-
sary to learn to weld properly, but it is a good
thing to have in the welding repertoire to tackle
different chores. The EZ Pulse function simply
allows the user to select only the Hertz and au-
tomatically optimizes the other pulse parameters
for best genera function. The EZ Pulse should
only be used once a good basic mastery of
welding skills has been achieved.
weld skills are achieved, various settings should
be tried to test and review the weld effects of
different Pulse settings at different frequencies.
Basic Stick Operation Information:
The stick function of this machine has several
adjustable features that help change the arc cha-
rateristics. It also has some features geared
specifically for safety. To begin with, be sure to
select the stick icon before starting to weld. Arc
striking can be done quite easily with practice.
See page 21 for more information on arc strik-
ing and stick welding techniques. The Hot Start
helps to reduce sticking during initial arc strik-
ing. The Hot Start is adjustable for intensity,
and duration. The intensity of the Hot Start can
be set from 0-100% over available hot start am-
perage. The duration of the hot start once the
arc is struck may be adjusted up to 2 seconds.
Old welding electrodes (rods) or dirty, rusted or
painted metal may require greater action. For
most purposes, hot starts less than 50% and
less than 3/4 of a second are generally desired.
As amperage increases, the available Hot Start
action will be diminished due to the fact there is
less overall amperage available in the upper amp
range of the machine. In short, if Amperage is
raised to or approaches the maximum output
limit of the welder, the Hot Start action will be
12
Once basic