spool, it will look like the top illustration in
Figure 6. The welding wire should always
come off the top of the spool into the
drive mechanism.
Figure 6. Wire Installation
5. If you are installing a four-inch spool of
wire, install the drive brake hardware on
the top of the spool of wire according to
figure 7A. If you are installing an eight-
inch spool, install the spindle adapter and
drive brake hardware as shown in Figure
7B. The purpose of the drive brake is to
cause the spool of wire to stop turning at
nearly the same moment that wire
feeding stops.
Figure 7A. Drive
Brake Hardware
Installation
6. Once the drive brake hardware is installed,
set the spool tension.
a) With one hand, turn the wire spool and
14
Figure 7B. Spindle
Adapter and Drive
Brake Installation
continue turning it while adjusting the
tension on the spool.
b) With your free hand, tighten (turn clock-
wise) the drive tension adjustment knob.
c) Stop tightening when drag is felt on the
wire spool that you are turning, then stop
hand-turning the wire spool.
Note: If TOO MUCH tension is applied to the
wire spool, the wire will slip on the drive
roller or will not be able to feed at all. If TOO
LITTLE tension is applied, the spool of wire
will want to unspool itself. Readjust the drive
brake tension as necessary to correct for
either problem.
7. After checking to make sure that your
welder is disconnected from the ac power
source, free the leading end of the wire
from the spool, but do not let go of it until
told to do so, or the wire will unspool itself.
8. Using a wire cutter, cut the bent end off
the leading end of the wire so that only a
straight leading end remains.
9. Loosen the tension adjusting knob
holding the drive tension arm in place and
lift the tension arm up off the drive roller.
10. Insert the leading end of the wire into the
inlet guide tube. Then push it across the
drive roller and into the gun assembly
about six inches.
CAUTION
Make certain that the welding wire is actually
going into the gun liner. Be very sure it has
not somehow been accidentally routed
alongside the liner or even in some other
direction. If this should happen, the wire
could feed inside the cable casing or take a
right angle and follow the wires and gas
hose inside the welder. It could also feed
back on itself jamming up the mechanism.
11. Line the wire up in the inside groove of
the drive roller, then allow the drive ten-
sion arm to drop onto the drive roller.
12. Flip the quick release drive tensioner
back up into position on the drive ten-
sioner arm.
13. Tighten (turn clockwise) the drive tension
adjusting knob until the tension roller is apply-
ing enough force on the wire to prevent it
from slipping out of the drive assembly.
14. Let go of the wire.
15. Connect the welder power cord to the ac